Finally, someone who understands!

[kiokushitaka]

Yesterday, this woman came in to buy a copy of Grand Theft Auto IV for her son. As per our company's rules and policies, I had to read off a list of reasons as to why the game is rated mature and ask her permission before I sell it to a minor.

AW: Awesome woman

Me: This game is rated mature for.... (blah blah blah)
AW: Oh, it's okay. I know that games don't cause violence. It's bad parenting that makes kids do that stuff. It ain't movies or music or games.
Me: My thoughts exactly! I've been playing violent games and watching R rated movies for ages and I've never gone postal.
AW: I'm a school teacher, and parents are always trying to find something else to blame because they don't want to even think that they are the ones responsible for their child's shameless behavior. It's just sad. (She shakes her head)

This woman seriously made my day. Finally, someone who realizes that games are make believe!

[crazylegs]

AW: I'm a school teacher, and parents are always trying to find something else to blame because they don't want to even think that they are the ones responsible for their child's shameless behavior. It's just sad. (She shakes her head)

I prostrate myself before thee oh wise woman!

[Aethian]

We need more teachers like this. I bet she is one heck of a teacher in the class room.

[marasbaras]

Violent images, while they don't force behaviors, DO desensitize.

I'm glad to see that your store explains why the M. People should be made aware of what they're buying ... so they can make an informed choice.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=krn9_d9CER8 ... watch, enjoy, wish that comedians were this funny these days.

[JustADude]

Violent images, while they don't force behaviors, DO desensitize.

And people constantly say that like being desensitized is, in and of itself, a bad thing!

Seriously, though... I could get started, but that'd rapidly head into Fratch-land territory, so I'll suffice it to say that Awesome Woman was, indeed, awesome, and 100% correct.

[sms001]

One of my favorite Dennis Miller quotes is his commenting on the PMRC: "If listening to one more Black Sabbath song is enough to push your kid over the edge, you've failed at parenting..."

[kiokushitaka]

Violent images, while they don't force behaviors, DO desensitize.

I don't know... I don't think desensitizing is terribly bad to begin with, but I'm pretty jaded. In some cases, anyhow. I think that there would a lot less issue if people became desensitized to certain words, racial slurs, the like. Then, they wouldn't get their panties in a bunch as much, I reckon. But that's mere speculation.

One of my favorite Dennis Miller quotes is his commenting on the PMRC: "If listening to one more Black Sabbath song is enough to push your kid over the edge, you've failed at parenting..."

Agreed so, so much.

[Alexandra]

Thing is, if you get desensitized to violence, you'll think it's no big deal. And that's not good.

It's because I try to be a good parent that I don't let my son, who is only 6, watch R-rated stuff or let him play such games (we don't have any M-rated games that I know of and the N64 seldom gets turned on). Bob the Builder is his thing anyway.

I think those games CAN cause someone to be violent...a good parent wouldn't let them play it to begin with if they're worried about kids turning violent, just my honest opinion. And then there's this thing with subliminals (getting into tinfoil hat territory here).

But--I think the government should butt out. Parents should be warned, and make informed choices.

I have trouble playing some Nintendo games myself. I become too involved and wrapped up in it. Like if I'm playing something where my character is in a dungeon and something might attack him, I get freaked out--easily. So I don't play them.

[kiokushitaka]

I guess that since I've been watching fairly violent anime and playing fairly violent videogames since I was... oh, in elementary school... and I've never been inclined to do anything drastic, it's based on that (and some scientific studies they've been doing on this topic) that I don't agree with the "games cause violence" thing. But my main beef is definitely with the govermnet trying to butt in. Making a law like that isn't going to stop crappy parents from being crappy parents.

[JustADude]

I have trouble playing some Nintendo games myself. I become too involved and wrapped up in it. Like if I'm playing something where my character is in a dungeon and something might attack him, I get freaked out--easily. So I don't play them.

And that, folks is a responsible action. Lets give Alexandra a BIG round of applause here! No, I'm not being sarcastic, either! I, personally, have an extremely strong wall between reality and fiction. Games, no matter how immersive, are just games to me, and I appreciate any voice of reason that will let me enjoy everything from interactive space opera like Mass Effect to over-the-top gore-fests like Manhunt without having people try to censor it 'for my own good'.

Also of note, I found that having someone dear to me die, and what that put me through, has done more to increase my mental readiness to cause grievous harm to another living being than two decades of video-games and slasher flicks... and I'm still not going to lay a hand on someone unless they swing first.