Could videogames be causing the same reaction in older generations that Elvis did 50 years ago?
An opinion piece on Tek-9.org does a nice job of summing up a slew of recent
cringe-worthy anti-game remarks before surmising that these attacks are, more often than not, done by older folks who may not realize all that the world of games has to offer:
The only people I can find making these ridiculous and uninformed remarks about gaming are either attention seeking whores, mp’s who have no real political agenda and plucked something out of their ass or daily mail writers, oh and porn stars.
They are all of an older generation who simply don’t understand the better side, the positive side of gaming and its influence both good and bad on young people today and instead of taking the time to find out, simply lash out with uninformed rhetoric that does nothing for them, save an Andy Warhol moment in the spotlight and certainly does nothing for the gaming industry.
All this negativity could cause a gamer to lash out with vitriol-laden comments against those who dare to talk badly about games. The piece’s author notes that these types of responses do little to improve an outsider’s opinion of those who game:
What we should be doing is putting together smart, reasoned and logical replies and educating the older generation, as hard as that sounds and pointing out the positives of video games. Things like Childs Play which recently raised $1.7million from gamers and the gaming industry to help fight poverty in poor regions should be pointed out.
GP: While calling people "attention seeking whores" does not necessarily subscribe to the author's suggestion of playing nice, it’s still a thought-provoking piece and mostly spot-on.
Comments
Re: Opinion: Generation Gap Fuels Attacks on Games and ...
Im glad this guy is supporting games, but I agree w/the top commenter on here. It does sound hollow.
"It's better to be hated for who you are, then be loved for who you are not." - Montgomery Gentry
Re: Opinion: Generation Gap Fuels Attacks on Games and ...
The author is living in a bit of a dream world. Rational discourse does not help bring our side of the argument forward. I'll give you two reasons:
Jack
Thompson
The man is living proof that no matter how much we point out the obvious, those who are on a crusade against video games will not be detered. And it is obvious, so much so that we don't have to really argue anything to prove our point. If anything these pathetic, close minded, hateful people (like Jack Thompson) were even close to true, a large, noticable portion of anyone who's ever played a video game would be psychopaths. We'd be living in chaos.
There is no rational discourse to be had with our hardline detractors in this case. Much like those against Elvis, the Beatles, movies, novels (yes, even novels had the eire of the elderly at one point), the only way for our point to be hammered through is by breeding the detractors out, and outliving them. And here's the kicker...there will be many here that one day, when they're older and have a family of their own - and perhaps even grandchildren - will be stubbornly opposed to the next "in" thing that's somehow corrupting the youth of today (they'll also talk about how things used to be so much better when they were children).
Man...I'm in a cynical mood tonight. To curb this, I'll end with Sunshines and Rainbows.
Re: Opinion: Generation Gap Fuels Attacks on Games and ...
I can't help but disagree - surely Thompson is the exception? At one point he seemed to give the impression that he was speaking for those concerned or against video games, but given how many groups have 'distanced' themselves from him, he now seems to be a lone nut.
The only way for our point to be hammered through is by breeding the detractors out, and outliving them.
In the long term, definitely, I agree, as I believe that's what happened with the other mediums, but in the mean time we should still focus on rational discourse and logic all the same.
Re: Opinion: Generation Gap Fuels Attacks on Games and ...
Rational discourse and logic are great, but those are not the means by which our detractors operate. Logic does not work for the illogical.
As for Thompson being the exception, I agree. Very few people honestly believe that video games are the root of all evil. Those that typically think that video games effect the minds of kids also think the same of movies, books, and all other types of media. I completely disagree with that, but that's another point entirely. However, those who are crusading against video games are the exceptions, like Thompson. They're the ones spreading falsehoods and hyperbole across the internet, newspapers, and TV.
So, those who are so strongly opposed to us in the open media are the exceptions. They are of the same ilk as Thompson. They can't be talked down. They can't be reasoned with. We've tried before, and have only been rebuked for it.
Re: Opinion: Generation Gap Fuels Attacks on Games and ...
Yep I agreed with the article, I think I can list out what's he kind of describing:
1900: movie (I think), scapegoated (are they still getting blame as of today)
1920-1930: Alcohol, liquor, and Beer (hence prohibition) and Comic Book, scapegoated
1950: Rock n Roll (Elvis hip caused an outrage) and TV, scapegoated
1960: Music from Britain specfically The Beetles (Did you know Charles Manson blamed the Beetle for his rampage?), scapegoated
1970: Heavy Metal (late 70's), scapegoated. Video game started to get a bit of attention after the game, Deathrace 2000.
1980: Dungeons & Dragons getting blamed for ritual killing.
1990: Gangsta Rap get the blame (Racism also come thanks to saying that Rap music turns black people into killer according to the idiot that said Rap music was evil). Video game are also getting blamed also
2000: Video game get blamed almost all time high.
Future scapegoat: anime and manga.
Am I missing any thing else that's been scapegoated and blamed on?
Re: Opinion: Generation Gap Fuels Attacks on Games and ...
Um... comics weren't scape-goated until the '50s. From the late '20s through to the early '40s, comics were lauded - especially in America - moreover, the spread in readership age was broader then than it is today. It wasn't until the inception of EC Comics' horror line that they attracted controversry.
Plus this goes back waaaay further, as novels were consdiered a pernicious influence on the young and plays/theatre has always attracted a meadure of controversry.
Re: Opinion: Generation Gap Fuels Attacks on Games and ...
I double check my info just to make sure. You're right, Seduction of the Innocent (the book that caused the comic Book scapegoat) came out in the 1950's and during that same time, Congress had a inquiry on the Comic Book industry during that same year. My mistake.
Edit:
Plus this goes back waaaay further, as novels were consdiered a pernicious influence on the young and plays/theatre has always attracted a meadure of controversry.
Yeah, I recalled during Jack The Ripper's rampage, theatre in England was doing Dr. Jekyill and Mr.Hyde play. I remember that people were starting to blame that play for causing Jack The Ripper's rampage. Also, for the novel you mention. I remember reading it somewhere that they blame Catcher in the Rye for Ted Bundy's rampage. Also I like to add that they blame Scorcesse's Taxi Driver for the attempted assasinations on President Ronald Regan. I wonder if the FBI and Secret Service wanted to actually charge Deniro, and Scorcesse for creating a blueprint and to conspire to kill the President.
Re: Opinion: Generation Gap Fuels Attacks on Games and ...
Future scapegoat: anime and manga.
In fact, here in France, they were the big scapegoats of the 80's-90's. More precisely, as anime came massively on French television in the 70's-80's, they were the first scapegoats. And when manga started to be translated in the 90's, they were next. What were they blamed for ? Well, they were accused of being poorly drown, stupid, ultra-violent and inciting to violence. They were also accused of distracting children from reading (including "good" French - and American - comic books).
Re: Opinion: Generation Gap Fuels Attacks on Games and ...
I wasn't aware that France actually blame anime and manga over there. Thanks for the info. One quick question though, during the anime/manga scapegoat in France, were there any sign of anti-Japanese sentiment. Because usually when a medium get scapegoated, racism can sometime happen. It just like how 1990"s USA was scapegoating Gangsta Rap music, there was an increase of racism against black people.
Re: Opinion: Generation Gap Fuels Attacks on Games and ...
Kinda like Jack Thompson and his belief in the Japanese Pearl Harbor 2
Never underestimate the power of idiots in large amounts.
Re: Opinion: Generation Gap Fuels Attacks on Games and ...
Oh no. Once anime hits controvery, mothers won't shut up for the next four decades. Just imagine the faminist groups when they see something like Shuffle! (For those who don't know, lots of up skirt shots, and the protgonist could easily be made out as a player) What about the nude scenes in Elfed Lied. I bet someone would call child pronagraphy. Haruhi Suzumiya is going to be called for sexual harassment. (notice how all of this is sex related)
Anime and Manga is going to be harder to defend.
Re: Opinion: Generation Gap Fuels Attacks on Games and ...
Well, anime can be blame for more then just sex and sexism. They can do more:
school shooting (they can blame Battle Royale for that. I wonder how will they explain why Japan never had a school shooting. Well Japan did have a knife attack in school)
Serial Killer rampage (Higarushi No Naku Koro Ni would be perfect for a serial killer rampage)
Child Soldier, blame it on Gunslinger Girls.
Anime and manga indeed will be harder to defend. But then again I wouldn't be suprised if the video game industry forge an alliance with the anime/manga industry to defend from badmouth and scapegoating. I wonder how long till Fox News blame anime. I wonder how long till anime haters on Youtube threatened to side with Jack Thompson and take it seriously.
Re: Opinion: Generation Gap Fuels Attacks on Games and ...
ha, I was thinking anime and manga just as I was reading your post and then read it at the end.
Courage is not the absence of fear, but the strength to overcome it.
Re: Opinion: Generation Gap Fuels Attacks on Games and ...
This happens on both sides of the age gap, to be fair, in different ways. On one side are the elder, uninformed and those unfamiliar with a medium they feel they're either too old to engage in, or to wise to acknowledge it as anything but negative.
On the other side, though, are the young and impulsive, the first to believe what is heard, to side with a stance on the basis of it consisting of evil with no legitamite comparison or experience, those who are unfamiliar with more important issues and no interest in doing the necessary research- too proud to consider an alternative view or seek what they the truth (the first thing they hear that they'll so readily believe).
I'm not saying that's what the gaming community consists of (not totally, anyway), I'm just saying that the young and the old are guilty of their own brands of arrogance and ignorance.
Re: Opinion: Generation Gap Fuels Attacks on Games and ...
Fully agree with you.
While kids and younger gens (I know I am one of them too) have the ability to lash out at anyone to defend their right to play the type of videogame they want,
But it does nothing against those from the older generation who lash out at videogames and gamers in general (Looking at you Mr Atkinson) who will never listen to any reason and continue to selectively listen to any negative side of videogames and never understand the real positive parts of videogames unless if it does what they want like the Wii for example for playing games they want the younger kids to play.
Re: Opinion: Generation Gap Fuels Attacks on Games and ...
In other news, the Earth orbits the Sun. That is all.
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I LIKE the fence. I get 2 groups to laugh at then.
Re: Opinion: Generation Gap Fuels Attacks on Games and ...
It isnt anything revolutionary or particular enlightening to those who frequent GP often, but don't forget the audience on that site aren't regular frequenters of this site, spreading the word is just as important.
Re: Opinion: Generation Gap Fuels Attacks on Games and ...
agreed, and I would like to thank you personaly for being a Popularizer. It's a very important, and often thankless, job that not many people care to take on.
Again, thank you.
Re: Opinion: Generation Gap Fuels Attacks on Games and ...
BLASPHEMER! Everyone knows that the Earth is the center of the universe... and is flat!
Re: Opinion: Generation Gap Fuels Attacks on Games and ...
Its a scientific fact! You want to argue with Newton and Copernicus? That Galileo was just a religious fraud!
Re: Opinion: Generation Gap Fuels Attacks on Games and ...
not to bash his article, but wasn't this already pretty much the accepted reason for rampant game bashing?
Re: Opinion: Generation Gap Fuels Attacks on Games and ...
One word: Duh.
Thing is "attention seeking whores" can go both ways, and, of course, has been used against us as well. Who's to say this guy isn't? (Aside from us, of course; I know we're all on his side).
Re: Opinion: Generation Gap Fuels Attacks on Games and ...
I'd agree with the opinion piece, until the last sentence of the summary here proves the writer doesn't know what he's talking about. Child's Play raised 1.7 million dollars to get games and gaming systems into hospitals for sick children. That's what they've always done with the money. Every year.
If the people advocating for intelligent discourse on video games can't correctly cite an example of the good of video games, it just ends up sounding hollow, in my opinion.
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You KILL Vampires. You don't DATE them.
Re: Opinion: Generation Gap Fuels Attacks on Games and ...
I agree and it is actually an honest mistake as I was also writing about Gamesaid and when editing, removed Gamesaid, but obviously didnt check properly and some how the two got mixed up, apologies :)
Re: Opinion: Generation Gap Fuels Attacks on Games and ...
Thanks for the response.
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You KILL Vampires. You don't DATE them.