Topic: Playing Outdoors Causes Dangerous Behavior In Children

[Pale]

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/blogArt.cfm?artid=19896

  An interesting article caught my eye over on Jalopnik this morning.  (Jalopnik is a blog for car fans.)  It was an upsetting read as a 9-year-old child stole his parents' car and led police on an 80 mile per hour car chase.  "Oh man, I bet they found some way to relate this to video games," I thought.    

"...he got mad at his parents and stole their car after they made him quit playing..." is one of the first things the Jalopnik article says.  They must be referring to video games!  What's this?  He was upset they told him to come in from playing outside?!  How could this be? Video games cause evilness!  The outdoors is where kids are supposed to go to grow up healthy and well adjusted!    

While the story itself is somewhat tragic (luckily the child seems to be mostly unharmed), I think it's an important one for parents to read.  Had they yelled at him to stop playing Grand Theft Auto the world would be up in arms against the evils of video games.  I bet very few would blame the parents for letting their 9-year-old play such a game.  However, this story will most likely be forgotten in a matter of days because there is nothing easy to blame..    

The Article at Jalopnik

[Nick DiMola]

Thanks for pointing this out, Pale. This is exactly the problem right here, people just need a scapegoat and video games are a convenient one.

[BeautifulShy]

We have had this discusion many times. Is there really anything that anybody can bring to the table that is new?

[NinGurl69 *huggles]

If the scapegoat was actually...

a goat.

[Djunknown]

There's no money to be had from parents. No chance to sue/blame wealthy corporations= NO SALE.

Investigators said the boy left while his parents were sleeping by stealing the keys out of his mother's purse. He told officers that he was going to a friend's house.

 

[Smash_Brother]

Hahah! Awesome!

[Morari]

Reminds me a story from a few weeks back. Of course, in this instance, the kid is justified in his reasoning.

http://brewright.blogspot.com/2009/08/kid-steals-car-to-avoid-going-to-church.html

User was warned for this post.  You could have just linked to the story without the religious commentary. ~Pale

[Mop it up]

Nice little observation, Pale. The satire here is very tasty.

[NWR_insanolord]

We've got to do something about these goddamn outdoors.

[Morari]

Reminds me a story from a few weeks back. Of course, in this instance, the kid is justified in his reasoning.

http://brewright.blogspot.com/2009/08/kid-steals-car-to-avoid-going-to-church.html

User was warned for this post.  You could have just linked to the story without the religious commentary. ~Pale

No religious commentary was made. I meant that the kid was justified in not wanting to get up early on the weekend. He could have been avoiding a trip to the grocery store for all I care.

[EasyCure]

We've got to do something about these goddamn outdoors.

We should have an independent agency Rate outdoor areas.

Playgrounds, Elementary Schools = Rated E for Everyone
Middle/High Schools, College (Campus) = Rated T for Teen
College (Dorms), Night Clubs, Bars = Rated M for Mature
Strip Clubs =  Rated AO for Adults Only

Hm.. what category does the backyard fall in to though?

Anyway, this story irks me because as Pale and everyone else pointed out, had this scenario inolved video games there would be a potential ****-fest with the media. The thing is, using videogames as a scapegoat will eventually lose its impact. Just as rock 'n' roll music did, videogames will also have a time where the elder generation, the one making the rules, grew up with them and devilify it (to an extent*).

Is it sad that, when this time comes, is when video games will be completely mainstream (probably..)? I don't even want to think what form of entertainment will take videogames place in our future, becoming the new scapegoat..


*When we're playing in holodecks and everything is completely photorealistic, I'm sure the ultraviolent games will still be blamed.

[ThePerm]

blame the goat!

sacrifice him to Molach!

[Plugabugz]

Pale Causes Dangerous Behavior In Children.

Children = Posters.

[EasyCure]

Pale Causes Dangerous Behavior In Children.

Children = Posters.

Sad thing is he probably does feel like we're children sometime because of the way we act (in contrast to his position of power of course). If he didn't need to moderate us, his behavior would be just as "dangerous"

[Morari]

Pale Causes Dangerous Behavior In Children.

Children = Posters.

Sad thing is he probably does feel like we're children sometime because of the way we act (in contrast to his position of power of course). If he didn't need to moderate us, his behavior would be just as "dangerous"

Isn't that kind of like the pot calling the kettle black?

[Stogi]

I find myself from time to time wishing I had a Rocket Launcher or something similar when I watch a helicopter fly by; shooting it out of the sky in an awesome blaze of fiery destruction. I blame that entirely on videogames......and Michael Bay.

[BlackNMild2k1]

Reminds me a story from a few weeks back. Of course, in this instance, the kid is justified in his reasoning.

http://brewright.blogspot.com/2009/08/kid-steals-car-to-avoid-going-to-church.html

User was warned for this post.  You could have just linked to the story without the religious commentary. ~Pale

LOL that is funny. Didi he just drive back to the house from church?
I'm sure they can blame his knowledge on how to drive on video games atleast. I'm not sure how many parents teach their 7yr or 9yr olds how to drive.  But some Burnout, GT, Forza, NFS or whatever other racing game, maybe with a wheel/pedal set-up, being a decent teacher.

p.s. I saw no commentary of a religious nature in that post. warning seems a little unnecessary.

[Ian Sane]

Is it sad that, when this time comes, is when video games will be completely mainstream (probably..)? I don't even want to think what form of entertainment will take videogames place in our future, becoming the new scapegoat..

Whatever it is, we won't like it because we'll be old fuddy-duddies that don't understand it.  Think of something that sounds completely outrageous to you now and somehow whatever entertainment the next generation likes will associate it with it somehow.  Probably something to do with robot sex.

[EasyCure]

Is it sad that, when this time comes, is when video games will be completely mainstream (probably..)? I don't even want to think what form of entertainment will take videogames place in our future, becoming the new scapegoat..

Whatever it is, we won't like it because we'll be old fuddy-duddies that don't understand it.  Think of something that sounds completely outrageous to you now and somehow whatever entertainment the next generation likes will associate it with it somehow.  Probably something to do with robot sex.

DOES NOT COMPUTE

[Morari]

Is it sad that, when this time comes, is when video games will be completely mainstream (probably..)? I don't even want to think what form of entertainment will take videogames place in our future, becoming the new scapegoat..

Whatever it is, we won't like it because we'll be old fuddy-duddies that don't understand it.  Think of something that sounds completely outrageous to you now and somehow whatever entertainment the next generation likes will associate it with it somehow.  Probably something to do with robot sex.

I hear that playing Halo and listening to rap music is already pretty popular...