Now Jack Thompson is just sounding like Pat Robertson. Now, in part, I agree with you two Arrow and SSN, but the rest of it.
No. Just no.
There is a void in every heart. You can fill it up with the things of God, or the things not of God. This unfortunate soul chose to fill it up with combat games. The playing of these video games is masturbatory activity, meaning senseless self-stimulation. If you gamers could use a dictionary you would know that that term is not necessarily a sexual one.
I for one don't play these "combat" games. The most violent game that I regularly play is Castlevania: Lament of Innocence, and hell, that's a good message-you're killing an unholy vampire. Second of all, who is he to decide what is "of God"? I could go to quite a few religious leaders in my area, and they would certainly not say that videogames in general are "anti-God". Oh, they might condemn GTA or the like, but who can blame them there? That's not exactly a warm and fuzzy game. But GTA and company are hardly the dominant genre in the entire history of videogames. And "senseless self-stimulation"? Yeah, 'cause playing games has always been the forefront of my life, only seeking to make things better for me, when in fact, I play games mostly as a distraction-I don't go out much, I don't have a girlfriend, I don't exactly have the greatest life ever. "If you gamers could use a dictionary you would know..."-Oh, now that's mature. Insult us while you're stereotyping us. I for one have consistently gotten good grades in English, I've been reading since I was two and a half, and I certainly know how to use a dictionary-I've got one in my room. Now, granted, I know some people who don't. They're called druggies Jack, and their (LOOKIE THERE I USED THE RIGHT TERM!!! HOW ABOUT THEM DICTIONARIES?) problem is the fact that they are killing brain cells, not playing a game.
All of you gamers need to put down the controllers and get a life. The utter inanity of the vast majority of postings here shows how vapid "gaming" really is.
"Get a life." In response to this, I will make a poll on this very board asking if you have a life and what you define as a life. I will also ask for an age, because obviously, those that are younger will have a different definition of "a life". Now, me personally, let's see what I have:
I go to school, and get good grades.
I have friends that I do talk to, even if I don't go out much (That isn't to say at all)
I do other things besides videogames. In fact, as I am typing this, I found out that I just missed an email to go to the movies with some friends. I am in the Drama Club at school, I'm on Math Team, and I help out with the school newspaper now and then.
That good enough for you?
You are one of the cheerleaders for this wasting of time and the wasting of lives. Do you feel any remorse for having contributed to this "culture of death?" Of course not. Hey, let's all play MORE games, and ignore all the really productive things to do with our lives.
We have Neo-Nazis preaching death on people, we have the KKK, and we have radical terrorists attacking the US. Then we've got someone who was overwhelmed by things outside of his internet life. Yeah, videogames sure are a "'culture of death'". Are gamers going to march on Washington demanding the head of Hillary Clinton next? Certainly not. Gamers may think that she's going about things the wrong way and is overreacting, but we aren't going to want her dead, because we're better than that. Now, imagine if Senator Clinton had spoken out against all Muslims. Do you think that there would be extremist Muslim terrorists preaching out against her, calling for her death, maybe even planning and possibly carrying out an attack to these ends? Most likely, certainly moreso than a gamer trying to kill her. Oh, and by the way, how many suicide bombers are there a month in the Middle East? I'll bet you everything that number is more than the number of people who commit suicide here and happen to play games. Now, I'm not saying that we don't have people here who kill themselves for a reason related to gaming. I'm not going to claim that, I know it happens. But they are hardly the majority, and sometimes have underlying problems more severe than failing to get a level up in Everquest.
Let's pretend to be shocked that a gamer might descend into deeper depression, as his gamer "buds," knowing he was killing himself, couldn't figure out how to call 911 themselves for him. That would have involved leaving their computers I guess.
"Hello, 911? Yes, someone is attempting suicide. No, I don't know what city. No, I don't know what state. No, come to think of it, I don't even know if he is in this country. He posted online about it."
Yeah. What most people did is try to contact and help him through a means they knew they could-the board of one of his favorite sites. It wasn't till late until someone actually got a hold of him, and then, that person did the right thing. After all, who would you listen to? The administrator of one of your favorite places to hang out (Even if that place doesn't revolve around your life), or some police officer who might just want to get home and get some sleep. The administrator of metalgearsolid.org made a noble effort, and should be commended for it. Rather than just calling someone and leaving it in their hands, he tried to solve the problem himself. He may have failed, but at least he tried.
Now, Mr. Thompson, if you had been in that situation, what would you have done? Would you have called the police, or would you have tried to talk him out of it.
Silly of me to ask. We all know, including yourself, that you would have accused him of wasting his life with no proof whatsoever.
