That is exactly the same argument as the LSD/Cannnabis argument.

Subject of thread regarding whether video game should, or should not be banned is ignored again......................................

You're changinng the subject, just like the left does when their hypocrasies are pointed out to them

Thanks
David

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2000 Honda Accord V6 137k miles

1972 300SEL 4.5 98k miles

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To ban a video game due to violent content seems like a simplistic solution for a complex question. Is it the commodification of violence that makes people uncomfortable? The fact that these games are more captivating for youth than most 'kid' activities? Is it a symptom of the increasing coarseness of society or is it something more complex?

If parents are shocked, shocked! at the violent content of the games, they need only look at themselves. As unsupervised playtime has become 'dangerous' and all exercise is to be in preparation for some sports team, kids are stuck at home where they are safe and nothing bad can happen. Unorganized play areas have disappeared: the vacant lot is now mixed-use retail, the wooded area has become a gated luxury community with quasi-police surveillance keeping out the uninvited.

Yet at home TV's always there, requiring nothing of them and readily providing glimpses into the adult worlds of sex, hyperconsumerism, exceptional violence (real and seemingly real) and scandal. There's elements of all of these in GTA - it's not a video game in the standard PacMan/ Pole Position mold, but more of an action movie at one's fingertips where you're the star.

A 'ban' on such games would result in a surge of popularity and seemingly unintentional promotion for the product. If you want to ensure the popularity of a product, just give kids a taste and tell them they can't have it until they're 18.

I'm getting off track here - no easy solution. As these games become more and more lifelike in appearance and scenarios, the line between real/ imaginary is tougher to draw. Some of my adult friends are captivated by the game - it's that cleverly constructed and compelling to play. Dunno - think the genie's out of the bottle on this one.

I don't know if banning it can be done, but I have no doubt that there's a certain amount of coarsening that goes along with immersing oneself in that stuff for hours and hours over a period of months. I think I recall that the fellow in the 60 minutes episode grabbed the gun from an officer, but I may be wrong on that one.

There were a couple of kids in, I think Tennessee, who were avid players of the game and shot at people on the freeway from a nearby hill. Some guys in Oakland would play the game just before going out and pulling jobs on bars and convenience stores -- I should try to pull the story up on that one.

I've lost track of how many times I've read of someone who was a big fan of the movie, "Natural Born Killers" going on a shooting rampage. That movie was INTENSE! Oh my God, I felt like I had been psychically beat up after watching it.

People really get inspired by these things on various levels -- they wouldn't be so popular otherwise. On some level, it's like giving a ten year old kid a Ferrari and a charge card. I wouldn't want my kids playing it -- too weird, but, I don't have kids.

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1986 300SDL, 362K
1984 300D, 138K

Ban kids (or their parents) that think they have any reason to shoot anybody. This is an excuse, deflection of blame plain and simple.

"Our son could never have done that on his own." You probably f-ed him up yourself ya nitwits!


In a way Bone's hijack is correlated to this topic, althouth seperated by a few hundred years.

What led to the seperation of the Catholic church and the establishment of protestantism, lutheranism, and others? Anyone? The printing press. The catholic church held all of the power over it's "flock" because they were the only ones who held "the word of god". Once (Steve) Guttenburg started printing bibles, and the "flock" could interpret the word of god on their own....All heaven (hell) broke loose.

Had the catholics censored guttenberg.........

.....we wouldn't have grand theft auto.

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Pxland

2001 Honda Accord

1995 Jeep Cherokee

1973 MB 280SEL 4.5

It would appear, by the responses, that most of the folks on the forum are somewhat knowledgeable and responsible people, and, therefore, would probably not allow their children to play this game.

Am I correct? For all those who disagree with a ban on this game, and that would be all of you with the lone exception of BHD who can't seem to provide an opinion, do you further agree that you would not allow your kids to play such a game?

If so, then you are in agreement that the game might influence the children in a negative way.

How about all of the parents in the country that don't have any intelligence and don't take any personal responsibility for the actions of their children?

If you (collectively) feel the game is not appropriate for children, why should the retards be allowed to let their children use the game with abandon?

Personally, I see no value to the game. For the same reasons that are presented, I also don't want to see a ban on it. But...............what benefit does it serve?

I gotta admit, the first time I ever played GTA (I was in my twenties), I was shocked at the violence in the game, which is of course exactly what was supposed to happen. I played it and enjoyed it briefly, but quickly lost interest once I had become de-sensitized to the violence.

If you had said, 30 years ago, that you were making a game that would allow you to beat and kill women with a crowbar, shoot cops and run people over with a car, people would have thought you were insane.

Now it is accepted and part of our culture.

So how to up the ante? Simulated rape? Torture? Where does the line get drawn?

Problem is that greed motivates our society, not values. Values take a very big second seat to the dollar.

As soon as a game like this is produced it will get out there. Try and stop it, it'll get out there even faster.

Would I let my son play it? No.

To be honest, I wish I had been born around 1950 instead of 1970, so my kid would be 20 years old now, not 9 months.

I see technology and computers bringing about a lot of incredible things, but I also see a lot of changes occuring before we've even had time to comtemplate whether or not these changes SHOULD be occuring.

That's really the scary bit - society is catapulting ahead before we can even stop to think about what direction we should be heading into.

And hey, I work in IT.

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Chris
2007 E550 4Matic - 61,000 Km - Iridium Silver, black leather, Sport package, Premium 2 package
2007 GL450 4Matic - 62,000 Km - Obsidian Black Metallic, black leather, all options
1998 E430 - sold
1989 300E - 333,000 Km - sold
1977 280E - sold
1971 250 - retired

"And a frign hat. They gave me a hat at the annual benefits meeting. I said. how does this benefit me. I dont have anything from the company.. So they gave me a hat." - TheDon

P.S. Actually, there is a game that allows you to torture your enemies. I think it is called 'Hitman'.

Ante's been upped.

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Chris
2007 E550 4Matic - 61,000 Km - Iridium Silver, black leather, Sport package, Premium 2 package
2007 GL450 4Matic - 62,000 Km - Obsidian Black Metallic, black leather, all options
1998 E430 - sold
1989 300E - 333,000 Km - sold
1977 280E - sold
1971 250 - retired

"And a frign hat. They gave me a hat at the annual benefits meeting. I said. how does this benefit me. I dont have anything from the company.. So they gave me a hat." - TheDon

I'm suprised this thread is still going. America is a free country (in theory). If someone wants to make a violent video game, let them. If someone wants to go on a killing spree let them. One is responsible for her or his own actions, and should be ready for the consequences. This is a common sense thing that I'm sure I realized by the time I was about 5. If kids these days don't realize this at an early age, the parents are to blame. I would think that violent movies would have a greater impact because of the absolute reality factor. But there doesn't seem to be a problem there! I thought this was a benz forum, anyway!

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1989 300E 144K

Really? The heading says that the purpose of the Open Discussion forum is to "Discuss anything you want to here except politics." Doesn't sound like a benz forum to me.

Comment was made...I was not the one who ignored it.

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Proud owner of ....
1971 280SE W108
1979 300SD W116
1983 300D W123
1975 Ironhead Sportster chopper
1987 GMC 3/4 ton 4X4 Diesel
1989 Honda Civic (Heavily modified)
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Section 609 MVAC Certified
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"He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." - Friedrich Nietzsche

You may not have noticed this, but America has a few "laws" that restrict the behavior of its citizens.

You can't drive 95 mph even though America is a free country.

You can't walk naked down the street, even though America is a free country.

You can't carry a gun down Main Street, in most localities, even though America is a free country.

You can't own a machine gun, even though America is a free country.

Get the picture?

You have not stated your personal opinion on the thread topic, unless I am focking blind.

Well they are doing wonderful things in the Field of Opthamology these days.....

Its pretty clear to most people I don't think they should be producing games like that.

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Proud owner of ....
1971 280SE W108
1979 300SD W116
1983 300D W123
1975 Ironhead Sportster chopper
1987 GMC 3/4 ton 4X4 Diesel
1989 Honda Civic (Heavily modified)
---------------------
Section 609 MVAC Certified
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"He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." - Friedrich Nietzsche