Gaming to be officially recognized as a disease

if Lieberman has anything to do with it:

http://www.gamespot.com/news/6145659.html

I swear, just because he couldn't outright ban video games back with Mortal Kombat, he thinks that it is his personal crusade to make it as difficult as possible for games to be made and sold.

When the **** will he (and others) learn that it is the parent's, not society's, responsibility to monitor what the little brats play and to make sure that they know the difference between real and make-believe. Oh wait, Lieberman doesn't even know the difference, so I guess no one does... OH:

 

Now we'll maybe see "Game-aholics anonymous"

God, more and more politicians are going against games every freaking day. I bet Jack Thompson is going to suck this guys dick and kiss his ass for this shit.

 

I am jack's video game addiction...

Gaming is no more of a disease than watching TV, talking on the phone, or shopping at the mall.

 

I don't see anything in the article that says the aim is to make gaming some kind of disease. Not defending the guy, but isn't this just (yet another) investigation to see if kids are affected by videogame violence, and if they are, to put in place restrictions on sales to minors? If so that's not too concerning, in one way it's doing exactly what you are talking about, Mairsil - forcing the parent to buy the game rather than the kid, so shifting the responsibility.

A lot of parents won't buy their kids 18-rated movies. There's a clear rating system involved, and parents know about it. I don't think it's unreasonable to expect the same to eventually occur to videogames, and it seems that's what all this fuss is about.

However, if this is about changing blood colours or similar, then I'm totally against it.

 

Nice Fight Club excert. If anyone counts video games as a disease, then they might as well count movies, television and using the internet as a disease...

 

The fact is that most places have some form of ESRB ratings information display in their game section; parents are just too lazy to bother familarizing themselves with it. If they cannot understand the rating system, then they are idiots and shouldn't have children in the first place. God forbid that a parent actually pays attention to what games their child plays or what friends they play with.

The problem is that (here at least) the ESRB has more restrictive guidelines for giving video games ratings than the MPAA has for giving movie ratings. Let me give you an example. My wife and I went to see "Date Movie" last weekend (don't waste your money). This was a PG-13 rated movie, but I would never have let a 13 year old see the movie. There was no nudity and little bad language, but the jokes and themes were completely inappropriate for a 13 year old. This is a movie that should have been rated R. Now contrast that with 24 The Game which came out last Tuesday (also don't waste your money). That is rated M because you shoot people. That's it. No nudity, suggestive themes and about the same amount of language. Had the content been reversed, the game would have gotten an AO rating and the movie might have gotten an R.

Yes, I know that the content was different (sex vs. violence), but I think that the comparison still holds true. The ratings system is just fine. It is just that parents don't want to take responsibility for failing to raise their children properly. Politians are just idiots in general.

 

He's a whisper in the wind..

 

Anyone else picturing two politicians and a porn star?

 

Nah, Hillary is too ugly for that...

 

I agree with Alchy: I'm all for stronger attempts to make the public aware of the games they or their children buy. The ESRB rating system in the US is far more descriptive than the almost useless one wielded by the MPAA, yet so few parents actually refer to game ratings when purchasing them for children. A large amount of public education needs to happen, if only to stop the weak excuse that individuals didn't know better. There are certain expectations vis-a-vis content when one buys a R-rated movie; the same thing needs to happen with M-rated games.

That said, there's a lot of general wording in this article; I hope that by measuring the effects of "electronic media use" on children, they'll fairly take ALL electronic media, not just videogames, into account: television, movies, and even Internet use.

But, in reality, this is probably just a desperate bid by Lieberman to try and regain some of the spotlight he basked in a decade ago. With nutjobs like Jack Thompson running wild, Lieberman's gotta be pretty worried about fading into obscurity. As for Clinton... she just doesn't know how to quit, and like Thompson, she often doesn't let real-life facts or experiences (heaven forbid!) stand between her and some political tangent. Unlike Thompson, she seems a tad bit more stable. You know Clinton simply desires to rule the world with an evil, iron fist, but nobody can figure out what the hell Thompson's modus operandi is.
Either way, I can almost sympathise with Bill during the Lewinsky scandal. I mean, if I was married to such a power hungry bitch, I'd be chasing interns too, even if they were as dog-ugly as Lewinsky.

 

The guy should get himself checked out for a sociopathic disorder. I've just been to see 'Good Night, and Good Luck' and this guy strikes me as another McCarthy - embarking on a self-given crusade to promote himself and his ego rather than having any genuine concern about the issue he promotes.

 

This is horrible! First it's officially recognized as a major league sport... and now a disease?!

God help us!

Edit - I guess now American football is a disease! I'm suffering from Fooseball Disease! :lol:

 

No, it just means that they will feel justified when they start "quarantine zones" for the afflicted. Forced daily showers, natural sunlight, no internet connection... it will be hell on earth...

 

What a shame, When I first saw this thread I was hoping I could write off my games as a medical expense. Have to keep the disease in check after all.

 

To hell with a write off. I need my $1000 check from the government each month for my affliction.

 

I do agree this guy doesn't get much done, but unlike JT (his name is basically dirt now), Joe 'Very Bored' Lieberman still has a good name.

I agree, I need my monthly check. :dance: Wow, who would have though that the gub'ment would try and take over the job of parenting for every child in the US.


^_^_^

 

He's a shining example of how Democrats are no different in their fight for "moral superiority" than the Republicans. Both sides play on the heartstrings of American citizens by making their side look "tougher on family values" for the sake of -- gasp -- "the children", all at the expense of the taxpayer, our freedoms, and overall social tolerance toward one another.

When people wake up and realize that perhaps they're both playing the exact same game using different names, perhaps things will change. But not before then.

(Full Disclosure: I've been working deep in politics as my career for the last few years now. I'm also Libertarian and I have insanely strong views on this topic especially.)

 

In addition, if gamers want to make a difference, they should consider forming a Political Action Committee (PAC) to help support candidates opposed to this kind of frivolous legislation.

GamePAC sounds like a good name for one, in fact.