Saturday, April 5

Stephen King, A Friend?


In a guest column for Entertainment Weekly, well-known thriller author Stephen King has written up a beautiful article about....video game violence!

Now before you all double-click on your Notepad or MS Word and choose your favorite angry emotes ( >:[ has always been a classic ) make sure to actually read the article. Mr. King does not attack video games, but only expresses that while gaming isn't his cup of tea, he certainly does not feel that violent video games should be attacked like they are.


So, nope — videogames are not my thing. Nor am I some kind of raving political nutcase. But when I heard about HB 1423, which happens to be a bill pending in the Massachusetts state legislature, I still hit the roof. HB 1423 would restrict or outright ban the sale of violent videogames to anyone under the age of 18. Which means, by the way, that a 17-year-old who can get in to see Hostel: Part II would be forbidden by law from buying (or renting, one supposes) the violent but less graphic Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.

According to the proposed bill, violent videogames are pornographic and have no redeeming social merit. The vid-critics claim they exist for one reason and one reason only, so kids can experience the vicarious thrill of killing. Now, what does and doesn't have social merit is always an interesting question, one I can discuss for hours. But what makes me crazy is when politicians take it upon themselves to play surrogate parents. The results of that are usually disastrous. Not to mention undemocratic.


It makes me happy to know that gamers aren't alone in this outrageous battle for peace, so everyone go read the whole article, it's about 2 pages of well written stuff.

Of course, I don't know how credible this support will be if an attacking journalist decides to point out the fact that King writes books like It and Carrie...




-Undrallio

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5 comments:

Sp3ctr said...

King for president!

blank said...

Whatchoo talkin bout? Ron Paul for 08!!!

Sp3ctr said...

W/e. I just think it would be sweet to have our country run by a guy we called President King.

Undrallio said...

I'm-a vote for Obama to prove I'm not racist.

Sp3ctr said...

I hope you know you can't vote...we'll only be 17 :P. If I could vote I would vote for Obama. Who want Hitlary.