The Times: Games Like Teenage Pregnancy and Smack
Spitfire enthusiast lashes out
Posted 2 Apr 2008
A pregnant teen - not playing Cooking Mama.
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The Times has published an article condemning games as akin to teenage pregnancy and smack.
The verbose outpouring comes from feature writer and author of Spitfire Women of World War II, Giles Whittell, who tells us in his article, 'Video games: I’ll never buy one':
That's right. We can categorise gaming as right up there with teenage pregnancy and smack in terms of their undesirability, as far as Whitell's concerned.
He goes on to tell us, "This is not because of anything wrong or bad about video games or heroin or teenage parents. It's not even because of game-induced homicide or web-grooming of little girls by perverts - serious problems, but statistically low-risk. It's because, compared with everything else on offer in a kid's life, video games and heroin and teenage pregnancy are a colossal waste of time."
Well, at least he's giving us a balanced viewpoint...
While Whittell's generous in not claiming that games induce homicide (although manages to mention that misconception anyway), does being "a colossal waste of time" not qualify them as having something "wrong or bad" about them? Nice to see some logical, linear thinking coming from the good old Times.
This is from the Ruper Murdoch-owned paper that you might remember claiming 'Tekkon II' and 'Teamraider' as DS games which were released all the way back in 1997...
You can read the article in full here.
The verbose outpouring comes from feature writer and author of Spitfire Women of World War II, Giles Whittell, who tells us in his article, 'Video games: I’ll never buy one':
"I hate video games, on or offline. I hate the way they suck real people into fake worlds and hold on to them for decades at a time. I hate being made to feel hateful for saying so, and I hate being told to immerse myself in them before passing judgment (sic), because it feels like being told to immerse myself in smack and teenage pregnancy before passing judgment (double sic) on them."
That's right. We can categorise gaming as right up there with teenage pregnancy and smack in terms of their undesirability, as far as Whitell's concerned.
He goes on to tell us, "This is not because of anything wrong or bad about video games or heroin or teenage parents. It's not even because of game-induced homicide or web-grooming of little girls by perverts - serious problems, but statistically low-risk. It's because, compared with everything else on offer in a kid's life, video games and heroin and teenage pregnancy are a colossal waste of time."
Well, at least he's giving us a balanced viewpoint...
While Whittell's generous in not claiming that games induce homicide (although manages to mention that misconception anyway), does being "a colossal waste of time" not qualify them as having something "wrong or bad" about them? Nice to see some logical, linear thinking coming from the good old Times.
This is from the Ruper Murdoch-owned paper that you might remember claiming 'Tekkon II' and 'Teamraider' as DS games which were released all the way back in 1997...
You can read the article in full here.
Comments
2/10
Ignorance is bliss comes to mind...
Anyhow whats better in this day and age? Having certain age groups hang around outside and risk the chances of something bad to happen as there are many many options...Or sit indoors and play with your mates on a console offline or online?
Sure you can get hooked but its not half as bad as getting hooked on drugs...Games won't kill you buy some of the things outside can...
We all have brains and in most cases regarding 18rated games parents are to blame, want an example? Mother of a 15yo at work is getting him - yep GTA4...
Anyhow whats better in this day and age? Having certain age groups hang around outside and risk the chances of something bad to happen as there are many many options...Or sit indoors and play with your mates on a console offline or online?
Sure you can get hooked but its not half as bad as getting hooked on drugs...Games won't kill you buy some of the things outside can...
We all have brains and in most cases regarding 18rated games parents are to blame, want an example? Mother of a 15yo at work is getting him - yep GTA4...
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3/10
SuperSaiyan4 wrote:
We all have brains and in most cases regarding 18rated games parents are to blame, want an example? Mother of a 15yo at work is getting him - yep GTA4...
Sad thing is SS4 she will be the first to lame GTA4 if her son goes on a rampage at school killing all his teachers and peers, but in no way is it the mothers fault!.
You should point this out to her and once the killing spree is ended you can say
seeeeeeeeee, Told you so.
4/10
I just read the article and the comments and I'm amazed that all the post are quite reasonable!
I was expecting a load of hate comments from fanboy's!
I was expecting a load of hate comments from fanboy's!
5/10
I hope he doesn't give his children pocket money, because they'll be saving for a DS before they buy a new tent.
Like any on the Times' website and probably across the Internet have already pointed out; gaming is a hobby just like reading fiction or watching non-documentary TV or films. I bet Mr. Whittell loves going to plays or the opera, I like that too, but let's face it, it's as much of a waste of time as gaming or reading or watching TV.
The sooner the non-gaming generations die off the better we'll be. I'm just glad my parents saw the benefits of me having a computer 25 years ago and allowed me to play games on it as well as homework and the like.
Like any on the Times' website and probably across the Internet have already pointed out; gaming is a hobby just like reading fiction or watching non-documentary TV or films. I bet Mr. Whittell loves going to plays or the opera, I like that too, but let's face it, it's as much of a waste of time as gaming or reading or watching TV.
The sooner the non-gaming generations die off the better we'll be. I'm just glad my parents saw the benefits of me having a computer 25 years ago and allowed me to play games on it as well as homework and the like.
6/10
"ignorance is bliss" SS4
again wtf are u talking about.
please explain.in no way does that saying have relevance to this article.
again wtf are u talking about.
please explain.in no way does that saying have relevance to this article.
7/10
As far as I can see, there's clearly no reasoning with the gutter press. Something positive comes out of the Byron Review, but they subtract or ignore the positive and hype up the negative. Its like Fox News all over again.
Anything that humans do between birth and death, can be classed as a waste of time then, by his logic.
I give up trying to convince these muppets, its clear that they enjoy the publicity of self righteousness damning games gives them.
I've read the Times before, and while it had some good parts occasionally, I don't condemn it for its crap parts. I'm afraid these people are beyond help, just let them go jump. Games will be here long after their genereation are gone.
Anything that humans do between birth and death, can be classed as a waste of time then, by his logic.
I give up trying to convince these muppets, its clear that they enjoy the publicity of self righteousness damning games gives them.
I've read the Times before, and while it had some good parts occasionally, I don't condemn it for its crap parts. I'm afraid these people are beyond help, just let them go jump. Games will be here long after their genereation are gone.
8/10
haritori wrote:
i hate the fact that people hate me for saying so and i double hate the fact that people say i should read it before i pass judgement
I don't hate you for saying it.
And I don't think you should read it (or any Murdoch rag) before condemning it. He's spiteful, warmongering monopolist that despises the very people who make up his core audience.
He wants your money, but he doesn't want to have to see you, hear you, deal with you or mix with you.
Tyrion wrote:
The sooner the non-gaming generations die off the better we'll be.
That is Tyrion's most class quote ever. It reminds me of the classic "Old soldiers, I wish them all dead", from my good friend Stewart Campbell. If I had a t-shirt press, I'd surely emblazon that all across my chest.
9/10
Video Games offer new medical possibilies. Check out all the good they have accomplished in medicine.:
http://medicalvideogames.com
http://medicalvideogames.com
10/10
Richard H wrote:
Video Games offer new medical possibilies. Check out all the good they have accomplished in medicine.:
http://medicalvideogames.com
http://medicalvideogames.com
Cripes - I was sure that was going to be Spam. But, by golly, that's very useful.
Cheers
Tim
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anything he hasnt personally tried he should be allowed to condem without being hated for it and all of those things are amount to crack!
skydiving? running an NHS hospital? Hunting Deer? and i would suspect with his way of thinking an orgy!
in fact i might try this myself
I dont read The Times but i feel it is a piece of s**t not worthy of even wiping my arse on and i hate the fact that people hate me for saying so and i double hate the fact that people say i should read it before i pass judgement when thats like saying i should shoot heroin, I hate how The Times Immerses people in a world of bullshit for DECADES at a time and it doesn't let go, of course i have never read it and never will i purchase a copy but its OK for me to say this because i said so!
And don`t forget to play, Soul Calculator which was release in 1968 on the xBox 340