Australia's Jack Thompson?

[Manbro]

I can't stand this perception in modern society that games are being played by nothing but children and are being aimed at children. Are all movies for children? No. So that is why they invented a rating system to classify games into certain categories and whether or not it is suitable for kids. So why can't we just do that for games?

Part of the reason, I think, is fear. A lot of parents don't understand a lot about games and computers. So they fear them, thinking that if they make it legal in Australia that their kids will get their hands on the game, and it will corrupt them. Instead of just banning the games, they should educate themselves on them. It is also up to gamers to send a message to people against R rating in Australia, or any other place in the world, and to teach them about games so they can stop buying into their fear, and the lies of people like Michael Atkinson.

But this has to stop, it's censorship and denying the populace what they want because of your own ignorance.

 

[spoon2big07]

good example...bioshock...18...quiet violent....also a fantastically writtened and cleverly illustrated game, literally created an entire world much like never seen before, puzzeling, stirring and absolutly amazing, better than most books u will ever read. (not to say that i dont read...i do)

gaming can be viewed from differant angles, stpuid and violent or creative and fun. This guy has no clue, sounds like my mum....

violence in games usually has a point, games like manhunt are an aception that i think are kinda stupid. violence in games usually creates a sence of realism and seriosness, if this causes u to go kill people then ur mum should stop u playing! if u are over 18 then u have problems id affected by video games.

and dosent Yahtzee live in Austrlia, dam is this guy trying to dumb down my wednesdays or sommit!, give the man his beloved games, not the ones u tell him to play!, the ones he wants to play, yes the 18's if need be!

 

[Same River New Water]

What I find amazing is that for the whole country to get an R18+ rating there must be a unanimous decision from all the states' Attorneys General. Who came up with that idea? When you make unanimity required you *always* get one fruitcake that stuffs everything up.

It's based on two assumptions:

1) The existing laws are okay.
2) Every state should have the right to veto something its people don't want that is being forced on it by the other states.

Unfortunately in this case, we have the unlucky coincidence of an outdated existing law (written back at a time when video games really were exclusively young people's entertainment), a stubborn minister on a crusade and a population who supports the change but don't know or care enough for it to change their vote.

Maybe it's the people in Atkinson's district that vote for the guy because he's like them: can't admit that maybe, just maybe, Timmy parent's were to blame for his joyride, and not GTA.

Not many people decide their vote based on video game classification systems. Atkinson belongs to the Labor party, who are like the Democrats in the US or Labour in the UK, so the people who vote for him are actually voting for liberal values... just not in this case. Think of it like Hillary Clinton's position on video games.

 

[stompy]

Not many people decide their vote based on video game classification systems. Atkinson belongs to the Labor party, who are like the Democrats in the US or Labour in the UK, so the people who vote for him are actually voting for liberal values... just not in this case. Think of it like Hillary Clinton's position on video games.

I'm Aussie, so you don't need to explain the views of Labor and Liberal. Secondly, and I apologise if my meaning wasn't clear, but I was (stereotypically) referring to the conservative type that usually ban the new form of media, whether it be rock'n'roll in the 50s or DND in the 80s. Though, I can see why that wouldn't work... hmm, I suppose I'll have to go with your hypothesis.

 

[Hey Joe]

I got an email from the SA Liberal (Atkinson's Labour) party the other day, and they're in the process of discussing the matter and will outline a party policy soon-ish. Good news is, I spoke with the shadow Attorney-General a while back and while not stating definitively whether or not she'd support an R18+ rating, she did say that she'd probably support it if all the other states had signed onto it.

Her son's a gamer too from what I recall, and he's been updating her about the debate.

 

[TsunamiWombat]

Part of the reason, I think, is fear. A lot of parents don't understand a lot about games and computers. So they fear them...

Fire Bad! FIRE BAD! Rwwooooaarrgghhh!

 

[Shindiggity]

There's nothing I can say that hasn't already been said a million times by people a million times more literate and articulate than I. I just can't wait until his entire generation is pushed off by ours.

 

[thedistractedgamer]

There's nothing I can say that hasn't already been said a million times by people a million times more literate and articulate than I. I just can't wait until his entire generation is pushed off by ours.

Yahtzee expressed very similar sentiments when he was interviewed on the 'Not Quite Art' program on the ABC [http://distractedgamer.com/2008/10/yahtzee-on-abcs-not-quite-art-program/]:

It can get frustrating when you want to talk about games as a cultural thing, it gets very frustrating with people saying "oh it's for kids, oh it's a bad influence." But what I find comforting is that they're all old. And old people will die first. And we're the ones that get to pass on our values to the next generation. Old people have always opposed what's new and scary because it reminds them they're loosing control of the world.

 

[thedistractedgamer]

It's based on two assumptions:

1) The existing laws are okay.
2) Every state should have the right to veto something its people don't want that is being forced on it by the other states.

Unfortunately in this case, we have the unlucky coincidence of an outdated existing law (written back at a time when video games really were exclusively young people's entertainment), a stubborn minister on a crusade and a population who supports the change but don't know or care enough for it to change their vote.

Very true, it doesn't make it any less disappointing though. I would really like to see *someone* on some side of politics stand up on this topic. Unfortunately because of the actions of people like Atkins & Steven Conroy, defending gaming and 'freedom of speech' online is getting you tared as a childish simpleton or a child porn advocate. This is ridiculous and it needs to change.

 

[Typecast]

Holy crap that guy is SOOOO CREEEEEPY :S

 

[Same River New Water]

I'm Aussie, so you don't need to explain the views of Labor and Liberal.

Sorry - I'm conscious of all the people reading who don't know, so I just give the one-sentence explanation out of habit. Mainly because of the confusion over "Liberal". Anyway, yeah, those social conservatives pop up everywhere...

I would really like to see *someone* on some side of politics stand up on this topic.

There are some. Atkinson's counterpart in Victoria, Attorney-General Rob Hulls, is a strong advocate of the R18+ rating. Others are less vocal, but I think the majority of politicians from most parties would approve the R rating without a second thought. Certainly all the other state Attorneys-General are in favour of it - it's just that one stubborn old bugger holding us all up.

 

[stompy]

I'm Aussie, so you don't need to explain the views of Labor and Liberal.

Sorry - I'm conscious of all the people reading who don't know, so I just give the one-sentence explanation out of habit. Mainly because of the confusion over "Liberal". Anyway, yeah, those social conservatives pop up everywhere...

Hey, no problem.

 

[Samurai Goomba]

Michael Atkinson:

"Everyone who disagrees with me is a pig. I'm happy our civilized country is submitting to my opinion of games, rather than relying on useless facts."

Everyone Else:

"What about giving adults the freedom to choose what's okay for them to see or not see? What about freedom of expression in any medium?"

Michael Atkinson:

"I'm right because I just said I am. Everyone agrees with me that games cause violence. If you try to replace me, my successor will think exactly the same way I do. You're an ignorant swine because you don't share my opinion."

... That's what I heard, anyway. I'm glad I live in America. I think I'll go play some violent games to celebrate. Is there a shooter where all your opponents look like little Michael A-...

Whoops, better not say it. I might get in trouble. Seriously, though, how awesome would such a shooter be?

 

[mrjinx]

I don't think Michael Atkinson is as delusional or harsh as Jack Thompson, unfortunately he has a much larger impact on the lives of gamers. I feel for Australians who have to deal with this, hopefully it doesn't have to go on much longer. How long before his term in office is up? (I don't know how Attorney generals are elected in Australia or anything)I have a feeling he is overestimating how many people, including other politicians would agree with him on this. His extreme view is definitely the minority, one mans opinion on something shouldn't override actual scientific studies, and the millions that disagree with him.

With the amount of people these days playing video games, I think it should be expected that a few crimes that have happened around the world involved people who played a lot of violent video games, that doesn't mean it's the root cause. The criminals who testify that video games caused their criminal behavior are probably just looking for a cop-out. A lot of people probably get in car accidents that watch a lot of movies with car chases in them... I mean where do you draw the line with this nonsense?

 

[CapnGod]

He's a rabble-rouser, just like Thompson. The nice thing is that occasionally, their uppance comes. Jack's did... Maybe Atkinson's will, too.

 

[thy_dungeonman]

Copter400: "swine" was a poor choice of words, but probably not meant as a direct insult. He uses it as part of a saying: countries that allow R-ratings are "just so many gathering swine going over the cliff". Malygris was irresponsible to pull that word out of context in the first paragraph.

I'd agree with you, but the saying is "lemmings going over the cliff." Replacing "lemmings" with "swine"...he has to be saying something there.

I think he's getting the saying confused with story in the Bible of the possesed pigs who run into the lake and drown themselves. Knowing his conservative position this seems likely, however as a christian myself I find what he is doing is stupid as he is preventing what I would think most christians would want, which is a rating system that prevents children from buying/playing inapropriate games, rather than one in which a few bullet wounds or morphine syringes are banned.

 

[llewgriff]

HAHAHAHA! Well I think I contributed quite well to this thread *hums*

 

[chimmers]

He let's his children play GTA
Of course he is going to be against R ratings, as he'll probably be too thick to understand they aren't suitable for kids and buy them them anyway