Fox News Says Bulletstorm Could Make You a Rapist

[zombiestrangler]

I decree fallacy! Fox News, thou hast perpetrated grievous lies and misinformation for the last time!

 

[Noobsalad]

Well, yeah, it's a debate that should be had but in a proper forum without the sensationalism often brought to the table for ratings

Well that's always going to be a problem in a profit-driven media. But finding such a forum is difficult because somebody has to give it money.

I would like to make a distinction on the direct, quantifiable, cause-effect, physical harm done by cigarettes (or other things banned from sale to minors) and the abstract, fuzzy influence games may have upon an individual that's impossible to separate from the influence brought on by every other thing that individual experiences.

I agree completely. Cigarettes were just the first thing that came to mind.

On the other debate, yeah, I'd like to see that. Why is a parent who exposed their kid to unsuitable content allowed to shift blame and not be reprimanded for bad parenting, as it would be it they let their kids run around with knives? Companies can do everything they can on their end but they cannot police who ends up playing the game if it was bought legally by an adult, nor should they be held responsible.

This is why socially I'm a traditional conservative (limited government). It is also why I have no love for the religious right and the "Moral Majority." Ideally, the government could ensure that children couldn't play these violent games until they were old enough, but I don't have any faith in the government's ability to do so efficiently.

 

[REAPER5594]

so, because some parents are too chicken shit stupid to look at the tiny letter at the bottom corner of a game box and determine whether their 9 yr-old should play it, we all have to suffer for it? Fuck.

 

[Zinaxos]

I despise Fox News. The worst news station of all time. I'm glad they don't look at all the facts just so they can give videogames a bad name.

And on an unrelated note, I'm with Bill O'Reilly on this one. I don't know where it comes from either (the moon), but i want to know.

 

[bushwhacker2k]

I KNEW it!

I knew that damn videogame ate my daughter and I suspect that it has ties to the KKK!

I'M WATCHING YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[renegade7]

If videogames cause mental disturbance, why are we not living in a country of serial killers?

Here are the facts: if you're playing video games, you're not watching TV, so advertising (how Cable companies and networks make money) becomes less valuable. They're basically trying to say that gamers are a small minority that should be shunned. The ECA or someone should seriously sue for slander if this keeps p.

 

[boholikeu]

Well the last time this happened, the anti-video game "expert" that Fox News interviewed had their book ratings on Amazon drop to one. Can we hope for the same reaction here?

Maybe if it keeps happening people will stop shooting their mouths off on Fox for a quick name drop.

Ok. Yes, Fox News has a bias. But this escapist article was the probably the most dishonest and disgusting I've ever read on this site. I feel that he only read the first half of the article; I was expecting to click through the link and find an alarmist piece of nonsense. Instead, what I found was actually a fairly balanced argument. Yes, the lady who said violent videogames promote rape is wacky, but here's the other side (I'm quoting this DIRECTLY from the Fox News article):
...
That's a lot of space given to the other side. And Fox never claimed the games caused rape. That was the wacky lady. Who here actually read the article before bashing Fox News? I'm sickening by this bias against Fox News. You want to show that Fox is biased? Then DON'T MAKE UP THIS KIND OF NONSENSE.

Have you ever taken a class on journalism or mass communications? The article was totally alarmist, mostly because the tone echoed the comments of the crazy lady. Read the first couple paragraphs again and tell me the article is "fair and balanced".

What's more, who they choose to interview and what quotes they choose to print also adds to the editorial slant of the article. Why choose the wacky "games=rape" lady as opposed to someone more knowledgeable? Why print quotes from her that are obviously not founded in any current studies? Why doesn't the article include studies that show that instances of rape are actually going down, and that the ESRB is actually enforced much better than the MPAA ratings? Bias is created through what is and isn't covered.

Anyway, is anyone still surprised by this?

I'm surprised by the fact that the Escapist would put this on the front page, and I'm surprised at Chalk's complete lack of integrity in this particular story.

I'm sickened (but not surprised) by the vitriol being spewed against Fox News in the comments section.

This sums up what I was going to say.

Way to, as Andy Chalk would probably say about Fox if they had done the same thing, bring it to their level. Such hypocrisy.

In related news: It's ironic that an incredibly liberal article (saying the answer is government penalties for selling games to minors? lolk) is being bashed on Fox.

Also in related news: GG. I'm done here.

Is it hypocrisy? I don't see a "fair and balanced" motto underneath the Escapist's logo.

 

[Charisma]

wait, wait.

there are people on this earth of mediocre perspicacity?

huh.

 

[Dody16]

You know, I tend to think that FOX news gets bashed more then it deserves, but if this article is true, I cannot sympathies with FOX at all. (and that's putting it mildly.)
Do some video games have violent content? sure
Do some games have sexual scenes and sexual nuances in them? in this age, yea
Do some games praise the player for committing violent acts within the game? of course
Do games cause violence and sexually amoral behavior? maybe, but it's impossible to prove, and as the article points out, there aren't a whole lot of statistics supporting that thought.
Actually, even if games like Bulletstorm were to cause kids to become violent etc, I've always said ultimately it's the parents fault for letting their children play games not suited for them in the first place. Bulletstorm does have a Mature rating after all, and if you're 17 or older and your not mature enough to realize Bulletstorm is immature and violent and isn't ashamed of it, then you've got other issues.

 

[Jegsimmons]

it doesnt matter what cable news channel it is, they are ALL retarded when it comes to video games.

 

[hyker]

http://www.google.com/trends?q=rape%2Cvideogames&ctab=0&geo=all&date=all&sort=1

I can definitely see a pattern there

 

[Xero Scythe]

This is what is called Non-Correlating Data! Just because the moon's a little higher in the sky, doesn't mean more sharks are gonna eat people! It's complete, utter, random chance!

This moon business literally has nothing to do with the article, but I'll join in anyway. O'Reilly is alluding to Thomas Aquinas' idea of the Unmoved Mover. According to cause and effect, everything must have a cause. This creates a paradox where nothing could be created. To resolve this paradox there must be something that has existed forever and had no cause. That thing is called God.

You can disagree with the proof if you want (I disagree with it), but don't simply dismiss the idea as ridiculous; it has serious credentials.

Hm...
Maybe I didn't explain myself well enough. I do believe that every effect has a cause, and that every cause has an effect. The point I am trying to raise is that we must use our brains to determine which cause goes to what effect, like puzzle pieces. If the moon is higher in the sky, then the tides are going to be lower than normal. Check. Law of gravity, easily proven. However, we must realize that it is simply silly and a stretch that would cause massive groinal pain to go from this stepping stone of thought to those of because the tide is lower, people go out farther to get in the water on a beach, leading them unknowingly into shark-infested waters. Am I explaining myself well enough, or is this still just so much gibberish?

Also, no need to call God a thing. I'm not an atheist who has no idea of this sort of thing, nor am I trying to dismiss the theory of a Doctor of the Catholic Church.

 

[KP Shadow]

Just... WHAT?

Okay, I played Delta Force when I was a little kid, but that when military shooters actually were more realistic, as opposed to "AMERICA!! FUCK YEAH!!!", and I turned out just fine. Any mental issues I've developed were ones that I was either born with (Asperger's Syndrome) or were very recent developments (I've started acting a bit crazy and have developed some evil tendencies. Of course, I'm not gonna be some horrific evil mastermind like The Joker, or Kefka Palazzo. I'm more like Dr. Insano. NYEAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!)

 

[ninetails593]

Freaking idiots. People don't sell video games to kids. Parents buy video games for kids.

 

[Jaded Scribe]

Ah, Faux News strikes again.

OP:...

...

At least it's kind of entertaining at this point.

Sadly I can't take credit for that. I've seen a friend of mine use the expression before.

 

[Kinguendo]

Fox News is both informative and intelligent.

See, I can make shit up too.

ZING!

OT: Want to know what my response to playing the Bulletstrom demo was? "This game is pretty boring" and "I hope I wasnt playing as the guy with the stitches all over his face.". NOT "Oh great, now I practically HAVE to rape someone! Jeez, thanks a lot Bulletstorm!".

 

[The Robotman]

When are games going to be blamed for good things, like, "Halo turns yuppie into US Senator," Or "Fallout 3 solves world hunger."

The hate needs to end, let the healin' begin!

 

[Sunrider]

Faux News living up to their reputation yet again.