No Videogames for Trapped Chilean Miners

Logan Westbrook

Transform, Roll Out, Etc
Feb 21, 2008
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No Videogames for Trapped Chilean Miners



It's out with videogames and in with TV for miners trapped by a cave-in in a Chilean copper and gold mine.

The 33 men trapped in a collapsed mineshaft in Chile might have been given PSPs [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/103122-Get-Trapped-in-a-Mine-in-Chile-Earn-a-Free-PSP], but apparently, they're not allowed to use them due to fears that it will isolate them from their fellows.

With weeks remaining before the men will be able to leave the mine, keeping them focused is of the utmost importance. The rescue effort's lead psychologist, Alberto Iturra Benavides, said that the plan was to leave the men with "no option but to survive," and that meant sticking to a routine and working together. Handheld videogames have been banned from the mine, along with portable music players, as the rescue team considers them to be too solitary.

Instead of games or music, the trapped men spend their relaxation time in front of the television, watching a mix of news programs and movies for up to 13 hours a day. The support team picks what the miners watch, sticking with action movies or comedies and avoiding anything that it thinks might depress the men.

Source: Washington Post [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/27/AR2010092700306.html] via Kotaku [http://kotaku.com/5648677/no-video-games-for-trapped-chilean-miners]




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The Bandit

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Feb 5, 2008
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This is probably the most phenomenally stupid thing I've ever seen. If they asked for PSPs (though, to be fair, I don't know what they asked for), give them some freaking PSPs. And if they want to watch A Walk to Remember instead of The Hangover, let them have that too. Because, guess what? The reality of not being able to have what they want is probably going to make them more depressed than fiction.
 

Tips_of_Fingers

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Jun 21, 2010
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they should let them watch The Descent...or The Hole... or any number of "trapped in holes" style disaster/horror movies. Surely they'd see the funny side???

EDIT: damn...ninja'd

EDIT2: Although very glad that someone else had a similar train of thought and ense of humour as me. ^.^
 

Sindre1

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Nov 8, 2008
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I think I agree with that guy.
But maybe if they had one PSP for every third person, they would sit together and play.
 

MurderousToaster

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Aug 9, 2008
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Personally, if I was stuck down a copper/gold mine, I'd try and find as much gold as possible and pocket it.

If I'm going to be stuck down a mine, I'm taking some compensation.
 

Jack and Calumon

Digimon are cool.
Dec 29, 2008
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Well, at least give them a Playstation 2 and some party games for the Eyetoy. Also an Eyetoy. They'll have a blast and it won't isolate them.

If not, let them watch the entire Back to The Future series. That is entertainment.

Calumon: Why not give them some music? Dancing makes you happy!
 

Z of the Na'vi

Born with one kidney.
Apr 27, 2009
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Wait....they can watch a TV down there? And now they are considering handheld entertainment devices too "solitary?"

I think after spending that long with those other guys, if it were me, I would want some time to myself.
 

TLatshaw

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Aug 30, 2010
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What, no Golden Girls marathons?

And give them all Pokemon and have them battle each other. Done.
 

Mechsoap

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Apr 4, 2010
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so how is a psp different from an tv? they both distract in the same way pretty much...
 

oranger

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May 27, 2008
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That's TERRIBLE psychology. In fact, I'd call that quackery.
Miners are a type of person who has to work and live under a severe amount of psychological pressure and not crack. To spoon feed them topical garbage is an insult to their intellects. They will survive, not because of some shitty sitcoms but because they are MINERS.
And besides, ever hear of "multiplayer"? I smell anti-video game bullshit.
 

oranger

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May 27, 2008
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Mechsoap said:
so how is a psp different from an tv? they both distract in the same way pretty much...
Actually, a TV puts out light on the same beta wave your brain produces when it sleeps. This is why most crazy people loooove tv, and why when you start to feel "zoned out" after a while commercials hit you harder.
 

joshuaayt

Vocal SJW
Nov 15, 2009
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Oh, yes. God forbid they be allowed to take some time to themselves, to immerse themselves completely in the escapism that is required to truly, utterly, forget the hopelessness (percieved or real) of a situation.
Not to mention that Dissidia is (I'm told) a "Totally Rad" game, and these men should be able to play it. Assuming they would have been allowed to choose the games they get.
 

Grahav

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Mar 13, 2009
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I think there are better videogame options than the PSP. That would be any system that have the most multiplayer games.
 

nightfish

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Nov 7, 2007
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A lot of them are already bordlerline depression. They need to focus on working which they are doing now instead of sitting by themselves playing a psp.
 

Kross

World Breaker
Sep 27, 2004
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Why don't they hook up a console to the TV? Play some Rock Band or any co-op game.
 

Catalyst6

Dapper Fellow
Apr 21, 2010
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MurderousToaster said:
Personally, if I was stuck down a copper/gold mine, I'd try and find as much gold as possible and pocket it.

If I'm going to be stuck down a mine, I'm taking some compensation.
"What's that noise? Are they trying to mine their way out"?

"No... I think that they're going in even *deeper*"!