"Videogames Cause Rape" Author Gets Amazonbombed

[fun-with-a-gun]

Spoiler

It looks like her PR team is trying to get involved now. Thats funny.

Spoiler

Hi there,

It appears that you have recently read an article on Fox News in which Dr. Carole was misrepresented on her views on video game violence. I hope you understand that it was the publication that chose to represent Dr. Carole's views in this light, and that the statement was taken out of context. Her books also do not condemn the use of video games. If you would like to take it up with the author of the article, we can provide you with his contact information.

It is clear, however, that this statement has unintentionally caused you some deep emotional turmoil and we would like to rectify the situation.

Please contact [email protected] with your contact information, and we will be in touch to clear up any misunderstandings that may have been caused. It is important that we create a dialogue regarding this situation.

Please be aware that there are real people who are being affected by your comments. I'm sure you are a reasonable person and know we can approach this situation in a kinder and more civil manner. Thank you.

Sincerely,

The Team at Dr. Carole Lieberman

whats really funny is that none of the one star reviews these comments are on even mention the Fox News thing.

Gee, I love when gamers get wound up by some "professional" and then, to prove how well-adjusted and mature we all are, turn around and do something uber-mature like vote down their product on Amazon and encourage others to do the same. And posting her address and phone number online? That is a sure recipe to make the world view gamers in a better light.

Who honestly cares what this woman says? Anyone encouraging people to bomb this woman are almost as bad as she. Grow up, people, and ignore her like we ought to.

EDIT: and before someone jumps in here, I don't give a fuck about the Democrats. We're not running for elections. Bombing her book won't change her mind or anyone else's, so acting like maligned children is only going to do more harm than good since it gives us all a terrible reputation. Besides, video games will never be outlawed since the industry makes too much dosh and is tied to too many powerful media companies already. Stop whining, stop bombing her book and stop wasting time that could be used to play Fallout 3 or something.

This is why I hate the term "gamer". Events like this paint us "gamers" as a bunch of overly-defensive crybabies. No one is out to take out media poison away from us. Well, maybe some are (*cough* Jack Thompson *cough*) but no one takes them seriously. Besides, anyone who is easily swayed enough by the likes of Fox is not someone we need on our side anyway. Ignoring the fools is the best possible thing we can do because giving them attention just spreads their argument to a wider audience and gives them more media attention they don't deserve.

So you're telling me, that her PR team just gave out her email? When they know that people are angry about her blatant hypocrisy?

 

[Newbonomicon]

Fox News makes biased and uninformed statements painting new media in a negative light? They called in some "expert" from a completely irrelevant field, who then was blasted as a hypocrite? Darth Vader is Luke's father? The sky is blue? ALL OF THIS IS NEWS

 

[fundayz]

So 40 reviews is news now....

 

[mjc0961]

Reminds me of when people bombed that one woman's book on amazon after she said "I haven't played Mass Effect, but I'm sure I know what its about" or something like that. She then went on to call it a "rape simulator" among other things. Then her book was bombed with people saying "I haven't read this book, but I'm sure its about how to molest children." Or something like that.

Hey, it worked. After her book got bombed, she pulled her head out of her ass, actually went and saw what the game was for herself, and admitted that she was wrong and that she'd seen worse stuff on TV: http://www.escapistmagazine.com/new...s-for-Mass-Effect-Comments-Following-Blowback

Maybe if we're lucky, this reality check that she's not the only one who can discredit someone else's work by making shit up will help "doctor" Carole pull her head from her ass as well.

 

[Treblaine]

Ah, laser-guided karma.

Isn't it sweet?

This isn't really karma though, this is more revenge.

Karma would be if it was a completely random/uncontrollable or separate event, like stealing a purse then getting struck by a car.

 

[soren7550]

Ah, when we nerds get pissed off we can do some awesome things every now and then.
Though they should've seen this coming, same thing happened when Mass Effect was called a "rape simulator" about 3 years ago.

Yep. We nerds can do such awesome things whence provoked (SDCC Counter Protest anyone?).

Reminds me of when people bombed that one woman's book on amazon after she said "I haven't played Mass Effect, but I'm sure I know what its about" or something like that. She then went on to call it a "rape simulator" among other things. Then her book was bombed with people saying "I haven't read this book, but I'm sure its about how to molest children." Or something like that.

And funnily enough, that ***** only apologized when her 'books' were flooded with bad reviews, but to this day those POSs are still flooded with bad reviews that state that although they never read the book, they know that it completely sucks.

 

[zelda2fanboy]

I don't get why anyone is expected to be civil in response to a statement like that. If she went on TV and said Hitler was right and the Jews are lying misers, I'm betting there would be a lot more negative reviews for her latest book, and they wouldn't have all been written by Jewish people. Or maybe if she said people who suffer from cancer have it coming to them. "Video games cause rape" is similarly so disgusting and wrong, she deserves whatever she gets when it comes to public opinion of her and her work.

 

[nifedj]

Kotaku got a clarification out of her! (kind of)

http://www.kotaku.com.au/2011/02/the-doctor-who-said-video-games-cause-rape-explains-what-she-meant/

It seems that she wasn't quoted out of context after all. In her interview with Kotaku she said the usual stuff about an increase in the violent and sexual content in games, and the link between games and real life violence/sexual crime. She wasn't able to back up her assertion, though - which doesn't surprise me.

 

[Mariner]

Oh sweet sweet karma I love you so

 

[AvsJoe]

75 reviews and counting. Some of them are pretty good too.

 

[dj Facchiano]

I had a good laugh after reading some of these titles "I would rather be raped than read this book" or "Dangerous combination: 'Mein Kampf' meets 'playboy magazine". I like the fact that people aren't going to let her go around spreading bullshit unpunished. I say keep it up!

 

[i7omahawki]

This isn't Karma; it's retaliation. It's also ridiculous. We should try to be above reproach, and show Dr. Carole, FOX News, and their respective viewers WHY they are wrong, in a rational manner; not just react and try to get her book a bad rating. My mind boggles at this "Amazonbombing" (cute term), and is further boggled that it's being celebrated. WHAT? We have no right to whine and lament about video games and its community never being taken seriously when we're pulling this kind of childish crap.

I'm afraid that appealing to these people in a straight-forward rational manner is a tad naive. Either they lack the capacity for rational thought, or actively deny it. When news channels and 'experts' fail to respect their own fields, expecting them to listen to any argument other than their own seems fruitless.

However, hurting their sales is extremely effective. You're quite right that this may bring negative attention to the gaming community, but not nearly to the extent that it will bring negative attention to 'authors' such as Lieberman and the increasinly stupendous adventures of Faux News.

Punching them in the pocket is the most effective strategy, attempting to appeal to them in earnest debate is pointless.

Plenty of gaming sites have raised awareness of this issue without this childish retaliation, so if a thinking person stumbles into this issue, they will see who is at fault.

 

[SGrahambo]

Childish, self-degrading, immature, and oh so awesome. Amazon reviews have some the most entertaining reads sometimes.

 

[Chewster]

My argument is that gamers are reacting like children and this is your response?

I couldn't have asked for a more perfect outcome.

 

[Kevlar Eater]

So basically, this lady's book is encouraging women to be manipulative bitches, and/or reassuring those that already use aforementioned tactics are justified. As if we don't have enough of them walking among us.

 

[Layzor]

I reckon that acting like a 'bad girl' has lead to more rapes then playing videogames.

 

[Formica Archonis]

That will teach her to have an opinion that gamers disagree with. You people didn?t even present a counter argument you just mocked her and you wonder why gamers are seen as immature.

Actually, last thread it was established that the entire premise is flawed because the number of rapes has gone DOWN. This is a forum, not a debate school. You're not going to find much "pro" when the "pro" argument is foundationless. If I say that violent games are responsible for the Martian invasion and subsequent enslavement of humanity to mine sulfur from Venus, then it's not a sign of immaturity to call me a nutball and laugh at me without taking the time to debate and triple-check if we were indeed enslaved by Martians. All ideas do NOT deserve equal time because, quite frankly, some ideas are goddamn retarded.

As for our sheeplike capacity? Look at the thread on the $1400 Smurfberries. Opinion is fairly well split on whether the parent is negligent, the company is predatory, or both. It's not always clearcut with us.

Though posting personal contact info IS a dick move, IMHO.