9.28.2011
9.21.2011
jason hates on the media (again)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/15002820
The first bit makes it seem like an extremely serious problem up until it mentions people trying "to use a 'gravity gun' to pick up food." At that point, I had this little niggling feeling that, when the study was being performed, the subjects were joking and/or describing one specific moment where everyone involved at the time knew it was a joke and the context of the situation using an imaginary gravity gun in real life was completely clear ("Hey, what if I had a gravity gun right now and could shoot this trash into that trash can over there?" *pretends to shoot*).
Then I got to the little anecdotes at the bottom, and what do you know, it's stuff that people commonly say all the time, and none of it results in anything happening other than in the person's mind. If you challenge me on that, think about it: the chick who talked about GTA IV wouldn't be able to tell her anecdote if she had been arrested for punching everyone and stealing their cars. Everything else was pretty harmless and ordinary too- "It's a running joke that we all carry on looking for snipers and going to grab a launcher if you see a bird, or going for the stab button if someone is in your way."
Now, this article itself is slightly more balanced and didn't involve the actual subjects, even including a spiel about how not every gamer carries around a constant rage-boner and loses the distinction between real life and fantasy, but it gives some insight into the study- specifically, the effect of "GTP" might not be as great as the researchers who coined the term think it is. People compare their past experiences with what they're going through at the moment. It's induction and we all do it. Thinking about that one time you were playing a violent game while you're presently riding on a crowded subway shouldn't be treated as any differently from thinking about that one time you watched a violent movie while you ride that exact same subway. Sure, gamers are exposed to more violence than non-gamers, but there are tens of millions of gamers out there in the world who prove that people who play video games and commit acts of violence don't do it because they play lots of violent games, they do it because of actual mental issues. Likewise, there are millions of criminals out there who prove that lack of restraint exists even without video games.
The first bit makes it seem like an extremely serious problem up until it mentions people trying "to use a 'gravity gun' to pick up food." At that point, I had this little niggling feeling that, when the study was being performed, the subjects were joking and/or describing one specific moment where everyone involved at the time knew it was a joke and the context of the situation using an imaginary gravity gun in real life was completely clear ("Hey, what if I had a gravity gun right now and could shoot this trash into that trash can over there?" *pretends to shoot*).
Then I got to the little anecdotes at the bottom, and what do you know, it's stuff that people commonly say all the time, and none of it results in anything happening other than in the person's mind. If you challenge me on that, think about it: the chick who talked about GTA IV wouldn't be able to tell her anecdote if she had been arrested for punching everyone and stealing their cars. Everything else was pretty harmless and ordinary too- "It's a running joke that we all carry on looking for snipers and going to grab a launcher if you see a bird, or going for the stab button if someone is in your way."
Now, this article itself is slightly more balanced and didn't involve the actual subjects, even including a spiel about how not every gamer carries around a constant rage-boner and loses the distinction between real life and fantasy, but it gives some insight into the study- specifically, the effect of "GTP" might not be as great as the researchers who coined the term think it is. People compare their past experiences with what they're going through at the moment. It's induction and we all do it. Thinking about that one time you were playing a violent game while you're presently riding on a crowded subway shouldn't be treated as any differently from thinking about that one time you watched a violent movie while you ride that exact same subway. Sure, gamers are exposed to more violence than non-gamers, but there are tens of millions of gamers out there in the world who prove that people who play video games and commit acts of violence don't do it because they play lots of violent games, they do it because of actual mental issues. Likewise, there are millions of criminals out there who prove that lack of restraint exists even without video games.
9.12.2011
dun bam bam bam DUM
The intro to this song makes me want to get out onto the streets and put some BC Era invaders to the sword
9.05.2011
9.04.2011
raindrops keep faaalling on my head
During today's ten-minute thunderstorm I had the sudden urge to run outside and sing this song.
Then I realized I didn't have a ukelele. Or singing talent.
9.03.2011
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