Episode 44 – A Clusterfuck of Stupidity

That’s a technical term in case you are wondering. I don’t like ranting, partly because the inflection in my voice is lost over a blog, and partly because it’s not proactive. However, there’s always a however…

I love video games. I think that was pretty obvious. I currently own/run a video game site called eight bit childhood, which pretty much tells you that I played video games when I was a wee boy in the old country… that country being Long Island. And its that love that gets me angry over this: video game ratings.

Now, I don’t mind that they are rated. And actually I agree with the ESRBs system and their ratings. I like that no one under 17 can buy an M rated game, like no one under 17 can buy a ticket to an R rated movie. That all works for me, and I’m glad that a 10 year old cant purchase Leisure Suit Larry.

The thing that gets me angry is that people don’t know. People don’t look at the god damn boxes. The ratings are right on the outside. Right on the front in big text, right there just look and READ. And if you’re going to be stupid and not read the huge ratings on both the front and back of the box explaining why something is rated the way it is then you have no right to complain about “violent video games.”

I guess when get down to it its that term that really gets me angry. Parents and parent organizations banning together to try and put a stop to violent video games because they are harming our children. Well guess what, your children are not allowed to buy these games with out you. So just stop. Stop with the organizing and just read the box. Stop with the passing of the anti video game laws, and just think about what you’re saying. These parent groups want to stop the selling of the games to kids… guess what, the ESA already does that with their ratings board. It’s the parents who don’t pay attention.

You cant blame a 10 year old for playing GTA (that seems to be the favorite whipping boy of anti games groups). How did a ten year old get his hands on GTA anyway? He doesn’t have a job and cant drive himself to the store. And even if he managed to save his birthday money and walked to the store he STILL couldn’t buy the game because its rated M, and you have to be over 17 to buy it. So how does a 10 year old get his hands on GTA, he asks for it for his birthday. And the parents are just trying to make their child happy purchase it with out even looking at the box. Idiots. If the kid asked for Texas Chainsaw Massacre on DVD you would probably check the rating the movie. I bet that’s the first thing they would do.

Parents need to wise up and shut up. You cant try and regulate things that are already regulated. And you cant complain about your own idiocy. Short from having a rep from the ESA go to every house in America and explaining what each of the ratings represents I don’t know what more people want… it is all right there on the box.