Venezuelan Government Blames Video Games For Violence, Implements Widespread Ban
from the ouch dept
Via Game Politics we hear about the situation in Venezuela, where the government is apparently blaming video games for the widespread violence in the country, and has issued a ban on the import, production or sale of any video games that include weapons. The link above is a rather heartfelt writeup, by someone in Venezuela, discussing the many problems the people in that country face, and making it clear that it's not violent video games that are the problem. It's long, but is a worthwhile read. Here's just a small snippet:This situation is painful to behold. Even if I barely game at all these days, I am a gamer at neocortex. I spent countless hours solving puzzles, riddles and fighting monsters in dungeons. I rescued Toadstool many times, only to be told that thanks, but my Princess was in another castle, later I joined Link and rescued Zelda from Agahnim and Ganon, using the Master Sword and the Silver Arrows. I got the Zantetsu sword and cut metal, I summoned Ifrit, Odeen and Behemoth. From Dragoon, I became a Paladin. I sneaked on Big Boss' fortress in Zanzibar and stopped doomsday with Solid Snake. I fought along a Double Dragon trapped on a Final Fight, using my Killer Instinct in a Mortal Kombat in which only the greatest Street Fighter would come alive. I was Linked to the Past by a Chrono Trigger, my Soul Blazing, as I lived my Final Fantasies, Wandering from Ys, arriving to a Lagoon, to learn about the Secret of Mana, and finally understood that there is Ever More to life.
These games are a cherished part of my life, they helped to shape my young mind, they gave me challenges and vastly improved my English, opening the door to a whole new world of literature, music and people from all around the world. What I have achieved, all my research, how I have been able to travel even though I'm always broke, the hard work I've done to convince people to fund a start up for cheap biotech for developing countries and regular folks, none of that would have been possible hadn't I learned English through video games.
Now, thanks to the tiny horizons of the cast of morons who govern me, thanks to the stupidity and ham-fisted authoritarianism of the local authorities, so beloved of so many liberals, my 7 year old brother's chances to do the same could be greatly impacted.
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Filed Under: venezuela, video games, violence
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English as a video game language
Now I think this ban is stupid and wrong, but he says that as if though he thinks video games are the only way to learn English. That's a pretty weak argument.
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Re: English as a video game language
3 Sentences up:
"...and vastly improved my English"
I suppose you also think that アニメ is also a poor method for improving one's Japanese?
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Re: Re: English as a video game language
Welcome to remedial reading, 101.
"...none of that would have been possible hadn't I learned English through video games."
I suppose you also think that アニメ is also a poor method for improving one's Japanese?
You suppose wrong. And I never said video games are a poor method for improving English either. But they certainly aren't the only way, so put away your straw man.
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Re: English as a video game language
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Re: English as a video game language
Reading comprehension lesson time:
"I learned English *** THROUGH *** video games."
Not from. Big difference. Many of my friends not native to America share similar stories at having learned through movies and antiquated TV shows.
Hell, even I'm taking this approach learning Japanese *through* anime and *from* course books. Best way to learn dialogue, speech, and inflection which *no* book can do.
Agreed the ban is beyond moronic and it's nice to see the statement on how it provided a benefit, rather than another negative.
Of course, he could always take up arms and overthrow the government. When the media requests where he got his knowledge, he can quip "Why, from 'The A-Team', of course!"
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Re: Re: English as a video game language
"I learned English *** THROUGH *** video games."
Not from. Big difference.
Considering I didn't say "from", I think perhaps it is maybe you who needs a reading comprehension lesson.
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Re: English as a video game language
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Re: English as a video game language
I know someone who has a perfect command of English and, more importantly, American idioms, almost solely through watching television... They are too old to have extensively played video games, but had they been younger, I have no doubt it would have played a huge part in their learning.
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Re: Re: English as a video game language
So, you really think video games are the only way to learn another language? I've got news for you, people have been learning languages since well before there was any such thing as video games. Now there may actually be some people out there who can only learn language from video games, but I think their numbers are probably low enough that it makes for a weak argument.
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Re: English as a video game language
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When it doesn't work ...
Are they going to reverse this decision? (That goes back to the laws should have expirations and if the law isn't accomplishing goal)
And to look at one tiny bright side, this will prove to be a most excellent demonstration to all those up here in the States like Jack Thompson that video games do indeed cause no violence. They do not make people evil.
We can point out that an entire country tried to get rid of them, and the violence did not stop once they were banned.
They would be hard pressed to come up with anything even remotely believable after this.
People are just violent. It is in the human nature. They can try to use video games as a scapegoat, but they have never been a root cause.
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Re: When it doesn't work ...
But think of how much WORSE it would have been if they kept violent video games around. Good thing they nipped THAT in the bud.
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Re: Re: When it doesn't work ...
But what if the levels don't change at all?
Your scenario does make me sad though. They better not.
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sigh
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That would make a great video game.
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When games are outlawed only outlaws will have games
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Re:
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Quite profound! Questioning the logic of a dictator would be a lot like discussing law with a cartoon character. No matter what you say, the other side doesn't have to obey any concept of reality. The only difference is that one yells "Rabbit Season" a bit less often, but I forget which one.
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we, venezuelans, can't afford videogames
The government can ban all the imported videogames they want, but nobody buys them anyway.
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A law that is not in line with the opinions of the population can't be enforced.
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Playing violent video games: Makes people more likely to be violent.
Playing Guitar hero: Doesn't make people more likely to play musical instruments.
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Yep...
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Re: Yep...
Exactly. That's why it makes for a weak argument for the general case.
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video games
a los video-juegos si no a los caprichosos huevos de Hugo Chavez.
Quizas cuando los Venezolanos que lo elijieron se gasten unos
cuantos chavitos en balas en vez de juegos y maten a ese sinverguenza pueda tu hermanito competir tanto en los video-juegos que tu lamentas como en el juego de la vida.
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Interesting experiment
But lets keep a running track on violent crime figures and see if there is any significant difference. While correlation isn't causation, and we can't infer much from what comes out, if there IS a link then there should be a measureable difference in the stats after that ban goes live.
I'm sure the 'think of the children' people will ignore any data.. but at least it will give us ammunition to stop similar lunacy in our own countries.
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It's not impossible ...
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