Week 2

I found it extremely interesting looking at the ‘Ben these evil games’ lecture as it is something that I have always felt pretty strongly about. Although I feel strongly about the topic, I actually disagree with the title of the lecture and it does anger me when every game released now a days creates media frenzy, and moral panics.

The full and detailed description of a moral panic would be ‘a reaction by a group of people based on the false or exaggerated perception that some cultural behavior or group, frequently a minority group or a subculture, is dangerously deviant and poses a menace to society’. (Wikipedia, 2007). So basically a video game and especially violent ones can easily create moral panics all over the shop. As in the lecture we looked at the game ‘Manhunt’ a game banned from numerous retailers due to the HUGE moral panic the media created due to a violent murder, that many believed was due to the game but I just don’t see it? After the lecture I thought back to the games I have played in the past, and the endless amount of games my brothers, sister and me used to play round the Nintendo and Playstation. 8 years on the 5 of us remain to be pretty normal young adults, I mean we would throw the odd wobbly at each other but I doubt very much that is anything to do with the fact we used to spend hours in front of the TV playing each other at Street Fighter. I mean maybe we are different to others, but I know for one playing a video game really couldn’t influence me to the extent that the Daily Mail and others believed that ‘Manhunt’ influenced this 17 year old boy.

As well as looking at Moral Panics created by these violent games, we also assessed the idea of Rhetoric within video games. Rhetoric is basically a persuasive language, where the audience is exposed to values and beliefs. Salen and Zimmerman states how ‘play is adaptive or contributes to growth, development and socialization’ (2006).

I considered what violent games I could play, I chose to play Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas which was released in 2004. Before playing the game I had in mind to watch for areas that could create moral panics, and the rhetoric i.e. the values portrayed throughout. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is based of a character that’s mother has been murdered, and his family are falling apart and friends are in trouble. The character has been framed by the police for a murder he did not commit, so therefore is determined to save his family and friends whilst running the streets. From this short background information of the story line, we can already see obvious signs of rhetoric i.e.the character has strong family values; although he is killing it is argued that he is doing it for un selfish reasons, and actually a good cause. During the game you, as the main character are required to complete a number of missions, committing murders involving guns, chain saws, baseballs. The game involves a number of issues that could create media frenzy, and therefore moral panics and worry for the players parents including drugs and prostitution, as well as the idea of women being objectified, this could infuriate women. I can completely see where parents, and the media are coming from, this game is very addictive I felt myself struggling to pull myself away. But I could not see myself commiting these crimes as they are fairly extravagent, most players I would expect understand the concept of beating old women up on the street as very wrong!