Is this an invitation I can’t refuse?
Photo by shanewarne_60000 
A month ago, my 21-year-old daughter informed me that she had just purchased two grenade launchers. I should have been shocked. Instead, I was jealous. You see, she had a head start of about a week on Facebook’s Mob Wars, and was at a higher level than I was. She had multiple villas, restaurants, and apartments and was working on a hotel. I was still doing muggings and an occasional house burglary, so my bank account was dismal. Clearly, I needed to beef up my mob and start picking a few fights.
For those who are new to Mob Wars, it’s a game application on Facebook. You “start out as a petty thief and work your way up the ranks to build your criminal empire” by performing progressively more lucrative jobs, and by fighting other members on your level. Once you start making a little money, you can buy better equipment like body armor, S.W.A.T Bearcats, and CheyTacs. You can also purchase income-earning properties, starting with empty lots and working up to casinos. The more members you invite into your mob, the better–more firepower for scuffles.
I’m not really the game-obsessed type, but somehow I got hooked on this crazy thing. I’ve clawed my way up many levels, recruited gang members, cleaned a few clocks, and now earn a tidy hourly income in the millions. I’ve built up quite an empire and it was no easy feat. Just ask the Godfather. He knows how many late nights I’ve put in taking quizzes and filling out surveys for a few measly favor points.
But you know–it’s just a game. I can stop at any time. Really. Uh–gotta go. Someone just put me on the hit list!
There might be something to this social networking thing after all. What keeps you online? In addition to Yahoo! Answers, of course!
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Is this game for real?
In a world that is dominated by greed, violence, war, and death…why do we need to bring those aspects into the communication realms of our lives?
We’re are glorifying all of this…making light of all the blood money organized crime has made, at the costs of others.
You have a picture of Don Vito Corleone…don’t you think that will perpetuates stereotypes that people can’t shake off..ie)Italians are all working for the mob, its the same as when people assume that if you’re muslim or from the middle east you’re a terrorist.
Why do we continue doing this…what makes it worse is that we have a Yahoo! Answer ‘celeb’ advertising this.
i love mob wars! i’m level 65 and make billions per day
yes it is real but mafia on myspace is better.
Lighten up Jasdeep, there will always be games.
I’m a bit concerned that both you and your children choose to participate in a game that teaches the machinations of organized crime. Wherein violent, antisocial and disturbing behavior is aggrandized and rewarded. I would think that you would wish to use a model that is a bit more socially complaint. After all, raising children is simply the socialization of them. To teach them criminality in any positive light sets up a schism in their code of conduct.
THIS GAME IS STUPID IT IS FOR LOSERS, thats all i gotts to say DAWGS
If you’re child is intelligent then they will know that this is just a game. Anyone who says otherwise is just being foolish.
@amblinal – fyi, my daughter is in college, not a young child, but thanks for your concern. – Mitzi
wow people.. it’s just a game.. an addictive one at that.. well, i do Mobsters on Myspace.. same thing though. it doesn’t perpetuate violence.. if a kid plays this game and thinks that it’s ok to barbque people with a flame thrower then there’s more going on in that house than just a game. I’m 25.. generation nintendo here.. I grew up shooting things and guess what – i’ve never been in a fight or harmed someone physically – know why? I was raised with loving parents who taught me the difference of right and wrong. Excuse me now, I have to go rob the federal reserve bank and find a foreign safe house….
This isn’t just a game, it is a reflection of your values. Besides being a complete waste of time, it is just amazing you would participate in something which glorifies criminal theft, murder and social destruction.
Reality check! Tendencies toward lawlessness and violence are human nature. Is it better to act them out in the real world or a virtual world? It’s an outlet, plain and simple. Did you think your kids playing Duck Hunt would grow up to be gang bangers?
I love mobsters on myspace. Add me and we’ll kick ass togather http://www.myspace.com/sweet_tart650
the bast
Why is this important? It’s a game. Who Cares?
I read the first sentence, and I was like “DUUDE! YOU ARE THE COOLEST MOM EVER!!” Then I read the rest, and I was like “Well, you play a mob video game so you’re still an awesome mom.” Oh well.
Personally, I think if you’re going to waste hours and hours on a game, you might as well make it productive. FreeRice for example.
I seriously envy your daughter, you’re like the coolest mother ever. xD But yeah, I’m addicted to the social networking games too, I think anyone who doesn’t have a stick stuck where the sun doesn’t shine would enjoy them if they tried it. So many people have this idea that these violent video games or whatever is going to ruin our nation’s children.
If that’s as much faith as you have in your kids, then I seriously pity you. I’ve been playing such video games all my life and I’m in college going for Computer Science and most people tell me I’m too polite, not vice versa. It’s not even an ‘outlet’ for me. It’s just fun.
I’ve been addicted to mobwars for months now- I’m up to a level 375 tycoon /w over 1000 mobsters… enjoy the addiction!
lol when i was looking i thought ur daughter bout 2 grenade launchers in real life.andif you play violent games dosnt mean u are goin to do it.
It is just a game; but a dark one at that. We’re in a society where the media has such a strong influence on us, wether we realize it or not. A mafia game may not mean you’ll go out and shoot the next person you see, but it definately desensitizes (sp?) you towards killing and the like. I’m a teenager; I’m not just one of those old people preaching at you. I’ve had sweet, innocent friends be exposed to games like this with nurturing and loving parents, but it just consumes them. Their thoughts as a whole are a tad bit darker; it changes them. It can change you too; even if it is just insignificantly. I would like to think, I would hope, that there are better things to do with your time than play games like these anyways. Go and hang out with friends; throw a football around. Yes, I understand the games can be addictive, and so can social networks. However, that’s another thing about this game that makes it that much more dangerous (especially for teenagers and adolenscents, where personalities and friends are still being shaped); I sincerely regret my time playing neopets when I was much younger; I advise you not to make the same mistake with a different game. Time is a gift you only get once; why would you waste so much of it on a game? Do something you’re passionate about; hang out, write stories, play sports, etc. The reason I stay on Answers is because it is convienent for research and I’m able to express things I’m passionate about; like this right here. I hope virtually killing or robbing banks isn’t your passion.
Wow….well,my brothers keep bothering me about joining their “group”
on their own MySpace Mafia Wars accounts.
It’s fun I do believe,but I was kinda twisted before the game.
I enjoy blood,I enjoy pain,ah well,call me crazy or whatever ^^
I have better games to spend my life on!
I DONT PLAY THAT ON FACEBOOK BUT I DO PLAY MAFIA WARS ON MYSPACE. IF ANYONE ELSE DOES THEY CAN ADD ME. http://WWW.MYSPACE.COM/PISTOLWHIPCRIME JUST MENTION MAFIA WARS.
ridiculous: reflection of values? has it occurred to you that maybe she values having a common pastime with her daughter, and i don’t know but being in college i wouldn’t think she would get to see her daughter all that much. even if she did, i second christen in that there’s obviously more going on if somebody thinks its ok to act out that stuff in a real-world scenario. you would think that none of you have ever watched a movie. just because i watch pretty woman doesn’t mean i’m going to become a hooker, and just because i watch ocean’s 11 doesn’t mean i’m going to rob a casino.
Seriously people? It is just a game and like the person said, her daughter is in college. Values have nothing to do with it. If you were to apply that logic to everything else in life, you’d be boycotting every movie and book that came out because it “reflects your values.” Just because you think that all shootings are caused by video games doesn’t make true.
u have a daughter in college? at first i thought u’re in ur 20′s
ah, well
i just checked the game out and haven’t started playing it.. i’m into sims and facebook’s make me a celebrity.. i just like the thrill of having thousands and millions of dollars
because, i’m a poor girl in real life and this is my way of escaping into my fantasies
i hope to be real rich some day. but i have to finish school first
I don’t know what the mob wars are so call me clueless!
LOL…….so what are you trying to say by posting this garbage? Join you? Why not spend your time doing more productive things, like volunteering to help making a difference in this world we live in. Sorry, but I see too much time wasted on games and not much time given to help making a difference. So much kids today waste their time on “games” and have not given time to society. No puns intended, uit is just sad.
come on people, if you like it, play it. if you don’t like it, get off facebook lolz
Okay. I really dislike a point that Mike mentioned earlier – saying that he would hope we had something better to do with our time and that we should purse something we are passionate about. “Kicking a football” and “hanging out with friends” aren’t necessarily a better use of our time, and video games can be something to be passionate about too. Some people really enjoy video games, and it is a great hobby for them. It’s what they might do instead of kicking a football. Just because you don’t necessarily like video games or consider them a hobby, doesn’t mean you can implicate that people who play video have no social life.
Now, violence is a part of human nature – there were shootings long before video games came about. People seem to think that crime rates are going up, however. The only reason people think that is because due to better communication and things like that, more people are being CAUGHT doing crimes and having their crimes broadcasted. For example, 50 years ago, when it was harder to send information on crimes through a TV, the media didn’t bother and just stuck to the top stories.
So shootings are not going up due to video games and people’s morals are not being changed due to video games. People just like to have something to blame, so they blame video games.
Parents still exist you know. Parents still play a big role in teaching their children correct morals, and no video game is going to interfere with them. It has been proven that children DO know the difference between reality and games, and know which morals to apply to life if they were raised properlly.
well i always loved the godfather movie now i have the chance to be a part of it………. i am sure gonna try this one out
A little while back, Mike was talking bout wasting time. Can anyone here tell me time. How do we define time.
Its like walking in an empty space. We have classified Day and night, the good and the evil, the two perspetives.
We know the day, we do not know the night. Perhaps thats why our ancestors used to stay in their caves ad the warriors used to hunt in the night. Maybe we have just seen one aspect of time.
As for the mob wars, its just the exploration of the other perspective.
You, my friend have been hooked on, because u were trying to find out why u stay online. Its because u looked for an answer, did u find the mob wars.
Now u spend the night giving quizzes, filling forms.. Its IS serving u a purpose isn’t it?
Its all about looking for a question. Not the answers.
Enjoy the game.
That’s on MySpace.
Omg, I just joined facebook about a month ago n I got my husband to join too.he started playing that game and he is soooo addicted! He comes home from work and goes straight to the computer! We don’t even spend time with each other anymore.we have a 3 month old baby girl n I think he rather play that stupid game then play with her, its ridiculous! When is he going to get tired of it??
i love the vampires wars applications on myspace. it is way way better than all the other ones like pirates, mobs, dragons and street racing!
Please take your daughter to do something productive.This is very disturbing,yet totally intriguing that there are people like this out there.Aaaaahhhh!
Its funny the people that try and pin blame for violence on video games and movies.
Lets use some logic for once, I know it might be hard for some of you.
How long has human violence been around?
How long have movies been around?
How long have video games been around?
Answer those questions and then tell me video games are the problem.
Second, I am a 26 year guy, I dont get to see my parents that much due to work and all the other things going on in my life but I do get to talk to my Dad everyday because we both play the same online video game. We group and chat about life in general and about game stuff but the point is that I get to talk to my Dad everyday via video games.
People seem to blame everything else but the root cause which is parents.
PARENTS NEED TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR CHILDREN. PERIOD.
amblinal – You need to join reality.
Let me show you some hard numbers.
Grand Theft Auto 4 – sold 10 million copies
Grand Theft Auto is all about being a criminal. Killing, stealing and sex are the basic’s of the game.
So where are these 10 million new criminals? I mean using your logic, this game Promotes violence and at least 10 million people are playing this game, so that means we should ahve 10 million new criminals because of this game.
See how stupid you sound? See how stupid it sounds to blame video games, music or Movies?
The blame should be on the parents. Parents are the ones that should be teaching their childeren right and wrong. Video games, music and moives are forms of entertainment, not teaching tools.
Well I haven’t yet play this game but I can relate. I too have fell victim to game addiction. What seen like a silly video game you play to pass the time can quickly starts controlling your life. This may be a bit of a dramatic overstatement but I find myself at work counting the down the hours tell I can go home and beet the next level in attempt to save the princess. (but you are in wrong castle!)
I think we go so addicted to these game because they are so much clear and straight forward then really life. In video games you have a mission and a goal. I work hard at my job but still have not been promoted or moved up a level, still don’t have enough rupees to upgrade my house or car and still don’t know what my mission is!
In the world of video games hard work = instant gratification. You get caught up in the challenge and the battle of it all. Anyone how has beaten the high score after an afternoon of gaming can relate to the sense of accomplishment you feel at the end.
I guess the really question is how can we get these things out of really life?
Hi i play loads of violent video game so do loads of people i know but my parents are fine about it because 1) im getting rid of all my anger now on my xbox etc.
and 2) at least im in here shooting people not on the streets doing it for real,
i know people who are going to college left college got married etc they played on violent games maybe with worse graphics but in esence the same thing they are really nice people i know that tyey have never attaked someone and they never would.
im only thirteen with a lot to learb about the world but this is my opinion (btw cool mum XD)
Wow… I can’t believe the people that are trying to say you’re a bad parent if your COLLEGE AGE daughter plays a stupid game on the computer. (I say stupid, but I’m totally addicted to Mafia Wars- You know what I mean lol.) Get over it people!! Video games and violence on TV do not kill people or cause people to kill people. Neglectful parents do. Her daughter is in COLLEGE. Obviously, she raised her well enough so that she has a good enough head on her shoulders to want to better her life by getting an education. You can’t blame everything on everything else. If your kid is a trouble maker, it’s your fault as a parent. How do I know? I was a trouble maker as a teenager. My parents didn’t pay attention to what I was doing, they didn’t ask questions, so at that age, I felt I was grown enough to do as I pleased. Tell me I’m wrong, I’m begging you. You’re a joke if you think you can wave off school shootings on a game. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go see how my mafia, weilding tactical shotguns and 9mm’s, is doing.
Wow. Lighten up people. It’s a game. And I do love me some Mafia Wars. I was always one to think that games were dumb but I too am addicted.
Here’s the thing. The people that are against games are commenting like they are above everyone else because they enjoy going outside or don’t think that violent games are good or sensible. Everyone who has made a comment FOR the game obviously think that they have a handle on their lives and they can enjoy time spent out of thier own reality or in this case with a family member sharing the same interest.
But who is to say that one persons interest is more acceptable than anothers? What is it that allows us to look down upon anyone for doing something that interests them? Especially when this interest obviously poses no threat to anyone.
Are these games harming anyone? No. IT’s a game. and if you are preaching about violence that is affecting your children and thier decisions then maybe you should re-examin the games that your children are playing and your own influence on those kids. as a parent you should be the most influencial factor in your childs life and in that role you should teach your children the difference between right and wrong and reality and fiction. It’s that simple.
In this case, there are two adults who are making a decision, which as far as I know they are completely free to do, to play a game. And they are playing together. As a family. When did that become so wrong?
As far as I’m concerned, play on ladies! shoot and rob and steal your way into virtual fortune. And have fun. I’m gonna go and try to convince my mom to join my Mafia…
it’s also on myspace. i dont like it that much so i stopped playing ages ago.
You people are moronic. It’s a bunch of bullshit to sit there and blame video games and movies, for the actions of people. You would think those people had enough of a brain of their own to realize you shouldn’t rob a jewelry store, shoot someone, or steal a car. That just because it’s “ok” to do in a video game, doesn’t mean it’s alright to do in the real world.
You sound like the bunch of cowardly parents that would rather blame something in their children’s environment, than take responsibility for your screw up in the raising of your kids. Like, schools don’t make your kids fat, your lack of teaching healthy habits and saying no to McDonalds makes your damn kids fat.
Jess, you made this comment:
Now, violence is a part of human nature – there were shootings long before video games came about. “People seem to think that crime rates are going up, however. The only reason people think that is because due to better communication and things like that, more people are being CAUGHT doing crimes and having their crimes broadcasted. For example, 50 years ago, when it was harder to send information on crimes through a TV, the media didn’t bother and just stuck to the top stories.”
I hate to tell you this, but the number of reported crimes is going up.
In 1960, This site shows about four million crimes being reported.
http://bjsdata.ojp.usdoj.gov/dataonline/Search/Crime/State/RunCrimeOneYearofData.cfm
In 2006, this same site shows over ten million crimes being reported.
http://bjsdata.ojp.usdoj.gov/dataonline/Search/Crime/State/RunCrimeOneYearofData.cfm
Since the population of the country has not tripled in that time, more per capita crimes are being committed, that is, more crimes per person.
In that same forty-six years, you see a continuing trend of books, games and movies that glorify crimes and being less than legal, starting with “Easy Rider” and continuing until we have movies where the criminals are supposedly the ones we’ve supposed to root for.
The overall effect of the constant bombardment of the mass media market is to effect the sub-conscious mind. You may not realize that your social mores are changing, but they do, just as people that immigrate to other countries change their social mores to match their new surroundings.
Glorifying crime and murder is not healthy for the group.
Tdog, you asked three questions in your reply:
“How long has human violence been around?
How long have movies been around?
How long have video games been around?”
Violence is not caused by the movies, nor by games, or the man in the moon. Games, movies and books that promote violence make it a reasonable answer, make things like kids beating the hell out of each other for a blog more likely, and lead to a “meh, who cares?” attitude when it is exposed.
The callouses on the American social conscience are growing harder and deeper.
Forty years ago, a woman who killed all her children wouldn’t be sitting in a pretty little room sniffing flowers.
Forty years ago, we didn’t hear about children shooting children in school.
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1355/is_15_97/ai_61487222
http://www.nysun.com/national/8-year-old-brings-fathers-gun-to-day-care-shoots/26463/
(The first school shooting was in 1975, fourteen people were shot in that one.)
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20060913/violence_timeline_060913/20060913/
The point is, we as a people have become inured to violence. Showing it, in games like Grand Theft Auto, and other mainstream media products, showing kids that crime isn’t a big deal, it’s “Youthful high spirits” or “Mentally incompetent” or “So very sorry” so it’s ok to do it.
Hogwash. Crime is crime, and it should be dealt with the first time it rears its head in a person’s life.
Raven
First of all why is this so important to be considered here on Yahoo?
Second i agree with people like Jasdeep, Mike etc who are concerned by this..
There are so many things to do in your spare time,
I am concerned if my son plays violent /destructive video games or watches such cartoons/ movies.
why would anyone choose something like to this? And compete with their kids in these!
“First of all why is this so important to be considered here on Yahoo?
Second i agree with people like Jasdeep, Mike etc who are concerned by this..
There are so many things to do in your spare time,
I am concerned if my son plays violent /destructive video games or watches such cartoons/ movies.
why would anyone choose something like to this? And compete with their kids in these!”
“It is just a game; but a dark one at that. We’re in a society where the media has such a strong influence on us, wether we realize it or not. A mafia game may not mean you’ll go out and shoot the next person you see, but it definately desensitizes (sp?) you towards killing and the like. I’m a teenager; I’m not just one of those old people preaching at you. I’ve had sweet, innocent friends be exposed to games like this with nurturing and loving parents, but it just consumes them. Their thoughts as a whole are a tad bit darker; it changes them. It can change you too; even if it is just insignificantly. I would like to think, I would hope, that there are better things to do with your time than play games like these anyways. Go and hang out with friends; throw a football around. Yes, I understand the games can be addictive, and so can social networks. However, that’s another thing about this game that makes it that much more dangerous (especially for teenagers and adolenscents, where personalities and friends are still being shaped); I sincerely regret my time playing neopets when I was much younger; I advise you not to make the same mistake with a different game. Time is a gift you only get once; why would you waste so much of it on a game? Do something you’re passionate about; hang out, write stories, play sports, etc. The reason I stay on Answers is because it is convienent for research and I’m able to express things I’m passionate about; like this right here. I hope virtually killing or robbing banks isn’t your passion.”
I agree with both of these statements completely and anyhow its seems to me like all it is, is a hypmotizing game that people foolishly get addicted to its the kind of games that keep kids like my brother on the computer instead of the honor roll besides the game is pointless and turns the people who play it into addicted idiots that cant stop playing it long enough to blink No offense I’m not saying this to be rude or anything but I think it would be wiser to use the internet for learning and not to play a game where you can start a gang and be criminals
wow why would you waste your time playing some stupid game such as the one you explained? all it does really is take up teenagers time and also for those people out there that may be unstable, if they where to play this game it would get threw there brain that it is good to commit crimes. this wouldnt only happen to them but also young children that may be watching. this game is nothing but a bad influence on the world, and well it sounds kinda stupid to me i dont know anyone who would waste there time on that game. . . . .
Raven – You did not answer any of those questions in your response.
Again How long has human violence been around?
Video games, movies, music have nothing to do with crime. Crime is Crime like you said.
Its the parents that need to take responsibility, if you dont want your kids to play those video games then stop them.
You guys need to stop blaming everything else, its the parents that are responsible, if the parents rasie their child right, then you do not have to worry about them becomfing a criminal.
This is not rocket science,
Good Parents = Good Children.
Millions of people play Video games every year, not even 1% of them commit crimes, think about that.
The Video game industry is a 28 billion dollar industry, Almost everyone in the world plays video games at some point.
To blame video games for violence is like blaming Cars for Accidents.
I don’t have time to respond to each individual point right but rather just a few comments that sparked my interest. First of all, one person mentioned something about boycotting all the videogames, movies, and books that go agaisnt our moral values. Yes, that’s exactly what I’m saying we should do. Media and forms of media are going down the drain. Just take a look at top songs throughout the years; they slowly but surely get more and more sexual, more and more explicit. By buying and viewing these products, we’re not only telling producers or artists that their ok, but that we’ll buy them up too! That’s outrageous.
I do agree with the one person who said video games are a valid hobby; but they aren’t a way of life. One critical aspect, at least in my life, is the outdoors. Time to socialize and such. I play some video games, maybe 10 minutes a day, but I do so in moderation and games that are safe (like mario, and other games I support). When people get sucked in, stop spending with others, like I’ve seen happen to many people, then there’s an issue. My comment was not directed to those who play a bit each day, but rather those who devote their lives to it.
Good Parents = Good Children? Most ceraintly not! While I personally have taken several values from my parents, and I personally choose to be a good child, several others can not. I can testify as the son of a dad in full time christian work, that I’ve seen parents full of values, spend all of their time with their kids, and I’ve seen those kids turn agaisnt them. I’m seen them become rotten, spoiled, etc. On the flip side, I had a very close friend where the majority of her family (including both of her parents, and she had several not so great legal guardians) was in jail, and she was one of the sweetest people you would ever meet. It boils down to choosing to be a good child. Your parents, your friends, and your hobbies all have a huge effect on who you become as a person, and what choices you will make. Yes, the media has an effect on you, no matter how small. Generally it’s a lot larger than we realize though; cussing has become almost casual in today’s society! Profanity, obscenity, and other evils are taking over, and I think the media has a big part to do with it; especially since it, not the people, set the trend.
I cannot believe this has caused such a fuss!!
Am i the only one who is sat here laughing at people crying over video games?
wow…sad…
@Jade – Yes, you most likely are. I don’t consider the fact that our media is going down the drain funny at all. I don’t see anything funny with people expressing their opinions. It is a topic bigger than most people realize; video games, especially ones like this, are addictive and can be problematic. So yes, I do think this is worth getting in a “fuss” about. Could you perhaps explain to me how it’s “sad” that people are able to express their opinions? How it’s “sad” for people to stand up for their morals? Maybe I’m just slow, but I don’t want to bend my back and ignore my ethics when something like this pops up. And no, I’m certaintly not crying, just expressing my view. I don’t mean to be offensive or come off rude, but honestly, this is the internet, and you can be a bit more blunt because that’s generally the way ‘debates’ are carried out here. I apologize if I offended anyone, but I meant everything I said and I said everything I meant. This game promotes corruption, no matter how insignificantly, and the very fact that we would think it’s ok to play a game that revolves around mobs and all that jazz… what’s that say about our society? It’s time we make a change, and I will voice my opinion, even if it is virtually. Sometimes virtually is the best venue to reach people; simple as that. I didn’t want everyone reading this to see comments like, “11omgzers111I play 2!!!!” making this game look “cool” or “sweet”. Someone had to inject ethics into there somewhere, and while some people did, I felt I needed to comment as well. Both sides have legit arguments, and of course I feel mine is right, but there’s nothing “sad” about us debating this.
Btw, the Mike with the poor grammar that posted was certaintly not me. Just for the record, lol.
Also, G, I’ve reread your post several times and did not understand how it relates to me at all (or understand the point that was trying to be made for that matter). Perhaps you could clarify a bit?
Mike – I can socialize with more people in a day then you will in your whole life by playing online video games. I can socialize with millions of people all over the world with all different walks of life by just playing a single video game. Video games, music and movies are here to stay, they are apart of our lifes whether you like it or not. So learn to deal with it.
Video games, music and movies are not the cause of our moral values changing, it has to do with dumbing down everything. We are trying to make sure that we dont hurt anyone elses feelings.
We give everyone that plays little league sports a trophy now and their are no winners and losers. That is not teaching our kids anything. In life you have winners and losers, that is how it is and that is how it will always be. We should be teaching our children how to deal with a defeat correctly. We need to teach our children that no matter how great they are their is always someone else in the world that is better.
We are failing our children because of people like you that will not accept that the world is changing. People like you that are all for dumbing down of America. Its people like you that want to blame everything else for our own mistakes.
How is that teach your children to be responsible?
Video Games, Music and Movies are not ruin our children, its people like you that are showing our children that its okay to blame others for their mistakes.
You need to stop looking at the world as black and white and start understanding that the world is grey and because of this grey the world will never be perfect.
Good Parents make Good children, yes their are expections to every rule but in general Good parents = good children.
I hardly call typing a message into a screen ‘socializing’. I’m most certaintly not socializing with you right now; I’m not interacting with any of you as a matter of fact. I’m writing a little post, then reading some faceless person’s comments, then writing back.
Say what? Now, if you are going to make a statement that bold, you may as well have at least one thing to back it up. In your whole post, you don’t. I’m not blaming the media for all of our values decreasing (it’s the people supporting the media, and making that ok in our society); but the media itself certaintly is speeding up the process.
That is the way little league works; but honestly, you’re smart. I know you’ve made it past third grade; from there sports get much more competative. Tournaments are held. It’s no longer about fun. It’s about winning.
And honestly, how does defeat even relate? Even if you are trying to get the spotlight of off videogames, the fact of the matter is that videogames don’t teach anything about defeat either. I played a MMORGP (Or something like that) for two days, and there were so many sore losers. And also, somebody has to be the greatest. But I don’t see how being great even matters in this argument; but if you’d look around at society today, videogames in general are looked down upon. There’s generally not much in between; you play no video games, a little bit, or constantly play them. Variety is important in life.
Plus, accepting defeat? Couldn’t you think of something better? If Martin Luther King accepted defeat, would we have the civil rights we do today? If all the struggling students accept defeat, wouldn’t jobs as cashiers drop dramatically? No, we do not want to teach them to “accept defeat correctly”. We want to teach them to keep pushing forward. That’s what seals a business deal; and that’s the real world. If you accept defeat, you lost. You’re a loser; the other person won. We don’t need to bring trophies into any aspect of life to realize that the persistant are the ones who succeed.
I would certaily hope that at age 14 I don’t have kids. I accept the world is changing; it’s you that embraces every change. If you blindly acknowledge every technology as good, you’re no better than someone who blindy rejects them all. I’ve found a balance; and I lead a healthy (real) social life.
Plus, teaching children about values has nothing to do with teaching them about responsibility. Saying, “Media is going down the drain, and it can cause corruption, because it has openly profane and obscene content,” that’s not shifting the blame on anyone. In fact, you’re whole post above was just blindly pointing a finger at any thing other than videogames you could think of; and I’m sorry to say, it was a poor decision. If you were to handle this situation “correctly” you would acknowledge that; but my guess is you’ll be persistant. Because you and I are both passionate people; don’t tell me we need to teach our children passion is bad by teaching them to “accept defeat correctly”.
I’m sad to say, you’ve closed your eyes towards the youth playing video games. I am the youth; I see it around me everyday. I can spot which people play videogames at my school; it’s not hard. They have pale skin, sit alone with their DS at lunch, and don’t really know how to socialize. The world is gray; but you view it as videogames are black and white. They’re good. You socialize with pixels. Good kids turn bad quickly; especially at a young age. You wouldn’t believe how many children are planning on going to see Saw V. And it’s not just my grade level; kids much younger. 3rd grade even. Now, tell me that’s not messed up. Tell me all that violence won’t influence them; especially in such a critical development stage for them.