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What Happened to Crazy?
Published on 18/04/07
by John Phillips
So, I wasn’t even planning on writing on the tragedy that has hit the news. But then I read this article that is a little frustrating because of the idiocy of the media. No need to go into detail about the stuff that happened, just turn on the news and you’ll get your fill, but what’s lame, is that all of these media outlets try to pin all the wrong reasons on how a person can just flip out like that.
The article starts off like this…
The recent shooting at Virginia Tech was a very human tragedy, and it is human nature to immediately try to figure out who is to blame whenever tragedy happens.
I both agree and disagree with this. First off, ok, it’s fine to try and figure out why that person flipped out. No one ever says that person was crazy, no, that’s too easy. They need to blame something, or someone…
However, instead of coming to the obvious conclusion—that the blame should rest solely with the shooter himself, who was apparently a very disturbed individual—certain media outlets have taken it upon themselves to suggest that violent video games are actually at fault.
For real? Not the dozens of violet movies that come out each year that are a lot more close to reality than video games? Not the parents who raise this kid? But a damn game? I think that is some bullshit, and just an easy answer. What about the millions of other people that play these video games, including myself, who aren’t crazy?
How can you just straight to the basis of blaming a video game before saying the parents had nothing to do with their kid being crazy. I could live with that:
“John, did you hear about what happened?”
“Yeah I heard some dude went crazy, and killed some people.”
Sorry if that sounds insensitive, but I’m just trying to prove a point. I guess I’ll never understand why the media sometimes looks in all the wrong places for answers. Then, the last thing that really annoyed me in that article was a quote from Dr. Phil…
This is nothing new—the tragedy at Columbine was also blamed on the computer game DOOM—but the difference this time is that there doesn’t appear to be even a casual relationship between games and the shooting. Nevertheless, Dr. Phil immediately went on CNN’s Larry King Show to state that “common sense tells you that if these kids are playing video games, where they’re on a mass killing spree in a video game, it’s glamorized on the big screen, it’s become part of the fiber of our society.”
Common sense? Give me a break. What makes video games “glamorized” over violent movies, books, music, etc. Actually, why do all these things come up before the parents are the actual kids’ mental stability is questioned. That, I’ll also never understand.
Chris rock was on point in this following video clip about the incident in Colorado awhile ago, but applies to now-a-days. This video did not give me the idea to write this post, though, but I thought about the video the minute I thought about the name. So to shed some humor on this situation, as well as some truthful thinking, here’s the video…
My heart and thoughts definitely go out to the victims and their families. I hate the fact that I have to watch that kind of depressing shit on the news all night. What in the world would cause someone to do something like that? I think Chris Rock answers that question.
Peace
Comment if you like
Comments on What Happened to Crazy?
3 Responses
Tom
23/04/07
It’s very true that this man was crazy and he was going to lash out despite any other influences. He was a paranoid schizophrenic.
At the same time we do need to examine our society when something like this happens. There are problems there – but unfortunately games are too easy to hang the blame on and an easy target for old fools who find interactive entertainment impenetrable.
J Phill
24/04/07
In no way is our society perfect. But I think it’s very lame to go after video and music, before examining parents and friends.
Video games will never change, nor will music, but parenting can change. No one wants their kid to turn out crazy.
Tom
25/04/07
I wouldn’t say video games, movies, music etc will never change – they will change with the time and due to cultural pressures.
What needs to never change is the freedoms that protect expression in video games, movies, music, etc.
With this guy, though, the blame lays in the fact that – as you said – he’s batshit crazy.