Mass Manipulation

19 June 2007

‘The video game Manhunt 2 was rejected for its “unrelenting focus on stalking and brutal slaying”, the British Board of Film Classification said.’

‘The parents of a Leicester schoolboy who blamed the original game for the murder of their 14-year-old son said they were “absolutely elated”.’

‘His parents believe the killer, Warren LeBlanc, 17, was inspired by the game.’

What a load of utter rubbish.

I’m sick and tired of the press taking advantage of tragedy to promote their simplistic agenda. I’m sick and tired of censorship. I’m sick and tired of people blaming ridiculous scapegoats for the causes of terrible events.

So, Mr Warren LeBlanc, 17, was a completely normal, well adjusted member of society before he played the game? Exactly at what moment did he turn into a murderer? When he turned on the machine? When he read the instruction manual (well, except no-one really does that)? When he pressed the “Start” button?

The BBFC does not have the right to prevent people from buying this game. Sure, they have the right to prevent people under the age of 18 – like the murderer LeBlanc – from buying this game, but preventing adults from buying it is completely unjustifiable.

We’re allowed to vote in the next government, who can then send us off to kill and be killed, but we’re not allowed to play a computer game fantasy?

Some people are murderers. It’s just the way they are; chemical imbalances, bad upbringing, you name it. Playing a game, watching a film, reading a book, seeing a play, listening to music – none of these will change the way people are.

Of course, the real problem is that people under 18 would be playing this game if it was released, and I would imagine (whether they admit it or not) the BBFC have taken this into account. The key reason why children play these games?

Their parents don’t care. Not one bit.

I used to work in a game shop, and the amount of time a child would pick up an 18 rated game and get their parents to buy it was astounding. You would think then, that after explaining to them that it was an 18 rated game, unsuitable for their darling angel containing things like extreme violence, prostitution and drug use that they would re-consider, and choose something more fitting.

They never did though.

Of course, I’m sure this is all a fairly predictable PR stunt from Rockstar Games, the makers of Manhunt. They’ve done things like this before, and have been know to utilise the efforts of PR king Max Clifford in the past along similar controversy baiting lines.

Lucky, then, that both sides can manipulate the media – I guess it all works out in the end…

From: Articles

19 June 2007