Blog 9: MeDiA

           Media has been a growing importance in everyones’ lives these past 14 years.  Just think computers were bricks and we still had VHS and Cassette tapes.  Then in the 2000’s we evolved our technology and replaced T.V.’s and computers with state of the art slim, sexy, monitors.  VHS turned into DVD’s and revolutionized the art of never having to rewind again and music we went from square  cassette tapes to circular shiny disks with a cool emblem on top of our favorite bands.  We have grown exponentially technologically within the past 14yrs.

            Now growing up my first video game system was a small Atari joystick and the ratings for those games were “E” for everyone to play.  At most the violence I would see looked like little spit shooters taking down space ships in Space Invaders.  For most of our childhoods this was revolutionary and amazing to play.  When I turned 8 I got a Nintendo 64 and the violent game I had was Super Mario 64, which was just jumping on gumbaa’s and koopa’s to beat levels, but later going to movie/video game rental stores their were T, M, and A games that kids could rent, but my parents were opposed to those, but I also had no idea what the games were about.  My parents were the decision makers when it came to the games I played, the movies I watched and the books I read.  Now, coming from them it was a way to protect me from ideas and things that would have probably tainted my mind, but who really knows what would have happened if they let me play those A or M rated games when I was young.  Now days parents buy games based on the kid liking them not on whether or not the content is good or bad for them.  I worked at Gamestop for over a year and I saw parents buy their kids Call of Duty, Assassin’s Creed, and Grand Theft Auto and I had to ask them if they were okay with their 12 year old son or younger to be able to play this game and most of them were like zombies and said yes.  I think it’s irresponsible and immature to allow kids play M rated games, especially since the parents have no idea what’s in it and how their children act due to it.  I have had parents get mad at me for listing what is all in the game, but in all honesty these parents need to know what their children are playing and watching.  Have we become so consumed by the hype of the media that we have replaced our own thoughts and morals in sake of spending hrs/days of playing a game that gives someone the control to c ommit crimes they might otherwise cannot in the real world?  Should censorship be stricter when it comes to children under the age of 17 being able to buy M rated games?  Do parents really know what their children talk about with their friends at school?  Just some food for thought.