Knoxville Shrink: Can't Fathom Why Adults Play GTA IV
Knoxville Shrink: Can't Fathom Why Adults Play GTA IV
May 1, 2008
Kids shouldn't play Grand Theft Auto IV, says Knoxville, TN child and adolescent psychiatrist Dr. John Robertson, and almost everyone would agree.But Robertson can't fathom why adults would want to play the ultra-popular crime adventure, either. In an interview with Knoxville's WVLT-8, Robertson said:
There's a line between we think about something and then we plan to do it and we act upon that. And that line gets more and more blurred, is what's happening.
Yes, [games like GTA IV] are for mature audiences. But why would adults even be playing them? I have no idea. You get rewarded for going to the prostitute. You get more health benefits, and then if you steal her money, beat her up and steal her money, you get more.
Just going to church on Sundays isn't going to necessarily negate hours and hours of raping, pillaging, and murdering. [In playing Superman, Batman, and G.I. Joe] there was morality. There was a sense of justice. There was a sense of right and wrong in that. [GTA IV has] totally flipped that.
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Comments
Mister Robinson, I say unto you, "Thats how we roll, in America."
Where I differ with him is that I totally understand that there are people who do enjoy playing the bad guy. And that's cool with me--it just means I'll devote my time to other games. It's not like there aren't plenty of choices out there, heh.
It's the same deal.
Many this guy must be the most boring person in the world to hang out with.
I have an idea, if you can't understand, find someone who has an 360 or PS3 and give it a try. I'm not a huge GTA fan myself...but its entertaining.
He be worth every penny to his patients.
Gaming is the new entertainment media of the 21st century. It should be expected that adults would want to play them. Case in point: I grew up with it since the first Space Invaders machine in the 1970's. Of course as an adult I will continue playing them because it's something I've enjoyed and will always enjoy. That and I'm simply a big kid anyway! ;)
Anytime a doctor considers going to church on Sunday as good psychotherapy, I see a quack. That's not science, and it kills his credibility completely.
He went on to say "[GTA IV] makes you crazy and criminal... It makes a ferocious beast of man, a martyr of woman, and a degenerate of the infant, it disorganizes and ruins the family and menaces the future of the country."
(/parody)
No wait, that was what they said about absinthe before they found out it was only alcohol!
Seems like every generation is going to have a boogeyman to speak out about. My question is, did they contact a specialist and get his opinion, or did they screen professionals until they got an opinion they wanted to get?
I think this article is mainly just a byte for the radio station to say to it's audience "see we are up with current events", so they may not have done the best research on it.
-RtVD
"There’s a line between we think about something and then we plan to do it and we act upon that. And that line gets more and more blurred, is what’s happening."
HOW IS THAT EVEN RELEVANT!?
it sounds like a bunch of sound bits paid for by the station.... that or he was getting into his meds....
It seems like ABC is specifically looking for people who will say bad things about the game.
This is why i don't like many shrinks.
I haven't played GTA4. I haven't planned to in all honesty, but some of the recent reviews and details of the game are making me reconsider. Despite that, I can see the appeal in GTA. It allows the player to do things they would not normally do.
That's true of all games. I'm never going to fly a F-18 fighter jet, or drive a tank, but I've done both in games. If I picked up a 50 pound sword, I could barely move, but let me do that in a game and its a stick. Magic is fiction, but a reality in a game. In a game, I can rule a country or command armies. I can be a thief, an assassin, a noble warrior, a criminal, a city planner, a God-like being, an insect, a mage, and a whole cast of other characters all in the same day. Sometimes in the same game.
Above all else. Games are fun. Do I need a license to have that now, too?
''
um actually GTAIV is all about morality and the conflicts that arise between morality and material greed.
Thats what all the GTA games are about, just like the godfather and scarface.
Its a social commentary on modern day america. Seriously what a crap psychiatrist. he hasnt investigated it, doesnt know what hes talking about, and then still issues a statement on it.
its like me diagnosing/treating one of his patients. Competely messed up and wrong. Except id never pretend to know what i was talking about when i completely didnt or hadnt done any research.
If God is really concerned about what we do in video games, then there are a lot of "Christians" who are in more trouble than they fathom. If I am going to hell for playing GTA, imagine what awaits people who commit acts of real violence, lie, cheat, and steal but think going to church makes it all okay.
Exactly who thinks that doing so would negate ANYTHING?
Because it means variety.
If you're into a particular genre of book, movie, TV, etc, you can only take so many of the "Frustrated cop defeats bad guy", "Humans finally meet aliens and miraculously squash them like bugs", "tough relationship suddenly works out", and so on.
Take it to a child's level:
What's so fun about being the "robber" in "cops and robbers" if the cop is the only one who can win all the time?
They say variety is the spice of life. Well, this is true in entertainment, expression, and even education. Yes, even education. Some folks will find themselves bored with the same old stuff and seek out things that might be considered "weird" or even "inappropriate" just to learn something new and different.
Not everyone has the same likes and dislikes when it comes to gameplay genre (FPS, RTS, puzzle, RPG, strategy, etc) and story genre (horror, sci fi, fantsy, drama, comedy, romance, religion, etc), and even music genres. Indeed, this individual shows his true intent by involving "church". There are, in a sense, genres with religions (non-religious, muslim, Christian, and many others plus the sub catagories within each). But he doesn't seem to want to consider that "church" might have just as much a negative impact on an individual as a violent video game, a particular book or type of music, or a particular movie or TV show.
Really, he doesn't appear all that bright in regards to his profession.
Nightwng2000
NW2K Software
I suppose this guy is one of those that attacks the game without properly researching or playing it first to properly understand it.
...his example here...
Just going to church on Sundays isn’t going to necessarily negate hours and hours of raping, pillaging, and murdering. "
Going to church on Sunday does nothing for you but allow you to enable an emotional response to the rituals that helps you feel 'clensed.' I understand that religious people like their rituals however I am not religious and don't like this clap-trap being mentioned as if it actually has some sort of signifigance in a scientific area. Please keep your religion at least 25 feet away from my science.
People like him need to find another career. I hate people like that who do jobs they don't understand.
I'd guess this guy is against the death penalty. How else could he be a bigger hypocrite.
1) An engaging story with a somewhat sympathetic protagonist. I'm not too far into the single player, but I get the feeling that Niko is a guy who was hoping life in the U.S. would be different but fate has put him in a bad situation.
2) An open-ended game. You get to do what you want, when you want. The story branches and changes depending on what you do in the game. Ignore a contact? He'll be angry with you! Help him out? He'll help you later!
3) The game has the most complete virtual city I have ever seen in a game. Period.
4) Multiplayer modes are fantastic and imaginitive. The only thing lacking is Halo 3's ability to record the action and play it back, post it on the internet, etc. Other than that, it's perfect.
5) The game is simply fun. Adults are still allowed to have fun, yes?
/never played a GTA game before.
//really impressed with this one.
I can only hope he was just taking a pot shot at religion, because that goes for anything. Going to church isn't going to undo the hours of harmless violence you inflicted on digital people, no. Neither will it absolve you of any other terrible deed you've done in real life... Nor will it actually make you a better person.
When I see someone in a professional field where the ability to critically think, research, and dissect information is required, and then hear that they believe in magic and invisible people, I question which one of us is REALLY blurring the lines between fantasy and reality. This discredits him entirely.
A shrink can't "fathom" why adults would play this game? Are you serious? Where the hell did he get his degree from? Does he even HAVE a degree? "Why do people enjoy entertainment that doesn't entertain me?"
"[In playing Superman, Batman, and G.I. Joe] there was morality. There was a sense of justice. There was a sense of right and wrong in that."
He enjoys these characters because, back in his day, they were as one-dimensional as he is now. Superman wouldn't let a single person die, if that single person's death could save the lives of a dozen others. That's because Superman didn't have to choose. He would just save all 13 of them. That's not morality. Morality lies in the choices that are made and the consequences of each action. Back in his day, there were no choices to be made, so there were no consequences. He's fooled himself.
... I hate to break it to him but going to church does not negate anything at all... church is just essentually a class... This guys is obviously some fanatical over-zealous christan extremeist who seems to have his own twisted version of everything and is so close minded that he can not see anything that doesnt compute with his own twisted reality and logic.
Fact of the mater is that its just a game...
"There’s a line between we think about something and then we plan to do it and we act upon that."
Isnt this what authors do? Also can you not do whatever you want in table top games like D&D? So following this logic all Game masters, Authors, screenwriters, directers, song writers, people who have dreams (thats thinking about it) and speakers should be walking the thin line all the time and are eventually going to snap and become murderers. Its a game, a fictional reality...
and its getting real old how people keep focusing on like 2 negative issues of this game...which might I add is only one version of one genre the game industry... so how does one aspect of the industry make all gamers latent killers? If this is the case...then you need to go after the makers of Barbie: Fun time at the Mall and Barney: A Magical Adventure because they are video games also. Its like saying All Germans are evil cuz of Hitler or all Americans are Red Necks cuz of Larry the Cable Guy. Clumping the whole group as one and condeming them for the actions of one. And GTA is not an evil pr0n cop killer simulator... If these loosers would play them they might figure that out. Will thay? no...cuz then they would have nothing to preach about...loosers.
Doesn't he know that you're not REALLY killing,raping,pillaging,or any of that other stuff to these people?!Or is he that stupid that he can't tell the difference between fantasy and reality?I mean,come one,I've personally murdered over 100 people in Oblivion,robbed countless others,and I forgot to mention that countless of the people that I killed were guards.I've also assaulted dozens of times.
But ya know what?My conscience is a clear as spring water.Know why?BECAUSE IT'S NOT REAL!!!!!!!!If I thought doing all that stuff virtually was as bad as doing it in reality,do you think I'd still be playing video games?!NO!!!But as it stands,it's all a game,so I'll keep playing,until they make it illegal.
But these fuckers(more uncensored language!)just severely underestimate the intelligence of younger people,and It'll cost them,someday.I guess at the end of the day,it's just more Fundamentalist ranting,eh?Thank you for your time.
Or a person who just does not even play Videogames for the fun of them.
Yeah, many people would argue that this "violence-promoting" game would barely be considered an art at all, when really, it would be just like asking:
"Why would anyone want to watch The Sopranos? It's all violence, and doesnt even have any film or artistic value!"
That's something you would defend, right?
Seriously, if you think all people think the same way, you have yet to earn your medical degree, Mr. Robertson.
And it goes way beyond "Because it's an entertaining game."
People's mentalities can go far and wide.
Some play it for the hype, others, because they want to have a "naughty boy" moment in their perfectly balanced family and religion based life.
Maybe because this would not compare to anything people see in the news nowadays.
Many points can be made against his claims and thoughts. Some to defend the game, some to defend any other thing that is read between the lines.
...And am I the only one to think he looks like an older Rick Astley in that picture?
http://www.additiverich.com/knife/archives/GoddamnBatman.jpg
Unless he's talking about the crappy watered-down Adam West Batman.
I also wonder how GTA IV has "flipped" the line between right and wrong. If a cop sees you beating up/killing a prostitute you're going to get a wanted star. If you go on a rampage with a flamethrower, you get a wanted star. The only "bad" things you can do and not get a wanted star is speed and destroy property (unless the property in question is a cop car).
You do bad things, and the cops come after you. Again, I fail to see how this turns morality upside down. It actually seems to support it.
Because I'll say it again. If Robocop didn't cause me to be desensitized to anything at 8 years old then GTA won't.
Well I guess that sums up what kind of shrink he is. Either he's using his position as a recruiter for religion, or he likely picks his clientel for their religious views. All the benefits of confession with none of the absolution.
It's for us Child-Men! Whoo!!!!
He makes it sound like that was real. And if we extend that further, church isn't effective for ANY moral cleansing if it cannot even make up for virtual crimes against humanity. I wonder how those "born again" ex convicts do it...
"[In playing Superman, Batman, and G.I. Joe] there was morality. There was a sense of justice. There was a sense of right and wrong in that. [GTA IV has] totally flipped that."
Now here he says you can only relate to the "good guys" in entertainment. So will I be going to hell if I chose to be a Sith lord in KOTOR, or *shudder* play that sucky Shadow game and do what Robotnik says? Do people suck if they watch Dexter or the Sopranos? I forgot who said it, but trying to remove certain types of violence from the world is quixotic.
Anyway, golly gee, I've played most of the GTAs, and I've played other fairly violent video games and I've never shot, stabbed, beaten or raped anybody. Incredible!
Adults play it because it's fun. Why do adults watch the Sopranos? Because it's an exaggerated portrayal of a dangerous lifestyle most of us will never experience in our lives. GTA has similar storytelling to any other film or show starring criminals, it neither condones nor glorifies the actions of these characters, merely explores. And hey, I'm never going to run down people with my car or snipe random pedestrians from on top of a building or kick down a drug dealer's door and take him out for not giving my boss a cut, nor would I want to, but while sitting in the quiet of suburbia it can be fun to pretend now and then.
Hah, go to church, what a joke.
Either way it casts his proffesional opinion in doubt.
Have you tried asking them? Seriously.
NO! its called "conflict of interest" (as well as seperation of church and state!)
Disclosure!! There you Go
What you are about to hear is what is called a "duffy rant" some of the veterans here and dennis are quite aware what this is...But for the people that dont what i am about to say may offend some people it may not but this is my own opinion and not the belief or opinion of Gamepolitics,Dennis mcaully (sorry if i got that wrong dude)
So Lets Start shall we...
Whoever this nut job is doesnt understand why adults Play grand theft auto...Hmmmm well personally being a 27 year old gamer who at the moment is helping to care for my sick dad and looking for work helping around the house and doing other things..I game because it helps me relax and it helps me unwind and calm down because my dad having Ceresis of the liver is hard to watch and hard to deal with...I dont harm anyone when i play Gta 4...Hell i dont even like getting into fights because i'm not a violent person..
Grand Theft Auto 4 or 3 or hell even vice city or san andreas are and are never inteneded for children...Now Just because some brain dead idiot moron parent doesnt have enough B**** to tell their kid "no i'm not buying you this game so drop it" cant do that then you know what..If your child is under the age of 17 then dont buy it for them...If they happen to be 17 then deal with it cause at that point they are a adult and it should be their choice on what they want to play...
As for anyone that wants to know why i would play gta 4...Hmmm well lets see i play what i want to play and if you have a problem with it then tell you what..There's the door dont let it Hit you in the a** on the way out..
No one and i damn well mean NO ONE ever tells me what i can and cant play..talk about being an adult
GROW THE HELL UP
you took the words out of my mouth
thank you i actully toned that one down to what i really wanted to say because i dont know what new people post here and i know at one time dennis lost readers because a few of us veterans had a bit of a problem with cussing and things so that was the nice version of what i wanted to say but read the jack thompson story 2morrow because i will be posting in that one if i get time..if not it will be done saturday....Not sure if ur new cullarn but nice to meet u...Lol i'm sure u've heard stories of me if not...Then i'm sending nude pics of myself to dennis :) :) :)
LoL
Duffy out
dennis just start deleting email without checking it lol
I am amazed how even some guy with a PHD would really be so naive. Seriously. People are stupid to continue to come to conclusions WITHOUT any experience. He might as well say he doesn't understand why anyone plays games since obviously he doesn't!
G.I. Joe vs. Cobra
good vs. bad.
was there a point in time when G.I. Joe was blamed for something someone did? can anybody answer this please.
I bet he never played with action figures or, oh, i don't know... "Fun Stuff"!
You forgot Identity Crisis, where the Justice League mindwiped all the super-villains (And Batman, when he tried to stop them).
When this older generation (that wasn't born with video games) will be extinct, this debate will no longer exist anymore. Exactly the same happened throughout history with all new forms of art.
Online schools or miniature religious schools. The bad versions of either ensure there are plenty of "degreed" morons with no actual real-life experience, knowledge, or capability, plus they don't have the "book-learning" that most of us at least get from real advanced degrees.
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