panorama on video game addiction

[Owyn_Merrilin]

I want to watch this, unfortunately I live in the U.S., and my university doesn't get BBC America -- which is a shame, since BBC America is pretty much the only channel I watch when I'm at home. I want to see what they say first hand, instead of through the filter of other people. Besides, even if it's full of anti-videogame vitriol, which I'm hoping it won's be, it should be worth a chuckle or two. I used to have a couple of books, one on how dangerous and violent videogames were, and one on how all of the toys and cartoons -- not to mention table top roleplaying games and several live action movies, including ET, Gremlins, and Star Wars -- from the 80's were evil, anti-christian and/or satanic. Both books were hilarious in retrospect, and I'm still upset that a friend of mine lost the videogame book after I loaned it to him. I can't remember the title, and the author was on the fringe even when he wrote it back in the 90's, so I'll probably never find another copy. My point in all this is, even if this episode of Panorama does end up being horribly biased against games, I still want to see it for the lulz that will ensue.

 

[GiantRaven]

I'm looking forward to this. It's been a while since I've seen a good comedy...

 

[waterhazard]

Nah, I think less on GTA and more on manhunt which recently became legal here again? After its on/off banning and then say that the want of these games will cause violence then quote about the guy being stabbed on GTA launch day. Although I'm sure they will attempt at being neutral OR they will just fuel the Daily mail.

 

[Cheesus333]

I'm always impressed about how gamers are always shown as delusional psychotics who are utterly unable to distinguish real life and games. Shouldn't all this violence be therapeutic? If I smack a zombie upside the head with a stepladder a few times I should lose the urge to punch the next person I come across

They should do a study into how many serial killers didn't play video games etc. Fight an illogical argument with an even more illogical one, I say.

 

[tomtom94]

This will be the same Panorama whose researcher came on here a few months ago and was treated like shit.

Frankly we deserve all we get for the treatment we gave him, and the number of people writing it off before it's even been broadcast sickens me.

Do you have a link to that thread please? It's the kind of thing I think people need to be reminded of.

Just tried to find it, search function is broken and/or can't find it, nor the guy who put it up originally.

My thoughts on the wider subject are as follows: video games ARE addictive - in the same way gambling is addictive - to some people. Although we might not want to admit it it IS dangerous. This programme is not going to be out to victimise games as the major evil of society - it's about the addictive effects they can and do have.
We need to accept the flaws and move on instead of acting like a bunch of privileged spoilt brats who refuse to accept any criticism of our "beloved" industry - which is exactly how we're acting now.

 

[Delusibeta]

We need to accept the flaws and move on instead of acting like a bunch of privileged spoilt brats who refuse to accept any criticism of our "beloved" industry - which is exactly how we're acting now.

The problem is that I can probably apply the arguement they're going to use to internet addiction, gambling addiction and pretty much every addiction that's not a chemically indused addiction. The fact that they're choosing video games over this will inevitably lead to forum-goers acting like "a bunch of spoilt brats", much like if they chose Facebook, or gambling, or any activity you can care to think of.

The small fact that Panorama is developing a reputation for being Tabloids: The Show in certain parts doesn't help.

 

[Sneaklemming]

Whats this - old media targeted at a middle-aged/senior audience portraying new media as {insert negative adjective here}?

*grabs popcorn*

Should make for some good fiction.

EDIT: Guess which game is getting the spotlight (no prise for winners)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/panorama/2010/12/computer_games_-_a_hard_habit.html

 

[kouriichi]

Its not more an addiction then football. ((both the amarican kind played with pigskin and the EU kind played with the kicky thing))People pay hundreds of dollars ((sometimes thousands)) to sit in a packed arena where they can barly hear themselfs think. They watch it religiously every week, letting nothing stand in the way. Love, friends, family, all are forgotten during these times because two groups of semi intelligent monkeys want run around a grassy field.

And they call video games an addiction?

 

[imnot]

Its not more an addiction then football. ((both the amarican kind played with pigskin and the EU kind played with the kicky thing))People pay hundreds of dollars ((sometimes thousands)) to sit in a packed arena where they can barly hear themselfs think. They watch it religiously every week, letting nothing stand in the way. Love, friends, family, all are forgotten during these times because two groups of semi intelligent monkeys want run around a grassy field.

And they call video games an addiction?

Not to mention football can be summed up as thick sweaty men playing with eachothers balls.

 

[Daveman]

Cool, except Panorama is always negative so it definitely will conclude that addiction is very much real and a threat. That's because 90% of the presenters are dicks. I mean just look at the Fifa episode, if he wasn't so objectionable maybe there would have been some room for actual discussion. I mean he would have won any discussion anyway due to the huge amount of supporting evidence but his attitude made it the most shit show ever.

I remember one episode that was anti what seemed like the entire food industry, so obviously they'd get some intelligent person to comme... no wait it was just a retarded single mum. And instead of speaking to scientists or even CHEFS she talked only to Nutritionists. Nutritionists being an unprotected term, i.e. I have eaten food, therefore I know enough to classify myself as a Nutritionist (not Dietitions, the people who are actually qualified).

Basic conclusion, Panorama is balls.

 

[Jazoni89]

Whats this - old media targeted at a middle-aged/senior audience portraying new media as {insert negative adjective here}?

*grabs popcorn*

Should make for some good fiction.

EDIT: Guess which game is getting the spotlight (no prise for winners)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/panorama/2010/12/computer_games_-_a_hard_habit.html

Their you go guys straight from the horses mouth.

This documentary is not only going to be on gaming addiction's, but on violence in video games as well.

It keeps getting better and better.

 

[Triscut900]

It's the Panorama drinking game! Take a drink everytime they mention Call of Duty, World of Warcraft or South Korea's love of games.

Calumon: I don't like this game. Why don't we play Jumprope?

i have to agree with calumon an this one *pulls out a jumprope* wana play jack?

 

[unicron44]

Penn and Teller: Bullshit had an excellent episode on video game violence linked to actual violence and they showed how it was, ehem, bullshit. Also they make Jack Thompson look like an asshole. It is really good you should check it out.

 

[Delusibeta]

If Yahoo [http://uk.news.yahoo.com/21/20101206/thl-addictive-nature-of-gaming-probed-d831572.html] (via the Press Association) is to be believed, then it's not MMOs in general that's the target. Rather, it seems to be the Skinner Box, as seen in Extra Credits. O boy.

 

[silver wolf009]

It's the Panorama drinking game! Take a drink everytime they mention Call of Duty, World of Warcraft or South Korea's love of games.

Calumon: I don't like this game. Why don't we play Jumprope?

I'll have to keep that in mind when I'm watching it.

OT: Que the negative comments about anything violent where 1 of the members was even a casual player of video games.

 

[Artina89]

The BBC is run by middle class people in their 40s and who panda to the fears of over middle class people in their 40s. Target audiences ftw. I stake my PS3 trophy collection it's going to be a load of scaremongering, mainly showing the worst events of the GTA series. Obviously it's more difficult to horrify if they were restricted to footage of Mario and Sonic.

I hate how class-ist the BBC is. I remember a toothless news report about a local street market in London, about how "these" people come and buy their fruit and veg daily. The reporter signed off with "why not come down and get a taste of working class life". How fucking patronising.

I agree with this, as has been stated before, Panorama is not the most balanced documentary series. Charlie Brooker's "Gameswipe" on the other hand, was downright joyful.