Mike James has a point

CapnHun

Shared on Tue, 10/03/2006 - 17:52

Mike was blogging about the level of violence on TV. This might seem strange coming from some one on a video game site since they can get pretty violent too, but there you have it. I was just going to put my thoughts in his comment section but I have a habit of blahing on too much. How I wish I was talented enough to be concise and still feel I have gotten my point across (sigh). But I wanted to give you case and point of Mike's argument:  HEROES

I was really looking forward to this series.  It was a great theme; what would happen if you found out you had super powers? Fairy Tales are told the same way. They story starts out in an every day, normal environment...then something fantastic happens...it is a great way to tell a story! I was captivated by the teasers...we watch part of the first episode, great!!! Who doesn't love Hiro!?! The graphic violence of the scene in the garage bothered me but not enough to stop watching. I was fascinated with the idea of having an alter ego who 'takes' care of things or people in a way that I would never dream of. Talk about your passive/aggresive personality!

But second episode, whoa man that is some sick stuff! Pictures of skulls cut open and the brains taken out? I am left wondering does all that graphic violence somehow make this show better for some people? Enough people that it makes it OK for prime time TV? It seems like it can be justified for the sake of 'reality', but truth be told I watch most shows (like House) despite the 'realistic' stuff. I get into the show because of the personalities or the storyline. I mean what kind of sick people keep coming up with week after week of this gore? Now for those of you who like gore I don't mean to offend, it just do it for me. And as Mike said, hour after hour of death in all its glory, its just, well, depressing. And we got to ask ourselves (I think Mike already made this point but I will try it again), if there are real sickos out there, is it really smart to keep feeding their appetite? I mean when I am on a diet, I don't sit and watch food commercials and other people eating all day. Wears down the old will power...

Comments

wareaglebeene1's picture
Submitted by wareaglebeene1 on Tue, 10/03/2006 - 18:06
Very well put. My thoughts exactly. The gore is the difference between a show my wife and I can watch together or have to watch by myself because she can't take that stuff.
UnwashedMass's picture
Submitted by UnwashedMass on Tue, 10/03/2006 - 18:19
I find the level of gore to be more of a defining issue with what I let me son watch than any other parameter, eg.: sex. If he sees a few boobies, I'm not worried he'll have nightmares. He's a sensitive soul, much to the credit of his wonderful stepmother, and he worries. Things that he may have seen 6 months ago give him pause and make him ask questions today. So a few boobies or an implied sexual liason, to me is far less damaging. With proper parenting I'll be able to save him from making mistakes in the years that sex becomes an issue, but I'll never be able to explain gruesome murders responsibly. But after he goes to bed, Daddy watches wht he wants!
wilderz's picture
Submitted by wilderz on Tue, 10/03/2006 - 20:22
I didn't mind the gore, it's not like young children are going to be watching this show. Any child young enough to not be watching this should be in bed by 9:00 anyways... To comment on your post about whether it's smart to keep televising these images because of these sickos out there; is that any different than people assigning blame to gamning companies for the reasons kids snap and shoot up schools, do drugs, steal cars, etc.....? I suppose if you don't like the show you can always change the channel dude.
MikeJames's picture
Submitted by MikeJames on Tue, 10/03/2006 - 21:11
Wilderz, I think that the whole point is, there is no more channels to turn to. Television is SICk. Games we know are all fake, the news is real and it's more disturbing than video games. MJ

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