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 Digg.com Facebook Google Bookmarks N4G Gamerblips del.icio.us Reddit Slashdot.org StumbleUpon This is a joke, surely?
If not, then i really have lost faith in humanity. I heard this on the news last night, I laughed. If they really think this will stop knife crime they are stupider than I first thought. What next tax on watching movies and TV. I'm pretty sure there are knife crime stories in all the usual soaps on the tele. i understand the man entirely.
you see the kids listen to the rap music which gives them the brain damage. with the bippin and a boppin and the hippin and a hoppin.
Come on a violent games tax, what about a violent movie tax, or a look after your ****ing kids and stop letting them run around with knives tax.
How about we turn round look in the mirror and point the finger of blame where it ****ing well should be. The parents. He's not much of a mentor if he's not stopping them from buying these "violent" games. Dear god I so need to leave this country. Not only is our government utterly hopeless no matter who's in charge, we have random morons making comments like these.
Because obviously there was no f*cking crime at all before violent video games were invented. You guys seem pretty quick to react aggressively. How so? Let's think about this and give some considered opinions please.
If we can solve our society's problems then that would be a great victory, greater than any Xbox achievement. And if that comes at a cost to us...? Maybe that would be a price worth paying. Here's another generalisation:
If you're of the knife carrying disposition, you probably won't bother obtaining the game legally.
A tax would have no effect on the level of knife crime; it would just increase piracy. If I remember correctly, in the Damilola Taylor case, it was actually revealed that it was the victim, not the attacker, that owned a copy of Manhunt and the police categorically stated that it had no influence whatsoever on the murder.
As Damilola was underage at the time of his death, we can assume that his parents bought him the game in the first place. And this person is now advising the PM on violent videogames?
What an idiot, and a hypocrite.
And as already stated, what sets games apart from violent tv or movies, or books? Should we tax them as well? Who will spend all the time to rate all of this content and determine what tax bracket they should fall into? In the middle of a recession, when the UK Games Industry is falling behind other countries and are reuesting tax breaks provided to other industries, this man's solution is to actually tax them more, therefore putting an already over-burdened industry under more pressure and potentially crippling one of the largest revenue streams the government has.
Clearly, common sense is no longer a requirement to work in government. I can understand what he's getting at, but I think that the sort of people that would commit knife crime or whatever would have done it anyway whether they played a violent game or not.
And I don't think such a tax would be feasible; developers and retailers certainly wouldn't be too keen. How exactly does making something cost more make society better? The vast majority of people (and that includes gamers) are not the kind to actually go out and kill people or, for the most part, commit any violent crimes at all.
So you make GTA4 cost £80 and nobody wants to pay that for it. Adults with bills to pay can't justify it. Children who have parents who care wouldn't be bought it irrelevant of the price, and children with parents who don't care will be bought it because it's easier than saying no.
What we need, rather than stupid pointless ideas like this, is more punishment and less blame. The fact we have holiday camp prisons means there's no real deterrent for these crimes, all you get is a couple of tax-free years where you have more luxuries than your typical knife-wielder has at home anyway.
10x6 rooms with a metal bed and a toilet, no TV or games consoles and an hour or two exercise per day and people might actually think twice about the consequences. I reckon you sacrifice your own human rights when you take someone's life, so that's how I'd roll with it. Actually that was the Warren LeBlanc case, a different story entirely. In that case that f*****g idiotic sleazeball KETIH VAZ decided to become holy than thou and blame Manhunt when even the police who headed the investigation said it had NOTHING to do with it.
As far as this story, it makes me feel sick to the stomach. if they really think addding a few pounds to a "Violent" game will stop knife crime then they dont have the brains they were born with.
I am seriously thinking about leaving this country, I am not joking, I really, REALLY cannot stand the way it becoming. OK - so, basically prohibiting games developers from creating games with any kind of adult themes is going to help in what way, exactly?
Are we now blaming things like Manhunt for all of societies ills? - I think you'll find that the 10 O'Clock News is just as guilty...if not more so. We're living in a World where totally depraved images and details can be found with a simple click of a mouse on the internet - you think we should ban that too?
No....didn't think so.
This is yet another ill-informed, knee-jerk statement made with no thought whatsoever. Once again - as with all stories of this type - it goes back to the parents....they are the ones that need to keep their kids in line - it has nothing to do with any game or genre of music.
:roll: They will do the same for TV and Films?
Why should I pay more for idiots of society?
Hardly seems fair
Knee jerk reaction, springs to mind!! This is quite possibly the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard.
I understand that there's quite a bit of emotion involved with his viewpoint, but this person is very obviously out of touch with the modern world. Unfortunately everyone in every government everywhere is out of touch with the modern world.
I can't ever remember having to spend more to buy a violent DVD like Rambo than I would spend buying something like Teletubbies (love those little f**kers), so why are games different? Don't give me the interactivity sh*te, violence is violence, and films usually render it in far greater detail than games are even capable of yet. Double standards as usual though, because this guy probably likes films but hasn't a clue about games... so lets attack the one I don't personally enjoy. The usual.
Even if you managed to get this tax applied, there are some variables to take into consideration. For example, Wii games are more likely to incite me to violence once I get home and realize I've just wasted money. What do you do in that situation? Just because you price something higher doesn't mean it will instantly lower sales and as a result violence. In fact it probably would become more desireable and increase crime.
What the government should introduce is a "Stupid Ideas" tax. With the amount we get shown on CVG we should be out of the recession by the end of the year. ;) Quoting the article now:
"I have young people who I mentor and I see them go up and buy the games and it saddens me that they are being able to have such a negative impact," he told the Home Affairs Committee.
First question. Why are you mentoring these people if the video games are the problem? I assume they volunteer to come to you, so if they're willing to do so then they should be equally willing to take your advice if that solves the issue.
Second question. Does it not display a certain kind of mentality to be so two-faced that you'll go to an anti-knife-crime advisor and then be so easily influenced by a video game that all that mentoring suddenly goes out the window? I laughed at this cause well i just know irony and kharma will come back to kick his ass. The tax if allowed will cause anger in the kids for not having enoug money to buy these violent games. Thus they go out and stabe or even shoot people for their money. Thus causing a massive breakdown and everything his cause against this will corrupt and die. 8) Absolutely - my girlfriend and I have discussed it quite seriously.
This place is becoming a joke - we have a nation obsessed with celebrities that have no redeeming talents whatsoever, too many people that don't have the sheer self-respect to get off their backsides and get a job - then claim that it's the 'bloody foreigners' fault, reality TV shows 24 hours a day, a Government that couldn't organise a p***-up in a brewery (with the only feasible alternative is a party run by Eric Bristows love child), parents that seem to refuse to actually teach their kids anything but how to be lazy and sponge of the state, flesh eating diseases that can be caught whilst in hospital, people that seem to think that the basic rules of our own language are negligible.....I could go on, but you get the picture.
All in all - we seem to be turning into a moron state and it's actually incredibly sad.
:roll: Agreed. What makes me sad though is I do love the UK as a place, but it is just turning into the kind of place which I do want to have any part of.
I just literally cannot get my head around some of the sheer nonsense that comes from those in charge of this country - it is sheer mindboggling. So the other day it was "Risk an early death,do nothing" and now when we do get up and go out, we start stabbing people.
Yes, I think that gamers are the lepers of the 21st century. Well at least Jesus loves us. We've been thinking about it recently too and if it wasn't for my band commitments here I'd go in a second. For the reasons listed above and more. and if that happens hel be getting stabbed, i really cant stand people like him, another time waster with the logic of a gimp thats cos it is in alot of places lol nice
This 'advice' is just sensationalist jibber and should be completely discounted. Blaming random things is not the solution, inconveniencing everyone isn't a solution, there probably isn't a solution. There will be no quick fix to knife crime. »
Thanks for making both of the highlighted points relevent.
:roll: As a politics student I can make a further, informative statement about this: this man's appointment as a knife crime advisor is just one more case of someone with a vested interest being given a position of power in that area. Bush did it, Blair did it, and now Gordon Brown has done it; in all previous cases, it has led to disaster.
I agree mostly with the sentiment of what everyone here has been saying, if not the way they've said it.
Placing a 'violence tax' on these games will never happen (at least I hope not) because of two major reasons:
1. It discriminates against the poor, who are primarily responsible for knife crime. Whomever made this connection, and expects that depriving a class of a commodity of this nature to reduce rates of knife crime in said community should consider the effects of uneducated parents, drug & alcohol addiction, etc... Basically they should consider the effect that poverty has on rates of knife crime, not violent computer games.
2. It is an egregious breach of freedom of expression. Would a classic piece of art depicting violence be banned or taxed? Would we really start charging higher rates for violent films? Perhaps 'The Bill' should be banned because it depicts crime? I spoke before of moving the focus from the symptoms to the cause of knife crime, but violent computer games can not be considered a 'symptom' or a cause of public violence.
In summary, of course violent people will play violent computer games; I have known at least one person who fits that description. Do I think their playing those games would be responsible if they ever committed a violent crime? No, because I and all of my friends happy play violent games, and all of us abide by the law, mostly. I sometimes feel as if it's the people that work hard, don't take advantage of our severely lacking system and generally live good, upstanding lives are the ones that are actually getting the brunt of the crap. For example; both my girlfriend and I have worked all our adult lives, we have a mortgage, we pay our taxes and we can live fairly well - we get by and have some free cash every month, but we work damn hard for that. Next door is a couple who are unemployed, get their house for free and seem to be able to drag their annoying children down to the pub everyday so that they can get drunk - how is this fair?, why are my taxes paying for this? - there's not one reason that either of them can't work.....what are those kids going to grow up like after watching their parents sponge and do nothing? - surely, this can't be acceptable?
There is a backlash waiting to happen - but, I suspect it'll be us 'victims' that just end up going elsewhere, leaving the morons in this country make it even more of a s***hole.
:roll: You do know that all this blaming video games for teenage violance is just a way for the government to avoid dealing with the real causes of violence, and to make us all believe that they are willing to do something about them? That's actually what I thought when I first read the article - I mean; what happened to his son is an absolute tragedy and I can't begin to fathom what he's been through, but I don't see how this makes him an authority on the subject and certainly not an 'advisor' to our PM. Surely Scotland Yard would be a more obvious choice?
Great point. Couldn't agree more.
Absolutely - the reference to 'Hip-Hop' music is utterly absurd. How are you supposed to police that?.....why would you want to?
Again - a great point....this post is one that I'd love to see Mr. Taylor (and other detractors) respond to.
:) Erm, aren't these 'young people' (a term I hate - why can't we call them children, it's what they are) he mentors likely to be too young to legally buy violent game at all, violence tax aside???
:? »»
your welcome rolly eyes My welcome rolly eyes? - what?
:roll: So naturally you would assume the same applied to the film industry as well as there are some pretty grotesque films out there, way more disturbing than any game. Wait? It dosn't? WHHAAATT?!!
At the end of the day this is just another example of this greedy government and its so called "advisors" talking trash about something they clearly know nothing about whatsoever, while trying to penny pinch us until we have nothing left at all.
And why the hell should I pay because some stupid brain dead moronic thug out there will try to blame videogames for their own bad behavour. What I find incredible is that some dense do-gooder will actually believe them. So that will be a tax on EVERY game them, except little big planet, then again those LBP explosions are pretty violent.
"i'm saddened"
ps. i was having a laugh until the bit were it said he is already an advisor to gordon brown! I've got a simple solution to this problem.
It's down to the parents to raise their children with a bit of respect and morals and if they do something wrong you should kick the shit out of them so they don't do it again.
None of this blaming it on games,movies or music shit! :roll: A few things; one I could of sworn movies where cheaper and more violent than games, 2 how many kids do you see walking around with hundreds of pounds in their pockets and where did they get it and 3 its called parenting you idiot monitor your kids dont expect others to do it because I'm fed up hearing it get blamed on something unrelated. Ok if anything this will just increase knife crime. How you may wonder let me explain below:
By raising the price of games by introducing a higher tax for the so called 'violent' games this will make games less affordable for people. This will then have a knock on effect. Not only will it also fuel piracy (something which I might add the Government is trying to stop) but also shop thefts. This will notably increase knife crime because people will rob etc etc. What assholes do the government have no clue?
This man is pathetic, he blames the knife crime on games and yet I have seen far more violent films than some games I have played and yet they do not get as much shit as games do. Where will the line be drawn between the two? Is it perhaps that politicians have no clue as always (and proven by my local council recently) and just mouth off hoping for the best and for more money to come in?
Perhaps though they recognise that the gaming industry is booming so by increasing tax on games (I say games because it will no doubt be all which would get the higher tax) the government and politicians will get more income to go into their already bulging pockets! VIDEO GAMES HAVE COMPLETE CONTROL OF MY ACTIONS :shock:
I've just finished playing Mario so I think i'm gonna eat some Magic Mushrooms. didnt realise kicking the shit out of your children was a respectful way to raise them,
it makes sense though,beat the crap out of them when they are young and they will grow up without any violent tendencies!
is it any wonder he's blaming video games with comments like that(not that i agree with him by the way) Give the man a goddamn break. So what he does is completely misguided and ineffectual, does that
mean you can't show him some small ounce of
sympathy? This guy still seems to think only kids play games. I have 2 sons aged 19 and 21 and I play more than them! Oh, he definitely has my sympathy - having a child killed must be every parents worst nightmare. But he shouldn't be in a position of such power and responsibility when he is clearly extremely biased and for all we know has no other qualifications to act in this role other than having been a victim once.
The way our country regards and treats our hobby of video gaming could be affected extremely negatively based on his ill-informed comments. I've said this many times before, and I am sorry if this statement offends anybody, but it is the truth...
In this country, you cannot say ANYTHING about anybody without causing "offense". The entire country is obessesed with trying to make sure nobody is offended or dicriminated against.
Now...what do these idiots think WE as gamers feel about all this anti-gaming luddism? Thats right, we take offense. I personally find it a great insult to an industry which I have followed all my life when gaming is used for such vomitous propaganda as this.
It is time we stood up against these fools, who think they can say anything about gaming and people will beleive it. I have had enough of it, nearly every single f*****g day there is some new crap from the anti-gaming brigade, and all of it is compelete and utter trash.
Do they not realise that taxing games is Discrimation against honest hard working, intelligent people? Furthermore, do they not realise that the criminals they are trying to stop DO NOT PLAY VIDEO GAMES ANYWAY????
I am sorry but this government is the most two faced useless pile of human wastage in existance today. i think i'll move to ireland. It's like the UK with a lot less bs and the guiness is better.
I'm sure a self hating Englishmen with an irish wife i'd fit right in right? Incorrect. That was another murder, Damiola never had a copy of Manhunt. All the violence in the world caused by kids is from those Manga cartoon videos which are obviously corrupting children. I mean, cartoons are for kids.... oh, hang on... that was last centuries scapegoat. Yeah once again its easy to point the finger at video games for reason knife crimes exist. Its funny, that with the amount of 'violent' games sold, I thought if they had such an effect surely crime levels would be much higher than they are? These games sell by the ton after all!
What they really need to tackle is the attitude in society in general, the break down of the family structure being the core problem, babies having babies and not having a clue about how to raise a child, teachers and authorities that are powerless to enforce control and then they wonder why they're kids go awry later on, especially young mothers who have sons.
I'm not saying all single young mums are not in control, but a majority aren't and basically give up by the time the kids reach secondary school age and this is where the problem starts because they're is no balance usually. We've all seen complete families who think school will raise they're children, wrong! It starts at home. Tie that in with the high levels of macho gang attitude that dwells within males at secondary school and there begins the problem. It only takes a couple of bad eggs in a group to influence a larger group.
You can't finger one area you have to look at the sources and unfortunately the family structure which should provide a balance in a child's life usually isn't there these days.
So all these people stop fingering one area and look at the big picture. Africans say it takes a village to raise a child and in society today that village rarely exists for young kids. I played Manhunt. I was a knife-weilding homicidal anime-watching maniac before I even touched the game.
The game was actually cathartic aswell, killing those human-flith gang-members, its not like you killed any innocent civilians, they were all on that nutcases payroll.... except maybe the Pigman. What makes me angry is that these people in the government and there 'advisors' come up with these so called plans and ideas that we all know wont work. The people who commit the crimes dont care about high taxes or if they hurt the families of knife victims. They dont care if they will get an incentive to hand in their knives. They dont care about what the movies, games and music say. They are people who no matter what, will knife anybody for nothing and there are three reasons and ONLY three reasons.
1: Becasue the parents are dip**ts and bring the child up to be a usless piece os s**t.
2: There is no proper punishment. UK jails are like a 4 star hotel!! They know that if they commit a crime they will be put away in a marriot hotel, and thats only if the do gooders haven't had there say.
3: The do gooders, 'oh he/she would benefit from a hug or 2 now and again.....Absolute BS! They would only benefit as would the general public if they were shot by a firing squad. Things like this make me want to scream.
May be he should look at stopping parents from buying these 'adult' games for their children. Knock some sense into them.
I love the way there always has to be a scape goat and they lack the ability to look at how their choices as parents are impacting their children.
Further more the shops that sell games should not sell games to over age punters when they know it's for the 10 year old kid standing with them. Wii games wouldnt be taxed, well apart from the zombie ones and Madworld.
@topic: Games are expensive enough.
What is it with the UK and tax?
Adviser: "People are binge drinking more, we need to do something."
PM: "Lets tax the f*****s! We'll be ok, we are on high end 5 figure - 6 figure+ salaries we wont be affected!"
Adviser: "Word."
I have to agree with Dajmin and the other people above who mentioned that Prison isnt really a thing to fear. They get their nice central heating (free), TV, Sky, pool halls, plenty of time to see the outdoors, 3 meals a day etc
And yet people who are honest and hard working get shafted one way or another.
Working People: Get made redundant, lose their home, get frowned upon by society because the people who still have jobs have to pay to get the banks out of the s*** because they default on mortgages.
Homeless People are generally screwed.
Yet, if you are on the benefits because you got knocked up when you were 14 by someone, you get given a rent free home, free dental, prescriptions, bus travel etc.
And if you commit a crime you get put in a holiday inn style prison.
If I was doing something wrong I know a slap in the face would have a higher chance of making me stop than a stern talking to. Heavily taxing violent games wont stop knife crime. it may lead to more theft and piracy when people who want the game but can't afford it due to it's rediculous price turn to copying and stealing in order to own it. Games are the result of violent crime not the cause of it. Ban on greed wouldnt go amiss. Seeing as some have 40 billion and some have 0 I think theres enough scope for violence even with games banned. Wed have to ban Gordon himself... and the pope. This is plain idiocy as it implies that children all play games like GTA and Manhunt freely without any age restrictions etc.
"Have you tried turning off the TV sitting down with your kids, and hitting them?" - Bender should not be allowed on TV, Futurama now we have the situation thst the german massacre gunman was alledged to have played violent games on his pc.I for one will now look forward for the daily mail and MPs to come out wanting to ban GTA4, manhunt and all the usual suspects that have corrupted this "person" | 
