“It’s a game. No soldiers were hurt during the playing of this game. Only a child: by you. Now come back out of your fantasy world before even more harm is done.”
– David Deutsch
From the archives: Posted on 2nd September 2001
“My eleven year old son is continually playing the game Metal Gear. I took it from him, fearing that it might influence him to act violently if conflict occurs at school. You know–kids shooting up the school kind of thing. What do you think. He’s really upset.”
Give it back, and never do anything like that again.
“Please email me back at ——–@lbl.gov. That game really involves a lot of killing soldiers, etc.”
No, it really doesn’t. It’s a game. No soldiers were hurt during the playing of this game. Only a child: by you. Now come back out of your fantasy world before even more harm is done.
See also:
- Limiting your children’s screen time?
- Why bother with the philosophy?
- Philosophical theories are refuted by argument, not empirical tests
David Deutsch, 2001, ‘Fearing the influence of violent video games?’, https://takingchildrenseriously.com/fearing-the-influence-of-violent-video-games