Game Schools 'Destructive Nonsense', Nintendo 'Subversive'?
Over at Collegenews.org, there's a charming editorial by Ted Rueter, Assistant Professor of Political Science at DePauw University, who starts his anti-game education screed with the somewhat overwrought: "Video game design as a college major? It's yet another sign of the coming of the apocalypse. Schools of higher learning are simply cashing in on a fad that is destructive to society." He continues: "Offering degrees in video game design is to kidnap American education. Higher education needs to be rescued from such destructive nonsense."
Fortunately, Rueter has seized on a particular player in the market that he obviously sees as particularly destructive: "In addition, the content of video games may influence children's atititudes toward gender roles. In Nintendo games, women are often depicted as victims. The covers of Nintendo games show males striking a dominant pose. Many games are based upon a scenario in which a woman is kidnapped or has to be rescued." Well, obviously, the Senate outcry over the extremely controversial Mario & Luigi: Partners In Time has been intense of late, but apart from that? Feel free to read the whole article for a little more much-needed eye-opening.
Comments
It seems like he got his statistics from a 15 year old study. That's why he mentioned Nintendo games, because that what everyone was playing back in 90.
http://www.kidsource.com/kidsource/content2/video.games.html
The above link also references the study, but also gives the date, 1990.
Furthermore, I believe that NCTV is a defunct organization. They have no web presence, but sites do a URL, which doesn't load.
Posted by: zabuni | December 3, 2005 1:49 PM
In Nintendo games, women are often depicted as victims. The covers of Nintendo games show males striking a dominant pose. Many games are based upon a scenario in which a woman is kidnapped or has to be rescued.
Oh. You mean just like movies.
I wonder if they have college degrees for movies.
Posted by: John Beeler | December 4, 2005 10:31 AM
In Nintendo games, women are often depicted as victims. The covers of Nintendo games show males striking a dominant pose. Many games are based upon a scenario in which a woman is kidnapped or has to be rescued.
I got two words for you guys:
Samus Aran (a la Metriod)
Posted by: meeyotch | December 5, 2005 9:55 AM
ha ha ah Samus Aran kicks butt. Video games are better then all the nasty stuff on the TV. much more nicer then shit like mySpace. Samus is a step in the right direction , she's not just a nice hot girl , she's tough and an enpowered woman. Girl Power.
Posted by: link & zel | November 11, 2006 1:52 PM