The Truth about kids, Donald Duck & Videogames

The problem with our generation

I can't believe how many people are still going on about the young generation, and how spoiled they are. Maybe they are spoiled, but weren't we all?

I also can't believe how many people are still obsessing about the violence in video games, calling the younger generation all kinds of not so nice things because of their interest in violent video games.

I mean, take a look at our society:
Is it really our kids that are screwed up, or are they just reflecting what we are all like?

Let's take the pressure off our kids for a second here, and look at ourselves.

Video game violence, in my eyes, just reflect the rest of the entertainment industry for the last .... well, should we say for the last few thousands years...?!

The principles of commercial entertainment are simple:

If none of the characters in a play, film, book or game, isn't getting hurt or humiliated, it just isn't engaging to the human mind.

Schools and educators try to create "PC" video games that are educational and cute. Parent friendly stuff. What a joke! No one thinks that is interesting, entertaining or funny. Not even the parents or teachers themselves.

Why?

Because, if nobody is getting hurt or humiliated, it just ain't interesting.

My father, who was a history teacher, used to say that the only way we can understands ourselves is to understand the past. I believe it was the wisest things anyone has ever taught me.

So, in honor of my father, let's look at our modern entertainment industry history.

Why was Donald Duck by far the most popular cartoon character during the 40: ies and the 50: ies?

Was it because he was a cute and furry animal?

No!

There were many other cute and cuddly cartoon characters from that time which never were as popular as Donald.

The answer is:

Donald's popularity didn't come about because he was cute or educational at all, his popularity came about because he was a mean son of a bitch.

In every episode, either Donald himself, or somebody else, or both, gets hurt and humiliated. This is what we laugh at.
This is what we think is funny.

If nobody get's hurt or humiliated, it's just not funny!

In our society and in our time; is it really our youth that is messed up, or is it the parents taking care of them that are to blame for the current situation?

Or is violence just part of the human condition, and something we all have to take responsibility for?

Are the young people of today really going to all become criminals because of all the violence they consume in their video games , or will they forget about their childish play and move on with their adult lives when that time comes?

I mean, who really is upset about the violence of Donald Duck today?

Did Donald ever really mess anybody up?

Will video games ever really mess any body up?

Or does the root of the problem of violence exist deeper in our psyches?

Let's look at our history again.:

There's "graffiti" on the walls of ancient Pompeii which describes the youth of that time as lazy, spoiled and only interested in partying, whoring and drinking. This was the disillusioned writing of an older generation in a society which vanished in a volcanic eruption 2000 years ago.

This is also the opinions of a culture which was obsessed with orgies and who's most popular family entertainment was watching criminals, prisoners of war, Christians and disobedient slaves get eaten by lions in public squares.

Gee, and the Romans thought it was just just their youth that was messed up!


Rome is one of the world's absolute largest tourist attraction today.

Why?

Is it because it is the spiritual center of the entire Catholic world?

I don't think so.

I'll tell you why I don't think so.

Because even to this day, the Colosseum is by far the most popular tourist attraction in the whole city. More popular than the Church or S:t Peter's, more popular than than the Catacombs and more popular than the Trevi Fountain.

Why? Because people got hurt and humiliated at the Colosseum.

At those other places, they did not. At least not as far as our history books teach us.

Violence entertains.

If nobody gets hurt or humiliated, it's just not interesting.

And back to the original question as to whether our youth is messed up or not...

I'd like to ask:

Who goes to Rome?

What age groups chose to visit the Colosseum?

Am I making myself clear here?

What do we have to took at here? Our kids, or ourselves?

Are you getting what I am saying?

by:

BearWulf