Truth Behind The News - Monday, May 12, 2008


Question: THE LATEST VERSION OF THE VIDEO GAME GRAND THEFT AUTO JUST CAME OUT. THE GAME IS HIGHLY POPULAR WITH THOSE INTERESTED IN ADULS THEMES AND EXCESSIVE VIOLENCE. IN THE FIRST WEEK, THE NEW GAME VERSION RACKED UP SALES OF $500 MILLION.

HOW DOES THIS VIDEO GAME AFFECT THOSE WHO PLAY IT?

Background from WIKIPEDIA:

"The games allow the player to take on the role of a criminal in a big city, typically a lowly individual who rises in the ranks of organized crime over the course of the game. Various missions are set for completion by the figureheads of the city underworld, generally criminal, which must be completed to progress through the storyline. Bank robberies, assassinations, and other crimes feature regularly, but occasionally taxi driving, firefighting, pimping, street racing, or learning to fly an airplane are also involved as alternate adventures, which can be done at any time during the game, with the exception of the periods performing main missions."

(Scroll down for the New York Times article)

Answer: Dear Ones, there is a desire to be powerful at all segments of the society. And to play these games, is to give power to the player.

There are so many decisions and possibilities in playing this game that allows the players to meet each other, in a physically non destrictive way, to compete for power.

The problem is that those who play, do not have a commitment to themselves to be powerful in their own right. So, what happens is that, as long as one is playing the game, he/she feels powerful. But as soon as the player steps into life, the powerful feelings are not present.

So, the game becomes a "fantasy of power", but does not translate into "true power" in one's life.

Power in life is to take action on one's behalf. When actions in the player's Reality-life are not acceptable in a player's real life, there is building frustration. The building frustration and feeling of being disempowered rises. The game takes away this frustration, but, the game teaches the player few of the life skills necessary to live in an empowered way.

There are two ways to look at this situation:

1. Is to be given a way to work out frustrations, without being one to do so, in anger at the outside world.

2. Those who play the game can become successful and feel less frustrated but this does not translate into life experience.

Therefore, being "addicted" to the game, can be a very powerful addiction. When one sees the game as his only way to success, he/she "must play it!"

Time and energy that could be spent in education and experience, which truly empowers, is lost. Players of the game become trapped in a never ending game of disempowerment!

Go in Peace and Love.
An Editorial
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NEWS ARTICLE REGARDING THE VIDEO GAME GRAND THEFT AUTO IV FROM "THE NEW YORK TIMES":

The NEW YORK TIMES published this story on May 7, 2008.

"A $500 MILLION WEEK FOR GRAND THEFT AUTO"

SAN FRANCISCO - Grand Theft Auto IV, the latest iteration of the hit video game franchise, racked up first-week sales of $500 million, Take-Two Interactive, the game's publisher, plans to announce on Wednesday. The report exceeded the sales expectations of analysts. The company is expected to report it sold six million copies of the graphically violent game, 3.6 million of them the first day. The sales exceed projections of industry analysists who were estimating that some five million consumers would purchase the game in the first two weeks.

The significance of the sales extends beyond buoying Take-Two, a company that has had its share of legal, financial and management struggles in the last few years. The company is the subject of a $2 billion hostile takeover effort by Electronic Arts, which is offering Take-Two shareholders $25.74 a share for control of the company. If Take-Two can exceed sales expectations on Grand Theft Auto IV, it has the potential to drive up the share price and force Electronic Arts to raise its offer. On Tuesday, Take-Two's shares closed at $26.35, up 29 cents.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GrandTheftAuto(series)

For more information: http://www.nytimes.com/208/05/07/technology/07game.html

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