Because nobody's told me to stop yet.

They say that violence in video games and cartoons incites people to go on killing sprees or to murder their parents horribly. Of course, you wouldn't be playing violent video games unless you already had some desire for violence inside you. So it's a pretty flawed argument. Like claiming listening to Cher made you gay. Well, you wouldn't be listening to Cher if you were straight, would you? However, what's not so often mentioned is the detrimental effect of stupidity in video games and cartoons. What about all the stupidity cartoons have hammered into people? And it's getting worse, with many children's TV characters now being brightly coloured but barely literate guys in suits. As in Barney the Dinosaur guys in suits, not like Resevoir Dogs.

When I was six, I had watched some evil cartoon character run his finger down the blade of a sharp knife, from hilt to point, whilst grinning maniacally. So of course, I went into the kitchen, grabbed a knife, and sliced my thumb deeply from the knuckle up. It wasn't the cleverest move. But then nor was panicking and spinning around in small circles, leaving a fine spray of blood over the entire kitchen. I spent a lot of time damaging myself as a child; it was practically a hobby for me. Fingers flattened in doors, numerous cutting incidents (the aforementioned thumb slice, my first penknife, playing with a pizza cutter, learning what a chisel is, etc.), working the webbing between my index finger and thumb through the cog mechanism of a hand drill, swinging a hammer into a nail full force to find the hammer had missed and I'd inserted an inch or so of nail into my hand, and of course the full mains voltage electrocution adventure.
These events, paired with accidents not caused by me, like having my face ripped open by my great grandmother's dog, teenage injuries including falling off skateboards and self harming, PLUS all the injuries I've accrued since I became old enough to drink heavily, have left me scarred like an ordanance survery map of a hilly area.

So why am I telling you this?
Well, why are you reading this?

You're probably thinking how tame my injuries seem, and are recalling all the injuries and scars you've gained throughout your life, and how they one-up my scars. And I know you're thinking this because this is how people react to minor injuries. We wear them like badges of honour. It's like that scene from Jaws where Hooper, Brody and Quint all start comparing scars, or the (a little too?) similar bit in Leathal Weapon 3. We love it. We all have that little sadistic streak.

So what, you ask, does this have to do with violence and/or stupidity in video games and cartoons? Well, nothing really. I suppose I'm just saying that when you're driven to do something harmful; whether it be cutting yourself superficially as a child, or loading up your guns and taking them to school - there is something already inside you that enables you to do those things. It isn't learnt from Natural Born Killers or Halo. Clearly, because otherwise everyone who experienced it would be out in the streets killing people. When it comes to violence in films or video games, or even music, I have to believe that these things, for the vast majority of people, are good. Perhaps even necessary. A way of releasing their primal urges in a safe environment. As Rob Schrab once put it, "There's a little monster inside all of us, a little wolf-faced monkey that needs to be satiated. ...[violence in entertainment*] gives our monster something to chew on. It's pain food that wears it's teeth down.".

And as for stupidity? Well, it's upsettlingly fashionable, and seems to be just about everywhere. Even in places you'd never dream of finding it.

Like this blog.




Pointless.






















*JTHM specifically, but I feel Schrab wouldn't mind it being applied in a more vague context.