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More Playstation Commentary

As I was reading the "Letters" section of the latest issue of the Official U.S. Playstation Magazine, I found myself baffled by a letter written by a concerned mother, who was writing to "express [her] outrage" at the content of the demo disk of a previous issue. Seems that the disk — which is the best part of the Playstation Magazine because for $8.00, you get to try games that haven't been released yet, rather than spend $49.99 on the actual game to find out that you actually hate it to pieces — contained Duke Nukem: Time to Kill, a game that I happen to really want, but Avery doesn't because he's already beaten Duke Nukem games in the past and just can't be bothered with Duke anymore. According to Disgusted and Outraged Mom from WhoKnowsWhere, as the letter was sent to the magazine via the Internet, which of course is just the epicenter of puritanical, child-friendly content; her children (ages 9 and 11&#41 were treated to a game that included a few exotic dancers "dancing with poles between their legs" and a "dominatrix with a whip." Her argument was that the magazine was "billed as suitable for EVERYONE" (her emphasis&#41, so the disk should not be included as part of the magazine.

In response, as a person who pretty much buys the magazine just for the neat-o demo disk, here is my argument: 1&#41 There is a disclaimer on the front of the disk that says that the games are rating pending and the rating spread is from "E" to "M." 2&#41 I just looked all over that magazine, and absolutely nowhere does it claim to be "suitable for everyone." 3&#41 The intro screen of the demo of the game clearly states that it has an "M" rating. 4&#41 Parents should concentrate on actually parenting, instead of relying on video games and television and the Net Nanny to do it for them. Is it that she just can't say no to her whiney tots when they want the magazine, or when they want to play a game that she deems inappropriate? Has it ever occurred to her that she should be the one to decide whether or not something is appropriate or not and then act accordingly? Kids raised like this will probably grow up and blame the coffee company for the temperature of the coffee when they spill it and burn themselves, or the knife company for the sharpness of the knife when they slip and cut themselves. Concerned Lazy Mom then goes on to say that the magazine is like "sending children a package of condoms inside a box of candy," which would probably help her children more than hurt them when the time comes, and unless she keeps her kids sheltered away from TV, movies, magazines and the Internet, they probably know a hell of a lot more about strippers than she thinks they do.

Obviously the next letter on the page was written by a sheltered teen, because this one complained that her 14-year-old brother was being exposed to Duke Nukem's potty mouth when he says things like  "It's ass-kicking time." He/she also brings up the naughty strippers, upset that they "gyrate their hips in an inappropriate manner toward a pole." Wake up! He's 14! He could be a father by now!  This Page of Great Annoyance turned into the Page of Great Amusement when I read the letter from another reader, also concerned, but concerned because he tried to load the demo disk into 5 different PC's and it never booted up. Poor reader who doesn't get to see the strippers gyrate! Poor me knowing that people who are this intellectually challenged actually exist!

Posted in Scowls.


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