Wall Street Journal Editor hates video games, tells your parents

Wall Street Journal editor Stephen Moore wrote a piece in today's edition stating that Japan created video games out of vengeance for Hiroshima (yes, this was in the Wall Street Journal), equating video games with drugs or sex responsible for the atrophy of their children's muscles, and dubbing gaming industry representatives as warlords. Of course, Moore also writes for the National Review, take that for what you will. Some choice excerpts follow:

My new year's resolution is to get my two teenage sons back. They've been abducted -- by the cult of Nintendo. I'm convinced that video games are Japan's stealth strategy to turn our kids' brains into silly putty as payback for dropping the big one on Hiroshima.

Back in October we established for the older boys strict screen-time limits. It was then that we discovered the true extent of their addiction. They ranted and raved and cursed and even threw things -- almost as if demons had taken possession of them. These are classic withdrawal symptoms; they craved a fix.

I'm not one to blame every human frailty on some faddish psychiatric disorder. But I'm persuaded that computer games are the new crack cocaine. The testimonials from parents of online gamers are horrific: kids not taking showers, not eating or sleeping, falling behind in school. Some parents are forced to send their kids to therapeutic boarding schools, which charge up to $5,000 a month, to combat the gaming addiction.

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That's a member of the WSJ editorial board? I don't know what to think.

I'm frankly a little shocked he aired family problems like that. Video games are a false god, agreed. The Wall Street Journal has its own false god though.

Thanks for the article. :)

it doesn't sound like videogames, sounds like some bad parenting here... :|chrisrooR

agreed.

by the cult of nintendo wow. Gotta love writers who take themselves so seriously. And also what more importantelections for 2008, iraq, or videogames. Got to find out how these people get their jobs

Somebody should inform this dip**** that videogames were invented in the U.S.

And the Japanese/revenge angle isn't amusing but rather is in poor taste.

it doesn't sound like videogames, sounds like some bad parenting here... :|chrisrooR

That's a member of the WSJ editorial board? I don't know what to think.

I'm frankly a little shocked he aired family problems like that. Video games are a false god, agreed. The Wall Street Journal has its own false god though.

Thanks for the article. :)

appleater

Wowsers! I love parents that don't want to take responsibility for their children. Videogames can be very bad for kids if you don't try to moderate how much time they spend doing it. Videogames are this generation's Elvis.rragnaar

by the cult of nintendo wow. Gotta love writers who take themselves so seriously. And also what more importantelections for 2008, iraq, or videogames. Got to find out how these people get their jobs

gifteddie

Somebody should inform this dip**** that videogames were invented in the U.S.

And the Japanese/revenge angle isn't amusing but rather is in poor taste.Grammaton-Cleric

**** i hate ignorant people who think they know what they're talking aboutdante_123456

lol. how does this guy have a job? OneWingedAngeI

There's a reason I don't get the Wall Street Journal, and it's people like this. Sounds more like ultra right-wing propaganda rather than actual journalism. Everyone else on the WSJ should be embarrassed to have this associated with them, but unfortunately some of them might agree. walrusgod

My new year's resolution is to get my two teenage sons back. They've been abducted -- by the cult of Nintendo. I'm convinced that video games are Japan's stealth strategy to turn our kids' brains into silly putty as payback for dropping the big one on Hiroshima.

Back in October we established for the older boys strict screen-time limits. It was then that we discovered the true extent of their addiction. They ranted and raved and cursed and even threw things -- almost as if demons had taken possession of them. These are classic withdrawal symptoms; they craved a fix.

Bozanimal

I haven't read many of the responses here yet, but let me say one thing. If you're on your high-horse saying something about "parents taking responsibility [blah blah blah]," but aren't a parent yourself, then just stop talking right now. You're actually right that parents should take responsibility for how they raise their kids, but you don't have any right to say it. Don't.

This article and its author are jokes. Revenge for Hiroshima... even as a stupid joke, it's not worth crediting.

I haven't read many of the responses here yet, but let me say one thing. If you're on your high-horse saying something about "parents taking responsibility [blah blah blah]," but aren't a parent yourself, then just stop talking right now. You're actually right that parents should take responsibility for how they raise their kids, but you don't have any right to say it. Don't.

This article and its author are jokes. Revenge for Hiroshima... even as a stupid joke, it's not worth crediting.

ShenlongBo

You must be joking. Good and bad parenting are nothing more than common sense. Back when I was a childless student working with troubled kids, the mistakes parents made (including but not limited to giving whatever was on tv or the radio responsibility for raising their kids) were as apparent to me then as they are now that I have my own kids. It would be nice if parenthood conveyed some sort of special wisdom, but it doesn't.

I haven't read many of the responses here yet, but let me say one thing. If you're on your high-horse saying something about "parents taking responsibility [blah blah blah]," but aren't a parent yourself, then just stop talking right now. You're actually right that parents should take responsibility for how they raise their kids, but you don't have any right to say it. Don't.

This article and its author are jokes. Revenge for Hiroshima... even as a stupid joke, it's not worth crediting.

ShenlongBo

Since when don't people have a right to stick up for what they think is socially and ethically right?

If someone were to approach me and say "I think gaming (the main focus in my day to day for the most part, and what I plan on making a living with someday) is ruining my children and society" which is pretty much what this "piece" is saying then I and anyone else who games has a right to say "No, it isn't an artistic medium but rather your inability to raise your children".

At the end of the day it is in fact the fault of the parent end of story. Saying such doesn't put anyone, parent or not, on a high horse.

You might as well find a mod to lock this thread and go burn a book or something.