Casual Sadism?

I’m not into computer gaming so when I read that a new game has been banned in Great Britain because it contains too much violence I had to read a bit more. The use of censorship runs contrary to my nature; however, at what point should society draw a line in the sand and say, “We will sink no lower than this level of depravity” or is that too much for my libertarian associates? The article appeared on the CNN website and I’ve linked to it via the title bar.

“British censors Tuesday banned a video game for the first time in 10 years, rejecting U.S.-published "Manhunt 2" for what they described as an unrelenting focus on sadism and brutal slaying.”

I read a little further to see what kind of violence could possibly be worse than the general bloodshed and mayhem offered by other extremely graphic “popular games”.

"'Manhunt 2' is distinguishable from recent high-end video games by its unremitting bleakness and callousness of tone in an overall game context which constantly encourages visceral killing with exceptionally little alleviation or distancing," he said.”

“"There is sustained and cumulative casual sadism in the way in which these killings are committed, and encouraged, in the game," Cooke said.”

What is casual sadism; no really, how is it that our brave new world is capable of such a cavalier attitude toward death and destruction? Do these “games”, and I use that word with considerable reservations, do these games include any of the emotional triggers that accompany the heinous and deliberate destruction of other human life? I’ve already mentioned my ignorance in regard to these games; do they have blood curdling screams from the victims when grabbed from behind as the escaped mental patient tortures them? As the life blood drips on the cold floor in some dark corner of the game board, are those screams slowly muted to indicate near exhaustion as these game pieces expire for yet another tally mark on some perverted score board?

Is this the legacy we want to leave, our creative license with full digital input, high definition views of arteries spewing blood in perfect hue and tone, saturated and matted clumps of hair and brains from where an axe handle has beaten some unsuspecting target’s head to a bloody pulp? What have we become as a people when our “games” and recreation involve what could only be considered as demented excursions into bedlam?

“The U.S. nongovernmental organization that evaluates games, the Entertainment Software Rating Board, has not yet given a rating for "Manhunt 2," which is slated for a July 10 release.”

I wanted to thank the publishers of this new game, Take-Two Interactive Software, for introducing such a marvelous product, one that can be enjoyed by all segments of our society. I could see how showing this to a child might require trips to the local shrink, young people in their formative years watching this might think Columbine High School was the model for training or that Virginia Tech is the ultimate form of higher learning. With all the fuss and concern for “minors”, what about some concern for the rest of humanity? Really folks, is this kind of garbage fit for human consumption?

I’m not sure what kind of rating system is used to alert potential buyers when they stumble into the video store, money in one hand, an all purpose combat survival knife dripping with fresh road kill in the other. Have the letters “UA” been applied yet, that would be “Unfit for Anyone”, not to be confused with United Artists.