It's All So Simple

Recently, Susan Estrich wrote an article in The Eureka Reporter discussing the new Grand Theft Auto game. Now, we've already had the discussion about the game itself; it's not the debate over the game that I want to bring to your attention, it's the jaw-dropping response letter to the editor that makes me want to tear my hair out.

Dear Editor,

Recently, I read with interest Susan Estrich’s article on “Grand Theft Auto.” As a video game researcher, I found her column to be largely non-factual and typical of the hysteria that surrounds video games.

For instance, she laments that the current generation of youth are “going down the tubes.” Yet, by most standards, including violent criminal behaviors, current youth are the healthiest in decades.

As violent video games have increased in sales, violent behaviors among both youth and adults have plummeted to levels not seen since the 1960s. As an aside, rape rates also have declined as pornography has become more common, in contradiction to what Ms. Estrich implies.

Yes, that's right, folks. Porn cures rape. Apparently, rape isn't about power and control, it's about being horny, just like rape apologists have said all along! Why, if we'd just give all men unlimited access to porn, rape would just vanish! Oh, and as an aside, did you know that as sales of ice cream increase, the incidents of violent crime also increases? It's true! Contradictory to what any of you may imply.

It amazes me that this person, this Ph.D., this Assistant Professor at Texas A&M can blithely make a statement like that with nothing to back it up, "as an aside." Apparently, he missed that day in class when they explained that correlation does not imply causation.

(Tip of the Energy Dome to Shaker Heraldo.)