Cooper Lawrence Steps In It Again, Talks Video Game Addiction
You may or may not recall last year's Mass Effect controversy, when Cooper Lawrence spoke about her objection to a supposed sex scene in the game. She was immediately lambasted for her words, as it was clear she hadn't the slightest clue what she was talking about. Well, she's back, and although she's more careful this time around, the entire crew at FOX proves to be about as sharp as a box of erasers.
You can watch the recent Lawrence video over at BingeGamer - just prepare for a lot of eye-rolling - and then suffer a minor bout of depression as you realize the mainstream media still doesn't get it. After 30 years, they still don't get it. This has gone way past amusing; it's past embarrassing; it's past annoying; now it's just downright idiotic and even obscene. This is how the media does their homework? Really? We won't go into a crazy long rant, but there are just a few points we'd like to make: first, social gaming is the thing these days. Or did you miss the fact that Guitar Hero, Rock Band, and online multiplayer gaming basically rules the world? Secondly, considering that video games are no different than any other entertainment medium in terms of "addictive qualities," why are we still talking about them as if they're the spawn of an alien species? Thirdly and lastly, I am extraordinarily sick and tired of games being blamed for anti-social behavior. Who here doesn't go outside or participate in social events because they'd rather play video games? Go ahead, raise your hands, I'll wait...
Yeah, I see about one or two out of sixty gazillion. The truth of the matter is, and has always been, that games serve as a hobby that, for the vast majority of people, is something they do for fun when there's nothing else to do. We're not missing work because of games. We're not bypassing a night out with friends because of games. We're not locking doors, wearing costumes and screaming at TVs. Video game addiction certainly does exist; I will grant them that, but to no more extent than any other addiction, and the percentage of avid gamers that can accurately be described as addicts is very, very low. When the weather's bad, we like to play. When there's no good movies at the theater, we like to play. We like to play with friends sometimes. This entire philosophy that gaming actually removes someone from social activities needs to die, and until the mainstream media can wrap their puny minds that use quarter-century-old information around the truth, we'll continue to laugh in their faces.
End of story.
P.S. Psssst...Ms. Lawrence...over here..... Considering you only have access to very old info, you know how - in your mind - all gamers are "geeks?" ...remember what the geeks were in school? The ones with all the good grades, right? Yeah, well, they all grew up and now they're all smarter than you.
1/8/2009 Ben Dutka
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Comments (65 posts)
Troy Powers
Thursday, January 08, 2009 @ 2:46:42 PM
Deleted User
Thursday, January 08, 2009 @ 11:12:04 AM
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And, it seems this one who was part of the Mass Effect fiasco forgot how that incident resulted in her getting terrible reviews on amazon. That was entertainment. And for anyone who didn't see that Fox Mass Effect thing, check it out on youtube.
"Have you played Mass Effect?"
"HAHA! NO!"
Watching the video, I had to pause it just by the start. "Babysitter in a box". Isn't that one of the problems with parenting today?
"Not conversationalists"
Guess they never put kids playing Smash Brothers Melee or Mario Kart Double Dash. Or, else the kids are the type who wouldn't talk much any way, and its easy to point the finger at gaming.
"Competitive"
Guess real life sports must be thrown out too, huh?
They need to be told two words. Online Gaming.
Oh, also, check this out. Its funny.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZrr7AZ9nCY
englishgolfer
Thursday, January 08, 2009 @ 11:19:36 AM
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whooka
Thursday, January 08, 2009 @ 11:26:28 AM
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Deleted User
Thursday, January 08, 2009 @ 11:28:15 AM
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"I recognize that I misspoke. I really regret saying that, and now that I’ve seen the game and seen the sex scenes it’s kind of a joke."
"Before the show I had asked somebody about what they had heard, and they had said it’s like pornography. But it’s not like pornography. I’ve seen episodes of Lost that are more sexually explicit."
coverton341
Thursday, January 08, 2009 @ 11:47:42 AM
That last statement lends to the assumption that she went totally on hearsay to form her entire opinion about something and then reported on it as being the worst thing ever....
Nah, she couldn't have done that she is a reporter who would never do such a thing especially since she works for a network with a slogan of "Fair and Balanced"
Hilarity Ensues!!!
WorldEndsWithMe
Thursday, January 08, 2009 @ 1:38:13 PM
SHADOW [Moderator]
Thursday, January 08, 2009 @ 2:57:00 PM
King James
Thursday, January 08, 2009 @ 11:43:22 AM
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And I thought that chick with the 2 last names was banned from even saying the phrase "video game", after her last ingenious rant.
MetalHead09
Thursday, January 08, 2009 @ 1:04:45 PM
cegmp
Thursday, January 08, 2009 @ 8:30:18 PM
GoldenShadow
Thursday, January 08, 2009 @ 11:57:22 AM
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Fabi
Thursday, January 08, 2009 @ 1:24:40 PM
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I've read about 10 comments in the past months of people on here bragging about clocking in a DISGUSTING 400+ hours or more in FF12, or putting in 500+ in COD4 and MGO. Or the freaks who have 5000 races under their belt in motorstorm.
I also know of a few people who would rather stay home and play their favorite MMO than go out on the weekends.
I actually have a very close friend from high school, who I love to death, but is addicted to MGO, and usually spends his weekends playing it. I try to say s*it to get him to realize he is throwing his life away playing video games, but it just doesn't get through.
It happens, but it happens in everything else that CAN be addicting.
Don't hold your breath to have anyone raise their hand, but trust me, they're here.
I wish I could convince myself to put in more time when it comes to videogames, but it's too hard to have a healthy active lifestyle and keep up with all the awesome games.
I try to really pick my games wisely.
I would love to play Mirror's Edge, Dead Space, Fallout and Gears 3, but I just cant... too much other stuff to get done.
I'm waiting for Killzone 2 and SF4.
Last edited by Fabi on 1/8/2009 1:29:09 PM
Xanavi23
Thursday, January 08, 2009 @ 1:29:16 PM
Maybe you don't know whats going on in his life or mind that he invests so much time into escapism. Besides mentioning MGO is a bad example because it is an AMAZING game even though i don't play as much as i'ld like.
No disrespect, but even if you're his friend, that doesn't mean you know whats going on with him if hes as bad as you try and make him seem.
"Don't judge people, lest you be judged"- Its in the bible.
WorldEndsWithMe
Thursday, January 08, 2009 @ 1:41:19 PM
br0d1n
Thursday, January 08, 2009 @ 2:37:01 PM
Ben Dutka PSXE [Administrator]
Thursday, January 08, 2009 @ 3:23:48 PM
As for the 400 hours in FFXII, so what? The question is, how long did it take to reach that number? I've probably put a good 500-600 hours into the likes of FFT and FFVII over the years...but it has been a decade. ACTUAL addiction is when whatever you're "addicted" to significantly impacts your way of life. For the most part, an extremely few number of gamers qualify. Certainly nobody I've ever met.
Troy Powers
Thursday, January 08, 2009 @ 4:10:53 PM
Joema
Thursday, January 08, 2009 @ 4:50:02 PM
Troy Powers
Thursday, January 08, 2009 @ 5:09:58 PM
Ben Dutka PSXE [Administrator]
Thursday, January 08, 2009 @ 6:52:05 PM
robinhood2010
Thursday, January 08, 2009 @ 6:57:35 PM
cegmp
Thursday, January 08, 2009 @ 8:48:11 PM
For anyone interested, the Dictionary of Psychology by J.P. Chaplin defines addiction as - the state of being physically dependent upon a drug. In general, addiction implies increased tolerance to a drug, physical and psychological dependence, and withdrawal symptoms when the drug is stopped.
SHADOW [Moderator]
Thursday, January 08, 2009 @ 9:21:10 PM
Joema
Thursday, January 08, 2009 @ 10:59:54 PM
Phoelix
Friday, January 09, 2009 @ 12:17:47 AM
Bottom line, I don't think MMO's are virtual chat rooms. They are a LOT more socially based than other games, though. I think Ben is placing MMO's on one polarized end of the spectrum just to take a noticeable stand.
Which brings me to my next point: Ben, and everyone, everywhere, avoid jumping to polarized conclusions. As in, if you just saw a movie, please do not dumb down your thoughts about it to just "boring," "bad," "good," "loved it," "hated it," and countless other phrases that say absolutely nothing about the subject you're describing. Ideas and positions about anything don't have to be absolutely groundbreaking. If I would describe Resistance 2, for example, I wouldn't say "It was totally awesome, yeah!" I'd tell you that the story allowed Hale to become much more involved in what was going on with the war, which I found more engaging than Resistance 1. Also, the hold-to-zoom system made aiming guns much easier.
Doesn't that say so much more? This is why I hate when LA teachers have students write persuasive essays and have them pick one of two positions. When has the truth ever been completely on one side or another when it comes to issues like these?
Xanavi23
Thursday, January 08, 2009 @ 1:26:56 PM
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Its incredible the crap they'll keep on and who they'll get rid of. They had one decent guy, Coleman and he got canned. He wasn't full of **** like the rest so he had to get axed. Cause he actually resembled a true journalist/anchor/news person.
I can't believe how idiotic it all is over there.
Wage SLAVES
Friday, January 09, 2009 @ 5:24:02 AM
I think if a Game can detach you so much that you have no interest in the Real World, than that is where the problem arises imo.
WorldEndsWithMe
Thursday, January 08, 2009 @ 1:34:47 PM
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Fabi
Thursday, January 08, 2009 @ 1:53:59 PM
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I get off at 5, and don't get home until close to 6, then I have dinner and get finished with that at around 6:30. Then I have other activities which take up a good 2-3 hours. I then get home and shower, and by that time it's close to 10-10:30 and go to sleep at around 11:30 (which is already too late because I have to wake up at 6 to get ready and drive to work)
I'm sure as hell not staying home on the weekend to play my PS3. At least not after 5. Although on a lazy weekend I'll find time to play it in the morning time. So when do you find the time?
And this is including hitting the gym on a regular basis.
I wont say everyday is the same, because sometimes I'll stay home after work and not do anything, I'll play for about an hour (If I'm lucky) then I'll take that time to socialize at home.
Xanavi - I'm not judging him. I'm trying to help him. I know him and his personal life very well and try to help him with anything I can. I give him all the advice in the world and try to get him involved in positive things, including religion.
And what do you mean MGO is a bad example because it's a great game? Are you crazy, no game is good enough to invest 500+ hours in it.
Last edited by Fabi on 1/8/2009 1:57:14 PM
Xanavi23
Thursday, January 08, 2009 @ 2:43:53 PM
MetalHead09
Thursday, January 08, 2009 @ 5:26:19 PM
Last edited by MetalHead09 on 1/8/2009 5:27:15 PM
Fabi
Thursday, January 08, 2009 @ 1:59:00 PM
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Now he tells me that he regrets putting in all those hours on his PC, he would have rather spent it with us (our crew from high school) and his family.
Last edited by Fabi on 1/8/2009 1:59:35 PM
br0d1n
Thursday, January 08, 2009 @ 2:52:02 PM
As far as the argument that 500 hours is too much to invest in any single game, consider this:
Many people don't have the money to shell out for every new game they want to play. So they only get the ones they know they're gonna love and can play over and over again for long periods of time. Now, if you put in say, 10 hours a week playing this game, over the course of a year you would have just shy of 500 hours. 10 hours a week isn't so unreasonable, nor is playing a good game for a year or more after it's released.
I'm not trying to argue that there is no such thing as video game addiction or that I know your friends better than you do, I'm just saying that I think you need to have different standards for determining addiction than "likes to play games a lot."
robinhood2010
Thursday, January 08, 2009 @ 7:00:53 PM
Phoelix
Thursday, January 08, 2009 @ 11:59:56 PM
I guess we really shouldn't completely ignore her report; there has to be at least SOME truth in it.
I think we get so involved in video games because, unlike other forms of media and entertainment, we are in control. We get to play the hero and save America from being nuked. We get to bring an end to the Dark Hour and defeat Death. Believe it or not, at least in games with a story, we make a bond with the characters in them. And we feel what happens. And it's extraordinary.
Have you ever thought about how hum-drum everyday life can be? The grind of it all can be extraordinarily boring--maybe that's why people want to escape it and become someone completely different in a video game.
The problem is when this escape isn't just for fun. When it becomes a regular way to avoid everything in the real world, then we have problems.
I may have just underlined what an addiction really is. But I believe that it takes more than this property of something to become an addiction. Otherwise we could attribute anything fun to an addiction. In the end, I believe it's squarely our fault; guns don't kill people, after all. People do.
DeadReaper
Thursday, January 08, 2009 @ 2:18:24 PM
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Reccaman18
Thursday, January 08, 2009 @ 2:38:16 PM
Deleted User
Thursday, January 08, 2009 @ 3:03:53 PM
SHADOW [Moderator]
Thursday, January 08, 2009 @ 3:05:57 PM
Reccaman18
Thursday, January 08, 2009 @ 2:38:38 PM
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Troy Powers
Thursday, January 08, 2009 @ 2:54:41 PM
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cegmp
Thursday, January 08, 2009 @ 8:54:28 PM
WorldEndsWithMe
Thursday, January 08, 2009 @ 5:21:38 PM
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FLYING_APE
Thursday, January 08, 2009 @ 5:36:18 PM
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So one day at school my mate wanted to buy it off me and i agreed but when i got home my mum had gave it away for free. I would never forget that, ive missed some pretty awesome games like banjo and zelda. Ive recently just bought n64 from ebay but i can't get into because i can't get into the graphics.
The following week my brother bought a playstation with final fantasy 7 and it began.
LOL
Xanavi23
Thursday, January 08, 2009 @ 5:55:14 PM
BikerSaint
Thursday, January 08, 2009 @ 8:02:50 PM
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http://www.bingegamer.net/2008/adam-sessler-sounds-off-on-fox-news-and-cooper-lawrence/
And as for seeing a headshrinker, who the hell is that insane to go see a female Dr who's first name is Cooper. But I'd definetly like to...er...discuss my sexual addiction with her.
As for somebody being addictive & withdrawing into their own self, that's a real shame, but if you were able to dig deeper into their mind, & their past, there is usually another underlying reason why they've become withdrawn.
As for myself, I'm addicted to our MC way of lifestyle & my Harley's. I'm a freedomfighter for our Godgiven American rights & freedoms, and also avid about motorcycle rights(besides all my gaming).
But you know what? I'm not anti-social, & if aperson treats me right, then I'm one of the nicest guys you ever met. But if somebody makes the mistake of f*cking with me, I'll make them wish they didn't.
And I've gotten that way over my lifetime because I've found that most people I meet from all walks of life are nothing more than the "same-ole-same-ole" cardboard cut-outs of wooly sheep & lemmings. They're more than willing to follow the rest of the mindless herd without protest, untill after most(if not all) of their rights and freedoms have been hauled off to the slaughterhouse & butchered.
Or of that one loud-mouthed, disrespecting As*hole that always talks sh*t behind your back, yup, the same POSER who then wonders why I gave him a serious smack-down once I caught him in person later on.
So Cooper can go have multiple-"O"s from f*cking diddling heselfin Macy's window during "LET'S ALL BE FREINDS" week, cause I'd rather be with my MC brotherhood's.
At least I know they're real, & they'd give their life for me, the same as I would for them.
And I'm 100% sure that waffleing queen Dr Cooper, surely can't say the same about any of her other compadres.
FTW
Deleted User
Thursday, January 08, 2009 @ 10:38:15 PM
Fabi
Thursday, January 08, 2009 @ 8:21:11 PM
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GameFly lets you rent games for cheap.
And a MMO is a game.
zerostar39
Thursday, January 08, 2009 @ 9:26:18 PM
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Wage SLAVES
Friday, January 09, 2009 @ 5:06:34 AM
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ArnoldK PSXE [Administrator]
Friday, January 09, 2009 @ 3:35:48 PM
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Cooper Lawrence









Ultimadream
Reply
Thursday, January 08, 2009 @ 10:57:14 AM