Honestly Kotaku, I read this article on CNN a couple hours ago... and I just KNEW you guys would end up posting it.
Is it really necessary? The article mentions videogames, but unlike most which are posted here, it is not in any way slanted. Nobody in that article was trying to blame what happened on video games.
Can we not turn this poor child getting SET ON FIRE into something about videogames?
I realize, but neither was the original article. It had very little to do with video games. It was a story about a VERY unfortunate event involving a boy being set on fire.
The word "telling" conveys that I am trying to command you as to what you should and should not post.
That's not what I'm doing. I'm simply stating that I think it is inappropriate to post this story on a gaming blog.
It would be much different if the story actually involved somebody blaming the crime (as they often do) on video games... but that is not the case.
By posting it on a gaming blog, you are, in a sense, spinning the story in a way which suggests that videogames were the focus of the original article, or the event itself, and that is disingenuous. #crime
Stop trying to rephrase everything I say. All I'm saying is that I don't think it is appropriate to post this article on a gaming blog. That is all.
I agree that the text in your article is perfectly fair. There is no spin within your writing. Good job.
However, "by posting it on a gaming blog, you are, in a sense, spinning the story in a way which suggests that videogames were the focus of the original article, or the event itself, and that is disingenuous."
I just feel that posting THIS article on THIS website conveys the wrong message. #crime
Having that over 80% of your body, to the point where you can't even lie down or go to the bathroom without massive pain, would.... oh, I don't know... probably require someone to stay in the hospital for a while.
Is it really that hard to do a little research on things you don't know about? People are getting lazier every year.
@Paul_Is_Drunk: And you're a giant tool. I would first like to point out the question mark at the end of my post. This might indicate that I'm surprised 2nd degree burns can put you in the hospital for 5 months. So when you say "Something tells me you have no idea what that means", I can only say "NO SHIT". Secondly, how would doing any research lessen my surprise? Conveying surprise has nothing to do with being lazy you condescending, gigantic tool.
@JonasJuice: So you were ok with your ignorance and didn't plan on educating yourself. That just makes you a different kind of tool than he originally thought. #crime
@Omnimon: You are so, so stupid. You both are completely idiotic. I'm completely indifferent about my ignorance. I was asking a question and also stating my surprise. Why is this so hard to understand? Are people really this dumb?
Is it against the fucking law to say something like "Hey, I didn't know that. That surprises me." Because that's basically what I said. I am dumbfounded right now by your two incompetent responses to a completely innocent comment.
I feel really sad about this, both because it is absolutely horrible that this happened to that poor kid, and because I don't find it surprising that it occurred.
For every day this kid is in the hospital the suspects should have to spend a week in juvenile detention, and should be forced to work with burn victims at the local hospitals.
When did it get to be that children became society's most ruthless? This is the reason that I'm scared to bring kids into the world. They're tearing each other apart out there.
@beanspeppin: Kids are a blank slate psychologically, it's easier for them to become literal monsters - this isn't something new at all. Look at various 3rd world countries and the amount of child mercenaries where they are completely desensitized to violence and commit atrocious acts. Children are simply much easier to influence into violent acts.
I believe it's a lot to do with them being moulded by their immediate enviornment, but most of all their family and home life. These things above all play a part in how children develop, and if a child is exposed to violent behaviour - even extremes of it like setting someone on fire - and this is reinforced by parents as being acceptable then that child will grow up with a very warped moral compass.
Now I don't mean exposure in the form of TV, games or films because children are smart, they can distinguish between reality and fantasy at a very early age - this is proven. But real acts of violence commited against them by abusive parents or even a sibling; or a father abusing a mother - anything real that is accepted as normal becomes integrated into their psyche in a very real way.
Think about it, have you ever seen a child copy what their parents do? If you always brush a chair off before you sit on it, your child will too. If you swear around your children, they'll swear too, and if you abuse others violently then your children will too.
For a well adjusted adult, their morals and sense of right and wrong; acceptability and unacceptability are all in place, and so are less likely to commit violent crimes.
It really isn't an excuse and simply evidence of this fact when you see that most adult violent offenders have experienced violence themselves as a child. Right and wrong is not an innate sense we are born with, it's taught and if a child is taught that violence is okay then things like this happen. I would find it hard to believe that the child who did this didn't have some kind of emotional or mental health issue.
It's awful, but I don't think the child(ren) responsible for this are evil exactly. I would imagine that somewhere, something in their life has bypassed the "normal" moral choice we experience when confonted with a violent impulse... I find in my line of work it tends to be a defence mechanism to avoid the psychological harm that would occur if a person had to deal with how horrific violent acts are on a day to day basis... if the brain skips over the moral compass, then violence becomes as routine as taking out the trash. The human mind is a tenuouos thing, and scarily fragile.
I'm guessing the game must not have been a "sexy" title. If the game had been something like GTA or Manhunt, then the reporters would have somehow worked it in to the story that the kids learned violence through the game.
@wanyo: Seriously...and over 40$ too, that's what gets me. I've been in my fair share of fights over small things, bruised a few eyes and whatever, but you've got some serious issues if lighting someone on fire shows up on the "how to get revenge" table.
I don't know about any of you but I would much rather be known to the world as a snitch than be known as a psychopath who sets another human being on fire over something so incredibly petty, then laughs about it.
@Wess28: "Snitch" is just a derogatory term that thugs use when referring to people who don't sink to their level. To people like you and me, it just means "law-abiding citizen".
Yeah this happened not far from where I live. It was all over our local news. Those kids are evil! I hope they spend the rest of their lives in jail! as some dudes boyfriend.
@mordennight: giving a minor life in prison for aggravated assault or in the alternative, even attempted murder (disregarding the probable likelihood the kids mental capacity would negate that charge) seems outrageously excessive.
These kids need to be committed to a psychiatric facility then if need be remain there indefinately.
@AceofCase: They're 15. At least in America, where this took place, they are certainly deemed legally capable of forming the requisite intent to kill for attempted murder (barring the ability of the defense to show an actual mental or developmental disorder). *Edit* In America (I don't know about anywhere else) to be capable of forming the legal intent to kill you just have to have the mental capacity to understand what death is, and the vast majority of 15 year olds know what death is.
Giving a 15-year-old life in prison because he got in a fight with another 15-year-old and pulled a knife seems excessive. Giving them life in prison because *5* 15-year-olds ganged up on another, and *set him on fire* may still be excessive, but it's certainly a closer call.
@TheMightyEthan: There was a Supreme Court ruling this year (or just last year) that prevents minors from being given the death penalty for some predetermined period of time. I forgot how long it's supposed to last.
Instead, I believe they can be given life without parole. However, that's being challenged (I haven't heard anything about it lately if it passed) because if you think about... life without parole for younger people is essentially the death penalty. I would rather be put to death instantly, as opposed to living my entire life in a cell.
@tonicmole: That's a completely ridiculous statement - name any location in the world, and I'll pull up stories of unbelievable cruelty for you. We have a population larger than many countries, so of course you'll see some insanity.
@jayntampa: No, No, No, It's just Florida. They have parents eating babies, cat's and dogs living together, it's like the end of the world. Oh, and lets not forget about the old people! When you live in Florida it seems okay but it's not. Florida is synonymous with crazy. "Man, your so Florida." "After a life time of drug use he was so Florida that he had to be institutionalized." #crime
@tharden33: what they did was sick but hanging people by their testicles and being burnt alive isn't much better now is it?
Maybe they need a lot of therapy because they're obviously disturbed.
@Van_Occupanther: Or we realized that Darwin failed and we start doing his work.
This whole European idea of treatment of psyche just falls further in line with the way socialists want this country run. Pretty soon we'll be handing out synthetic drugs as 'treatment' for convicted drug addicts who never served a day in prison. #crime
Talk about kneejerk reactions, I'm not surprised by the responses considering this should've never been posted on a fucking gaming blog in the first place. #crime
Stories like this almost make me wish that Babylonian law still existed. Makes you wonder how many of the extreme and horrendous crimes over petty disputes would take place if the perpetrators knew that the same thing was awaiting them.
There's a Special place in hell reserved for those kids.
10/14/09
Is it really necessary? The article mentions videogames, but unlike most which are posted here, it is not in any way slanted. Nobody in that article was trying to blame what happened on video games.
Can we not turn this poor child getting SET ON FIRE into something about videogames?
10/14/09
10/15/09
I realize, but neither was the original article. It had very little to do with video games. It was a story about a VERY unfortunate event involving a boy being set on fire.
It does not belong on a video game blog. #crime
10/15/09
10/15/09
The word "telling" conveys that I am trying to command you as to what you should and should not post.
That's not what I'm doing. I'm simply stating that I think it is inappropriate to post this story on a gaming blog.
It would be much different if the story actually involved somebody blaming the crime (as they often do) on video games... but that is not the case.
By posting it on a gaming blog, you are, in a sense, spinning the story in a way which suggests that videogames were the focus of the original article, or the event itself, and that is disingenuous. #crime
10/15/09
The post title reads: "15 Yr-Old Set On Fire, Started Over Video Game Debt"
This is correct. It's a fact. So is everything else in the story. I am spinning nothing here -- you are. #crime
10/16/09
Stop trying to rephrase everything I say. All I'm saying is that I don't think it is appropriate to post this article on a gaming blog. That is all.
I agree that the text in your article is perfectly fair. There is no spin within your writing. Good job.
However, "by posting it on a gaming blog, you are, in a sense, spinning the story in a way which suggests that videogames were the focus of the original article, or the event itself, and that is disingenuous."
I just feel that posting THIS article on THIS website conveys the wrong message. #crime
10/14/09
10/14/09
[www.umm.edu]
Having that over 80% of your body, to the point where you can't even lie down or go to the bathroom without massive pain, would.... oh, I don't know... probably require someone to stay in the hospital for a while.
Is it really that hard to do a little research on things you don't know about? People are getting lazier every year.
10/14/09
That thing you see back right in that pic? Those are the boils that would be all over his body.
10/14/09
10/15/09
10/15/09
Is it against the fucking law to say something like "Hey, I didn't know that. That surprises me." Because that's basically what I said. I am dumbfounded right now by your two incompetent responses to a completely innocent comment.
10/19/09
10/14/09
Great world we live in.
10/14/09
10/14/09
But really, that sucks; hope the kid comes out OK.
10/14/09
10/14/09
I believe it's a lot to do with them being moulded by their immediate enviornment, but most of all their family and home life. These things above all play a part in how children develop, and if a child is exposed to violent behaviour - even extremes of it like setting someone on fire - and this is reinforced by parents as being acceptable then that child will grow up with a very warped moral compass.
Now I don't mean exposure in the form of TV, games or films because children are smart, they can distinguish between reality and fantasy at a very early age - this is proven. But real acts of violence commited against them by abusive parents or even a sibling; or a father abusing a mother - anything real that is accepted as normal becomes integrated into their psyche in a very real way.
Think about it, have you ever seen a child copy what their parents do? If you always brush a chair off before you sit on it, your child will too. If you swear around your children, they'll swear too, and if you abuse others violently then your children will too.
For a well adjusted adult, their morals and sense of right and wrong; acceptability and unacceptability are all in place, and so are less likely to commit violent crimes.
It really isn't an excuse and simply evidence of this fact when you see that most adult violent offenders have experienced violence themselves as a child. Right and wrong is not an innate sense we are born with, it's taught and if a child is taught that violence is okay then things like this happen. I would find it hard to believe that the child who did this didn't have some kind of emotional or mental health issue.
It's awful, but I don't think the child(ren) responsible for this are evil exactly. I would imagine that somewhere, something in their life has bypassed the "normal" moral choice we experience when confonted with a violent impulse... I find in my line of work it tends to be a defence mechanism to avoid the psychological harm that would occur if a person had to deal with how horrific violent acts are on a day to day basis... if the brain skips over the moral compass, then violence becomes as routine as taking out the trash. The human mind is a tenuouos thing, and scarily fragile.
10/14/09
10/14/09
10/14/09
Pussies kids are these days!
10/14/09
10/14/09
10/14/09
10/14/09
10/14/09
It's sick, they're sick, they should go to jail forever.
10/14/09
These kids need to be committed to a psychiatric facility then if need be remain there indefinately.
10/14/09
Giving a 15-year-old life in prison because he got in a fight with another 15-year-old and pulled a knife seems excessive. Giving them life in prison because *5* 15-year-olds ganged up on another, and *set him on fire* may still be excessive, but it's certainly a closer call.
10/14/09
Instead, I believe they can be given life without parole. However, that's being challenged (I haven't heard anything about it lately if it passed) because if you think about... life without parole for younger people is essentially the death penalty. I would rather be put to death instantly, as opposed to living my entire life in a cell.
10/14/09
10/14/09
10/14/09
10/14/09
10/14/09
[www.cnn.com]
10/14/09
[www.chicagotribune.com]
10/14/09
10/18/09
10/14/09
10/14/09
Maybe they need a lot of therapy because they're obviously disturbed.
10/14/09
10/15/09
This whole European idea of treatment of psyche just falls further in line with the way socialists want this country run. Pretty soon we'll be handing out synthetic drugs as 'treatment' for convicted drug addicts who never served a day in prison. #crime
10/17/09
10/14/09
10/14/09
There's a Special place in hell reserved for those kids.