Rare's Soapbox: Darker than the Blackest Friday X Infinity Zero

“Truly if there is evil in this world, it lies within the heart of man.” - Edward D. Morrison

Once again we have reached what would be considered the low point of the human species: Black Friday. A time where the so called savings of such trivial things such as materialized goods is considered a bloodsport. Instead of the age old tradition of spending time with family, people are literally walking over people just to save a few bucks. It’s humanity at it’s worst. Why do we do it?

We’ve all heard the horror stories here and there and we all know full well what it does to people. I don’t know if this would be considered a modern take of the warring states, but with stores, but it’s rather close in my book. Such tragic tales as the temp guy who was trampled and killed at a Walmart, or the recent victim of someone getting stabbed or getting a nice slice down to the bone type of injury just because he was in the way. How about that time someone was shot and mugged in a parking lot for their so called spoils minutes right after they spent hundreds if not thousands just for the company behind the store to say, “eh, we’ve seen it all before, never happened.”

It’s rather disheartening to see and hear such a thing happening when in other places around the world they don’t have that kind of luxury. Need I remind you that places like the Philippines are still recovering from a typhoon that almost wiped the coast towns off the map? Maybe instead of spending money that you “earned” or “saved” on that 55in TV, why not use it to buy some food to someone less fortunate? It’s much more humanitarian and civil than getting arrested while gawkers look, mock, tease, and ignore your distress just so that new Xbone can be yours.

If I may go off tangent here, and spoilers for Ni no Kuni, but then again I lifted my statue of limitations on spoilers for this game about 6 months ago, so who the hell cares if you whine over spoilers?!

Around the beginning of the final chapter, as soon as Oliver starts to leave for Motorville, the White Witch spreads manna all over the 3 mains cities of Ding Dong Dell, Al Mamoon, and Hamelin. The poor townsfolk of those cities are turned into strange and vile looking creatures just for the sake of being at the wrong place at the wrong time. That is how I think of you, human regardless of gender, race or whatever. After all, you’re still human. Humanist I be? Perhaps.

Let me put it this way. You went from this to THIS! Seriously, you're nothing but savages and carnivorous wretches that want to try and save a few bucks on something. I like a sale or two, but not enough to STAB someone over! Skip to 3:07 on the video.

Yeah I feel bad for the townspeople that I have to kill them to the hurts really bad, but that’s nothing to what you dumb humans do every year around the time that we are supposed to be spending time sitting down and eating and giving thanks. Not Battle Royale with TVs!

If there is any sliver of hope among this holiday season is that at least I’m not hunting down the next big thing and trying to save a few francs for it! Besides, I have my own ways to save money. And it doesn't involve breaking down barricades and killing a few kindred folk for that nice $8 pair jeans that will fade within weeks. Honestly, you Black Friday shoppers are lower than low… no you’re lower than those who actually think the remake of I Spit on Your Grave is actually a good movie.

Well, that put a damper in my mood. Since I’m still a bit cheery over my last few weeks of training, how’s about some recommendations for this time of year?

"It's the normal people that scare me." - Bill, The Last of Us

Rare's Soapbox Losing the Game

Normally I don't let politics get to me and the here-say that leads to nowhere. No matter which side says someone suffers in the grasp of their own follies. However, due to recent events, I couldn't help but feel that this is something that is not only pointless, but rather close to hitting the beehive.

Lately I've glanced on the tragic events of the Sandy Hook Massacre back in December. That is not what I'm aiming for right now, but rather the blame put on video games that were somehow related to this. If you allow me the soapbox that I'm not standing on, please hear me out.

Video games are not the cause of or was there any connection to them to the massacre. If you were to tell me the assailant was a gamer, you are just barking up the wrong tree. No one knows if there was any connection to him and games at all other than the fact that he played them. Thus assuming he used games to plan out his horrendous acts on the elementary school is just uninformative (read: stupid) to assume.
To everyone who reads this, please understand: This whole spending millions on a case study to see if video games are the cause of violent behavior is none other than what utter bu-silliness.

And to the congressmen who say in laymen terms, "shut up the grown ups are talking!" you are treading on thin ice with no evidence to your claim about games and the connection to violence. Choose wisely your words Congressmen, for they will change the fate of a future reelection.

As a former gamer and upright law abiding college student, I can give you unmitigated evidence that games are not what makes people violent.

All kinds of media including music or comics or games do not make someone violent initially. Sports do. It is nothing more than entertainment we use to give us pleasure. The visual that we see on games does not influence one to start shooting. We are still humans, and humans are naturally violent. Do you condemn an animal from biting someone because of their master? No, it's because they too are violent because it's nature. We consume what we see including sports to which many of us are dedicated to a sports team that represents our territory. In other words we are territorial creatures.

As for "violent video games", as I said they are not the cause, because it is only a medium in which we as a consumer pay for to have fun. To those who can not differentiate real and fiction suffer from what is known as "Diminished Sense of Reality". Do you know where I learned that? a "violent video game". Also, not all games are "violent". It is through the mass appeal that you see something so popular that you should use it as a scapegoat to cover up the real truth.

If you wish to fully understand the meaning behind something, you must look at the source. The assailant was not mentally stable nor did we understand their motives. Look into the mental health of someone before you pass judgement. You don't need a case study for that.

The truth being is that the recent tragic events have no connection to games and is nothing more than just nasal grazing and over picking something that many do not understand. Does the music we listen to influence us to beat up our girlfriends, divorce them and make a song about how he misses beating up his girlfriend? No, it's because we take none of what we see and half of what we hear out of context. My dad once told me we should take half of what we see and none of what we hear to heart.

Where is your evidence stating that games are the cause for violent behavior? Where is your evidence that proves that the man who caused the Dark Knight premiere shooting that he was right in the head? Not all of us are violent creatures. We donate money to charities like Child's Play and help those in need. If there is one thing that games have taught me is be more civilized and that I don't need a stinking reason to help others. If there is one thing connected to these along with other past massacres and tragic events is the guns or weapons the assailants used. That is your real culprit: Gun owners and the mental well being. TAKE THAT!

There is a positive side to games as they teach us things that we normally don't see in textbooks or what teachers don't teach. Reader Rabbit teaches more than reading, Math Blasters teaches math (what a shocker huh?) Elmo's Number Journey shows an epic fight against a monster where putting 2+3=5 destroys it. And other games have a more beautiful setting that gives us better perspectives, like Eternal Sonata, a JRPG about Frederick Chopin in his fever dreams. Or just by personal preference Persona 4 which taught me about relationships with people and a little about social psychology with the Personas and Shadows being both one and the same. Heck even the weird games gives us a better perspective on other cultures. We all do not consume the same thing, we are different from the sports guy to the role playing lady (if that exists).

I implore you who read this, take what I say to heart and not place the blame on a medium that shouldn't be banned. Blame the parents that let them do this. I saw an 8 year old buying an M rated game with their mother's consent. If you really want to try to stop the sale of these "violent video games", then you would have made a powerful enemy with not just me, but with every single citizen who invests in the medium. So to all the soccer moms or hockey moms or positive health lifestyle teaching First Ladies, put those fingers down, out of noses and lay off the games. It's your fault you let them. Show some backbone and say no.

You are the biggest influence to children and you only have one chance to make a lasting impression. Don't screw it up.

If you have any questions, suggestions, possible hatemail for me, fell free to email me at rarefindit@gmail.com.