NationStates Jolt Archive

United Uldarious National News
The only news worth listening to

[Purple Diamond fades away to a silver and white news set, a blond woman looks toward the screen and smiles]

"Today is the conclusion of a peculiar program that examined the habits of over ten thousand children, from birth to the age of twenty," the newswoman began, her tone was even and smooth.
"The study claims that playing violent video games has a significant level of causation to the levels of violence shown in older life.
Of the children studied, those who played violent video games were 62% more likely to commit minor offences than the general public, of those 62% a further 80% were likely to commit some manner of criminal offence involving violence.
In response the Administrating Body has banned all computer and video games that depict senseless violence, except when portrayed in a philosophical manner," the woman finished and took a sip of a glass of water before continuing.

"In response the Director of Society, Namon Ulassa has been reported as saying," [the image changed to a picture of an elderly man with tanned skin and grey hair, plus a walrus-like moustache.] '"I don't see much point in it, we're already one of the least criminally violent societies in the world. If the Administrating Body wants its citizens to be less violent perhaps they should exclude the compulsory two years of military training in schools?"'

"In other news Namon has been arrested and stripped of his rank. Authorities report that he was challenging a report that was requested by the Chairman himself and thus guilty of treason. While the grounds for the charge may be shaky, a man like Namon should have known the risks of speaking out against the Chairman, and it was a study designed to benefit the populace. Now onto Kamille Lau with the business report..."

The Dark Empire disputes these claims as our children do not commit crimes and we let the play as many violent video games as they want.
---Understudy to the Minister of Foreign Affairs

With all do respect, I sincerely doubt the validity of your studies, this has been a very in-depth experiment and everyone commits crimes, whether serious or mild.
Our scientists have worked hard on this matter, it is nothing to be embarrassed of to have children that commit crimes, there will always be some, even in a paradise.
In our case the overwhelming majority of offences, even the criminal ones, were still mild, we have a very safe society ourselves.
- Lamon Ra'Dicoples, Head of the Uldarion Science Board.

(OOC: Seriously, zero crime rate? I think that is a bit much to expect, I claim a very low crime rate due to the huge police presence in my nation and money dedicated to the education system, but no matter what there's always some crime, to some degree.
Also, I made this statement after reading an issue in New Scientist, apparently it is scientifically valid as a lot of behavioural scientists say that there is strong and direct correlation between video game violence and actual violence, of course I am open to argument, but please try to provide an opposing study.

Official Announcement from the Free Havenic Republic of Kahanistan
Ministry of Foreign Affairs

http://www.nationstates.net/images/flags/uploads/kahanistan.jpg

The Government of Kahanistan certainly does not hold the belief that violent video games promote violence. Here, everyone can own a military-grade assault weapon and there have been only two school shootings this year.

More importantly, we are concerned that apparently, your nation believes that criticism of the Chairman's policies constitutes treason. The real traitors are the yes-men and women who blindly adhere to what their leaders tell them, without regard for the interests of their society. Mr. Ulassa would have been grossly negligent and cowardly not to speak out if he felt society's interests were at stake.

Signed,

Rachel C. Levitt,
Minister of Foreign Affairs

Official Joint Communique From The Skgorrian Foreign Ministry and the Ministry Of Social Development

The best way to curb the violent tendencies of the youth is to give them as many outlets as possible. Banning violent computer games will only make delinquents turn to other more destructive passtimes.

OOC: I'm guessing Shaztbotdom's claim was pure propaganda and not a statement of fact...

OOC: Tag for future post

A Binarian study recently found that drinking more than a half a litter of 1% milk in your entire life will make people kill one another.

OOC: Just because it is in a study doesn't mean its true.

Kampferian News Brief:
The Armed Republic of Kamfers has offcialy renounced these claims. According to the government, there is no proof of these claims, and thus they have no validity. Perhaps it was best put by one well-respected Kampferian scientist, who stated I have played violent games such as Kill the Hobo or Waste the Hippies for years, and I have only killed 3 people in real life!

United Uldarious National News
The only news worth listening too
I could and would destroy this report, but before even getting to the news, UUNN managed to destroy its own credibility by demonstrating thundering incompetence.

Underline was mine, by the way.

The study claims that playing violent video games has a significant correlation to the levels of violence shown in older life.
In related news, demonstrating once again that causation and correlation are two very different things, a study has revealed that one hundred percent of homo sapiens who ingest the chemical dihydrogen monoxide will eventually die.

My humble suggestion is that you look back at your study and adjust for socioeconomic factors such as income, ethnicity and species, home situation such as single parenthood or divorce, crime or drug use in the neighborhood or school environment, gang membership, psychological profiles, and other such things. I think you will find much stronger correlations, and in fact maybe even a little causation to go with them. On the other hand, violent video games are a valuable outlet for anger and similar impulses, and provide a harmless means of venting stress and frustration. But, y'know, don't listen to the guy who's spent forty-odd thousand years in the pursuit of science.

~Lord Celebrimbor nos Fëanor
Prefect of Science and Education
Eternal Noldorin Empire of Menelmacar

OOC: Bleh, I didn't write that when I was thinking straight, or maybe I just forgot to proofread, I'm sorry if I have somehow offended you...Spelling and grammar never were my strongest points.
However, did you consider that maybe in Uldarious people speak a mutated version of English? Like how Americans spell words like saviour and honour without the U's, maybe the language is used differently?
This is indeed the case, but not in the examples you pointed out and I thank you for doing that, I will edit and correct...

Basically I am writing this inspired by something I read in New Scientist magazine, their report found a very strong relationship between violent video games and acts of violence, of course I am not saying this is law or gospel and they certainly did have other variables, such as environmental conditions and marital status (of parents.) Basically I decided to expand on it in my nation and see what other nations would say, because nowadays II is so full of wars and other stuff that I thought something like this would add a little more realism to the whole thing.

I also find it somewhat funny that you're taking this so seriously, it was supposed to be a light-hearted getaway from the heavy II run of things.
In fact as a follow-up I am going to post something which basically states that all particularly violent games have been "disco'd" if you've ever seen old anime you'd know what that means.

Also, just so you know Uldarious was a former tyrannical dictatorship, so a lot of things are still being weeded out, such as the nation-wide obedience campaigns that used to run and attempt to brainwash people into loving the Chairman and nation, also in Uldarious citizens are overwhelmingly anti-religion, however as a substitute they tend to believe in the state and Chairman.


IC:

I am afraid I can not fully believe you, Lord Celebrimbor, as we have very different societies, you are a long-lived folk and we are not.
However, might this not cause some difference in our populations? A long life could lead to a more peaceful outlook, could it not?
However you are right in many respects; our report did find a much greater correlation in cases where parents were separated, where the income was low and in situations in which drug use was apparent.

The main issue is that apart from some circumstances it seems that violence is becoming worryingly more common in the world, this report was aimed at trying to stop our society from becoming barbaric and violent, we believe that the evidence supports the argument, 'violent video games encourage violent people,' to that end we believe the banning of senseless violence is a positive step forward.
The citizens of Uldarious have multiple chances to find outlets for their violent tendencies, such as sport and martial arts. It is not like we are banning all video games, merely the ones that feature large amounts of senseless violence and criminal acts.
- Lamon Ra'Dicoples, Head of the Uldarion Science Board


In response to Rachel C. Levitt of Kahanistan...

The nation of Uldarious was hewn out of a thousand warring nations many years ago by the businessman Aran Jehara Uldarion. Uldarious itself started out as a nation owned by the Uldarion Corporation as a method of avoiding international laws and as a means to increase the House of Uldarion's power and wealth.
Things are a great deal better than a century ago; when workers had no rights at all, to resist was to die and to obey was to survive, those who served faithfully could earn themselves a better life.

Eventually the Uldarion family decided that all citizens deserved basic rights and that was the start of the reforms that have now guaranteed that although the Uldarion citizen is not rich, he is safe and sound.
Discipline has always been one of the corner stones of Uldarion culture, one works hard all week and relaxes when the work is done, the military-style training given in two of the last three years of schooling is merely an extension of this to help prepare one for the outside world, build fitness, create teamwork skills and also teach one to fend for oneself is the need should arise.

Also Chairman Alexance's requested study was aimed at making life better and less violent for all of Uldarious, but perhaps the news reported confused you as you are not an Uldarian. The chances are that Ulassa will receive a one year sentence, as befitting for tenth-level treason, that is speaking against a Chairman or his orders, in a Hetham level complex, which is the lowest level, before being released to do as he may, probably rejoining the Department of Society again. Speaking out against the Chairman is not a serious crime, but one that requires reprisal.
The Chairman, like all of his predecessors, has been raised from birth to govern, shouldn't he know best?

-Aril Nandight, Executive Secretary of Law.

Unfortunately I did not hear about this until recently as I have been...otherwise engaged.
Firstly let me state that I believe in the efforts of the men and women of Uldarious, in this case our scientists and sociologists.
I think that as this report did find evidence against overly violent and criminal video games then the lengths taken and laws set in motion are not unreasonable, I hereby support this decision.
My opinion is not the be-all and end-all and in the various social science institutions across Uldarious this matter will be further debated, but I do believe the potential benefits outweigh the sacrifices.
However the incident with Director Ulassa was not my doing, and I hereby pardon Director Ulassa, he was after all only doing his job, also he has my personal apology for the unfortunate turn of events that no doubt caused him undue stress.

-Alexance Uldarion, Chairman of Uldarious.

OOC: Nah, I'm not really taking it all that seriously. I had a great time posting it. ;) But whether Uldarians want to ban violent video games is up to them... Lord Celebrimbor of course disagrees, but he's not going to do anything about it, really.

Official Statement from the Pan-Arab Barronian Ministry for Foreign Affairs

On behalf of The Ministry for Education and Lifestyle:

"We are somewhat concerned at this report, and would wish to co-operate with Uldarious Scientists to further the research in this area."