Bill O' Reilly Slams Ps 3 launch, gamers, Ipod, Digital tech (not in order

[8th lutz]

http://gamepolitics.com/2006/11/18/bill-or...t-in-that-order

 

Apparently sparked by the PlayStation 3 launch, conservative pundit Bill O’Reilly took off after video game culture and digital technology generally in yesterday’s Radio Factor.

 

The controversial talk show host, who advertises his program as a “no spin zone” offered the following spin on gamers and much of their favorite gear:

 

American society is changing for the worse because of the machines… In the past to flee the real world people usually chose drugs or alcohol… now you don’t have to do that, Now all you have to do is have enough money to buy a machine…

 

Basically what you have is a large portion of the population, mostly younger people under the age of 45, who don’t deal with reality - ever. So they don’t know what day it is; they don’t know temperature it is; they don’t know what their neighbor looks like. They don’t know anything… because they are constantly diverted by a machine. Now what this does is it takes a person away from reality because they’ve created their own reality…

 

Here comes the PS3 rant:

 

The newest thing is the PlayStation 3. Now this is a machine that allows you to play games in hi-def and all this other stuff… It’s the newest state of the art system from Sony…. It has a video game console, plays DVDs, connects you to the Internet, tells you how handsome you are. It’s six-hundred bucks. Now people lined up for hours to get this thing. Hours!

 

Next, O’Reilly recounts some of the various, well-publicized incidents that took place on PS3 lines around the country, before launching into:

 

The problem with this stuff is that some people can deal with it constructively… but other people get addicted to it, just like opium, just like drugs and alcohol… So this is a big, big problem. It’s going to change every single thing in this country.

 

At about this point, O’Reilly has Blois Olson of the National Institute on Media & the Family on as a guest. Olson talked about some issues regarding video game addiction, but was quite reasonable. As for O’Reilly? He thinks your video gaming may well doom you to a life of poverty:

 

The have-nots are growing. Why are they growing? Because the skill set that is necessary to earn a decent living is being deemphasized in a fantasy world of football games and shooting zombies and all that…. Now you have the “knows” and the “know-nots”, because if you spend all your youth being prisoners of machines….. you’re not going to know anything…. You’re gonna fail.

 

And, even though O’Reilly’s pay site offers a podcast, the pundit rather curiously disses the iPod and seems to equate video gaming with national collapse:

 

I don’t own an iPod. I would never wear an iPod… If this is your primary focus in life - the machines… it’s going to have a staggeringly negative effect, all of this, for America… did you ever talk to these computer geeks? I mean, can you carry on a conversation with them? …I really fear for the United States because, believe me, the jihadists? They’re not playing the video games. They’re killing real people over there.

 

Anything with Bill O' Reilly needs to go to the P&R board except for what I copied and pasted I think in this case.

[tantone56]

O' Reilly should just kick the bucket already. When you reach the point to where you cannot relate to your audience, then maybe you shouldn't be broadcasting anymore. Nobody want's to be preached to by an aging out of touch grandpa.

Edited November 18, 2006 by tantone56

[Inky]

NOrmally I like O'Reilly, but he's way off on this one. Indeed, weren't the same things said about the 2600 at one point?

Edited November 18, 2006 by Inky

[Gabriel]

Yes, if only people would ditch the PS3 and engage in good, wholesome things like drugs, alcohol, and opium.

[Hyper_Eye]

O'Reilly is a hack. He always has been and always will be. I have felt for some time now that HE is the worst thing for America today.

[Ross PK]

Wow, imagine how things would be if he was the President?

[Room 34]

What O'Reilly doesn't seem to realize is that without the "computer geeks" he's dissing, the entire system would fall apart.

[sega saturn x]

the jihadists? They’re not playing the video games. They’re killing real people over there.

This really cracked me up, so we should drop our games and pick up guns instead? Idiot.

[Albert]

O'Reilly is an idiot, simple as that.

 

..Al

[neotokeo2001]

I actually was listening to him when he was talking about this. I don't think it was a specific bashing of videogames. He was taking about electronics in general focusing on videogames because of the PS3 fiasco.

 

The problem with this stuff is that some people can deal with it constructively… but other people get addicted to it, just like opium, just like drugs and alcohol… So this is a big, big problem. It’s going to change every single thing in this country.

 

He is right in that statement except for one small change:

 

The problem with this stuff is that some(some should be most) people can deal with it constructively… but other people get addicted to it.

 

There are a lot of people hopelessly addicted to videogames who are hurting their real life situation. Ever see a family destroyed because of Everquest/World of Warcraft? How about people addicted to the internet?

 

Most people who are not involved in gaming are clueless and that shows when they call in to a program like this. O' Reilly's point was that alot of people who are involved in gaming are doing so above all else and because of that they will have a lower standard of living due to not continuing with their education or pursuing anything above an entry level job. I have a few friends who are like this. Both play World of Warcraft from when they wake-up to when they go to work. I am sure they also talk about it all day at work. One has a custom license plate with his WOW name. He talks about these hot chicks he meets in WOW but has never had a girlfriend (25 years old) and reverts to his WOW character sometimes in real life. It is funny to watch but sad when you think about it.

 

So you better quit bashing O' Reilly and listen up. Forsake all of your Videogames, Your IPODs your new PS3's. I am really worried about the life that you are about to lead. For you older guys it's not to late to start over and live the life that you always wanted. I am here to help you start that new life!! Send all of your PS3's and other electronics to me and I will personally make sure that they never bother you again. PM me for the address.

[RickHarrisMaine]

I love how a guy who used to drunkenly call his secretary and tell her how he wanted to rub a loofah all over her is giving me a lecture in morality......what a dick....

[+remowilliams]

I love how a guy who used to drunkenly call his secretary and tell her how he wanted to rub a loofah all over her is giving me a lecture in morality......what a dick....

What you don't want to set your moral compass by this guy (nsfw) ?

 

I amazed that anyone would ever care what Shill O'Reilly and his asshole counterparts would ever have to say.

[2600Lives]

I loathe O'Reilly, along with Limbaugh. I say give them each a weapon and let the two fight to the death, then televise it. The winner gets a painless execution following the fight.

 

I especially loved the part about how, to escape reality today, we turn to machines instead of drugs. What, does he want us to all go hit a few lines of coke instead of booting up the ol' PS2? One of the reasons my mom always let me play games was that it kept me from doing other, more dangerous, more REAL things, like doing drugs and drinking and crap.

 

Seriously, someone needs to kill O'Reilly. Then they could sell his corpse on e-bay.

[+jetset]

Why is anyone here surprised?

O Reiley is a total assclown and mouthpiece for the right-wing media. If you're going to let anything that comes from his mouth offend you then you have problems.

[+jeremiahjt]

O'Reilly is awesome, love his show. I missed this one though. As far as wanting to see a guy killed because you don't agree with him, that is horrible. You're probably just a whiny liberal who doesn't like to hear anything unless it's from CNN.

[Lord Helmet]

What a worthless douche.

[starwardude]

Yes, if only people would ditch the PS3 and engage in good, wholesome things like drugs, alcohol, and opium.

YEAH! what he said!

 

 

I am here to help you start that new life!! Send all of your PS3's and other electronics to me and I will personally make sure that they never bother you again. PM me for the address.

I'll help you on that!

[Shannon]

Seriously, someone needs to kill O'Reilly. Then they could sell his corpse on e-bay.

 

 

You need to seriously take a step back from your computer and video games and go back to those drugs.

 

 

All said tongue in cheek.

 

Just a typical person (O'reilly) who has no understanding of video games. Sure they are an escape from reality. But how is that no different from coming home, kicking off your shoes, and turning on the boob toob (aka watching O'reilly).

[Hyper_Eye]

You're probably just a whiny liberal who doesn't like to hear anything unless it's from CNN.

 

And your probably some right-wing fanatic that reads Republican talking points for news (which is the same as watching Faux News anyway.) It can go both ways. When did this part of the forum resort to name calling? This thread looks like it should be moved to the Jaguar section.

[Jess Ragan]

"Basically what you have is a large portion of the population, mostly younger people under the age of 45, who don’t deal with reality - ever. So they don’t know what day it is; they don’t know temperature it is; they don’t know what their neighbor looks like. They don’t know anything… because they are constantly diverted by a machine."

 

Well, Bill, there's an easy way to deal with machines that make people hopelessly stupid.

 

(turns off television set)

 

JR

[Inky]

Why is anyone here surprised?

O Reiley is a total assclown and mouthpiece for the right-wing media. If you're going to let anything that comes from his mouth offend you then you have problems.

 

 

Still trying to find this right-wing media you speak of, but the only thing remotely close to it is Fox news. And even that's offset by the left leaning Fox network.

[Inky]

As far as wanting to see a guy killed because you don't agree with him, that is horrible. Y

 

Agreed. That was an uncalled for comment. I don't wish death on Hillary, Durbin, Michael Moore, Clooney, Madonna... Hell, 90% of the movie and music industry.

[+jetset]

Why is anyone here surprised?

O Reiley is a total assclown and mouthpiece for the right-wing media. If you're going to let anything that comes from his mouth offend you then you have problems.

 

 

Still trying to find this right-wing media you speak of, but the only thing remotely close to it is Fox news. And even that's offset by the left leaning Fox network.

 

Turn on a television inkster. Pick your network.

[+jeremiahjt]

You're probably just a whiny liberal who doesn't like to hear anything unless it's from CNN.

 

And your probably some right-wing fanatic that reads Republican talking points for news (which is the same as watching Faux News anyway.) It can go both ways. When did this part of the forum resort to name calling? This thread looks like it should be moved to the Jaguar section.

 

I didn't call him a name, I labeled him.

[2600Lives]

I'm FAR from a liberal. I totally support the death penalty and crackdowns on illegal immigration. I'm 100% against gun control. Hell, if it were up to me, I'd have every prison in the US scourged clean of the filth that inhabits it. I consider myself more of a centrist (and maybe even leaning a little towards the right), but one thing I will NOT stand for is the revoking of our freedoms.

 

One of the things I long to eventually see is the complete and total removal of all religion in our politics and our media, though I know it'll never happen. Once that happens, we can finally call ourselves a true free nation. Seriously, what the hell is letting gay people marry going to do to America? The right-wingers seem to think that it's going to degrade our society so much that we're going to be vulnerable to a takeover or some crap. It's not gonna matter to me whether two women want to tie the knot. My life hasn't been affected in the least.

 

O'Reilly is one of the bunch of morons who believes that our freedoms should be restricted because of the so-called "moral fiber" of a small (and getting smaller all the time) group of people. Americans have a habit of eliminating those that stand between them and their freedoms.

 

I sense this thread getting locked very soon...