Oklahoma senator Tom Coburn attacking videogames

So let's me ask something: Does USA lack historical museums or ones like that are museum for rocks? I think video games are art, but now that I think of it, even if they weren't, why there couldn't be museum for them O-o Does USA do museums only for art? .-. That can't be right, you do have historical museums...

edited 25th Feb '12 6:01:11 AM by SpookyMask

What profit is it to a man, when he gains his money, but loses his internet? Anonymous 16:26 I believe...

I'm trying to find a connection between having a dark history (which basically every country has) and not wanting to build museums. Can't think of one.

So you're saying that other nations founded by European powers didn't have dark histories? That we should pretend we had no history at all because of that? Or that slavery, oppression of native cultures, and wars were anything new by the time the USA was founded? That's pathetic argument.

Museums are extremely common in this country and they cater to just about every aspect of culture, from art, to science, to history. I'm not seeing why a museum dedicated to videogames would be any different to one dedicated to film. They've been an important part of world culture for the better part of four decades now. It's time to stop pretending that they're some new "waste of time" and recognize them as the artform they are.

edited 25th Feb '12 6:19:21 AM by Geostomp

"When you do things right, people won't be sure you've done anything at all" Futurama, Godfellas

What profit is it to a man, when he gains his money, but loses his internet? Anonymous 16:26 I believe...

America has plenty of museums. D.C. alone has the Smithsonian and the National Mall, which is like a dozen museums all by itself. I'm pretty sure there's a branch in New York. There are also historical sites, like historic Williamsburg in Virginia, where people dress up and reenact what life was like in the Colonial and Revolutionary eras. Philadelphia also has museums about early U.S. history as well as Independence Hall.

As for the West Coast, I don't know. I know there's a historical site near Brigham Young University, as well as other Mormon sites in the Midwest but I'm certain they're owned by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (well except Kirtland, which I think is owned by the Community of Christ) and they wouldn't be receiving federal funding. There are also the National Parks, but they're not exactly museums.

Anyway, yeah, article is overblown, yadayadayada, move along. The museum isn't a waste of money if it's working, the Constitution does say that Congress is to promote science and art and games are both, so this is actually one of its jobs. Yes, I'm aware it specifies that they are to promote them by securing patents and trademarks. I think it's still in the spirit of the Constitution.

... I'd just like to point out that there are museums for rap and movies.

"It's so hard to be humble, knowing how great I am."

Hold on, besides Spooky Mask's post, where are museums entering into this? I'm not seeing it.

So. Let's all pause for a moment to smell what the Rock was, is, and forever will be... cooking.—Cave Johnson

Its not an anti-museum sentiment ( beyond typical economic downturn dislike for government funding of anything ). Its the video game ghetto that still holds on. Lots of people are still unwilling to consider that video games are a legitimate form of art and culture, mainly for the reason that they were invented after they were born.

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Jonah Falcon

This is a thread about videogames. Knock off the national and political attacks. You're getting a bit too heated.

edited 25th Feb '12 8:29:35 AM by shimaspawn

Reality is that, which when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away. -Philip K. Dick

However, the article (and that quote) was about a failed tax on games.

I have a message from another time...

$100k? lol. indie games probably need more funding than that.

It should be noted, in regards to Coburn's comments, that music, movies and books deemed "historically relevant" are preserved. Now, if he believes it's wasteful spending for government to do that, as well, so be it. If he wants to come out and say that the government has no role in the preservation of Elvis's music, or Mr. Smith Goes To Washington, then hey, I may not necessarily agree with him, but it's a valid position.

But if it's only video games that he's targeting, then he's simply wrong. Pac-Man is just as historically relevant as Elvis. Chrono Trigger is as artistically relevant as Mr. Smith. Old people like Coburn, with no understanding at all of video games, may not be able to see the artistic and historical relevance. Someone needs to sit them down and make them watch someone playing Limbo, or Portal, or Bioshock.

X-Men X-Pert, my blog where I talk about X-Men comics.

As far as the government is concerned 100k is a drop in the bucket.

Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.

.*sigh* another one of these?*reads article*

I'm baaaaaaack