5 replies to this topic

[Buffdaddy]

Just figured I'd post a link to a recent article. I highly doubt that Slate is something widely read by people here, but it still reaches a wide audience. And it seemed a constructive discussion of issues that have been talked about on here before, as opposed to just a complaint, so I figured it was worth mentioning.

Soft Power: The terrifying awesomeness of Nerf guns, darts, swords, and axes.

[Daniel Beaver]

Interestingly, the comments seem more level-headed and insightful than the article itself. Sort of a rarity on Internet news sites.

[taerKitty]

The one contributing factoid to his posturing is that 'science' has noted that the nature of play with guns and blasters tended toward the simpler and simpler, with participants just wildly blasting away. Perhaps that's the way it is with office Nerf, where the goals are to build camaraderie and blow off stress. In well-run wars, there are most definitely rules, goals, and structure.

TL;DR form: it may be true, but not with us.

[Ambience 327]

My father holds that kids shot each other with toy guns even before real guns were invented. My three-year old son's actions do nothing to dissuade this notion in either my father nor myself.

[taerKitty]

On a tangentially related note, it appears some wit (or witlack, depending) tried to spread the rumour that the International Committee of the Red Cross was going to investigate gamers for 'virtual war crimes', and either same or another now-discredited source sought to link this rumour to Nerf wars as well.

Anyhow, in http://www.businessw...s/D9RGDK800.htm

The International Committee of the Red Cross says media reports that it is investigating whether the Geneva Conventions apply to video games are false.

The Swiss-based humanitarian group assured gamers Thursday that "serious violations of the laws of war can only be committed in real-life situations."

[canuck]

My father holds that kids shot each other with toy guns even before real guns were invented. My three-year old son's actions do nothing to dissuade this notion in either my father nor myself.

Well it sure beats miming a bow and arrow.