Knife City

The Met has brought out a new anti-knife campaign (the weapon of choice for most hoolies in this non-gun society of ours): it uses the videogame medium to get the message across, ending with the tag line CARRYING A KNIFE: IT'S NOT A GAME.

The site is top quality, and the video is extremely well produced. The message, I think, is excellent. The target audience is clear - urban hoodie-wearing kids (popularly demonised in the UK on a regular basis). I think it could have a pretty strong impact on kids - it'll certainly speak to them... yup, I think the Met's being very clever here. Jeez, there's even a PSP version of the vid!

At the same time, I'm sure there will be fears that this may (again) undermine videogames as a valuable cultural medium, reducing them (again) to killing-simulators. It's tricky, having this side-by-side comparison of gritty real life with a fictional gritty urban "game". Do you think folk will draw more conclusions from this that games are teaching kids to knife each other? Or was it chosen because games are an ideal cultural medium to teach a message?

Tricky.

Comments

Now, if I'd been shown that at random with no clue about the message I'd have guessed it was against violence in games. Dave got the actual message but had the benefit of watching it from the Met's website, and he didn't see the bit at the end where the young fella flashes into an avatar a few more times. That bit makes things muddy.

[Jen]

Oops, Typekey timed out on me there.

[James]

Speaking as a teenager, I don't think that video would really influence its intended audience. The video is too obvious in its message. If you want to reach teenagers, you can't let them know that what they are watching is propaganda. Teenagers hate propaganda. That said, the video was pretty well done, even if it does miss its target.

[Stealth43]

That seems an absurd course of action, and it misses the point.

In the U.S. no one thinks you are evil for wearing a hoodie, in fact in the fall and spring all the fashionable Penn kids wear hoodies. Of course WE seem to freak out over people who wear XXL when they should be wearing S.

As for knives (and guns), politicians are ignorant if they really think that banning them or punishing people for having them will make a difference. Weapons, in and of themselves are neither good nor bad. They are simply a means to an end. Killing or injuring is in and of itself neither good nor bad. The REAL deciding factor is what the underlying cause of the actions are. That is, self-defence, defence of others, or provoked or un-provoked killing without just cause.

A population is no more safe without guns or knives than with them. Criminals and those normally law-abiding citizens and subjects who have decided to make a physical response to whatever their circumstances might be, will make said physical response regardless of whether guns or knives are available. Explosives (easily made using simple recipes), poisons (easily made as well), and blunt objects are all alternative methods of executing the same physical response. In the case of the first two, the potential for missing the intended target, or killing not only the target, but others as well, is just as high (if not higher) than with guns. Should we then ban all common chemicals, agents, (and in the case of blunt objects) objects;) ?

The answer is no. Of course our fore-fathers recognised this, but politicians arent interested in doing the 'right' thing, but only that which makes them look good. The answer is good education, an effective and fair justice system, and swift and harsh punishment for those who violate basic principles of human rights. After all, (and to finish with two popular cliches) no matter if weapons are outlawed, criminals will still be able to obtain them, and a government must fear its populace, not the other way around.

This isnt to tell the great folks reading this in Britain how they should run their country, may I never be so ignorant. I know that I hate it when people from other countries tell Americans how they should be living their lives. I simply am sharing my perspective from accross the pond.

[Jonathan]

Must.. resist ..

[Alice]

You know what's really weird - I think this was shot just outside my house. Uploading pics..

[ro]

Has anyone seen the Kotaku post about this - I cant respond there because i'm not popular enough to get myself a login, (boo!) but someone (*cough* Alice) needs to set 'em straight, this isn't an anti-videogame message at all as far as I can tell..

[Alice]

Hehe Ro - email me (link up right) and I'll get you a login!

A.

[James]

I agree with Stealth43. Gun and knife control causes more problems than it solves.

It is funny how hoodies are a positive status symbol in America but a negative one in Britain.

[Stealth43]

Don't get me wrong. I'm not stupid enough to think that there shouldnt be any laws on guns and knives, I just think that the current state of affairs appears to address the symptoms, rather than the underlying problems.

And ro, Alice can hook you up with a login, or ask BDC (the Editor) by hitting him up at editor {at] kotaku.com

[FuzzBuck Fuzz]

...ok, ok, i know I'm late joining in on this oe, but couldn't resist.

The problem prevalent in uk cities is that of a knife culture. Trying to alter this culture is no small mountian to climb, and i feel that this is at least a start in trying to combat that. I don't think it's message is an anti-gaming one. It's anti-knife ;)

[anonymus]

omg we had to watch it at school every1 was shocked and to add we also had to c some absolutely horryfying knife wounds no1 will 4get dat

[fdfdsfsd]

i think its not right cuz he didnt do anything but i think its bad nd its against the law