Another interesting story this week from the Los Angeles Times concerned video games and the changes in the entertainment industry. "Watching Ourselves Steal Cars," By Thomas de Zengotita a contributing editor at Harper's Magazine, was a quirky, insightful look at Young America and the interactive entertainment that is the video game. Zengotita first compares the numbers of people who watch movies versus those that rent or buy video games. "No wonder they're making more and more movies based on video games, rather than the other way around," commented Zengotita, due to the skyrocketing number of video game consumed by Americans. Zengotita attributes the rising consumption to the fact that teenagers can participate in video games, taking control of what's on the screen and being able to determine the outcome. In contrast, movies and television allow no such opportunity because the outcome is predetermined and have nothing to do with participation from the viewer. Zengotita talks about the violence of such games, letting teenagers who would not normally steal a car, do so with no reprocussions except the fun of the game. Also, he cleverly ties in reality TV in which former viewers can actaully be on thier favortie shows. These "revolutions" may be changing the way we perceive entertainment forever. Zengotita's ability to see and examine this revolution is commendable.

http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/opinion/la-op-video6nov06,1,3404796.story