Gearheads of War

Ok, I have had this thought recently.  If games are the current whipping boy about the violence and mature content ruining the youth of America, and the rest of the world what is next?  In the past there were books being blamed on the demise of the youth, books like Catcher in the Rye were met with hositility towards it, much like GTA today.  Then Rock and Roll degraded the youth of the world.  Then movies, then TV with too much violence and sex (OMG not sex) and now video games.  But what will take video games place.  The internet?  I don't think so, too many people seem to lump video games and the internet together.  But I guess it could be the Internet 2, maybe?  This thought has me somewhat worried, because people will rag on games until the next thing comes along.  I guess the one other thing that might stop it, is when my sons generation (he is 11) grows up and they are not scared of games, but that will be another ~20 years.  Or, is it my generation (I am almost 40)that has to stop the insanity .  (ha ha ha, haven't heard that in about 20 years.)  

The other thing that really bothers me, especially lately is that books and movies are not dragged into this video games mess.  IF (Big IF) the Federal government (NO way in hell they should) ends up regulating games, then books and movies should follow suit.  All my life people have always said that books are the most potent media for instilling, visualizing, or motivating any one into doing anything; books need to be treated like video games.  I get the same feelings when I read as when I am in a game.  Movies are the same way, they are just much shorter in duration, but a well made and produced movie can really enrapture me and sweep me away completely like a game or book can.  So as I see it, the three are linked in that regard.  For instance, my 11 year old, 6th grade, brought home from his school library Stone of Tears, by Terry Goodkind.  I have read this book twice and feel that most 6th graderes should not be reading that book, in my mind that book rates an M for sure, maybe even an AO.  But nobody has a problem with this, at least as far as I can tell, because it is a book, protected by the 1st Amendment, as are games.  I didn't freak out, because I knew my son really wouldn't be able to get through the book, as the themes and the way it is written really are for adults.  He tried to read it but didn't get too far.  As for those who are wondering why it would be an M rated book, Blood, Gore, Srong Violence, Sexual overtones, rape, some mild sex and some very evil characters.  So any way, where are the people who are up in arms about a game, lets say like Crackdown when an 11 year old plays that, OMG he is going to become a physcopath, but say nothing after he brings home a book like that from his school library?  Hell, most people wouldn't have a clue, because the book isn't rated!

Any way I have went on a long time but I am worried about my beloved hobby of video games being the whipping boy until the next thing come along, but I don't know what the next thing is?  Nanotechnology, gene modificiation, cloning???  Any way thanks for reading and let me know what you think.  Thanks.