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Games Government Entertainment Politics

Video Game Characters to Get Out the Vote 368

Posted by Zonk from the vote-mario-in-2004 dept.
Thanks to Gamasutra for the heads up about a political music video starring video game characters that is to start airing on MTV today. The newest "Choose or Lose" video will feature characters from popular video games such as The Sims and BloodRayne and is intended to encourage youth voters to show up at the polls. The video will air for the first time on MTV today on TRL, and afterwards can be seen on the MTV Choose or Lose site. This follows closely on the heels of MTV2's Video Mods series, which uses video game footage for the visuals in music videos.
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Video Game Characters to Get Out the Vote More

Video Game Characters to Get Out the Vote

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  • If it takes video game characters (Score:5, Insightful)

    by hsmith ( 818216 ) on Wednesday October 06, 2004 @10:02AM (#10450538)
    to get people to vote, obviously they don't need to be voting.

    An informed public is far better than one that just votes to vote

    • Re:If it takes video game characters (Score:5, Insightful)

      by BillyZ ( 169879 ) on Wednesday October 06, 2004 @10:05AM (#10450582)
      So you are then implying that gamers are uninformed? Simply because someone needs motivation to vote, does not necessarily mean they are also uninformed.
      • It really is somewhat scary. In the beginning gamers controlled games. Then games started controlling gamers. Now games are (somewhat) trying to modify government via their gamers....

        Oh my.... Oh well. Can't talk now. Something is telling me to go play pong....

      • Re:If it takes video game characters (Score:5, Insightful)

        by GoofyBoy ( 44399 ) on Wednesday October 06, 2004 @10:23AM (#10450803) Journal
        They are uninformed how important their vote is.

        If they lack this basic knowledge, how would they know about the real, deep, political issues are?

        • Re:If it takes video game characters (Score:4, Insightful)

          by SilentChris ( 452960 ) on Wednesday October 06, 2004 @11:15AM (#10451461) Homepage
          "They are uninformed how important their vote is."

          Yes, and we all know gamers are the only classification of people this applies to. *rolls eyes*.

          From my perspective, 9 out of 10 of my gamer friends know how to build their own machines, have good-paying jobs, and know their vote is important.

        • Re:If it takes video game characters (Score:4, Insightful)

          by goon america ( 536413 ) on Wednesday October 06, 2004 @11:17AM (#10451489) Homepage Journal
          Who says that non-gamers that vote know anything about real, deep political issues?

        • Re:If it takes video game characters (Score:5, Insightful)

          by The-Bus ( 138060 ) on Wednesday October 06, 2004 @11:19AM (#10451514)
          I'll bite.

          First off, using video game characters to promote voting is not different than any Toby Keith video, warmed over Good Morning America "news piece", Ann Coulter radio "interview", or misinformed blog rehashing other people's opinions before forming their own.

          Secondly, what are the "real" "deep" "political" "issues" you speak of? The economy, of which the president has extremely limited control? Quotas in higher education? Healthcare and social security? Taxes? Iraq? Immigration? National park use? War record? Homeland security? Religion? Elementary education? Tariffs? Outsourcing? Unions? Control over the media? The Patriot Act? DMCA? Broadband for everyone? NASA? Reparations? Bank reform? Abortion? Homosexuality? Your "real" issues are not other people's "real" issues, and vice versa. Some people might vote because Bush is a Republican and they always vote Republican. Or they vote for Kerry because of REAP. Or they vote for X because of BCD, etc.

          To somehow believe that your vote is more important because you have a different level of knowledge of certain issues is a bit ignorant. If you have thorough knowledge on every issue, please make a website with that information to inform others.

        • Re:If it takes video game characters (Score:5, Insightful)

          by Felinoid ( 16872 ) on Wednesday October 06, 2004 @11:51AM (#10451893) Homepage Journal
          They are uninformed how important their vote is.

          If they lack this basic knowledge, how would they know about the real, deep, political issues are?

          Most people I've known who don't vote do so not out of ignorence of the vote but of knowladge.

          "My one vote won't make a diffrence"

          It's apathy and what most people don't realise is the wise lead by example. Even when it's a bad example.

          One less vote becomes 50, becomes 1,000.
          But nobody really seams to understand that.

          Your one vote dosen't make for a hill of beans. It's the people who vote folowing your example that make it count.

          However one might wonder what example is set by a yellow circle with an eating disorder.

      • Re:If it takes video game characters (Score:5, Insightful)

        by gfxguy ( 98788 ) on Wednesday October 06, 2004 @10:30AM (#10450887)
        So you have someone who is not motivated by current events, not motivated by friends, family, and teachers...

        But they are motivated by a fictional video game character... I agree with the grandparent post.

        I think people ought to be able to demonstrate a basic knowledge of how our election process works, and who their politicians are (senators and representatives). I'm not talking about 100 question test, I'm asking: who are your senators and congressman? Who is your governer? Who is the vice president and speaker of the house? How is a representative elected? How is that different from how the president is elected?

        Also explain to me how a picture ID shouldn't be required for first time voters... we are all concerned about voting machine fraud, what about rampant voter fraud?
        • "I think people ought to be able to demonstrate a basic knowledge of how our election process works, "
          I thinking going to vote is a pretty good demonstration that they understand how the process works!

          So you have someone who is not motivated by current events, not motivated by friends, family, and teachers...

          But they are motivated by a fictional video game character... I agree with the grandparent post.
          So then what about someone who's not motivated by games, nor family, nor current events, but is motiv
          • Are you being facetious? You're talking about the difference between being motivated by a real person or a fictional character?

            Are you going to vote against George Bush because your favorite cartoon character is gay? How about one of your friends or a sibling? Do you really not see the difference?

          • Re:If it takes video game characters (Score:4, Insightful)

            by Chris Carollo ( 251937 ) on Wednesday October 06, 2004 @10:58AM (#10451254)
            Motivating someone to vote is a respectable goal no matter what the means.
            Well that's a bit of a ridiculous statement -- I doubt you'd support my motivating someone to vote via the use of a shotgun.

            I think one of the points that are trying to be made is that voting, in and of itself, isn't a worthy goal. Being informed enough to want to voice your political opinion is the goal that we should be shooting for. If you're voting simply because you feel obligated to or because it's "cool" without taking the time to actually educate yourself on the issues and form a coherent, defensible position...you're doing no favors to your country.

            I've always found the "rock the vote"-type efforts to be somewhat putting the cart ahead of the horse -- voting isn't what we should be encouraging -- developing a political opinion that citizens want to voice is.

            • Re:If it takes video game characters (Score:4, Interesting)

              by BillyZ ( 169879 ) on Wednesday October 06, 2004 @11:50AM (#10451885)
              This is what is frustrating me.
              Being informed enough to want to voice your political opinion is the goal that we should be shooting for.
              Someones level of motivation and their level of knowledge have absolutely nothing to do with each other. I could be 100% for or against a particular candidate for, by your standards even, "a well informed reason". But just don't think it matters if I vote. Perhaps the couple of elections I witnessed, the candidate I would have voted for, had I voted, got elected so I don't think I need to vote. These are the people that SHOULD VOTE. They have an opinion, they ARE informed, they just don't think their vote counts or matters. You and I know this isn't true, and we're trying to INFORM THEM that it isn't true. Why is convincing people that their vote matters a bad thing?
        • Sounds good to me! Just so long as those that are not allowed to participate in the creation of laws due to failing the test are also not bound by those laws that they have no voice in shaping.

          Failing test scores, here I come!
        • Also explain to me how a picture ID shouldn't be required for first time voters... we are all concerned about voting machine fraud, what about rampant voter fraud?

          In Indiana first-time voters in each precinct are required to provide proof of identity before they can vote. We moved a year and a half ago, now both my wife and I have to take proof of ID with us to vote this time around. Driver's license, State ID, utility bill with correct name and address are all acceptible (and maybe a few others). Nex

    • Some people never learned the importance of voting (Score:5, Interesting)

      by TrentL ( 761772 ) on Wednesday October 06, 2004 @10:14AM (#10450690) Homepage
      I used to be of the mindset that if you need to be encouraged to vote, you shouldn't be voting. But I've since changed my mind.

      No one is born realizing the importance of voting. Somewhere, you are socialized, and you come to believe that voting is important. Maybe it was due to school, or family, or friends. But not everyone has that experience. Some people come from families were there was no pattern of voting. Or their schools sucked and never talked about it.

      So that's why I do support these "unconventional" methods. And I think you should, too. When a large segment of the population feels disconnected from their government, the entire society becomes unstable.
      • The problem in this particular case is that people are not motivated by parents, teachers, other family members, friends, or all the headlines... but they are motivated by a fictional video game character? That is scary.

        The truth is these ads are pointless - if someone's not motivated to vote by real life events, I think a very small number will actually be swayed by a fictional game character. It boils down to just a giant waste of money... another "public service" that was not completely thought throug
        • I agree that someone who's not motivated by ANYTHING else and sees these commercials is probably not going to be motivated by the commercial alone.

          What about the millions of fence sitters? The people who are a little motivated by current events; a little motivated by their family; a little motivated by friends. What about when they see hte commercial and this motivates them a little more? Is that a bad thing?

    • Re:If it takes video game characters (Score:5, Insightful)

      by mcmonkey ( 96054 ) on Wednesday October 06, 2004 @10:18AM (#10450739) Homepage
      What is the standard? How informed is informed enough? When is an opinion enough of an opinion? So voting based on the last yard sign I saw isn't enough. Is listening to talk radio? Reading one newspaper a day? Reading slashdot?

      I respond to every time someone presumes to have some standard on who should vote and who is better off staying home. None of the big shots who presume to tell other people they shouldn't vote ever steps up with some specifics.

      What is the standard for "an informed public"?
      • What is the standard for "an informed public"?

        When you agree with me, of course.

      • I respond to every time someone presumes to have some standard on who should vote and who is better off staying home.

        Oh, I have a standard on who should vote and who shouldn't... though it's just my opinion, and I am not proposing to impose it or any other standard on voters. Voting should be open to all.

        However, I agree with the guy who says that it's a bit silly to ask people to go vote for the sake of voting, i.e. "go and mark any old box on the ballot with the red pencil". I think uninformed peo

        • think uninformed people shouldn't vote, but I do not propose to bar them from voting. Rather, I propose we encourage them to inform themselves, rather than just 'go vote'

          So what is standard? Lots of posts saying uninformed people shouldn't vote, but no body wants to back it with any specifics.

          Ever consider that voting is part of the informing process? Yeah, it's nice to think someone could get informed and then vote. But is it really so bad if someone responds to some "get out the vote" campaign or

      • What is the standard for "an informed public"?

        I don't know, but trying to use video game characters on MTV to get people to "just vote, we don't care who for, just vote for anyone/anything" is pretty much the standard for an uninformed voter.

        Of course, some people call you a facist for saying such ridiculous things.
        • I don't know, but trying to use video game characters on MTV to get people to "just vote, we don't care who for, just vote for anyone/anything" is pretty much the standard for an uninformed voter.

          Well, I don't know if you are a facist or not, but that is a ridiculous thing to say. What is so unifmored about a non-partisan campaign to get out the vote?

          I believe when enough people do it, voting can make a difference. I encourage everyone I can to vote. And it is more important to me that they do vote,

      • Ok, here you go... in my opinion , people ought not be allowed to vote until they can demonstrate they know:
        1. Who their representative and senators are,
        2. Who their governer is,
        3. Who the current president and vice president are,
        4. The difference between how their vote is counted for their representative and how it is counted for president and vice president.

        I don't think that's too much to ask, and it's something someone can learn reading a piece of paper while waiting on line to vote.

        It's not a matter of being te

    • If it takes video game characters to get people to vote, obviously they don't need to be voting.

      It's not like Mario came out and endorsed a candidate... it would be cool if he did, but it hasn't happened... yet.

      An informed public is far better than one that just votes to vote

      What?!!?!?!

      What do you say to those people out there that vote on one issue like abortion, gay marriage or flag burning... seems to me that no matter where you stand on these issues you must first get a Constitutional amendment o
    • I think this is a rather flippant judgement to pass on everyone who passes up their right to vote. The idea that voting should be reserved for some (educated/wealthy/"qualified") elite is disturbing.

      The people who run your country affect everyone in it. The arguments of "if politics affect you, you vote of course" are shallow and miss the real point.

      This ad is obviously aimed at MTVs core demographic with the ability to vote, namely those between 18-25 years old. This is a group in transition between chil
    • Being completely informed in this modern world requires far more time than any single person has, let alone a person with a normal job and social life. That's why "politician" is a full-time job in and of itself. The problem is that people simply don't care about voting and don't believe that doing it will have any effect.

      We already have B-list celebrities doing voting PSAs, video game characters isn't too far of a leap.
    • It apparently takes video game characters that appear in Playboy to get people to vote! Freud would have a field day with this one!
  • useless link requires a login! Anyone have a mirror?

    • Not much to mirror (Score:3, Informative)

      by smaug195 ( 535681 )
      MTV has announced the release of "Stand and Choose," a non-partisan, animated music video created in co-operation with 12 major video game publishers, and featuring more than 50 video game characters encouraging young people to vote in the upcoming Presidential election. According to the press release, "Stand and Choose" features what are described as "some of the most popular video game characters", including the stars of The Sims, BloodRayne, Mortal Kombat, SSX3, Leisure Suit Larry, Sonic Heroes, SpongeB
      • Thank you.

        (and what is this "must wait 20 seconds after you hit Reply"? It only takes me 2 seconds to type "Thank you."!)
      • So let's start figuring out what characters would vote for whom. :-P I mean, it'd seem pretty straightforward to me that Sam Fisher would be a die-hard Bush fan, but beyond that it seems pretty hazy. What would Spongebob care anyway, he lives in a pineapple in the sea, I don't think he's got to be too concerned about taxation and homeland security. He'd probably be more concerned about underwater nuclear bomb tests though, which I guess would put him in the Kerry camp.

        (Slow, slow day at work. :-p)

  • Don't blame me (Score:5, Funny)

    by JUSTONEMORELATTE ( 584508 ) on Wednesday October 06, 2004 @10:02AM (#10450545) Homepage
    ... I voted for Lara and Sonic

    --
    Free gmail invites [slashdot.org]

    • To what party would they belong? (Score:4, Funny)

      by Chagatai ( 524580 ) on Wednesday October 06, 2004 @10:40AM (#10451002) Homepage
      Let's see:

      Mario and Luigi: While they are independent contractors and likely own their own LLC for their plumbing business, they would side heavily with the unions. Besides, their gratuitous use of "mushrooms" would tend to look for a party with some liberal laws. My guess? Democratic

      Link: Heavily independent, but believes in the maxim that there is always a damsel in distress. Tends to alter the time-space continuum. Republican

      Lara Croft: Big on guns, big elsewhere, too. Values the ability to use her body any way she pleases and keep her prized possessions to herself. Libertarian

      Donkey Kong: Takes a stand that no one should be in his jungles, going so far as to take hostages and have rescue parties sent in. If you ignore the fact that he is a monkey, he has some decent environmental goals. Green

  • Here's the thing I don't get about MTV. (Score:3, Insightful)

    by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 06, 2004 @10:02AM (#10450546)
    Is it that I got old, or does it actually suck as unrepentantly, and unrelentingly as it appears to?
    • I'm 23, which I don't think is TOO old for the target demographic. But I am old enough to remember the early '90s MTV of grunge, late-night electronica, Beavis & Butt-Head, and quirky off-beat videos of music you wouldn't necessarily hear on mainstream radio.

      I'm also old enough to vaguely remember '80s MTV, which was an interesting beast that confused my child brain. I think it's funny that Martha Quinn was a sex symbol to some. Now, you have to be an over-polished "model" with 8 pounds of makeup.

    • In short - MTV has sucked since around 1988. MTV2 was only a weak copy of the original MTV, and rapidly faded away as well. Today, Fuse offers some hope as a music video station, at least they play new music.

      Here's a question though - why can you only get Viacom video music stations? Just recently, Mush Music America (why was there a different station for the US? They're in the same time zones and speak the same language for all intents!) became Fuse, whom I do not know the owner of. Why can't my satellite

    • Re:Here's the thing I don't get about MTV. (Score:5, Interesting)

      by robochan ( 706488 ) on Wednesday October 06, 2004 @11:07AM (#10451379) Homepage
      About a million years ago, back in 1992, MTV was actually partially reasponible for getting the 1st President Bush out of office.

      Way back then, the USA had been involved a war in the Middle East. The folks fighting it weren't quite aware of actually who they were fighting for. At that time, a young politician from Arkansas came to light, and MTV went all out - personal interviews, polls to their audience, even a personal audience with said candidate, with questions from the audience. Sure not all the questions were relevant (boxers or briefs?), but the candidate was brought directly to the audience by a fairly major force in their lives - in terms they could relate to. A young candidate being brought to a young voting constituency in a way that had never been seen before. That candidate's opposition basically shrugged that audience off... and paid the price.

      MTV was pretty big back then, but back then they also actually showed videos too. MTV news actually consisted of something more than just record release party announcements. Kurt Loder actually seemed like a real, authoritative, news anchor - or at least sincere one - not some snotty kid in glasses and a t-shirt with a microphone.

      The Rock The Vote campaign they (co)sponsored back then was amazingly effective. It brought a huge voting population onto the scene, which would normally be apathetic, and tried to educate them - at least to some extent, even if it was one-sided. These days it's half-hearted at best. Recycled slogans with little or nothing to back them up.

      I can almost understand why the younger folks are more apathetic these days. I remember a time when I really thought people with important titles, important positions, and who made important decisions were people to be respected and listened to. Now it seems more and more evident the world is a global high school for super rich men with unlimited resources to fling poo at each other, and the only thing we little bitty humans can do is say...
      "Damn. It smells like shit in here."

  • Halo Vote (Score:5, Funny)

    by grunt107 ( 739510 ) on Wednesday October 06, 2004 @10:03AM (#10450549)
    So for whom is the Master Chief voting? I'll wager Republican, since the military likes to vote that way.
    • So for whom is the Master Chief voting?

      Nice grammar!

      Well done. Well done.

  • My Eyes! (Score:5, Funny)

    by Geek of Tech ( 678002 ) on Wednesday October 06, 2004 @10:03AM (#10450552) Homepage Journal
    Am I the only person that read that as "Video Game Characters get to vote"? I was really starting to get worried there.

    Of course, that could explain the sudden demand for electronic voting....

    • Yeah, if videogames could vote then we'd be at the mercy of the Lemmings, between them accounting for 96% of the voting share.

  • It's a bit sad... (Score:5, Insightful)

    by smaug195 ( 535681 ) on Wednesday October 06, 2004 @10:03AM (#10450560)
    I just think it's a sad statement on your country when you have to use every big name rapper, actor, and now video game characters, in order to get people to just register to vote.

    • Re:It's a bit sad... (Score:4, Insightful)

      by PhrostyMcByte ( 589271 ) <phrosty@gmail.com> on Wednesday October 06, 2004 @10:13AM (#10450675) Homepage
      Kids in high school don't want to watch political debates, they want to watch MTV. Hell, I dont know of much adults that want to watch the debates.

      If this can help us spark a little interest in would-be voters, why not do it.
    • Sad statement? What does that even mean? I realize it's popular nowdays on Slashdot to condescend to Americans, but I don't see how it's sad at all. What's sad is having less than abysmal voter turnout, which in our country has been gradually slipping down over decades to less than 50%. At this point, it's not that people aren't *informed*, it's that they are *apathetic*. If it takes some lights and shiny objects to get them interested again, by using what they are *already interested in*, what exactly is
      • If it takes some lights and shiny objects to get them interested again, by using what they are *already interested in*, what exactly is sad about that? I'd say it's a pretty smart way of beginning to reverse the downward slide of voter participation.

        Why is it such a big goddamn tragedy if lots of people don't vote. The election will stil occur, and the people who WANT to vote WILL vote.

        I'd rather not have people who are swayed by cartoon characters and gangstas making decisions affecting my life, thanks
    • You're right, it is sad. It's sad that we'd identify more with fictional chararacters telling us to vote than with the pathetic presidential candidates. On one hand we have Mr. Big Oil who can't form a sentence, and on the other we have Mr. Big Condiments who's never had to work a day in his life, who got a purple heart for a self-inflicted injury... Jesus fucking christ. It's true what Doug Adams said, no one who wants the job is qualified. Has it occurred to anyone else that picking the president by lotte
    • The fact that only 50% of the population bother to vote is a reflection of the lack of political representation.

      http://www.fairvote.org/factshts/wta-va.htm

  • By all means vote if you have an opinion (Score:5, Insightful)

    by cerebralsugar ( 203167 ) * on Wednesday October 06, 2004 @10:04AM (#10450563)
    Another get out and vote drive. It's cool they use video game characters. But I can't help but feel these "public service announcments" are politically motivated.

    Before I seem like a troll, lets consider:

    Anyone who is not a felon, at least 18, and not an african american from florida, can register to vote. *drumroll*! I'm just kidding. That last part was uncalled for. But disenfranchised voters is another discussion, and a more serious one. So lets just say, most people who are 18 and not in jail can vote. They have the right. Politically motivated disenfranchising laws aside.

    Why do we care if people vote or not? Why do we try to chide them into it? If you are directly affected by the policies of your elected officials, you will probably vote. If you don't care, why should you be made to vote?

    And then they have these voter drives. Why does MTV care if their viewers vote? I'm guessing somewhere somebody has statistics that shows men 18-24 or whatever their demographic is, is "predominatly left" or "predominantly right". So, lets use propaganda to mobilize them. Lets mobilize a flock of voters that carry our view.

    Its dumb, if you care vote, if you don't, don't. I certainly don't care if you do or not. The only crime is if you do care and you don't vote.

    A much more serious issue is voter disenfranchisement - people who do care, who would vote, who are silenced. That is a huge issue. Why dont we see any commercials with video game charactars that say "voter disenfranchisment is bad"?

    I like civic participation but i'm for civic knowledge first, if you don't care, don't go in and blindly pick because MTV tells you too! That doesn't help anyone.
    • People who watch MTV typically don't think for themselves.
    • Viacom, as all liberal media, want to redistribute wealth to lower socio-economic classes so that they can consume more and the advertisers can pay more for the commercials.

      This is due to the lower marginal savings rates for people that don't make much or any money, where as wealthier ($75k+) start having a higher savings rate, which means they aren't buying as much as they make. Economics 101 meets Media 101.
    • A much more serious issue is voter disenfranchisement - people who do care, who would vote, who are silenced. That is a huge issue. Why dont we see any commercials with video game charactars that say "voter disenfranchisment is bad"?

      Because it's far less of a problem than one particular party gets sympathy points for making it seem like a problem.

      Why don't we see bipartisan calls for serious jail time for anyone handing out packages of cigarettes (or underwear) to get "homeless" (what used to be called

    • Re:By all means vote if you have an opinion (Score:4, Insightful)

      by Ephemeriis ( 315124 ) on Wednesday October 06, 2004 @11:03AM (#10451317)
      Personally, I want people to vote because that makes it more likely we'll have a government that actually represents the people it is governing.

      I constantly hear people complain about the current government. They don't like this new law, or that new war, or some guy in office...but when you ask them if they voted they reply with something along the lines of "of course not, it doesn't do any good."

      Yes, I would like it if more people who thought like I do went out and voted...then maybe we'd get a government that works the way I think it should. However, even if the folks I want don't get elected, I'd still be happier if it was a government that more accurately represented the vast majority of the nation.

      yrs,
      Ephemeriis

  • slashdot election campaign (Score:4, Funny)

    by flynt ( 248848 ) on Wednesday October 06, 2004 @10:06AM (#10450596)
    Get ready for Slashdot's election campaign to start airing commercials next week, it's titled "Choose or Loose".
  • [Intro] Hi kids! In the time it would take me to make Koopa my bitch and show Princess Toadstool MY plumbing, you could have gotten online and registered to vote! [Thumbs up, Mario theme plays]
  • If video game or animated characters are needed to get some people out to vote, doesn't this indicate that these people SHOULD NOT vote?

    I'm all for democracy and for maximizing voters ability to gain information from governments so that they are informed voters. But if it requires cartoons and animated characters encouragement to get someone out to vote, that to me implies this person doesn't have the desire or knowledge to vote.

  • Bad Idea (Score:5, Interesting)

    by Doesn't_Comment_Code ( 692510 ) on Wednesday October 06, 2004 @10:11AM (#10450646)
    I'm all for high voter turnout. But I also think people should be informed before rushing to the ballot box.

    I don't really care for a lot of these recent "get out the vote" efforts. A lot of people who don't vote don't have a clue about who is running. Many can't name the president, and certainly not their congressman. Do they know where each candidate stands on even one issue? Probably not. They do know who just broke up in Hollywood though, and the last person to be kicked off Survivor.

    If these people flock to the polls, they'll simply dilute the votes of people like you and me, who really, honestly, and deeply care about voting. They will probably vote for whoever their friends are voting for. They might randomly pick somebody off the ballot. They'll probably just pick whoever they recognize or like more from the 10 seconds they saw them on TV. Is this a good idea? Not really.

    Convince people to care, then convince them to vote. That's what I say.

    • Re:Bad Idea (Score:3, Insightful)

      by mcmonkey ( 96054 )
      I'm all for high voter turnout. But I also think people should be informed before rushing to the ballot box.

      What is the standard? How informed is informed enough? When is an opinion enough of an opinion? So voting based on the last yard sign I saw isn't enough. Is listening to talk radio? Reading one newspaper a day? Reading slashdot?

      I respond to every time someone presumes to have some standard on who should vote and who is better off staying home. None of the big shots who presume to tell other people

  • Isn't it ironic that I can't view a video encouraging people to register to vote because I'm not registered on that site?

  • apathy? (Score:2, Insightful)

    by tomstdenis ( 446163 )
    Isn't apathy the publics way of saying "we're tired of your bullshit"?

    I mean honestly vote for Bush or Kerry the net result will be the same. The rich get richer, the poor get poorer and the middle class remain terrified about what tommorow will bring.

    I don't think people "forget" to vote or just don't care to. I think they honestly don't think that it matters one way or the other. So long as the sheep [re: public] watch TV and believe what they see the actual vote doesn't matter.

    This vote has long

    • Re:apathy? (Score:2, Insightful)

      by Telepathetic Man ( 237975 )
      Actually, not voting is just like a vote for one of each of the candidates.

      The better way to show your disgust or lack of confidence in the government is to make a protest or third party vote. I know I plan to vote for Michael Badnarik of the libertarian party and mostly 3rd party for state and local elections. Here in Minnesota, the recent state legislation session got absolutely nothing done due to political deadlock between the two major parties. I think its time that sort of possibility is broken u

    • Re:apathy? (Score:4, Insightful)

      by Ephemeriis ( 315124 ) on Wednesday October 06, 2004 @11:15AM (#10451466)
      Problem is, apathy doesn't do you any good. If you're tired of the same old bullshit, but don't do anything about it and rely on your failure to vote to send a message, nothing is going to change. You need to actually do something to make the same old bullshit go away.

      Doing nothing, being apathetic, refusing to vote in some form of protest just isn't going to get you anywhere.

      yrs,
      Ephemeriis

  • You know, if Mario or PRincess Peach, or maybe even Sonic in a pinch, told me to vote, i'd consider it. But i have no emotional investment in Bloodrayne or the Sims.

  • Reality check (Score:4, Insightful)

    by jasmusic ( 786052 ) on Wednesday October 06, 2004 @10:17AM (#10450734)
    a) Who do you think MTV wants to see as president? b) Who do you think is underrepresented at the polls? While legitimate, don't believe for a minute that campaigns like these are without partisan motive.

  • What next, GI Joe and the Transformers? (Score:5, Funny)

    by the_skywise ( 189793 ) on Wednesday October 06, 2004 @10:20AM (#10450763)
    Get out the vote?

    Optimus Prime: "Hey Spike, where're you going?"
    Spike: "I'm going to go vote! I have the power to choose clean water, new schools and do my civic duty to the country."
    Optimus Prime: "Now you're talking!"
    Everybody: "Transform the world, Vote!"

    Or maybe a nice Thundercats ad
    Snarf: "Meow, Lion-o you know who Dick Cheney reminds me of?"
    Lion-o: "No Snarf, who?"
    Snarf: "Mumm-ra! That's why I'm voting for John Kerry, he won't blow up Thundara the way Bush/Cheney are!"
    Lion-o: "Wow Snarf, I like our planet. I never thought of it that way. Maybe I should vote in this election."
    Panthro: "Snarf, get your liberal butt out of here!"
    Snarf: "Panthro, you're such a closet homosexual!"
    Everyone: "Hahahahahahaha! Get out the vote!"

    But then we're a generation that was taught environmental rights and wrongs by Captain Planet and the Planeteers...

    No wonder the world laughs at us. We don't watch news programs or stay informed... We have animated characters tell us what to think and how to act.

    • Now I know I'm old. I didn't get a single one of the references in your post. That's scary. Thundercats? Planeteers? Not a damn clue.

    • Re:What next, GI Joe and the Transformers? (Score:5, Insightful)

      by elrick_the_brave ( 160509 ) on Wednesday October 06, 2004 @10:38AM (#10450979)
      Lol... whats scary is I can relate totally to this... although I would throw in some Family Guy/Futurama

      Scene: Drunken Clam with Peter and Brian at the bar watching TV
      Peter (Hand on beer): "Holy crap Brian, there's an election!"
      Brian (Sipping martini): "Yeah, doesn't democracy turn your crank?"
      TV - Commercial with monster trucks & bikini babes: "Monday Monday Monday.. vote your mind.. see Bush-zilla go against Scary Kerry!"
      Peter: "Holy crap Brian, there's monster trucks coming to town!"
      Brian: "Yeah, I vote for the babe in the red."
      Everyone: "Get out and vote... or miss awesome democratic action.. Monday Monday Monday."

      Scene: Fry and Leela in the Hall of Heads - Presidents section.
      Fry: "Look Leela! It's former President Bush Jr. and former presidential candidate Kerry."
      Leela: "Weren't those guys the odd couple from your century... destroying countries for oil and imposing Western civility on everyone?"
      Fry (blank look): "Riiight... something like that."
      Bush Jr. Head: "I stand by my decision to defend and pummel their asses!"
      Kerry Head: "I stand by him and say I would have made similar but different decisions that saves lives but costs money!"
      Everyone: "Vote your conscience! Vote for Candidate Blarg from Ceti-Alpha Six!"
  • Maybe they will expand on their Video Game campaign and start using Porn and Free Beer to get people to vote.

    I want to be encouraged in this way.

    It will motivate me.

    Please?

  • In Florida, Ohio and a few other of the crucial States. Good timing, people.

  • If nintendo were in charge of voting (Score:3, Funny)

    by revery ( 456516 ) * <<ten.2cac> <ta> <selrahc>> on Wednesday October 06, 2004 @10:23AM (#10450802) Homepage
    you'd have nice rotating blocks (in a tic-tac-toe pattern) with alternating pictures of the candidates (as in the bonus game in Super Mario World after collecting 100 stars).

    If you can make Mario hit the blocks so that your candidate shows up three in a row, your vote counts. Get more than three in a row for multiple votes.

    Get three Nader's and you get a sunflower suit

    If you get no matches, it's a vote for Bowser.

    (I'll leave it to others to come up with the prizes for Kerry and Bush, though I'm looking for something along the lines of Tanooki suit of Mass Destruction...)

    --

    Was it the sheep climbing onto the altar, or the cattle lowing to be slain,
    or the Son of God hanging dead and bloodied on a cross that told me this was a world condemned, but loved and bought with blood.

  • MTV plans to improve voter turnout further by driving people away from the TV during voting hours.

    How? By constantly playing insipid reality TV shows that make each Survivor look like an episode of Nova, and refusing to play music videos altogether.

    It's so crazy it just might work. I know such a plan would stop *me* from watching MTV.
  • these characters [mainichi.co.jp] to help get the youngins into the voting routine.
  • Really want to make the vote interesting? Use a slight takeoff on the electoral system.

    Get a number of groups of people together in some online game - say UT2K. Each group is for a different candidate... have a ladder tournement with Kerry and Bush teams starting on oppositse side of the ladder.

    Now simply have teams duke it out, and the winning overall team gets all player votes for its candidate of choice!

    Now that's what I call a real game of Capture the Flag.

  • Music? On MTV???? (Score:3, Funny)

    by spookymonster ( 238226 ) on Wednesday October 06, 2004 @10:42AM (#10451026)
    Since when does MTV play music videos? I thought they were strictly about reality shows.

    What's next? Objective reporting on Fox News?
  • ...but MTV appears to have a relatively decent site, choose or lose (http://www.mtv.com/chooseorlose/), with information about each party, their candidates, and links to non-partisan sites like FactCheck.org. I'd rather see MTV push this website hard so people have a clue about what's going on and can make a more informed vote instead of rushing out and pulling that lever for the guy they think their favorite rapper would vote for.

  • Video Game Trivia (Score:2, Interesting)

    by eddy ( 18759 )

    The actress Wendy Hoopes [imdb.com] who did the voice for "Mona Sax" in Max Payne 2, is currently doing LAX [tvtome.com].

  • The video will air for the first time on MTV today on TRL, and afterwards can be seen on the MTV Choose or Lose site.

    Having seen this year's candidates, I think this belongs on the MTV "Choose and Lose" site.

  • How sad (Score:3, Insightful)

    by blueforce ( 192332 ) <clannagael@@@gmail...com> on Wednesday October 06, 2004 @01:34PM (#10452888) Homepage Journal
    Mod this however you like....

    What a sad narrative of our society that it takes cartoon characters from video games to encourage voters to do their civic duty.

    It's depressing to think that these people are going to choose the person to occupy one of the most powerful positions in the world.

    • According to the media, people do everything that video game characters tell them to do.

      For example, I'm killing a hooker with a rocket launcher right now. If GTA:VC had Ray Liotta voting or going to work, perhaps life would have turned out better for me. For now, I've got to get to the voting station to get rid of these wanted stars.

  • A voting message from The Sims?! (Score:4, Funny)

    by Brain Stew ( 225524 ) <zackwagNO@SPAMverizon.net> on Wednesday October 06, 2004 @02:48PM (#10453497) Homepage
    MTV ANNOUNCER: And now, a message from The Sims

    MAN: Fraba dey...huhhh...ka tey do una so
    WOMAN: UNA MOI! UNA MOI! Hmmmmm! [MOTIONS TO STOMACH]

    MTV ANNOUNCER: And that was a friendly reminder from The Sims to get out and vote! Or feed them, I'm not entirely sure, check their aspiration meters...

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