ninme

The Times - ‘Don’t insult me, I can tell fiction from reality’, by Theo Wells, aged 14

To me, Grand Theft Auto is about freedom, not violence. As the name of the series suggests, the best way to spend time in this virtual, “no-consequence”, world is to steal yourself a nice car and drive it through the miles and miles of urban and rural landscape.

The size of GTA IV is incredible – to run from one side of the city to the other takes well over an hour. This is in fact a very good video game.

That’s not to say, of course, that I don’t enjoy flicking on the PlayStation, waltzing into the local stripclub, pointing a gun at the genitals of a rival crimelord and firing – taking both his life and his dignity. I find such things to be hilarious. To some, this may cause confusion or even shock. But seriously, don’t worry. And don’t you dare disapprove. To be honest, I find it rather insulting that certain people think that I, as a teen-ager, lack the ability to distinguish fiction from reality.

Although you may not realise, we are in fact aware of the controller in our hands and the television in front of our acne-ridden faces.

That’s a good kid, that is.