Now I'm no prude. I really think in many ways I can be pretty liberal about things like video games and what kids should or should not play.

I know I have let my boys play some more mature (M) games like "Call of Duty" at an age before the recommended age on the game. I guess because while there would be a swear word or two to watch out for, the main concern would be the violence. Yet to me its in a combat setting and while the graphics can be amazing these days, it's not "real world" violence, it's military-style objectives.

I do, however, have a hard time with this specific video game. My 15-year-old son wants the game, "Grand Theft Auto 5."

YouTube Image, GTA5
YouTube Image, GTA5
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Maybe I am overreacting, and if I am, let me know. I have not really played the game but I have seen it being played and have heard stories. I have heard that basically the game is full of drugs, guns, prostitution, sex, nudity and incredible "real world" violence.

By "real world " violence I mean it is something that while I would hope people would not try to reenact in the real world, they could.

The game is "set" in an average American city full of all the possible crime and dark edges that the worst of cities have to offer. Even the occasional strip club where your character can get a lap dance or two.

Now, you don't have to do all the bad stuff in the game but if you want to, you can certainly glorify completely random violence and crime, and if left to their own devices I feel like most kids would try to be as "bad" as possible in the game.

As an example, the game has just come out and already on YouTube there is already this "knock out compilation" which has well over a million views!

I don't know but to me that just seems to be such a terrible message to send a kid. I know it's a game but I feel like if that sort of thing appeals to you maybe there are some other issues? No?

By the way there are other "compilations" out there and while it's not "real" it is simulated pretty well.

So I ask, would you let your kid play this game? If so, how old would he or she have to be?

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