Ned Potter is the science correspondent for ABC's "World News with Charles Gibson." He has reported on such topics as space exploration, the human genome and climate change.
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Guitar Anti-Hero III
December 17, 2007 3:30 PM
In case you've not heard of "Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock," stop the nearest teenage guy--but make sure you have a half hour so you can listen to him rave about how cool it is.
It's a video game--selling frantically--in which you get to be a member of a rock band--Metallica, the Beastie Boys, or others. The game comes with a plastic guitar, with buttons in place of strings. If you can keep up, the music comes blasting at you. Miss your chords, and there's something lacking.
Which leads to the following tale of online woe:
A man, who describes himself as k_lid from the Toronto area, says he moved heaven and earth to find the game as a Christmas present for his 15-year-old son Isaac. By sheer luck, he found it--right before he found his son smoking marijuana out back of the house with two friends.
Out the door went the friends--and as punishment, k_lid posted his son's still-unopened copy of Guitar Hero on eBay.
"I am now finding it hard to justify rewarding him with this gift after he so greatly disappointed me," he wrote. "I know smoking a joint isn’t the end of the world, but if you can convince me that he deserves the gift, then I will end the auction. You will have to be very convincing. I am an elementary school teacher and I know that rewarding bad behavior is just asking for more of the same...."
And so began a phenomenon. The posting, according the eBay's counter, got more than 75,000 hits, and 42 bids--jumping from $50 to $100 to $150 to--take a breath--$9,100.01 before the auction closed last week. The high bidder was Australian. PC World points out that outlandish bids often come from people interested in the publicity.
"The auction has been getting somewhat out of hand, to say the least," wrote k_lid in a followup post. He says he gave his son the option of ending the bidding, but Isaac decided it would be "stupid" to cancel.
"I am not: “sadistic”, “publicly humiliating my son”, “power-hungry”...or any similarly bad things - especially when it comes to my son," he wrote. "Think of the auction as me “joshing him”, as friends often do, in addition to letting him know that he seriously disappointed me." (Read the full posting HERE.)
Does the punishment fit the crime? A lot of people clearly have strong opinions.
December 17, 2007 | Permalink | Share | User Comments (46)
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LOL! Good for you dad!
Posted by: cbeargal | Dec 17, 2007 3:41:13 PM
I believe what the father did was not unreasonable. He could have turned him in, but chose to handle the discipline himself. Also, he didn't beat his son, he took away something the boy wanted very much. And, I believe in his philosophy that rewarding bad behavior is not the thing to do. There's enough of that going on in the current administration without teaching it to young people. All in all, I think k_lid did the right and reasonable thing. I'll bet it got his son's attention.
Posted by: Andy | Dec 17, 2007 3:41:14 PM
Absolutely!!
Posted by: Marcie | Dec 17, 2007 3:41:43 PM
I agree with Andy, as always. Either we're twins or think alike, which is scary. Anyway, I'd have done the same thing. Although, I wouldn't think twice about reporting my son. You break the law, you get punished. Simple as that. In my opinion, parents aren't very good teachers of cause and affect. Actions come with consequences. This is what I teach my son and twin girls, even in their pre-5 year old age. Way to go dad!!
Posted by: Lawrence | Dec 17, 2007 3:54:02 PM
I don;t think that is unreasonable. A 15 year old kid shouldn't be smoking pot...period. If the kid were 18, bit of a different story. Then I'd advise openly talking to him about it and advising him that it can be a good thing, but it can also easily be abused. But a 15 year old is too young for such responsibility and has no business even experimenting. Good show of discipline by the dad.
Posted by: Tom G | Dec 17, 2007 4:00:07 PM
Way to go, dad!
I don't think the father is being unreasonable at all. Instead of yelling, screaming, beating, sending his son away, he used a creative punishment.
lol! Though, of course, now the kid probably wants a piece of the 9k his gift raked in, but I bet he can keep dreaming on that one!
Posted by: Korinsha | Dec 17, 2007 4:02:29 PM
Even though this had nothing to do with Bush...someone found a way. CONGRATS ANDY!
Posted by: dan | Dec 17, 2007 4:02:57 PM
I am confused as to why the kid needs to be punished in the first place? Generally speaking marijuana is more good than bad for you.
Posted by: enddate2012 | Dec 17, 2007 4:08:59 PM
No pot AND no Guitar Hero III? Worst. Christmas. Ever.
Posted by: Steve | Dec 17, 2007 4:19:07 PM
The father did the right thing. The problem with parents today is they reward kids when they don't deserve it. I bet also it was hard to do what he did considering this is the holiday season, most people would bend. Good for him, I just hope the top bidder in his auction isn't a shill, but I doubt anyone's gonna pay $9 grand for that thing unless it was used to beat some Britney Spears to death. lol
Posted by: La Mott | Dec 17, 2007 4:26:37 PM
Enddate2012, marijuana is, well, sort of illegal in most places, save for California, who are a total different breed of human all together. Anyway, yes, I do know this is in the great northern US state of Canada(Might as well call Canada a state of the US, you're almost like us anyway). I'm sure it's illegal there too. I know pot isn't as dangerous as it's made out to be. I mean, how many stoned drivers kill people every year? And how cool does M.A.P.S.D.W.K.P.V.R. sound? If you cant figure that out it is Mothers Against Pot Smoking Drivers Who Kill People Very Rarely. So thats why he is punished. Because it is illegal and the long accronym people are against people driving while stoned.
Posted by: Lawrence | Dec 17, 2007 4:28:47 PM
"Does the punishment fit the crime?" What punishment? The father didn't give the boy an expensive and hard to come by gift as he shouldn't when the boy is not behaving. As for punishment however, it is not a punishment to not give someone a gift.
Posted by: Lori | Dec 17, 2007 4:30:19 PM
I totally agree with the father!!! No way would I give him that gift. It doesn't matter if it was for Christmas, birthday or anything - what he did was wrong. You should never reward bad behavior. You go DAD!!!!!
Posted by: Susan | Dec 17, 2007 4:39:07 PM
ROTHFLMHO. This is excellent. If I were the dad, I'd put the 9K in a college or first house fund for the kid.
Posted by: Shadow | Dec 17, 2007 4:48:07 PM
About time some parent shows some interest in what their kid is doing! GO DAD GO!
Posted by: Laura | Dec 17, 2007 4:58:18 PM
Why punishment at all?
Why do things have to be learned from punishment and not more humorous, fun, intelligent and loving ways which would definitely have a more positive and lasting impact.
Posted by: MadisonMonroe1 | Dec 17, 2007 5:03:35 PM
Four Words: "Father Of The Year." This guy is awesome.
Posted by: Joe Blow | Dec 17, 2007 5:17:26 PM
Although I do agree that knowing that your child is smoking pot is disappointing, I do strongly advise that taking prevention steps is the most important thing. And looking at the whole picture, of why is he smoking pot. Sometimes there are hidden messages in their behavior. Having consequences for our choices is a lesson best learned at an early age, but I can't say whats the best method for this situation. Prevention and tough love should be solid answers. So hard to know what is the right thing to do, even as adults. Pray about it and ask God to lead your decision. Thats all I know. Mother of six, and still learning, still praying!!!
Posted by: Victoria L. Hawkins | Dec 17, 2007 5:34:57 PM
$9,100.01? Id be huggin my son for smokin that joint....lol! And then of course reinforcing...never do it again! JK
Posted by: Kelly | Dec 17, 2007 5:54:21 PM
Yep, Andy found a way to bring reference to Bush administration...... Andy is right, this Dad is holding his kid accountable - something this current administration lacks - holding themselves accountable for the mess in Iraq, the mess with the division of the country, the mess with foreign policy or lack of....
Posted by: Sue from Texas | Dec 17, 2007 5:54:29 PM
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