Call of Duty: Black Ops

When I was younger I was a full-on pacifist. I've moderated a bit now. And I practice martial arts, and play MMO's where I'm constantly killing things, and people. I guess that might make me a hypocrite to some, but the distinction between game and life has a strong boundary, doesn't it?

Watch the ad for Call of Duty: Black Ops above. What's your reaction?

Anyway, there have been mixed reactions to the commercial above. For negative, see Sam Machovech's piece on the Atlantic Monthly website. Basically, he's anti-violence, and anti anything that might inspire violence.

For a different take, look at this by Margaret Hartmann on Jezebel.

UDATE: In comments Machovech has confessed that he was more or less concern trolling:

I wrote this piece because I think there's a clear difference between the game of Call of Duty and the real-life violence of this ad, and I feared that mainstream media would focus on the latter as a means of saying "video games are bad." That's their job -- to drum up interest via fear and trolling.

That's what I hoped to combat with my phrase "these aren't the games I play." I do play Call of Duty games alone or with friends; I don't senselessly mimic real war.

Machovech seems to think that the ad is too realistic. Is there anyone who can't figure out that it's fake, a game, a fantasy? In about the time it takes to walk two steps through rubble in high heels?