Feb 16
Video games are good for you!
I do not feel that computer games are a waste of time in any way shape or form. I found them and find them to be valuable parts of the learning and maturing process. Now granted a diet of only video games and no other stimulus might not be a good idea but overall video games are not bad for you per se.
I have been playing video games, mostly on computer, ever since they existed, as I have had a computer since 1980. I enjoyed figuring out challenges and problem solving. I find both of these aspects of video games are good for the development of young minds and are probably good for keeping older minds ticking over at a decent rate. It is certain that I learned to type far better via using video-games because of the chat element to many.
There are those that say video games, of the violent variety, drive people to behave badly. I find this argument to be quite frankly rubbish. It is not the video games fault that junior is tearaway or a criminal its the fault of his parents and the poor quality of his schooling. Video games do not drive people to go out and rob, riot or kill. This is just another excuse for parents to pass the buck (much like calling someone evil was and still is).
Many video game companies allow and downright encourage the fans of the game to work with the game to create new maps, textures and even scenarios. This teaches those with initiative programming, scripting and helps them develop their imaginative mind. I am a novelist and short story writer, both of these skills were developed running pen & paper games and then role playing massively online multiplayer games (of various types). I know of several young programmers who got their start programming by mapping, skinning and other such activities while at school. Many of such children end up in the growing video games business or even programming for non-game types applications.
In addition surely its better for children and young adults to do something interactive that requires thought and reasoning as opposed to passively just sitting in front of a television or a movie? I would much rather have a child of mine playing a computer game for a couple hours than watching 2 hours of dross on the TV.
Overall, video games are certainly not a waste of time as they teach independent thought, reasoning and analysis of situations. Alas, parents who aren’t good at their job see the video game industry as yet another cop-out (with bit pockets) for their inability to their job with their offspring.
4 Comments so far
Good points there – I guess it’s easy for the parents to blame everything but themselves…. Thanks for entering!
Curious: Was this post a response to something?
Yeah its for a weekly writing contest called love to lead. I keep being in the top ten but haven’t won it yet.
Good luck with the contest!