One of the most common criticisms of video games is that they allegedly increase violent tendencies among youth. I call bullshit! My personal belief is that many youths commit crimes because they lack a positive influence/roles models in their lives. A lot of teens have a lot of empty time on their hands and nothing to do. Also, a lack of experience and discretion along with being influenced by their peers doesn't help either. So before blaming video games for crime in youths, maybe you should be sitting down with your children and talking with them and keeping a shorter leash on them. Be a parent!!
Sexual themes in video games are much less tolerated than violent themes. I think it's the nanny factor. TV in particular has been kept sanitary for kids and it's led to a very backwards view of reality. America needs to stop thinking of sex as an unwholesome and horrible thing and allow the sales of games that deal with sex in the honest and unashamed way like many R rated films do. Come on, they are just boobies! Hugh Hefner came up with a valuable point: "Don't you think it'd be better for the world to be exposed to sex rather than violence? There would be a lot less deaths."
Addiction to video games has also been at the heat of the debate. Its thought that video games and computers interfere with daily life. Example, players using games compulsively and isolating themselves from social contact. Hate to burst bubbles, but most people do socialize with one another on video games, especially now a days with it being so easy to talk to others through games systems. I have a friend who has sever social anxiety disorder and has a very hard time meeting people. He has tried to go out and socialize with others but he ends up getting really worked up and anxious and ends up in a depressive funk for days. However, he doesn't have a problem with getting online and playing in an alternate world and meet people and connect. He has made real life friends doing this and its just an easier way for him.
Also, children who play strategic video games have shown what researchers call a “fluid intelligence”. Meaning, they are good problem solvers. "They have to discover the rules of the game and how to think strategically," said James Paul Gee, a University of Wisconsin-Madison curriculum and instruction professor. "Like any problem solving that is good for your head, it makes you smarter." With our faced paced modern world, games might actually help in developing the skills one needs to succeed.
I will admit that some people do take video games too far. Such as the Chinese man who died in a cybercafe after a 3 day internet gaming binge. However, it is widely known through the gaming world that China has many more developers of online games and services than the US. This makes for a very crowded, competitive, and very successful field of selling virtual goods. The Chinese playing video games non stop, forgetting to eat or rest, isn't much different from a corporate employee trying to succeed up the corporate ladder and working over time and missing out on breakfast and lunch.
My personal belief is that a lot of people who judge video games are people who dont understand them or don't want to understand them. They are spouses/companions who don't play and are jealous that all that time isn't spent looking directly at them. What else would you be doing at home while you are spending time together? Sitting on the couch watching tv, not speaking? Others are parents who want to blame video games for taking up their child's time. That's fine that you don't want your kid to play video games all day but you need to control that. Kids don't have a realistic idea of time once they start doing things that are fun and entertaining. You need to monitor that time and control it. You are the parent! Then there are the people who feel like something needs to be blamed for the crime today and don't want to see the actual truth....so, they turn to video games are the main source.
“After conducting a two-year study of more than 1,200 middle school children about their attitudes towards video games, Harvard Medical School researchers Lawrence Kutner and Cheryl Olson found that playing video games did not have a particularly negative effect on the researched group. “
& the wii is super family oriented to boot.
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ReplyDeleteWell put. People who blame video games for problems in there lives need to open there eyes, video games don't cause any real issues, the issues that bring up violence, or laziness is based on the actual person and there parents and role models. everything needs a balance.
ReplyDeleteso true, i play some pretty violent video games, and i know the difference between an imaginary media realm from the real world, i can't believe people think were that stupid to not be able to tell the difference, i know there are some people who can't, but those people are already mentally unstable. After all the violent games i've played, never once have i wanted to go out and commit a crime, or start a fight or anything. in fact, i'm totally against it. I never want to fight people, i never want to hurt anyone. i think people who start fights aren't because there tough, but weak and vulnerable because their hungry for attention and are unable to find a better way to control or express there emotions. so let kids play games, but have the do other things as well. for you who are to afraid to try to understand video games shouldn't even talk whatsoever. we know Everything needs a Balance.
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