This is my little rant for the evening ...
Okay. So I have nothing against video games as a whole. I actually think they can be kind of cool, when they're used in group settings or if you're sick or something.
However. I do have a problem with them in a few specific situations.
1. Shoot 'em up games. Please inform me why we are encouraging the youth of our world to play games where the SOLE purpose is to kill people. There are games where that is the goal: to see how many guys you can kill. I don't understand. We already have enough issues with violence, and yes I know that probably the majority of people who play these games will not be affected by their content, but still, what about those few people who are?
2. When nothing else can hold your attention. Seriously, guys often have a hard enough time focusing on the matter at hand without a controller beneath their fingers. It has been my experience that when someone is playing video games they are oblivious to everything else going on around them, and yes, that can be said for other things too like TV and computers, but that's not my point this evening.
3. When it becomes obsessive. Every spare moment is spent with the controller and the games and things get left undone or forgotten because they just want to play "one more game." Again, I know it can and does happen with other venues as well, but they are not the subject here.
Like I said, overall, video games are cool. I've had plenty of fun times playing WiiFit games with friends and laughing until I cried. I've also enjoyed a few rounds of Super Smash Brothers, Mario Party and even Crash Bandagoot (sp?), but when I see young men (and even some women) ignoring their responsibilities and putting all of their time and energy into games that are often more harmful than good, it tends to irk me just a bit.
Technology is a huge blessing, but it can also be a very large obstacle that we need to overcome. I don't know about you, but everyday I have to check myself to make sure that God is still on the throne in my life and that I haven't let technology or anything else of this world overtake that place.
Be encouraged, friends; my intent was not to harm, but to shed a little light on a subject I feel strongly about! Thanks for reading!
1) People have to understand that video games aren't reality. The people I murder in games aren't people; they're 1's and 0's. In one of my games, Just Cause 2, my favorite thing to do is launch my grappling hook to a plane flying overhead, hijack it in midair, then jump out of the cockpit, land on the roof and surf the plane into a crowded area, jump off before it explodes, activate my parachute, and gun down the survivors with a submachine gun in each hand while I sail to safety. It's just fun because it's totally fake. If anything, games relieve violent tendencies. Sure some people get frustrated at them and flip out, but they probably flip out when it takes them more than one attempt to tie their shoe. Violent tendencies are violent tendencies and it's not fair to call out video games as a cause.
ReplyDelete2) Video games are a very effective method of escapism. In a worst case scenario, some play video games BECAUSE they want to be oblivious to everything else around them. Truth be told, it's much better than turning to drugs or alcohol.
3) I play video games every spare second I have. But that's the keyword: "spare". I work 40+ hours a week as a restaurant manager, hang out every Friday night with my coworkers after close, I have a gym membership, and NEVER pass up the chance to chill with my friends. But some people forgo their responsibilities to play games instead. I think it's about being in control. They are in complete control of their video game and can do whatever they want. They don't feel as if they can get that A in their class or get their promotion at work so they just focus on getting to level 85 instead. Again, I think that's better than turning to a bottle of vodka.