I am terrified of video games. I seem to have an utter inability to distinguish between reality and virtual reality. I recall one occasion when I was at a friend's cabin and couldn't fall asleep so I watched her brother and his friend play Mario. If you've ever played (or watched anyone else play) Mario, you know how anti-climatic it can be. At one point this crazy freaky looking temple thing emerged suddenly from the sand and I jumped big time. This is Mario, guys. In fact, I'm pretty sure it was Paper Mario. I would love to tell you that I was only startled because it was 2am, but that would simply be a lie.
A friend of ours gave my brother and me an Xbox and some games last year. One of these games was Halo [3] which we thought might be fun. We decided to play the one-on-one-shoot-each-other thing. It took me a good hour before I could ever kill him simply because every time I saw him in my screen I started jumping around like an idiot. I just get nervous, scared and excited all at once and I couldn't control myself.
I've asked gamers why they game, and they respond with "it's fun." I can imagine that being nervous, scared and excited would be fun sometimes (like watching a suspense film is fun). So let me start this entire post off with this: video games have the merit of being fun-- exciting, nerve-racking, and scary at times.
In addition to being a fun activity, gaming is a competitive one. Like sports, there's a desire to win, and a pride when you do win. This is also-- admittedly or otherwise-- a big reason why gaming is so popular.
I would argue, however, that there is more at work behind the fun and competition. There are undoubtedly other ways to have fun and be competitive, so why video games? (Some of you gamers are already spitting out answers at your computer screen. If you have some legitimate reasons, you may be one step ahead of your fellow gamers. (A legitimate answer is not that it's fun.)) What video games offer that other activities don't is virtual-ness. Playing a video game is like living life, only with infinite second chances and awesome supernatural abilities. I'm not going to pretend to be exempt from the draw to this; I wish I could jump as high as the guys in Halo.
The question, then, remains this: Is it okay to be living an ulterior life? My simple response is yes. It is okay. But would it be better to live life in reality, doing epic things for the cause of real-life problems rather than fictional disasters? Yes. Video games can be a means of a necessary escape from real life, which is perfectly legitimate. But when one starts sacrificing real life for an imaginary existence there is not only lack of productivity, there is perhaps a serious problem.
In one of Mark Driscoll's sermons, he discusses this topic:
Before you dismiss everything he just said as weird religious jargon think about this: do video games count for anything in life? (Gamers are ready to tell me that if they get good enough they could win competitions, or if they go through enough school they could be video game designers or something. Yeah. Go for it.) I think it is pretty far fetched to say that avid gaming will bring any tangible benefits beyond thumb-controller coordination. In moderation, video games may have positive effects on things such as education, but I think even these benefits are more to be owed to video game technology rather than video games themselves.
Exchanging reality for a fictional existence is a reflection of an unfortunate disconnect. Desire to do something spectacular and meaningful is wasted on video games, instead of acted out in real-life. This presents us with a generation of epic warriors, master-minds and ----, who rescue the helpless, speak out against injustice, fight crime, accomplish nearly impossible top-secret missions, defend humanity, and ward off evil-- "with their thumbs."
Thanks for creating a post about this Joanna. I have just a couple of comments on this for you. The first of which is that you shouldnt feel like an idiot when you jump around in "Halo," it is actually a common strategy that most players use in that game. It allows you to better dodge your enemies bullets, but enough about the nerdy stuff. It just so happens, before I even read it in your post, I did relate the video to being "weird religious jargon" so I laughed when I saw that we shouldnt dismiss that, good job keeping your readers in check. I did however, see some interesting and understandable points in the video. The problem with it though, is that he makes it out to be that if you arent using every bit of your time for a significant purpose, you are wasting your time. I just don't think that those standards can be met by anyone, redardless of that time being wasted on video games or other such activities. I agree with you when you say games should come in moderation, but disagree that we are more rewarded through video game technology than the games themselves. Without the games themselves, thereis no means to pass on that entertainment value. Overall I think it is a good argument of some of the problems surrounding video games and I look forward to combating your views in my research paper on the same topic.
ReplyDeleteWell... I wrote out a ridiculously long and detailed response to this but it got deleted. Except a response soon.
ReplyDeleteIn response to the "nerdy stuff", I am aware that jumping around is a good tactic to avoid being shot. I, however, was referring to my literal self (not my Halo character) jumping around like an idiot as a means of coping with the stress of the suspense.
ReplyDeleteYou said that you think there is a problem with Dricoll's logic here that I want to address. You said that he made it seem that "if you aren't using every bit of your time for a significant purpose you are wasting your time." To me, it seems self-evident. If you are not doing something significant, you are wasting your time. Can you do something insignificant that isn't a waste of time? Or can you do something significant that wastes time? I would think these things to be contradicting.
In my opinion, anything short of productivity is masochism. Being unproductive is unrewarding in the present and future. The feeling after I realize I just spent hours looking at people's Flickrs is disgusting, especially since I always have a pretty extensive to-do list. In addition to that gross feeling of being unproductive, and the guilt of not doing what I should have done, there's the simple fact that those hours I wasted will never come back. I could have done something profitable for my future and the future of others, and yet I looked at pictures.
I want to avoid sending the message that all time not spent studying, working, or changing the course of humanity in some grand way is a waste. This may be what you meant by your above quoted statement. I think that relaxation and fun are both highly profitable and therefore productive. Taking breaks to relax is key to getting anything done. So far as video games are fun and relaxing, they are productive, because this will enhance further productivity, but as soon as they cease to be a means of relaxation they become a waste of time.
So I don't want to be so dogmatic as to say that video games are intrinsically bad. They have merit in their ability to be a form of entertainment, and thus an aid in further productivity. But beyond this they can become an addictive habit and excuse to be lazy, with little to no immediate benefits.
In response to your comment on the *education value of video games, I was speaking more to your thoughts on training games like simulations. Things like X Plane can be extremely helpful tools before jumping into a plane. But this is not to be owed to video games themselves, but rather the technology they created that gave way to these helpful simulations.
We are just going to take this paragraph by paragraph. Each one I read, I will make a remark about. Then at the end I may add a little bit to think about. The next paragraph will be a response to your first paragraph.
ReplyDeleteThat is embarassing.
It would be very humerous to see, and that is definitly not common amongst most gamers, well most 4+ gamers.
Some people would not classify everything they do that isnt significant as a waste of time. I was arguing that it is a bit of a steep expectation of oneself to feel that if they don't spend every second doing something that matters, then they are wasting their time. Not to mention the depression that must cause the average person knowing that they can't life up to that, but if you can live up to those standards all the more power to you, I couldn't do it. I think that we could do things that waste time that are significant. Of course you could get into the whole, it is a waste of my time but it is important. I would argue that sitting in some of my college classes is a definite waste of my time. I could be studying or doing things that make me happier, but at the same time those classes are significant because of everything they do for me. My translation to video games is that even though games may be interpreted as a waste of time, they are relaxing, entertaining, and a means of developing very useful skills.
I agree with you with your opinion of the productivity. I don't like the feeling of looking at the clock and feeling like my day was wasted on something. I do however know that we need time for ourselves in the day. Some people spend this time watching TV, searching the internet, or just reading a book. There are also people that would spend that time playing some games.Sure reading a book may be relaxing and at the same time be a wy to improve your literacy, but video games are even more valuable in relation to these hidden benefits. You can unwind with a couple of campaign missions, have some subtitles to read, be introduced to the history of WW2, connect with friends and people around the world, and develop skills like leadership and problem solving, all in an hour or two. To me, that isn't a waste of time, it is the definition of productivity.
I think you kind of wiped away your previous statements with this paragraph.And I understand that games can reach a point where you don't require relaxation and are rather aquiring laziness. However, most of the people don't let games become this sort of problem, at least not a drastic everyday occurence. And the ones that do probably wouldnt be spending their time on anything productive to begin with.
I would agree that video games have the capability of being both addictive and lazy inspiring.I think that most gamers would, except for the ones that are under those particular influences. I do however, think that video games are a very easy addiction to kick( get a life/Job/attend college). Also I would debate that games have no immediate benefits. They have the capabilities of decreasing your stress level, increased knowledge of history(depending on the game), and reconnection you to distant family or friends, as well as others.
Simulators are essentially games. Without the games there is no means of transfering those skills from the random computer program to the player. Without the video games themselves, there is no simulator. Or rather without the video games combined with technology, there is no means for the simulator to be a tool.
Finally the part where I add on to this. My first question is: when do video games become non-relaxing? At what point would you say that video games quit chilling us out?
ReplyDeleteI would also like to add onto the part where you mentioned games have little to no immediate benefits. Although there were the immediate advantages that I mentioned, there are also dozens of long term benefits. Increased spatial awarness, improved hand-eye coordination and reading and math skills, quicker reaction times, and that isnt even getting into all of the on the job benefits that they give you. There has been research done that points to video games creating CEO's of companies because they teach leadership, and problem solving skills, and even the scientifit process that helps you test ideas.
Video games are just stigmatized against by people that need a scape goat. While there is plenty of evidence to support that video games are bad, there is also a mountain of evidence that points to the fact that video games are actually good for us. The fact is that even if video games arent the best way of relaxing or learning skills, they are one of the better mediums that cover both of these criteria to a great extent.