Why Video Games Are Bad For You

No, there's no typo in the title.  Video games are bad for you.  Now, they're also good for you, but that's not why you and I are here today.  There are plenty of dangers associated with playing video games, and it would be stubborn for someone like me to not recognize and address them.  Again, I'm gonna try writing with little to no research done today.  I've seen videos and read articles on topics like this, so I will try to recall what knowledge I can, but for the most part, this is just the way that I see things.  Whether you agree or disagree with what I write, the important thing to accomplish today is to put these ideas into your mind to give you a fair chance to assess them on your own.

I think that the root of all of the possible problems we're about to address is relative to the interactive nature of video games.  While movies are very detached for the viewer, and books are a little more attached, neither medium reaches the level of interactivity that video games create.  This interactivity is part of what makes video games good and fun; also, part of what can make them bad and dangerous.  As we continue, interactivity will be the biggest facet of gaming that we cover as we look to the possible detriments of playing video games.

Let's first look at the elephant in the 2013 room.  With the tragedy in Newtown still on the minds of many, gun laws and regulations have become an extremely hot topic in today's society.  Some want to see guns banned, some want to see gun purchases limited, but others (including some outspoken folks in the NRA) would like to see regulations implemented on interactive media (video games).   Though extensive research has yet to show any correlation between video games and violent behavior, the leaders of several organizations continue to point at video games as the leading cause, demanding further research take place.  I don't really blame them for trying to place the blame on video games.  Not only have we seen this in past generations with other "new" media at the time (for instance, the rebellious punk rock music of the 60's), but until this generation, we'd never really seen game franchises like Call of Duty make first-person shooting feel so... real. 

While no correlations have been found between gun violence and video games, research has shown suggestions of a correlation between video games and aggressive behavior.  If you've played any competitive multi-player video game online, this should come as no surprise, as the nerd rage and trash-talking can reach unbelievable levels, not to mention the desire for some players to rack up more kills than their teammates, regardless of winning or losing.  This, in my mind, is what researchers should be diving into more deeply, as building aggressive habits can probably generate some unfortunate responses in social situations.

Let's jump to something else.  The majority of us find ourselves bogged down by procrastination at one point or another.  When we procrastinate, we tend to reach for our comfort activity, or the hobby that gives us consistent joy.  For me and many others, that activity/hobby is playing video games.  Again, due to the interactive nature of the medium, I think that video games are a more concerning procrastination tool than, say, watching TV.  We've all heard stories of those kids who play World of Warcraft like a full-time job, eschewing sleep in favor of leveling their character up.  The game Second Life has become so big and so interactive that people are using it as their full-time job (we even had our first Second Life millionaire not too long ago).  Both games have avenues for making real money, but both also remain as tools to escape real life and to dive into something different. 

Video games present beautiful, expansive alternate worlds like what we can get from books and movies, but they also allow us to live in those worlds, to feel a deeper sense of belonging to it through the ways that we can interact with the world through our characters.  This is a quality about video games that is impossible to match for movies, TV, and books, and thus, what sets video games apart as a powerful (and potentially dangerous) procrastination tool.

Wow... are video games evil?  Not so fast.  Remember, today's post is meant to get your mind going, and to alert you to some of these dangers if you've not thought about them before.  Awareness is a powerful tool in itself, so having awareness of these dangers can help you to avoid succumbing to them.

But as I've learned over the years, awareness is one thing; action is entirely different.  In a future post, I'll dive into my personal experiences with these dangers of video games and perhaps, in sharing, I will help to increase your awareness and your will to act as well.  How do we avoid these things?  Force yourself to act.  If you ever find yourself playing a game online and becoming angered or aggressive, sit back, and remind yourself that it's just a game, and so little is at stake that concerning yourself with it is futile.  If you find yourself putting off important things to play "just one more mission", then the next time you start playing, set an alarm on your phone so you can keep track of the time.

There are many other ways to act as well, but knowledge of the dangers is worthless unless you put solutions into action.

Next time, let's venture back to the positive side of things and dive a little deeper into why video games are good for you.  Thanks for reading, and see you then!

What Playing Games Means To Me

Well then, it's been much too long since I've been here, hasn't it?  Exactly one month and ten days have passed since I last wrote anything.  Gotta imagine that my writing skills are off by now.  Or maybe the break made them better.  You'll have to read to find out, right?

To get back on the right footing, I thought I'd dive into some personal feelings in this post.  Perhaps I'm just failing at finding a decent topic to write about (OK, not perhaps; I am), but I've realized that I'll never get to writing again unless I, well, start writing again.  Ooh look, two paragraphs in and I'm already throwing deep thoughts at you.

Even if you're simply a reader of my blog and don't know me that well, you can probably tell that games are a huge influence on my life.  I'm not just talking video games, but board games, card games, and sports are certainly a part of this mix.  Not a day goes by where I don't play a game.  It might be a video game that I get to spend an hour or two on to relax.  It could be a mind game that my teacher presents to me in class.  It might be a round of Angry Birds on my phone while I wait for something scheduled to get going.  Any instance where I get to play a game holds strong meaning for me.

I suggested that I like to sit down and play video games to "relax", but my mind is hardly relaxing when I play them.  In fact, many video games today are about split-second decisions that can snowball together and determine the outcome.  Video games are a part of my life almost everyday because they are, in a sense, exercise for my mind.  My friends have heard me remark that "If I didn't have to sleep, I wouldn't."  This is because I enjoy engaging my mind so much, which is why I enjoy playing video games.  Now, I've played video games for years and years; there are certain split-second decisions that are almost second nature and don't require much thought. 

Move the stick left.  Press the B button.  These things become ingrained with practice.  Am I using my brain when I'm executing these inherent actions?  I'm sure some cognitive science majors have more insight to this than I do, but I would think that as time wears on, those actions that we get used to become more "mindless".  But this is the beauty of the video game world.  Video games offer so many different types of stimulation, from heart-pounding action that keeps you on the edge of your seat to heartfelt stories that stay with you for a long time.  Some games are built to be art, to express imagery that is meant to make the player question what they know.  Some games are meant to be competitive, to nourish that innate desire that we all have to accomplish goals.

One of the primary ways that I keep in touch with my friends is through online gaming services such as League of Legends and Steam.  A lot of my friends also play games as a hobby, so it's likely that here and there, we'll see each other online and say a hello.  Occasionally, we'll also play a game together online.  Video games not only stimulate my mind and feed my competitive edge, but they've become a powerful social avenue as well.  I don't know that I would keep in touch with these friends as well if it weren't for online gaming services.

As much as I love video games, my favorite kind of games are "tabletop" games: board games and card games.  Here, we get as much of an opportunity to use our minds and feed our competitive desires as we do in electronic space.  Sometimes, if you're playing a longer, more deeply involved game, stories and creativity can really play into the game as well.  Undoubtedly, the social aspect of tabletop games is stronger than you get with video games, just as having lunch with somebody has greater meaning than chatting with them online.

I have so many memories from the games I've played.  I remember the very first time I played the board game 7 Wonders.  I remember the poker games I used to have with my friends in high school, and in college.  I remember playing Halo with 10+ guys over a network.  I remember the video game stories that really drew me in: the Mass Effect series, Final Fantasy X.  I remember the confusion I had to deal with when sorting out the events of Spec Ops: The Line.  I remember being able to share memories of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time with other friends who have played it.

But gaming has never been just about the game.  It's the stories we hear, whether from a game or a friend.  It's the laughs we have, over events in the game or jokes we share.  It's the thoughts we're forced to deal with when we come upon a decision, whether it's chasing the right enemy or choosing the right response in a game's conversation.

Playing games will always carry a strong meaning in my life.  From moment to moment, I might not remember what I just did, but it's those great experiences within that I get to keep with me for the rest of my life.