The internet is the best time-suction device I have ever experienced.

As a life-long gamer, and now someone who gets to work on video games as part of my job, I have to disagree with a key point to your argument: That an activity in which you do not accomplish anything real is a waste of time, that even your leisure time must somehow be productive.

In this regard, reading fiction is as poor a use of time as playing video games.  You spend hours and hours at it, and when you're finished you have not accomplished anything real.  Spend 8 hours reading a good book.  Those 8 hours are gone and you have nothing to show for it.

But really, you're not so much arguing that video games are a waste of time, you're arguing that when life's priorities become reshuffled, video games should be the first to go in favor of family, job, religious calling etc.  If there is time in your life to fulfill your responsibilities AND game, then great.  If you're ignoring important work to play games though, that's a problem.  And the same can be said for any hobby.

Substitute "video games" with "watching football", "playing poker", "mountain climbing" etc and it all works out the same.  Targeting video games specifically is a bit unfair.

To be honest, there's few activities you can do which would give the brain such a thorough workout as a modern videogame. You're dealing with 3D space, abstractions, pattern recognition and a host of other things generally unavailable without casting yourself into a deep ocean or space.

Well, it's my article, and I was particularly into video games when I wrote it - therefore, it was perfectly fair. Why would I focus on things that have little to do with me? If this were a scientific journal, I would say, you're right! But since it's my blog, I would say, it's perfectly fair!



Why do you dispute this? Why do you feel reading fiction is not a waste of time? Reading fiction might even be worse!

I do that too... all that time wasted...

Technically, in terms of serving God and being saved and all, even work is ultimately pointless, since everything on Earth is destined to fall by the wayside and not matter. All that matters is one's relationship with God, so why work? Work is a waste of time and a dangerous distraction - the Bible clearly says that listening to the word of God is more important than petty industry.

So why even bother working, right? Ultimately, it's all pointless.

Of course, it's not that simple.

I wouldn't presume to preach about the word of God, but as human activities go, playing video games serves a good deal of purposes, especially in my life. I've made friends using video games as a focus activity, I've used it to de-stress or to try to ignore my pains and illnesses, and I've learned a fair bit of things about the world from video games. Well, not directly, but the games inspired me to look for more credible sources.

Guitar Hero 3 has inspired more than one kid to actually take up the guitar, so if playing an instrument is at all worthwhile, then playing the game is at least worthwhile as an introduction to it, and it isn't as if one cannot "play" music on Guitar Hero with about as much facility as other people do videoke songs.

And it's not as hard on the ears, too.

Playing strategy games early on in life has taught me that persistence pays off, that details matter if you want to succeed, and that you need to learn from mistakes - yours and others'. It also gives me a morale boost when I think that everything I'm doing is turning to ash and that everything I touch will be doomed to failure.

Of course, one calls upon faith in God as well, but there's really nothing like a "fake" victory to get you going. Yes, I know it's a game, but success in games makes me feel good and improves my mood. It doesn't have to be a video game, either, but video games are more convenient and accessible.

For the sake of what, however?  I've heard this arguement before, but wonder when the gamers are ever going to use these increased skills and capacities other than in more gaming.  As a school psychologist I found gaming a huge distraction, parents unwilling to supervise and involve themselves with children would plop them down in front of a game set or tv, for that matter, and be done with them. Of course, they were always the loudest screamers regarding the quality of their children's education at conferences.

 

I am not against video games, notr against games in general.  I love chess, for example, but I know these things take a huge amount of kid's time away from actrualk social interaction, real study skill development, or their ability to partner5 with parents in creating and maintaining a home.

iNTERESTING atricle J, thanks!  Now, get back to that game we are playing online

 

 

I've heard that the increased capability Generation I has for computer operation grants them a significant advantage in operating unmanned vehicles - the new mode of warfare for the new century, so if nothing else, video games helps the new generation kill other people with greater facility.

It's also supposed to aid in learning the controls for laparoscopic surgery, robotic surgery, operating robots in industry like engineering and construction and surprisingly driving, though I have some doubts about the last one.

So clearly, since none of these activities have anything to do with productivity or getting saved, video games really are just for fun, and the capability and reflexes you get from gaming will only ever matter in gaming.

I still don't see why leisure time must be productive.

I'm productive 8-10hrs a day at my job, and typically quite a few more at home doing chores, errands etc.  I'm doing stuff the majority of my waking hours.  I read, play video games etc to wind down, to let my mind and body relax a bit and decompress from the day.

If I had to be productive even in my leisure time, I'd go insane

Actually, I thought reading was a qunitessential way to go about increasing one's vocabulary, concentration, and comprehension.  Fiction presents you with an alternate reality and a gripping storyline...so you learn and enjoy it.

Personally, I'd give up videogames before I ever gave up reading nice thick novels(good ones, anyway).  I've even taken breaks from gaming to read.

Then again, I am a huge nerd.

~Zoo

Apparently your vocabulary has increased!

So there you go, being productive in your leisure time...

Ahem...My most humble apologies...but I have no clue what you are saying. What argument and what simplistic mantle? As said before, I am voicing my opinion...not voicing an argument.

And apparently I can't spell it right.

I need to proofread more.

But yeah, reading is productive...doesn't have to be, but it usually is...it's like a trick.

~Zoo

Heh, I saw this in the recent post list and thought "wtf?  I read that a year ago, didn't I?"  And sure enough...Lazarus, indeed

I'll just add a bit here.  Jythier and I matched up in online Chess over the last couple of days, and last night finished a game where he bested me at the end in a real nail-biter.  I've been looking for a good place to give him a public respectful nod for his skillful play, and BOOM - here's this article again.  Perfect.  Consider that nod given

But to the subject, the game between Jythier and myself bore fruit - at least for me - I can't speak for him.  Over the last year or so, we have disagreed on many many things.  He's very religious, and I'm very not religious, and that of course will cause friction.

But the chess match erased all that for a bit and allowed us to just be two guys on common ground with common goals.  The obvious goal - to win - I do not discount, but I really felt it was more important to both of us to just play well.  I'll let him agree or disagree with that on his own.

We didn't speak much during the game - at least not with words (there is a chat function on the page the game is played out on) - but I felt it quite a social thing.

Now does that make a good argument for playing video games in general?  Well, I think Chess is a little different.  Had he and I been on opposite sides of a Team Fortress XBox 360 match, I'm not sure I'd have gotten the same thing out of it, but for now, I will say that online Chess is an exception to any generic rule about online gaming, and if there is one exception, it's enough to disprove a hypothesis.

In closing, thanks again for schooling me in a great game, J.  I look forward to our next meeting on that common ground (which I shall probably get to as the weekend unfolds for me.)

Either of you guys play ISC scrabble? Now THAT is a time-eater.

Thanks so much, Ock, for introducing me to the site! Already sent you another challenge so we can see how well I do with Black.

I think the difference between the experience playing chess with you and playing chess with someone else is going to be huge. The social aspect comes from already knowing you, having some idea of who you are and what your background is. Plus, wanting to play well so you'd know I wasn't a complete moron as I must seem to you sometimes.

But I absolutely agree with everything you posted.

In fact, I think that games, especially board games, are great ways of socializing, getting to know people, and even evagelizing. It's a great way to put people on an even platform, so that they can compete from equal points regardless of how much money they have, or any part of their background.

I don't think video games work quite as well, but someone who posted above seemed to think they would. So, if it's working, why not use it? I just found whenever I played video games, it was never quite as social as if we were doing anything else, or playing board games.

Perhaps you simply need to play the more social games. Starcraft DotA is eminently social - it can't NOT be. There's simply not as much fun playing against people you don't know or won't see or talk to. Half the fun is getting together before and dissecting game events afterwards over snacks.

Counterstrike played casually in a shop is also very social. Everything you've leveled at videogames, in fact, should more correctly be leveled against the Internet. When video games were in arcades, people went into them to play, and they talked with other people who played, and watched people who were both worse and better than them - they talked about the games with other people sharing the same passion for the past time.

Heck, some legendary Tekken matchups in arcades were practically spectator sports. In Korea, it IS a spectator sport.

Some of us just find other people, even pleasant people, tiring. Time alone is time to relax and recharge, social activities can be fun but they take a lot out of me. Introverts make up about 50% of the population, we just keep quiet by and large.

As to the OP, the poster appears to have a rather serious guilt complex about having certain kinds of fun, apparently induced by his particular religious beliefs. I hope he works out a way for himself to have a pleasant time and feel good about it, though that may require a re-evaluation of what religion means in his life. I've always thought religious systems that require an underlying denial of one's humanity (like, for example, the desire to relax and have fun by oneself from time to time) weren't particularly healthy.

It's also very unfortunate that this particular set of value judgements is being reinforced by his wife. I can't imagine being married to someone that has no understanding of my interests nor respect for my hobbies. My wife, who plays some games but has no interest in others, is still a good enough person and partner to show an interest in things that are important to me (and I return that favor regarding hobbies of hers).

We're getting better! She plays board games with me now...

And she'd play Tetris, probably.

Anyway, it has nothing to do with denying oneself fun - it's almost like a game in itself. Trying to maximize the amount of good you can do for the whole world within your time limitations and responsibilities.