Editorial compares videogames to crack and teen pregnancy; Author a moron

[Bond]

Here is my response to an editorial written today in the London Times. You can read the full article here.

"Scene 1. Gatwick South Terminal, spring 2008, early morning. Shafts of limpid sunlight. Nicely shampooed family of four in pastel Boden (not my own) step gateward on to airside travelator. Hols start now. Low-fare Europe beckons. Whither these lucky bourgeois paragons on such a blessed morn? Val T? Nicosia? Palermo? Like the kids could give a s***. They've got their noses in their matching pink and blue Nintendos, thumbs a-tremble, and they'd sooner get eaten by the travelator and spat out as mince than look up and take the slightest bit of interest in reality.

Scene 2. Later that week, elsewhere in Europe. Your notebooker is tired after lashings of fresh air and exercise and dinner with friends. Tired and a little emotional.

He says: “I will never buy my children a Nintendo. Never.”

The friends laugh.

Your notebooker: “I don't care what Dr Byron says. I will never buy my children a Nintendo. Or anything like it. Ever.”

The Times education editor: “Yes you will.”

Me: “You mean I have to give in?”

Her: “You have to give in. They'll hate you if you don't. This stuff is all part of their world and you should know about it. Don't worry. A lot of it is great.”

By the end of Scene 3, which our education editor concurs transpired more or less as above, I was more depressed than I can ever remember being. It was a sudden Marianas Trench of depression from which I knew I had to come out snarling or get stuck there. Hence this."

What the hell kind of opening for an editorial is this? First of all, the bourgeois has nothing to do with videogames - why even reference it? Secondly, this man's view of the world is so manichaest it's ridiculous. He's creating this false world where you can either: a) exercise and eat well or b) play videogames. That's simply not true. I personally exercise 5 days a week, eat a very healthy diet, and, oh my god, play videogames.

Also, the idea of "giving in" to your children by buying them videogames or else they'll "hate you" is also ridiculous. If your child is going to hate you over you not buying them a videogame console then I think there are more serious parenting issues, and your relationship between you and your child is extremely weak.

And the notion of videogames being part of "their world" is part of the problem here. When you have the mindset that something is not of "your world" then you are starting out with a stigma that it is something you can never understand or become accustomed to - which is simply not true. I have seen many senior citizens learn, enjoy, and embrace the wonders of the internet, even though it did not come from their generation. To ignore these new innovations is fine, but to dismiss them on the grounds that they are "not from my time so they must be evil" is not okay, it's ignorant.

"I hate video games, on or offline. I hate the way they suck real people into fake worlds and hold on to them for decades at a time. I hate being made to feel hateful for saying so, and I hate being told to immerse myself in them before passing judgment, because it feels like being told to immerse myself in smack and teenage pregnancy before passing judgment on them."

How in the hell do you get off comparing videogames to crack and teen pregnancy? Where is your empirical data? Where is your convincing qualitative argument. Oh, that's right, it's nowhere to be found.

[Angrist]

You wrote that response? It's confusing and poorly written, sorry to say...

Edit: doh, I get it now. Don't say "Here's my response" and then put something else in the following quote....

Anyway, I'm not going to let my kids (when/if I have them) play too many games. But that guy is really exaggerating.

[Dylflon]

Doth my eyes deceive me?

A journalist being completely off the mark about video games?

If I was wearing a monocle, it would certainly pop right off of my face.

[Professor S]

Originally Posted by Dylflon

If I was wearing a monocle, it would certainly pop right off of my face.

Just want to preface my post by saying I am stealing that line. Brilliant.

This really has nothing to do with video games, per se. It's really about generational distrust and even fear. The same thing happened with Elvis Presley and the birth of Rock and Roll.

Parents will always worry about their children, or young people by extention. They try and teach them how to be good people, and without perspective they can believe that if the children do not do EXACTLY what they think is right, the kids are destroying the world.

The reality is, every generation distrusts the generation after it, and in end end the world keeps turning and everything turns out fine, regardless of any bumps along the road.

[Bond]

This guy's book is getting pwned over at Amazon. Kind of rude, but kind of funny at the same time.

[thatmariolover]

Originally Posted by Bond

This guy's book is getting pwned over at Amazon. Kind of rude, but kind of funny at the same time.

Ha! That had one of the best comments ever!

I thought this book was a colossal waste of time. Clearly the author has never been to Central Asia. Anyone wanting to know what Central Asia is really like should play Call Of Duty 4.

[Fox 6]

Didnt this same thing happen to that ladys' book after she bad mouthed Mass Effect?


You think more people would pay attention to things like this.

[Happydude]

Originally Posted by Fox 6

Didnt this same thing happen to that ladys' book after she bad mouthed Mass Effect?


You think more people would pay attention to things like this.

yeah...lol...oh well, ignorant people get what they deserve...

[Typhoid]

Originally Posted by Happydude

ignorant people get what they deserve...

More ignorance?

[Cheez-Its]

has anyone thouht that maybe the cracks and pregant teens dont like bein compared to gamers???

we shoud look at this argumant from both sides

[Fox 6]

Originally Posted by Typhoid

More ignorance?

You tell him Sean, give him what he deserves!

[Swan]

What exactly are the "cracks" Cheez-it?

[Fox 6]

Pay no attention to them cheez its.

just keep on keeping on. theyll get used to you. Its like hazing.

[Swan]

Everyman has to deal with it once in their life. Someday you may be able to partake in the fun

[Cheez-Its]

hey fox since u and i seem 2 be prety good friends now i say lets teach pretzel junkie swan a lesson