by Dr. Jingle Mileaf

Created on: February 15, 2008

Another absurd notion! "Video games corrupt children"; I haven't heard that before.

Parents argue nonstop about how video games corrupt children, but half the time they are going with the same argument that everyone goes with. Last year, I constructed a senior project on this very topic. Scientific evidence is unable to conclude if video games are harmful or beneficial to gamers.

Again, parents take the preconceived bias that games affect children's behavior. I understand your child will play games nonstop, but perhaps it's because he has nothing else to do? People take years practicing chess, learning different strategies and tactics to outsmart opponents. When I play a game like Counter Strike, it is similar to a chess match because we outsmart our opponents and work as a team to eliminate the opposition.

Kids learn from games; Problem solving is what games are all about. It upsets me that so many parents are unable to understand just how exciting games can be, and how much they can help people.

Online games are even better. Yes, sometimes they can get out of hand (in what I would say are already mentally unstable individuals), but for the most part people learn teamwork and communication. I have online friends from the past who continue to call me even to today all of them just as sane as an average person.

Parents from all generations pick something that is new for their children and say that is the cause of the generations "problems". It's impossible to argue with the fact that the flappers of the 1920's were attacked by older generations. Hippies and the "free love" movement were attacked by those very same flappers years later. Now, you attack us, saying we are "addicted" to a game.

It's a sad world we live in. Children may need to be taught moderation, but don't say anything about addiction. There are many things we could do, but today's society it's hard to accomplish those. It's an unfortunate world that children can't go outside without fear of being picked up off the street.

You want your child to stop playing games? Let them have friends over. They may play games, but they are communicating with a person while they do. That's the solution to this supposed "problem".

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