Wait just a second.. We were wrong! Gaming is bad for kids! (Well in my experience)

MintyNinja

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Sep 17, 2009
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RetiarySword said:
Honestly, this is the best argument I can think of for people not to smoke pot. It just wastes time when you could be doing other and better things. But as for gaming? Well I'm in the same boat, I haven't touched my 360 in almost a month.
 

Littlee300

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Oct 26, 2009
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comadorcrack said:
You know what.
Fine, go on then, Leave gaming behind. We Won't miss you.

But don't you dare Blame your lack of greatness on gaming. You should have grabbed the bull by the horn yourself, you should have had the strength to say I'll play you later, I have to do this!
Just because you're weak don't go blaming it on streams of Code on a TV screen!
Feel free to go on you bag of dick!

So long, farewell, auf Wiedersehen, adieu

Peace x
Are you a ex-drill Sargent?
 
May 5, 2010
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I'm just going to tell you one fact about my life that just might blow your mind.


I learned to play the guitar and I play videogames.
 

Xeros

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Aug 13, 2008
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I probably could've been a great drummer instead of it just being a side hobby. But now I get to do both, so I'm good.
 

comadorcrack

The Master of Speilingz
Mar 19, 2009
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Littlee300 said:
Are you a ex-drill Sargent?
Well I was a Sargent back in my Army Cadet days.
But I did come off pretty angry there didn't I.
Well I was pretty Damn Angry and Still Am!
I had a soul searching day today too you know, but my conclusion didn't come to blaming video games so the OP really just pissed me off ¬¬
 

FinalHeart95

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Jun 29, 2009
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RetiarySword said:
Part of the reason for this is I want to become successful, well financed, and all those things which build up power and I see gaming blockading that dream.
This train of thought led me to the question; 'What could've I achieved if I didn't get that SNES?'. I started gaming when I was seven, big thing back then as I was captivated by the stories, entertained by the halarious phrases and quirky characters. But what if I done the normal kid thing, went outside, played the sports, learned the guitar.. Where could I be now.

This is mostly down to jealousy. I'm at university now, so I've met many talented people, violin players, guitar players, piano, saxophone, etc. The sportsmen with their great level of physical fitness, the schollars with vast amounts of knowlege. What can I pass on to other people, apart from 'Watch out for the snakes on level 6!'?

I don't know, but I look back and think if I stuck with the guitar lesson, played football, continued karate lessons, I could've been well.. more.
I play video games, go to places with friends, get straight As, play guitar and saxophone, and play hockey.

It's simply time management. Yes I play games, I don't let them take over my life.
 

Twilight_guy

Sight, Sound, and Mind
Nov 24, 2008
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Yes you could have done more if not wasting time on games but then you have to ask, do you have the gumption to have constantly worked towards some other goal? If games would just be replaced with some other waste of time then nothing would really come of it. Would never playing games have lead to no fun and thus made your life miserable? It's not as simple as "don't play games == success elsewhere"
 

ReaperzXIII

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Jan 3, 2010
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Playing games is a way to pass time like watching TV, reading a book, sleeping. If you slept all hours of the day its your fault not the sleep, if you let TV take over your life its your fault not the TV. Get it? It is a form of entertainment, it isn't supposed to take over your life (it comes with a pause, save and quit button for a reason you know).
 

Jack_Uzi

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Mar 18, 2009
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If it wasn't for games... you'll probably find another distraction. I hear what you are saying and to some extent, I feel the same. But is gaming worse than watching television all damned day long? I think slightly... because you still interact with something and keep your brain working to solve puzzles and problems or make your hand/eye coordination better.
Sure you could do other things like reading or learn how to draw something, you could have no console or computer to play on and smoke meth all day long... it's just all what you make of it and the time you spend on doing it.
 

MisterShine

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Mar 9, 2010
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Funkiest Monkey said:
But you know what? It's never too late. Take up the guitar, join a sports club, do whatever you want! If you want to do something, go and do it! Nothing is stopping you. There's a world of opportunities out there and it's up to you to go find them. Carpe Diem. Seize the day.

P.S. Don't deprave your future kids of videogames. It's up to you as the parent to monitor and control what your children get up to at an early age. With the correct guidance, they could very well do sports or learn an instrument, while enjoying videogames occasionally.

Shit. I'm not usually this motherly and serious. Sorry if this came off as "holier-than-thou" aswell, I was just trying to help. My position isn't perfect either, y'know. But with the right motivation you can do anything.
I'd like to single out this post entirely, but specifically the bits quoted in addition to my above post.

One of the main things keeping down college-aged people is that just because we're in an environment where people are age seem pretty far ahead, we feel like we're shoehorned into following the path we've set ourselves upon. Unless you're like dying of cancer or in your 70's, there's still plenty of time to put your life onto the path you want it to be on, all you have to do is work to change it. 'Specially now with Comrade Obama in charge, we can get student loans until our 8th year of college without getting a degree! WOO!
 

Swarley

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Apr 5, 2010
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The people who have fun always regret not working harder, and the people who worked hard always regret not taking more time for fun.
 

teisjm

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Mar 3, 2009
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Well, i guess gaming may have been bad for you then, but thats not really enough to jump to any sort of conclusions. But for the sake of the argument i'll put myself up as a counter-argument.

I've been gameing for around 20 years, started before i can even remember, my parents have told me they pålayed video-games with me when i was 2 years old and coudl ahrdly talk.

I always did well in school, and i graduated gymnasium (the step before university) with the best grades in my class.
At age 15/16 (just around my birthday, so i don't remember which) i won the junior national championship in sports climbing and got a 10'th place in the adult national championship.
I'm in good shape.
I'm pretty good at drawing, and are using those skills to help me in my current education as a 3d digital artist, which will eventually lead to jobs in the film and gaming industry.
I had no problem working around 50 hours a week for 2 years, evening, weekend and night shifts to save up for my school.
in 2 months when i turn 22, i'll have my 6 year "aniversary" with the company i'm employed in.
While i've never been a player (not to be confused with gamer) or been swimming in girls, i've never had problems with girls or getting girlfriends.
I have plenty of friends.

So, i don't see how gaming have affected my life negatively, ofc theres always the "but what if" argument, and you're right, if i had spend every hour i've been gaming doing something more productive, i might have been more ahead in what i'm doing now, in my case 3d graphics, but in this case, gameing sparked that interrest and lead me that way, but it might have been something not related to gameing.
But you could say that for everything you do
What if you had ignored relationships totally, then all teh time you've spend with girlfriends/boyfriends could've been used to study.
All the people you talk about, musicians and athletes, unless they're gonna become professional musicians and athletes, they've spend a lot of time doing something that didn't further their career as well. Athletes will ofc get in good shape, which will keep them mroe healthy, but musicians (no hate meant, i play the guitar myself, though i'm not that good at it) are just good at something that interrest them, and which they enjoy, even though it doesn't further their career or succesfullness, just like gaming.
To follow your logic, you should also throw out your tv, and any litteral works of fiction (non-work related books) unless ofc you're studying movies or litterature.

Personally, I don't think you can really go through life without having some interrests that, even though they're not helping you towards some big goal, interrests you, helps you unwind, and makes you happy.
Sure, gaming may not be as prestigefull a hobby as music or sports (if you're good at them) but are you really gonna live 100% for the sake of what others think superficially about you, stuff like prestige status etc. Or do you want to live to be happy, which will also affect how people who knows you personally thinks about you in a less superficial way.
personally, i've chosen 3d graphics as the career i want to pursue, cause it really interrests me, sure i have the grades from school to study something that would lead to a job with more money, but seeing how i'm gonan spend neary half my wake time for the next 40-50 years doing what i choose now, i'd much rather pick something taht interrests me teh most, and not just what is highest ranked on some invisible social scale of prestige and status.

I think this respond is getting way too long already, so i'll end it here, hope you're as patient as me, and cares to read through responses over 6 lines long.
 

Ironic Pirate

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May 21, 2009
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The grass is always greener in the alternate timeline, isn't it?

What if you had taken up drugs, and wasted the same amount of time, but more money?

Hell, the other day a guy walking next to me got hit by a bike. Got right back up, sure, but what if I had walked a couple feet over to the side? I would have been hit.

Wishing we had done other shit is pointless, as it just makes us sad, and it may actually have turned out worse. And I don't think gaming was your biggest problem, either.

Sorry if I sound angry, my writing always seems much more aggressive then my tone.
 

olendvcook

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Aug 14, 2009
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Or instead of blaming games learn to balance your life, you can play games and learn the guitar too. Your just using games as a scapegoat to feel better about yourself.

edit: also the title of the thread has nothing to do with its topic
 

RemSaverem

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Aug 13, 2008
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"Waah waah my life didn't turn out the way I wanted, so I'm going to blame it on my crutch, rather than admit that maybe I had a problem."

Bite me.

I've been playing video games since I was 2. I'm now 29, I have a BA, and I'm a Freelance Translator (Japanese to English) for video game strategy guides, getting paid as an author. Before that, I spent 5 years in the industry translating video games. I would say I'm a success. I LIKE where I am, and for me, it's BECAUSE of the games. Yeah, I'm not a pro athlete, yeah I'm not a concert pianist, but you know what? I'M FINE WITH THAT. It's not what I wanted to be anyway.

So don't blame your weak will on your crutch of choice. Some of us have done quite well, thank you very much.

Oh, wait, here. I'll speak your language.
"Oh man, if I had only put down the games and practiced harder at that clarinet, then I could still be working at McDonalds or some other dead-end job, rather than having my name in the credits of a couple dozen video games and pulling in fat loot for each project. Oh geez, darn these video games and the success they've brought me! I needed to wallow in mediocrity! Curse these videogames, giving me the opportunity to meet Nathan Fillion and direct Nolan North! Why couldn't I just be some failure!?"

That better?
*bites lip to avoid swearing tirade*
 

Thaius

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Mar 5, 2008
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It's a matter of time management. You can't blame the games: if it wasn't games, there would have been something else you loved to do and spent all your time with. THe question isn't what distracted you, but why. It's not the games' fault.
 

PurplePlatypus

Duel shield wielder
Jul 8, 2010
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No, it?s your fault, not games fault. You lack the ability to limit your time in games, you realised this and took action, good for you.


You can do better for your children than that though. Don?t turn something into a forbidden fruit; nobody will thank you for it. Instead help them rise above it, help them do better than you could manage. Teach them to manage their time and limit recreational activities in favour of the bigger picture.