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

[NickCaligo42]

Not impressed with your reasoning. Video games didn't make you lazy, you were lazy all by yourself. If you hadn't played games you'd have simply found other ways to be lazy, as you will in time to come.

Case in point: My sister's been playing WoW religiously since around the time it started. She played Everquest in high school before that in much the same fashion, logging a couple of hours every day. Before that she regularly played other video games on Playstation and N64, and before that on Sega Genesis. In each of those online games she was a member of a guild and regularly conducted raids with them. How'd she do? Valedictorian, full ride scholarship to college, skipped a year of it due to high placement scores, now she's working on her PH.D in nuclear physics. And you'd better believe she worked her ass off to get there.

Initiative and drive haven't got shit to do with your hobby. If you asked me to name the most self-destructive game ever I'd have said WoW hands-down, but clearly it didn't stand in HER way, and she's one of the most hopeless addicts I've seen.

Me? Believe it or not in the last five years I've not played games with as much frequency as I did before. I don't play WoW and never have. I gave up Everquest halfway through high school. I avoid playing games because I think about how much work I could be getting done, which I still don't do. Don't ask me what I spend that time doing, because I honestly couldn't tell you. I'm still successful, but I procrastinate as much as anybody else I know who DOES play games more regularly. If anything, though, I would say that my not playing games is more indicative of my inability to make decisions and lack of initiative than it is of how responsible I am.

Food for thought.

 

[Sinclair Solutions]

I'm sorry that you feel this way. It's good that you have priorities and that you put your future success over the games. It's smart thinking in my opinion. Yet, I don't feel like you have to blame games for anything. I have found a balance between work, games, and other activities. I always finish my work first, and then play games if the TV or computer is free. If not, I work on other things, such as my art and writing. I may be a certain case, but it is very possible to find such a balance.

 

[RetiarySword]

Spoiler

'In short for the people with the "If it's more than 6 lines, I'm going to skim it" attitude (I've been there too) here the question:
What do you think you could've accomplished if you let the princess rot in that cell?

If time would be turned back for you, could you be absolutely certain that you wouldn't make the same misstakes again?

Nope, but I would give it my best shot to be better. Thats the fun about time travel, you don't know how kitted up on knowlege you will be

Exactly.
Therefore, use the knowledge you've aquired throughout your years to improve your life instead of pushing it away.
I know how you understand, how you feel. If I'd been out walking more, I wouldn't be overweight as I am today. But all these IF's aren't healthy, they bring you down and tear you appart. They don't go away but you can change them. Don't be discouraged if someone says that they've trained eg. karate since they were 5. That doesn't mean you can't train it and become better than them. It just means that you'll have to work harder.

But hardships makes us strong.

So don't worry, don't blame.
Just get out there and do it instead.

Good words mate, if there was a like button, I would press it.

 

[De Ronneman]

Mega Snip

So, I've been gaming for pretty much 15 years. I believe I got my first GameBoy at age 5 or so. I've turned twenty last week, so that's well rounded.

I have never, ever found it hampering my social life. I've done quite some sports(didn't like them though), play guitar pretty awesomely, have a solid cor of friends and am very close with my family. I am studying law at uni and doing pretty darn well.

I think it's mainly your fault for losing yourself in games. They have a pause-button. Heck, even an off-switch.

And as far as kids go: In my day, in sixth grade, pokemon was the sh*t. We played, all day, then talked about, fought eachother, talked about others fighting eachother. I don't think it turned us into social retards...

EDIT: I just realised 2 things:
1) Why are people who don't play games automaticaly better set for becoming succesfull? I have some talents, and I have the same chances as every other. I play guitar, but not good enough for superstardom. I don't mind. 99% of the people out there are in the same situation.
2) This is textbook trolling, whether you intended to or not. Also, this is one good topic to get that "great topic, X replies"-badge... Why am I responding to this?

 

[noctifyre]

Eh... The sole games I played growing up were Commodore 64 and some Sierra ones here and there - nothing 'serious', because my parents weren't into consoles and their games and all that. So the first console I ever owned was a PS2 that I bought when I was 18/19 - perhaps even 20.

So with that in mind, tbh I think games helped enrich my life further than it was before I ever got into them. :/

 

[TheFurryChicken]

There is absolutely nothing wrong with gaming as a whole. I believe what you're referring to is hardcore gaming. I consider myself a gamer but gaming is not my life. I'm a casual gamer in the sense that I play games to relax and have fun. I play games to give myself something to do in the minimal time I have between both of my jobs. Casual gaming has gathered a rather degrading reputation as "Bejeweled" gaming. But that's a topic for another time.

I too had an SNES when I was 7. I spent as much time outside playing with neighborhood kids as I did inside playing DK Country and Super Mario World. In some ways it can be counter productive. I see your point on that. However, playing video games is not black and white. It doesn't have to mean 16 hours of your day devoted to saving the princess again.

With that jumble of words I simply say, to each their own. If you want to teabag the noobs, save the princess, Phoenix Down your fallen ally, or fire off a red turtle shell, more power to you. It's the player playing the game, not the other way around.

 

[The Bum]

It's a hobby.
If you're going to give up gaming you're going to need to find another hobby. That or live for your work like a lemming.

Then kill yourself in a mass migration

But dude thats YOUR fault if i have somthing to do i do it if theres a oppurtinity to be with frends i choose that it's all about CHOICE

 

[findler]

Everything in moderation. If you think gaming is holding you back and as such you are stopping playing video games, I GUARANTEE, within a couple of months it will be something else. The problem is within you and only you can change it.

I go to university full-time, work out, play sports, socialize, volunteer, position myself for my career, live on a farm, help run multiple family businesses and I also play games. It's supplemental to everything else I do and is a fun way to unwind. Some months of the year I may not have alot of time for it, you just have to prioritize.

Self-control is the key. Learn that and you're golden.

 

[RetiarySword]

Spoiler

Yep, I think the doom sayers might of been right. Before you jump in hear me out;
I've been playing games for more than a decade now, I would say around 14 years. I've defeated the robots, shot countless holes into hordes of aliens, found the master sword and saved the brainless princess, so I've been around you might say.
I'm now giving up gaming (Well for the most part) as its become too much of a distraction from studies and a dusty social life. I've sold my xbox, selling my gaming rig for a simple laptop (which can play steam games. I'm not crazy) and trading in all of my games.

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.

What do you think? I don't think I'm going to let my future kids touch games. Well not until they're at least in their early teens, or have a sport or hobby to draw them away from the digital wasteland. I definitely think that seven is too young. Maybe my parents or even I should of paid attention to that +13 sticker on the box?
I don't know, just something I wanted to throw out there.

'In short for the people with the "If it's more than 6 lines, I'm going to skim it" attitude (I've been there too) here the question:
What do you think you could've accomplished if you let the princess rot in that cell?

Gaming is something I do for fun and entertainment. I separate it from my real life ambitions and activities, because I will not let it interfere with my life. I believe if you play in moderation, in control of your actions and aware that you need to do x today (work, study for that rest, pay bills, etc) or other real life responsibilities, or even ones as a kid such as going outside, taking a break, asking that girl or boy out that you like, then you would not have had this problem. It's not the games fault, because the game can't make your choices for you. Yo:/

But lesson learned right? If there is one thing you should teach your kids about games, is that they aren't real, and that moderation is a good thing. People can balance games and real life activities and both can co exist quite well. That balance is what many gamers lack. Teaching your kids this with limits on how much they play and other things would be a good first step for them not to repeat any mistakes you made when you were a child. It's different for everyone, but I'm speaking from myself here, I play games, I work 2 jobs, and I'm pretty successful for a 20 year old woman. I live alone, and I still game everyday, but I know when to shut it off and get serious with my life.

*hugs* I really hope this post helped you, and if I came off as mean or anything it's not intentional. Just telling you the truth.

Its ok, it did help thanks, *e-hugs*

 

[Palademon]

I play games because I enjoy them, but play them WHEN I have nothing better to do. Unfortunately, I never have anything better to do. I understand where you come from, but I mostly care about social life within this instance, and since people are stupid, I would rather blame other people for thinking worse of me just because of my hobby.

 

[zehydra]

Video games is what you do in your relax time. If all of your time is being spent with relax time, then what work are you accomplishing? (Get into video game programming, then you can still have fun with video games during your work time. )

 

[CloakedOne]

It's all a matter of choice. If you regret that you didn't do more, you should have had more self control. If you enjoyed playing, what's the problem? Life's too short to aspire to being "accomplished" if that's not truly important to you. If it is what you deem important and you didn't do it, that's your mistake and not your hobby. By that logic, all the fat kids in America should complain about the abundance of food available to be eaten. Self control is key, not placing blame on the thing in which we over-indulge.

 

[Vestsao]

The majority of political groups with an anti-gaming agenda usually base on the detrimental influence violent video-games would have on an easily affected premature mind; not that it prevents development and causes an individual with the physique of the humans from WALL-E, the intellectual capacity of a Neanderthal and the life potential of a Pholcidae.

That's not directed at you. It's directly at all individuals who allow video-gaming to consume their life.

 

[Pegghead]

Gaming's one of my hobbies, there's nothing evil about that. If anything gaming has made me friends, given my family something to do together, taught me a thing or two and even been like a reward for completing hard work in turn making me more determined (i.e This assignment is incredibly boring, I'll commit to this paragraph tonight and once I'm done I'll go play something).

I aslo happen to play the piano, play soccer, enjoy being outdoors, love film, love drama, like fishing, love reading, love music and love digital art. So in this case I don't think gaming has been the problem, I think only sticking to one thing and never expanding your horizons has been the problem. Those violinists and artists, see if they've ever been camping or ask them what their favourite film is or better yet ask them what they would've done different as a kid if they had the means to change it, chances are they could be in the same position as you. You could argue that if sticking to one thing then commiting to art or playing the violin would be ultimately more productive than gaming and you are right but only to a certain extent, someone being able to play Fur Elise with no mistakes on the Piano is as comparable and uncreative though nonetheless impressive a talent as say...getting a high score on through the fire and flames, someone writing a beautiful symphony is just as comparable, creative and impressive as someone creating an exquisitely designed custom level in cs: source or synthesizing an incredible chip tune song using gameboys and super nintendos.

 

[Naheal]

So, what you're saying is that, because you played video games, you're unsuccessful. You didn't even stop to think that, somewhere along the line, you would've picked up another hobby that could have been equally damaging? What would you have done otherwise? Indulged in passive entertainment such as books or TV?

Like it or not, gamers have a distinct tendency to be marginally smarter than the rest of the folks in the world. Why? How often do you run into a situation in a game that requires creative problem solving? How often do you have to retry an area just to get past it? Like it or not, we're determined, intelligent pricks. We do what we can, not because we must, but because someone told us that we "can't".

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 ¬¬

Understandable. It seems that he's started to move towards a "fast food made me fat" mentality.

 

[gmaverick019_v1legacy]

The same thing can happen with ANY hobby.

This.

Why not just turn your gaming into a career, like most would do with an extreme hobby? I admit that if I put the games down for more than I usually do I can accomplish alot, but in the end its all self control and time management. Its my fault for "wasting time" not the game or the developers.

this.

in my childhood i had time for everything. i didn't have time to just sit and relax doing nothing, but i had time for video games/soccer/work/family/reading/and hanging out with friends on the weekends.

really its all mental will, if you wanted to do or learn something, then go do it. the only thing that was holding yourself back OP was yourself.