Games & gear: Video Games, Am I wasting my life?
Wasting lives playing video games? I think Not
by jim54729 - 12/6/06 4:19 AM In reply to: Video Games, Am I wasting my life? by wjnthreeYes some guys I know tell me about the 8 hour gameing block they did Saturday, that is too much, but also know allot who go home and spend part of thier evening online gaming with other friends from work, vs spending the money drinking and driving. @40 years of age, most of the younger guys I work with were suprised to find out that I was a gamer, But i do it allot, but not at a sacrifice to my family and life. It is better than a book sometimes ( I still read allot too) and much better than todays tv programing. It is recreation that gets me away from thinking of work, and it is a cheap recreation. My wife knows where Im at while on the computer downstairs, spending less money then some others, but if it means being tired at work, less time with your family, chores around the house not getting done, no physical activities, then ...yes you are poorly managing your life.
Jim
Not so much a question of "brain frying"
by adamwyoung - 12/6/06 4:22 AM In reply to: Video Games, Am I wasting my life? by wjnthreeThis HAS been a debate for as long as video games have been around. I remember being told that JumpJoe would fry my brain... but I think it's less of an issue of "brain frying" than we think. It's more of a social and personal development issue.
People like to call it frying your brain because they often look at those who spend lots of time playing video games and realize that they aren't socially... well, normal. They spend hours on end in darkened rooms, creating relationships with artificial individuals.
Don't get me wrong, I love playing games myself, but the biggest danger is playing too much. There are so many other things in life that are much more rewarding.
My personal suggestion toward the subject is this: plan your day to include gaming, but put it near the end of your day. Make sure you do the things you need to for the day (for example, I work, then come home and make sure I do laundry, or clean my room, or finish homework. Then I make sure I don't have groceries to buy, or events for the evening. If I have some free time, I fill it in with an hour or 2 of games with my brother or by myself. I try to not spend more than an hour or two per day except special occasions with friends and family).
In all honesty, it's up to you. You have to decide what you want to do with your life. If that's sit on the couch, or in the computer chair, or try for a job designing computer games (every young boy's dream), then you should spend the time playing games. But to have a better-rounded social life, you should limit your time playing games and find other things to do. If you think there's nothing else to do, that's the perfect time to work on other aspects of life, instead of gaming. (Think about going to the gym or running, or studying religious scripture, or philosophy, or pick up a new talent). Since I've changed from playing games for hours and hours, I've been much happier with myself and with life.
As for your parents, just smile and nod. If you are getting other things done as well, they will soon notice the difference in you and stop bugging you.
Is anyone wasting their life?
by BrianO5 - 12/6/06 4:41 AM In reply to: Video Games, Am I wasting my life? by wjnthreeIf you are going to ask thIS sort of question to other members, it is obvious that you have a problem. Games for me are a form of relaxatiion, and that is all. I purchased my computer to learn, i have a Animation progamme that cost me over £1000 to purchase, there are 8 DVD Tutorials with this programme, and i spend a lot of my spair time learning, but with anything that we try or do, we get bored, this is when games come in handy, but only in moderation. Computers are a great source of education, (But only if you want to learn,) dont waste it. AND DONT WASTE YOUR TIME.
Video games in moderation.
by Rawnchie14 - 12/6/06 4:42 AM In reply to: Video Games, Am I wasting my life? by wjnthreeI personally believe that people who say video games are a waste of time, haven't played many of them. As of late, I've been so bogged down with work, friends, college classes, and such to play even close to 20 hours a week of video games. I maybe do about 5 hours a week at this point, and thats mid day weekends most of the time.
But dismissing video games as a waste of time is your loss. I like playing games that can be picked up and put down freely. Not so much games that require you to allot an extensive period of time to get anything done (I'm looking at you WoW, with your endgame instances). That's why I like FPS's... you can play for 30mins-hour and feel satisfied enough to quit.
Don't give on these games, they're a real ride, one you're missing out on.
Not a waste of time...
by Udderjuice - 12/6/06 4:46 AM In reply to: Video Games, Am I wasting my life? by wjnthreeI don't see how playing video games is any more or less a waste of time than any other hobby or passtime. The same people who usually condemn video games as a waste of time usually spend just as many hours glued to the television watching sit-coms, doctor/lawyer dramas and sporting events. How is that not a waste of time? I haven't watched a TV show in over seven years because I prefer to do something intereactive. People usually put down things they don't understand and its the same with video games.
Life is about Balance
by xfile102 - 12/6/06 4:53 AM In reply to: Video Games, Am I wasting my life? by wjnthreeThis question is a very valid one, especially when so many uninformed parents, media and civic organizations blindly make claims to denounce them. There is NOTHING inherently wrong with Game playing. The dangers come from not maintaining a healthy balance with your quality of life. A couple of common mis-conceptions are:
"Video Games make people lazy & anti-social" - FALSE. Modration is key. Like ANY activity in life, it is important to make sure that you are regulating the amount of time you spend with them. If you allow yourself to spend too much time playing games, that time is taken away from other improtant activities suach as reading, outdoor activities, listening to music and sharing time with friends and loved ones. This can be a danger with ANY activity, whether you are spending too much time playing games, watching tv, doing a hobby, or even studying. In life you need a healthy balance of learning, personal alone time, social interaction with others, and play. some of those can be combinations, but you still need them all. Studies have proven in fact that MODERATE game playing also stimulates brain activity, while excessive game playing can shut down brain activity. Studies have shown that people whoe occaisionally play video games for approximately 6-8 hours a week see a mile increase in Beta Wave activity in the brain over people who don't play games. Beta waves are present when the creative and motors sectors of the brain are working. Video Game play in moderation has also been linked to development in children. A study of kids aged 3-16 and young adults aged 17-26 who played Video Games 8-11 Hours a week showed: Improved Hand-Eye Coordination, Improved Problem solving Skills, Improved responses and reflexes, and increased Beta Wave producion. Of course, this was all in MODERATION. Test subjects also had periods of outdoor activities, reading & learning, social interaction and sleep. The same exact study also showed that subjects who played Video Games for 16+ hours a week showed a slight DROP in Beta Wave activity, and showed OBVIOUS signs of Anti-Social behavior such as irritability, being easily angered, aggression, inability to concentrate and trouble socializing. Again, proving that not balancing this activity out can be detrimental.
Another common argument used is "Degraded Morality"
This RIDICULOUS argument can be summed up easily. If you are a parent, READ THE LABELS BEFORE YOU BUY. BE INVOLVED. Play with your kid. See what they are being exposed to. If you live by a certain set of moral or religeous values, you are very aware of what you consider acceptable and not. So be selective. If you blindly puchase porn and violent Rated R movies with strong language for your children at their request, the MOVIE STUDIOS are NOT AT FAULT. YOU ARE. They put warning labels on their products to help you to be discerning. The point is, look at your own personal beliefs and feelings, and be selective abut te games you buy. Read the backs, look at the ESRB labels. Make good buying decsions about what you find acceptable in your home. There are HUNDREDS of websites devoted to helping you pick wholesome games that you can enjoy with the whole family. If you do not live to those sort of moral or religeous convictions, and you regularly watch tv or movies where drugs, sex, violence and foul language are common themes, a Rated "M" Video Game is not going to "Degrade" your moral compass. It is simply another format for the entertainment you are used to.
In short: Be a discerning buyer, but games that fit your personality and convictions. Make sure you get outside, go out with friends, spend time with family, study, read, and take time for yourself to just NOT DO ANYTHING. Balance you life out, and video games are just another form of entertainment there for your enjoyment, when you have the time....
I'm a Player and a Mother
by j_reid69 - 12/6/06 4:55 AM In reply to: Video Games, Am I wasting my life? by wjnthreeAs a player, after spending a block of time in my day playing a video game, I feel as if I have wasted that time. I have accomplished nothing productive - my To Do List is still full. If I am playing, it is just a gift to myself to squander time. It may have allowed me to take a break from real life, but there are better stress relievers available to me, and sometimes the game causes more stress than it relieves
As a mother, I watch my son's life pass him by while he sits for hours in front of a computer screen playing, right now, WOW. While playing he is still communicating with friends, players, etc., but the doing part of him is being wasted. Whether the doing is chores, homework, socializing outside of the home, etc. He will often choose the game over spending time with me or others in his family, and since it is the one thing he truly loves to do (his words not mine) I have a hard time telling him he can't do it. I'd like to pitch the computer right out of the window. No telling who or what he might turn out to be if he took/had the time to engage his brain in other activities.
As a post script, I guess I should add that I am the one who led him down the path of gaming - as a child he did not like to read and had some comprehension issues, but he liked to play games, so I introduced him to video games to encourage him to read. Now he will read games, but he still won't read books. It really saddens me on what he is missing out on.
Putting this in perspective
by ninesenshi - 12/6/06 4:55 AM In reply to: Video Games, Am I wasting my life? by wjnthreeI'll keep this short and direct.
Playing video-games is no better or worse then watching tv or reading or anything else you do by yourself where no real people can get hurt. It's fashionable nowadays to blame entertainment for social problems. When I was growing up, tv was allot more violent then it is today and filled with racial and sexual stereotypes. Yet neither I nor most of my generation grew up to be violent bigots. Sooo, tv (and videogames) don't cause these problems, though life would be much simpler if we could say they did.
That being said, you need to learn a skill to survive in this world. As long as you are learning a marketable skill, spend your free-time however you want.
NineSenshi
Yes and No...
by Romas27 - 12/6/06 5:14 AM In reply to: Video Games, Am I wasting my life? by wjnthreeIf you play video games to the exclusion of other activities or duties, then yes you are wasting your life. The priorities in life have to be taken care of before relaxing and having a little fun and a person should always find time every now and then to just back off and do something enjoyable. That said , are video games the only form of entertainment available? No and diversity in one's life makes an individual more well rounded and adaptable socially and professionally. There are a variety of sports activities that are enjoyable, reading a book every now and then is fulfilling, going to social functions gives one the opportunity to meet interesting people. The list is endless, and one should not become adicted to only one form of entertainment. Ever listen to a conversation between people obssessed with golf? Right, very boring if you aren't into the aport; and these individuals will refuse to change the subject. The same applies to everything. A person becomes very narrow-minded and socially boring when they allow one activity to dominate their lives.
As a parent I refused to buy a video game for my children as they were growing up because I didn't want them to be distracted from their education and I wanted them to be well-rounded. Television watching was also discouraged. They are both young adults now and I was partially successful (well so far anyway).
Bottom line: Diversify your life.
Gaming is for kids !
by jamal hafez - 12/6/06 5:16 AM In reply to: Video Games, Am I wasting my life? by wjnthreeThe kids I refer to are under the age of 12 ! I find it hard to beleive that parents encourage teens to play video and computer games. I also am amazed that folks out of high school still wrap themselves up in these stupid games as well. It really is a waste of time and money. The retail trades have found "willing fools" to be brainwashed into play games all thier life when there is so much else to do. At least re-qualify your self's as a couch potatoe !
it's no worse than other pasttimes
by mgriso - 12/6/06 5:17 AM In reply to: Video Games, Am I wasting my life? by wjnthreeIn my opinion, it's no worse than watching sports on TV--or in person, for that matter. I mean, what does it benefit a person to watch or follow sports--something that has no bearing on their future, does not educate the person, and is completely a man-made activity. The same people who criticize game players for "wasting their time" waste their own time watching TV or drinking heavily or going to sporting events or any number of other things people do just for fun.
The big difference, however, is that video games, especially computer games, force a person to learn about technology and expose them to that entire industry. I would not be working in computers today if I hadn't gotten one when I was 16 and learned how to make it do what I needed--all in order to play games on it.
Look at research
by clsmith - 12/6/06 5:22 AM In reply to: Video Games, Am I wasting my life? by wjnthreeA doctor created the game Brain Age. There are other games similar to it that will challenge you to think and reason. These games are good for your cognitive skills. In the game, the doctor tells you that when you need to cool off, play a video game because it is a good way to let your brain relax. You want a balance between the thinking games, the shoot 'em ups and other daily tasks that don't involve a video game console or computer. Just be sure that you challenge yourself with other things. If you find yourself getting stuck on something that you believe should be easy for you (like math or deductive reasoning) you may be playing too many games and not challenging your brain enough. Video games are not bad for you in moderation - I play them all the time.
Not necessarily.
by Taryn_Rose-2093597097484102060 - 12/6/06 5:23 AM In reply to: Video Games, Am I wasting my life? by wjnthreeYour profile shows a lot of interests other than video games. Are video games a waste of time? Hummmmm - what games are being played? A lot of games are educational or have SOME historical aspects. Most video games also help develop hand-eye coordination, teach and improve keyboarding and mouse skills, and help maintain mental alertness and problem solving skills. Is there a negative side? Yep! Some video games can cause motion sickness and a couple have caused seizures in individuals who were pre-disposed to seizure disorder (basically, blinking screens caused the brain to "short circuit"). IF you are ignoring other tasks to play video games (homework, cleaning your room, associating with peers, etc.), or are having trouble keeping the fantasy world separate from the real world (this happened with several who were playing Dungeons and Dragons, and took it from fantasy to the real world and committed crimes - including murder), then you are addicted to video games and need to "kick the habit". In other words, if gaming has become your "life" and is negatively impacting reality, then you have a problem.
I am a 57 year old male who plays about 7-10 hours of video games a week (my favorites are the "Legend of Zelda" series from Nintendo, Warcraft 3, C&C Red Alert 2 - Yuri's Revenge, and they Myst series. That last one - Myst - by the way, is one that I feel no parent could object to - no violence, SUPER graphics, and it's all puzzle solving). It is a great diversion. I also work a 40 hour week, maintain a house and yard (1/2 acre), eat 3 meals a day, check multiple e-mail accounts, run an online business, help maintain 2 forums and my own website, and get a normal nights sleep.
Hope this helps.
Andrew
Not only games, but sitting in front of the TV in general...
by Croixian - 12/6/06 5:27 AM In reply to: Video Games, Am I wasting my life? by wjnthreeWith all the wonderful people, cultures, art, food, music and science there is to explore in our world, it is sad that so many choose to waste their lives slumped in front of a TV playing games that will not contribute in any way to a wholesome, meaningful, well rounded life.
And we wonder why obesity is a pandemic in this country?
The question is 'do you have a life outside of games?'
by gclamb - 12/6/06 5:31 AM In reply to: Video Games, Am I wasting my life? by wjnthreeWithout having read all the posts (going to be late for work) I'll give this...
... Do you have a LIFE outside of the games?... are you ACTIVE or do you just sit on the couch/at your PC all day? Is your body fit?
...myself I never got into video games, I'd rather get up and REALLY play.
For example, one weekend staying at a friends I had a chat with one of his Quake buddies... He asked "WHY don't you PLAY?? it's the GREATEST!" ....I asked 'what's so great abou it?" he says "THe adrenaline rush!"
I was floored, 'adrenaline rush'?... from a video game???.... My answer to him was that I'd rather get on my racebike and get on a track with 15-20 other guys at 150mph... THAT is an adrenaline rush.
There if I crash, I bleed. there's no reset, no "2 lives left"
I gave it a shot though in all fairness. After about 40 minutes I had seen all there was to see and found it quite monotonous.
So I put down the mouse, and never played again.
Point is, these guys were wrapped up in the make-believe, (the particular person was online seemingly 24/7) and not living LIFE!
If you really, honestly have TIME to play for more that 2 hours in a week, I have to suggest you are not living life.
If it's a beautiful sunny day (warm or cold) and you'd rather sit in front of a video game, you need to think on how much of a life you have.
Pete
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