Video games
Video games have been around for a few decades now. It all started when Atari created the first gaming console, which featured a very simple tennis game with only one button. Decades later, the market is dominated by multiple consoles and complex games. To the modern children and young adults alike, video games are second to nature, and they enjoy playing the wide array of games available today. Even better, with the advent of enhanced technology, video games are now closer to reality than ever before where players can link up with other players online. Video games are thus the perfect way for children and young adults to escape reality, to practice different skills, to have social interactions and to be entertained however this results in a number of adverse effects among them lost touch with reality, lack of meaningful social interactions, a culture of violence and aggressiveness and gaming addition.
One cause for playing video games is so that gamers can escape reality by immersing themselves in a virtual world of entertainment. For most gamers, video games present a perfect virtual world that has no responsibilities or deadlines. Hence, video games offer an alternative that is fun, interesting and relaxing. Therefore, video games are used as a perfect distraction from life’s formidable problems where for a few hours, the gamers are immersed in a world that they can control. The virtual world created by video games makes sense to the gamers, as it is the only avenue where can take up any personality that is not existent in the real-world.
Two, video games offer an avenue for gamers to practice different skills. Video games help to impact different skills to the gamers such as problem-solving skills, faster reaction times, better hand-eye coordination and precision. For example, recently, the U.S. Navy and Army employed the use of video games to train their recruits on how to use large simulators. Training the recruits to use the simulators through video games has been found to be cheaper, to use less time and to help the recruits to better understand the dynamics behind complex simulations. In addition, a video game-like Fifa can be used by football players to sharpen their dribbling or shooting skills in real life. As such, video games serve as an avenue to sharpen one’s skills dependent on one’s passion or abilities.
Three, video games present an avenue for social interactions. Today, gamers can meet up and spend time together to play their favourite games, thus acting as a way for them to socialize, to stimulate their minds, to compete against each other and to have interesting conversations. The inclusion of online players in most video games is so that this type of social interactions can still be kept alive, where the gamers can play and still communicate with the other gamers online. Hence, video games provide an innocent avenue for social interactions.
Lastly, video games serve as entertainment hubs for children and adults alike. For the children especially, they tend to have a lot of free time during holidays and video games allow them to kill this time by keeping them entertained. In today’s world, where parents are very busy with work, it is impossible for children to take part in activities like camping, fishing or travelling without their parents. Hence, playing video games serves as a better alternative for them to waste their time without engaging in adult-like activities like drinking, smoking, using drugs or partying. In addition, since the video games are played at home, they serve as better safe havens for the children rather than being out there with no supervision.
Despite, there being honest and valid causes for the playing of video games, each of the above-outlined cause poses an effect which is, in most cases detrimental to the social and psychological well-being of the gamers. One, using video games as a way to escape reality makes the players lose touch with reality. Some players tend to be overly immersed in the virtual gaming world, such that even after playing, they transfer those experiences into the real world. Two, although video games present an avenue for the gamers to practice different skills, they instill a culture of violence and aggressiveness since most of these skills tend to involve outdoing the challenger. Three, video games present an avenue for social interactions, but often these interactions are not meant as they are constantly interrupted by the sounds of the games. The conversations are also not engrossing and are marked by meaningless exclamations and comments like “oh no!”, “duh!” and “ha-ha.” Video games, therefore, degrade the quality of social interactions and conversations. Lastly, although video games present a perfect avenue for entertainment among children, they foster a culture of gaming addiction, making the children forego their personal and social lives altogether.
In conclusion, as seen above, video games pose different effects to gamers among them lost touch with reality, lack of meaningful social interactions, a culture of violence and aggressiveness and gaming addition. However, these effects can be mitigated by making video games a fun activity and striking a perfect balance with personal and social responsibilities. For children especially, it is important that parents put in place rules that ensure children engage in other activities other than gaming.