This past week, our family has been out and about a tad more than usual. One thing I have noticed is how many Christian kids are seriously into video gaming (x-box, game cube etc). Then I read Al Mohler's post. It struck a chord with me. The college students he interviewed indicated that video games represent the most difficult temptation they face from technology – second only to internet pornography.
We are only beginning to realize the effect of raising a generation of video game addicts. Research on the impact of the video games is still in its infancy. What will the long-term effects be? Why do Christian parents seem willing to gamble and let their kids play video games for hours on end?
I'll start with the second question. Why are parents willing to gamble and expose their precious children to something as potentially addictive as video games?
In my opinion, it is because video games make amazing babysitters. They keep kids totally occupied for hours, which allows parents to get things done or to pursue pastimes. That kind of relief for parents is attractive. A second benefit is that kids playing video games are less likely to create toy explosions around the house. There simply is not much to clean up after four hours of x-box. Third, I think it is just a case of parents wanting to make their kids happy. Video games are a $6 billion industry and are firmly entrenched in our culture (Ninety percent (90%) of U.S. households with children have rented or owned a video or computer game). Kids ask for games and parents are happy to shell out the bucks.
But what price are we paying?
One, there is fairly strong evidence that kids become desensitized to violence. Quite simply, one becomes used to seeing victims shot, blasted, slashed, abused and killed. After seeing it, living it, and doing it (virtually) for hours and hours, one becomes jaded toward what should normally be considered horrific. I am not saying this necessarily produces killers. But I think it is safe to say that it conditions us to things which should be shocking to our systems. What will the long-term effect be? We don't really know. Some link the increase in school shootings to violence in movies and video games. I am not sure we can say that conclusively, but it stands to reason that it could contribute to a culture of violence.
Two, video games clearly promote addiction. Studies have shown physiological changes in the brain during intense video gaming. Researchers discovered that dopamine production in the brain doubles during video game play. The increase of the psychoactive chemical was roughly the same as when a person is injected with amphetamines.
Three, the mind is not engaged in any seriously stretching way. Hand to eye coordination is sharpened, but that is about it. For most shoot-em-up games, it is truly mindless behavior.
Four, video gaming can easily be a way for your child to retreat into their own world. I realize that some games promote social interaction. But by and large, what I have seen is that video gaming promotes escapism and isolation.
Five, there is very little redeeming value to show for the hours upon hours invested in the games. The return on investment for the hours spent video gaming is really lousy. In my own experience, all that I get for allowing my boys to invest several hours into video gaming is a couple of tired irritable cranks. Oh, and they do pick up a few slang words. Not exactly the kind of education I am hoping for.
Six, as Mohler points out, some types of gaming promote a disconnect with reality. The lines between what is real and what is not begin to blur. This is especially true of role-playing games. Given the current cultural slide away from truth, this is hardly good news.
For these reasons, I suggest parents think through how much time their kids spend on video games. I am not advocating a ban on video games, but I do think parents would be wise to set up boundaries and enforce them. And don't neglect reading to your kids. Read, read, read. It engages their minds.
BTW, I misplaced our Ninetendo about six months ago. I can't find it. No worries. We haven't missed it.
For more information on video game trouble, check out this site.
I agree that parents need to be very careful about what kinds of games their kids play and how often they play them. Certainly, there are many games that are grossly and realistically violent, sexist (and even nearly pornographic), and the like, which we should shun. Nor should we allow our kids to become passive couch potatos. There's too much good stuff out there for them to do.
However, much of the fretting in Mohler's article seems like typical generational divide issue-manufacturing to me. Three generations ago the old guys worried about radio; two generation ago about TV and movies; a generation ago about computers; today about video games. I suppose even further back there were similar concerns about books.
In particular, all the stuff about spending time in "alternate realities," "manufactured selves," and the like seems silly to me. Should we use the same reasoning to severely limit the time our kids spend reading, drawing pictures, making up songs, playing dress-up, pretending to be astronauts or sports heroes? (And as adults, should we stop pretending we're Phil Mickelson on 18 at Baltusrol when we practice our chip shots?) Should we ban books like the Narnia Chronicles because they construct an alternate world? All of these activities involve alternate realities and manufactured selves. In fact, you could persuasively argue that exploring alternate realities and manufactured selves is one of the principal hallmarks of creative play and one of the primary ways people learn.
Posted by: dopderbeck | August 16, 2005 at 16:08
David,
Mohler may have overdone it on the alternate reality. That is not my main concern, personally. It is more the addiction aspect followed by the wasted time aspect.
I spoke with my teenage nephews about this post. I am hoping they come on and comment. They confirmed that some kids are so addicted, that they bring game boys to school to hold them over until they can get back home and on x-box again.
However, my nephs disputed the alternate reality claim. They also disputed that video games necessarily cause escapism and isolation. They cited the growing interest in networked games like Halo.
When I pressed them for a realistic, lasting benefit to video gaming. They really did not have a strong answer. Basically, 'it is amusing ... for a while ... then it gets old'.
One nephew brought up the point that sports (particularly xtreme sports) may induce the same physiological effects (i.e. amphetemine like rush) as intense video gaming. It was an interesting point. I don't know if anyone has studied that.
Posted by: Dawn Treader | August 16, 2005 at 17:42
I apologise if this point was discussed in the articles you linked to, but I haven't read them. My husband bought an Xbox for my son so they could play games together (my husband loves gaming and wanted to share the fun). They do enjoy themselves together. My son loves to play his racing games and then re-enact them with his Hotwheels when game time is over (he's limited to 30 minutes a day). But one thing we did notice is that if he (age 6 1/2) gets Xbox time more than one day in a row, or even if he plays more than 1/2 hour, we get all kinds of attitude from him that we don't normally see. We tested it to see if that was the case and it is definitely true for him.
As for lasting effects of gaming: I have to admit I do see one good thing to it. My husband loves to play MMOGs and he got me to play with him. He really appreciates and enjoys the fact that I go along and have fun so it's real bonding time for us.
Posted by: Phisch | August 17, 2005 at 13:08
Re: "But one thing we did notice is that if he (age 6 1/2) gets Xbox time more than one day in a row, or even if he plays more than 1/2 hour, we get all kinds of attitude from him that we don't normally see. We tested it to see if that was the case and it is definitely true for him."
I have seen this pattern in my own children.
What are MMOGs? (excuse my ignorance)
Games can be a great bonding experience. I play them with my kids too -- more computer games and board games.
So I agree with your point that gaming together is a great pastime.
My main concerns about video games, in particular, is the addiction factor. Allowing free and unfettered access to video games for a kid who may be prone to addiction is like giving the keys to the liquor store to an alcoholic.
Posted by: Dawn Treader | August 17, 2005 at 18:00
Sorry! MMOG: massively multiplayer online games. Usually have subscription fees + cost of the game.
Yes there is an addiction factor. We let it go at first but that was wrong. We should have set time limits from the beginning. Fortunately, we didn't have too much of a fight when it came to taking it away and limiting it. I'm guessing he's astute enough to recognize why we did. He's young enough that it's easy to monitor the amount of time he plays. Add to that the fact that it's in our loft, the only room at the top of the stairs and at the bottom is a gate to keep baby brother out. Sometimes it's just not worth it to go up there and play.
One thing worth considering is the type of game played also. There's a definite physical response to game play and particularly the violent ones. I remember what it felt like when I first saw blood in a game, way back when you only had 256 colors, and it was really repulsive. Lots of what happens in games now really is pretty shocking.
Posted by: Phisch | August 17, 2005 at 22:57
"Three, the mind is not engaged in any seriously stretching way. Hand to eye coordination is sharpened, but that is about it. For most shoot-em-up games, it is truly mindless behavior."
I cannot find the link, but a recent book made jsut the opposite argument - -that game playing could sharpen your mind. The gradual increase in difficulty in most games turns out to be good at helping people to increase their abality to proccess information and make good decisions.
Posted by: kevin | August 18, 2005 at 16:08