Video games: why do we play them?

[Zenith]

Honestly though, I don't believe that you're 15. If you are, then you are a very callow one.

Wow, someone who talks as formal as me.

Okay, i'm not 15 (will be 15 in less than a month).

I'm the smartest person in my family (not jokin) before my stepfather came in I was the one who was always right about everything (out talking peers and adults, etc.) but he came in with perfected knowledge of fields I believed were unecessary to think about.

Later he started proving me wrong at everything (he has experience in many fields, I just have knowledge) and I thought that was all I needed.

I seek knowledge. I'm the only teenage philosopher I know of. I think pretty much every second of the day and to top that off I don't sleep because I have so many thoughts in my head.

Video games are a good tool I use to concentrate.
Concentration is very important to me because I believe in spirits and dimension.
A high level of concentration sends you into a whole new world that belongs to you, and I like to have that feeling.

but my stepfather tells me that I'm putting my concentration into subjects that will not benefit me (but I still know it does benefit me).
I play Yu-gi-oh cards (love them) I learned to calculate math set up the minds of people into traps, but to my stepfather you put that concentration into experience (I and I agree that experience is the best teacher in the world), but I believe there are alternatives to acquiring this knowledge.
Watching the news, newspapers, Encyclopedias and websites are some alternativesbut I don't see how these can't offer you the same amount of knowledge.

I know they can I will stick to my philosophy.

 

[Mrs. Bahamut]

I've got one game for you: BRAINAGE for the DS.

I don't know if anyone has said that already, but I've been gone too long to read this whole thread. Sorry guys. =)

 

[Bahamut]

Seconded. But it's my copy anyway, so whatever.

It's got Sudoku on it, if you're a fan of that. Also. it's a game that PARENTS can play, and there's not too many of those around. Get it, then let your mom or dad try it out. They'll like it.

Nintendo will be coming out with more games targeting a wider audience than usual, so there'll be more of these types of games coming soon.

 

[ROBERT2K95]

This is a good question,we play video games because for enteraiment,your step dad is wrong out one thing though,some video games don't make you stupid like Sudoku games,Brain Age,Big Brain Acdamy,and many other brain games games. And who said that video games make you dumb? I play video games alot and I'm an honnor role student at my school. So video games don't make you dumb.

 

[Matt]

Hmm, I don't know. My roommate plays a lot of Playsation games, and he seems pretty dumb.

I think it's doing MASSIVE DAMAGE to his brain.

 

[Varuna]

The next time your father tries to make you feel dumb ask him why. It seems like the problem has more to do with him than the video games you play.
Explain to him that you play video games because you like to and ask him if there is anything in particular about this activity that erks him. If he continues to say that it rots your brain tell him to explain how and in a way that you can understand.Don't let him pass off words and terminology that you have never heard before make him explain it all to you and even more. Let him speak until his tongue goes dry. this will usually do more to him than let him explain things.

 

[Uncle Meat]

I've got one game for you: BRAINAGE for the DS.

I don't know if anyone has said that already, but I've been gone too long to read this whole thread. Sorry guys. =)

I did! I did!

Anyway, bottom line is, they don't make you stupider, your stepfather is wrong, and that you were dumb to begin with.

 

[Skuv]

Video games definetly don't make you stupid. I learned how to read from Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time, I was in either 1st or 2nd grade and I was struggling with reading. I had that game and I had to have my parents read the things people said, but since they couldn't always be around when im playing it I eventually had to figure it out myself.

 

[mikeHAZE]

Video games definetly don't make you stupid. I learned how to read from Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time, I was in either 1st or 2nd grade and I was struggling with reading. I had that game and I had to have my parents read the things people said, but since they couldn't always be around when im playing it I eventually had to figure it out myself.

wow, 7ha7s pre77y awesome.

 

[Vulpine51]

Video games do not rot your brain. In fact, they exercise it. Many games today require you to solve a series of puzzles, riddles, ect. Well, what part of your body do you rely on to solve these? Sadly the knowledge you gain from playing games is rarely helpfull in real life. Yes Zelda did teach Skuv to read but thats a pretty rare case. It's true that too much gametime will reduce muscle mass and add fat. So do what i do. Get a little more active from time to time. If your turned off to traditional sports go running and lift some weights.

Now why do I play video games? Games are a pretty awsome escape from reality when you think about it. You can explore, save the world, and beat a hooker with a baseball bat all in the same day. All without the fear of death or breaking your favorite baseball bat. Somethimes reality can be a little boring and/or stressful. Games just help out a little.

 

[Uncle Meat]

wow, 7ha7s pre77y awesome.

Video games don't make you stupid, this man does.

 

[Baron_54]

Hmm, I don't know. My roommate plays a lot of Playsation games, and he seems pretty dumb.

I think it's doing MASSIVE DAMAGE to his brain.

Ice Burn

And vulpine, what's wrong with exploring the real world?

 

[Vulpine51]

And vulpine, what's wrong with exploring the real world?

Well, until i get my hands on a good car or plane im pretty much stuck playing games. Im actually having thoughts about going into the wilderness for a few days with nothing but a bow and some basic supplies (mabe a fishing pole). I'll do that in a couple years.

 

[Mrs. Bahamut]

Baha learned how to tie his shoes, learn to read and clean his room for his first Nintendo. His parents told him he could have it if he learned all those things. Oh and Baha, what is yours is mine. So technically, the copy is mine too.

 

[Zink]

It's not your stepfather. Why do you believe in "spirits and dimension"? That probably contributes to his impression.

 

[Zenith]

It's not your stepfather. Why do you believe in "spirits and dimension"? That probably contributes to his impression.

Wow someone acyually read all of that.

I'd tell you why but you would bored out of ur freakin mind, but heres a quick explanation.

Spirits are everywhere. Bad things that happen to you are dark spirits, while a nice day would represent a clean spirit.
Dimensiions is a little more in depth so screw the explanation.

 

[Zink]

No, go ahead. It's like an in-depth, on the spot explanation of pagan tribes' religions.

 

[Zenith]

No, go ahead. It's like an in-depth, on the spot explanation of pagan tribes' religions.

You asked for it.

In my thoughts dimensions are visions of the Earth or life.

Every person sees a different dimension, which explains why you and someone else can't see the same thing.

Through this knowledge you must relize that people see thing differently than you.

You can say that you find a certain girl attractive while your best friend says she is uglier than an unwashed ***.

You know this has happened many times and sometimes you wonder why no one else sees something the way you do, and yet you think it's logical.

Its because they see a whole different dimension and since everybody has different minds, nobody will notice the same thing as someone else.

Look at a picture and tell someone what you see. Then hand them the picture and ask them what they see. That person will probably notice something you didn't find in the picture, which is proof that you both see different things which is 2 different dimensions of sight.

There you go.

 

[entity]

1. For fun.

2. For entertainment.

3. Stress relief maybe?

4. Any many other reasons, to many to list.............

 

[Drab Emordnilap]

You can explore, save the world, and beat a hooker with a baseball bat all in the same day. All without the fear of death or breaking your favorite baseball bat.

Just wait until the Wii comes out, when you can actually 'swing' the bat at the hookers.

 

[Bahamut]

And they thought Doom was warping the minds of children.

 

[Zink]

@Zenith- I was going to go with "people have different POVs because they have different heriditary and enviroment" but I guess different dimensions works too, if you want to resort to a fantastical claim with little to no scientific basis in the face of a simpler explanation. Whatever floats your boat.

Also Bahamut... no... I don't have a problem... heh-heh, kill... nope, no problem at all... I can quit whenever I want... kill... blood... heh-heh...

 

[Baron_54]

@Zenith- I was going to go with "people have different POVs because they have different heriditary and enviroment" but I guess different dimensions works too, if you want to resort to a fantastical claim with little to no scientific basis in the face of a simpler explanation. Whatever floats your boat.

Also Bahamut... no... I don't have a problem... heh-heh, kill... nope, no problem at all... I can quit whenever I want... kill... blood... heh-heh...

I say, this man must be castrated now, myes! Snip snip!

 

[Zink]

I escape!

 

[Zenith]

@Zenith- I was going to go with "people have different POVs because they have different heriditary and enviroment" but I guess different dimensions works too, if you want to resort to a fantastical claim with little to no scientific basis in the face of a simpler explanation. Whatever floats your boat.

Also Bahamut... no... I don't have a problem... heh-heh, kill... nope, no problem at all... I can quit whenever I want... kill... blood... heh-heh...

So is that wut itz called.
I just called it dimensions because I didn't know the name for it.

 

[Spirithawk]

Ok, I'm gonna go with your stepfather being wrong. The first problem is that he blames mistakes on videogames. The problem with this is that humans, by nature, are imperfect. Therefore everyone makes mistakes. To pin it on one cause would a very poor logical conclusion. Its pretty much given that any event that takes place only because an innumerable number of other specific events and actions previously took place, whether they be caused by locations of objects, or chemicals firing in a brain. Although you might say that videogames will affect such chemical reactions in one's brain in a negative way.

The problem with this is that all research in the area has said that it is the opposite. Many videogames will increase your mental capacity for management skills. A prime example would be Harvest Moon. But even classics like Ocarina of Time are beneficial. Think about it; at any given time during the game, you're managing upwards of ten objectives at once. For example, figuring out how to defeat enemy in front of you, while trying to figure out the next step to getting the Bigeron's sword, while trying to figure the next step to getting to the next temple, with the overall intent of rescuing Zelda, defeating Ganondorf, saving Hyrule, while attempting to . . . and it goes on. Studies have shown that that this can help with time and resource management, as well as organization skills and multi-tasking, especially at the developement stages of elementary and middle school aged kids. While OoT helps, games like Harvest Moon are DESIGNED with this in mind.

Thirdly, the idea that playing videogames will in anyway automatically hinder you or hold you back in anyway is rediculous, and this is based on my own experience. I've played videogames nearly my entire life. Am I the worse for it? No. I did very well in high school academically, and was involved with various clubs, soccer, (or football if you prefer) and visual and performing arts, and now attend a highly ranked college as an engineer.

In addition, videogames have helped me bond with friends and even my father for many years. Playing Smash until five in the morning continues to be a fond memory of comraderie. So has videogames affected my negatively intelectually, socially, or mentally? I think that would be no.



On to other stuff, Zenith, you said you play with Yu-gi-oh cards. Does your stepfather critisize this as well? Because this is probably much more beneficial than videogames. (other than being a monetary black hole) I used to playe Magic: the Gathering, and I can say, such games do several things: in building a deck, one excersises creativity, and in playing develops intellect in a way similar to chess, while simultaniously increasing one's ability to read visual cues from another person similar to poker. All three are extremely useful tools in a vast number of professions.


And on a side note, I believe in spirits and multiple dimensions as well, just in a different way than Zenith. As for the different points of view thing, I agree with Zink, thats a more biological thing.

 

[Zenith]

Ok, I'm gonna go with your stepfather being wrong. The first problem is that he blames mistakes on videogames. The problem with this is that humans, by nature, are imperfect. Therefore everyone makes mistakes. To pin it on one cause would a very poor logical conclusion. Its pretty much given that any event that takes place only because an innumerable number of other specific events and actions previously took place, whether they be caused by locations of objects, or chemicals firing in a brain. Although you might say that videogames will affect such chemical reactions in one's brain in a negative way.

The problem with this is that all research in the area has said that it is the opposite. Many videogames will increase your mental capacity for management skills. A prime example would be Harvest Moon. But even classics like Ocarina of Time are beneficial. Think about it; at any given time during the game, you're managing upwards of ten objectives at once. For example, figuring out how to defeat enemy in front of you, while trying to figure out the next step to getting the Bigeron's sword, while trying to figure the next step to getting to the next temple, with the overall intent of rescuing Zelda, defeating Ganondorf, saving Hyrule, while attempting to . . . and it goes on. Studies have shown that that this can help with time and resource management, as well as organization skills and multi-tasking, especially at the developement stages of elementary and middle school aged kids. While OoT helps, games like Harvest Moon are DESIGNED with this in mind.

Thirdly, the idea that playing videogames will in anyway automatically hinder you or hold you back in anyway is rediculous, and this is based on my own experience. I've played videogames nearly my entire life. Am I the worse for it? No. I did very well in high school academically, and was involved with various clubs, soccer, (or football if you prefer) and visual and performing arts, and now attend a highly ranked college as an engineer.

In addition, videogames have helped me bond with friends and even my father for many years. Playing Smash until five in the morning continues to be a fond memory of comraderie. So has videogames affected my negatively intelectually, socially, or mentally? I think that would be no.



On to other stuff, Zenith, you said you play with Yu-gi-oh cards. Does your stepfather critisize this as well? Because this is probably much more beneficial than videogames. (other than being a monetary black hole) I used to playe Magic: the Gathering, and I can say, such games do several things: in building a deck, one excersises creativity, and in playing develops intellect in a way similar to chess, while simultaniously increasing one's ability to read visual cues from another person similar to poker. All three are extremely useful tools in a vast number of professions.


And on a side note, I believe in spirits and multiple dimensions as well, just in a different way than Zenith. As for the different points of view thing, I agree with Zink, thats a more biological thing.

Preach to em brutha, just kidding

OK, thanx for all of your advice everyone, now for the next problem.

OK, I mostly used SpiritHawks post here^^ to speak to him, and in response he said
My Stepfather: "I'm wrong; yeah right you've never seen me wrong since I moved in here right?"
Me: Yeah [he really hasen't]
My Stepfather: Like you said human beings are imperfect so video games are imperfect. And if you say everyone makes mistakes then that means playing video games is a mistake and everyone who is playin em is f***in themselves over.
Me: But it's for their entertainment.
My Stepfather: so will entertaining yourself with shooting games make you a good shooter?No! Will playing fightin games with fake a** punches and kicks make you a good fighter? No! That's because it's all fake, and watchin fake s*** happen won't get you anywhere in real life.

The conversation ends there.

I need some help on this one cause he had me quiet after that.

 

[Uncle Meat]

Does your stepfather ever have fun? What does he do for fun?

 

[Zenith]

Does your stepfather ever have fun? What does he do for fun?

Nothin besides makin money.
And he's very good at it. He scored $50 off my little brother once.

 

[Uncle Meat]

Your stepfather is a douchebag. Unfortunately, I don't know him well enough to tell you how to respond. Is he happy? Grumpy?

Also, did you point out to him that entertainment isn't used to make yourself better at things primarily, although it can be a by product, but is actually used to have fun?

 

[Spirithawk]

Ok, there's a difference between 'everyone makes mistakes' and 'everyone only makes mistakes.' I said the former, but your stepfather took it as the latter. This is faulty logic. Just because people make mistakes does not mean everything they do is a mistake.

Second, playing shooters and fighters will not make you better at doing either in real life, but both can help with improving mental reactions, allowing you to react to a situations and make decisions more quickly. As for it not getting you anywhere in life, refer to paragraph 2 of my post.

Finally, just because he's been right up to this point doesn't mean he still is, or even has been. I've lost arguments to this kid at school who didn't know what he was talking about. He was just good at debating. And I probably never won an argument intelectually with my father until I was about 16, but thinking back on arguments from before then, I am now capable of coming up with solid defenses to my point of view.

EDIT: He scored $50 off your little brother? If your 14/15, than he must be 13 or younger. Thats kinda cruel to do to a kid that age . . .

 

[Zenith]

He knows about GTA so he'll say somethin like "In Grand Theft Auto you can step up to someone with a gun and knock his a** out without dying, but this can happen at real life at anytime so when it happens will you knock his a** out? No!

He pisses me off with that instant "No!" it kinda cutz you off.

Now for the $50 he gave my little bro a PS2 that he found, an inflatable matress, and some nice clothes.
He finds us incredibly mature so he treats us more like adults, and I don't have a problem with that becuz intelligent adults get respect and I get little to no respect outside of home.

 

[Spirithawk]

Oh, thats not so bad. I thought he like, tricked your brother or something . . .

Does your stepfather like movies? Cause if he does, all of his arguments go *sthip* out the window.

As for the respect thing, I was the same way at your age. I still get the short-shrift from people for a variety of reasons, for being white, for being American, for being Christian, for being young, for having long hair, for going to a private school, etc. All of which are unreasonable. My advice, don't care about getting respect from most people, and only try to earn respect from those who you respect. Its not worth trying to get respect from everyone else, cause its a lot of effort without much gain.

And GTA, while fun and entertaining, is probably one of those games that aren't beneficial. (though possibly morally lacking) But like I said, does he watch videos, cause its no more damaging than your run of the mill action flick.

Anyways, I'm off to bed, I'm really tired.

 

[Zink]

Ask him to show you 3 studies that show video games are detrimental. If he asks you for 3 in return, you can probably find them. If not, tell him the burden of proof is on HIM and you don't have to do anything. This is wrong, but it'll slow him down.

Anyone else you know that can work on him? OHH! Idea! Ask Snex to debate him on your side! The poor guy will break down in 5 minutes.

Point out that VGs improve subtley. A shooter won't maek you shoot better but it will give you many of the same quialities needed by a soldier.

 

[Zenith]

Oh, thats not so bad. I thought he like, tricked your brother or something . . .

Does your stepfather like movies?

Actually he does, but the problem is that he mostly watches Horror films that have a life moral at the end, so you learn something about yourself.
He really loves Saw 1 and Saw 2.

 

[Spirithawk]

Actually he does, but the problem is that he mostly watches Horror films that have a life moral at the end, so you learn something about yourself.
He really loves Saw 1 and Saw 2.

Sorry, I don't want to be rude or anything, buuut, your stepfather's argument seems to be shot to hell. Claiming that videogames are a waste of time, and then going off and being a fan of horror films? I mean sure, horror films are fun, and get girls to want to hold on to you while they watch them, (sometimes) but their only use is entertainment . Huh, kinda like videogames. Do they do anything else for? No. Do videogames do anything for you? Well a number of people already talked about how they can. And since when do you learn something about yourself from a horror film? I haven't. Then again, I haven't from videogames either. So basically whats happened is that your stepfather's argument seems at first to be sound, but if you scratch the surface away, its really just unreasonable prejudice against videogames. Thats a tough thing to break. I know, my Mom still can't understand why I enjoy videogames, and thinks they're a waste of time. Oh well, maybe the Wii will changer her mind next summer when I'm home again.

 

[Dark Feather]

If someone could scientificly back up how video-games make you stupid, then maybe i'd care enough to consider it. Otherwise, GTFO. I'm with you.

I'm also with you.'
Smashboards: 2 Stepfather: 1
So, smashboards wins. Good luck with your stepfather!

 

[Zink]

There have been clinical studies done that show watching movies such as Saw and Texas Chainsaw Massecre actually cause men to have similar though patterns to that of rapists. Tell your stepfather that.

 

[Zenith]

New Problem. My stepfather has taken my GC becuz my room was dirty (he usually doesn't give the system back for bout 3 WEEKS)

I can't go a week w/o smash.

But the real problem is that my stepfather has told me and my little brother to never speak to, sit with, look at or be near our mother.
Now I don't understand this and I was told this immediatly after coming out of the shower which is when I'm purified of troubles.
Wtf do I say or do?

 

[primusfan]

Anyone who plays video games should watch this video. And watch the entire thing.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7068234515765673903&q=a+real+nerd

I found this on the internet. This video teaches us not to take video games to seriously.