Culture

Culture

by Mike Masnick




Are Video Games Good For Kids?

from the debate-rages-on dept

While it does seem that the anti-videogame folks blow the danger of video games way out of proportion, a new festival seems to be going in the other direction by claiming video games are good for kids. It's such a broad statement that it has to be untrue. Certainly, some video games might be good for kids, in helping them deal with different kinds of challenges, but it hardly seems like random anecdotal evidence (about all that's presented in the article) proves that video gaming is "good." For example, the article includes this sentence: "Dr Judy Robertson, of Edinburgh University, said some children had told her during computer games workshops that playing violent games did not result in violence in real life." Just because some kids say something doesn't necessarily make it true (even if it probably is true). If they really want to show this, wouldn't it make more sense to actually promotes the ways that video games can be helpful to kids, rather than just declaring it so? I'm all for real studies that show the positive impact games have for kids, but hyping up something without substance just makes the arguments seem weak.

11 Comments | Leave a Comment..

 
 

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  1. Mar 28th, 2007 @ 3:43am
    by Anonymous Granger

    I don't think video games are good for kids. They say they might be, but when they get older, and they need to revise, but their not revising their playing video games, it makes you wonder whether they actually want to pass exams, or to play on video games all their life!!

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  2. Jun 7th, 2007 @ 5:19am
    by raper1

    i raper young gamers!!!!!!!!

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  3. Jan 24th, 2008 @ 5:21pm

    Re: consideration

    by teenager

    listen you need to look at this from a non-biased view. you say video games are not good for kids, but your only looking at the negative. yes some kids are violent, but do they ask the kids how they were raised. maybe they had a violent upbringing. there are too many factors that make up how a person acts. you are allowed your opinion but think of this, the number one selling computer game in the past few years has been civilization 4. kids build civilizations. yes they may have to grow a army and attack, but they learn so much from it. all we nee dot do is talk with the kids and be interested in the games themselves. explain why you should not do what they do in the games. but don't let them think what they are doing is bad, instead focus on the positive and try to build from there.

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  4. Feb 29th, 2008 @ 6:18am

    Re: Re: consideration

    by cubaricangorilla

    I agree with you. Many games can actually be good for kids, in limmited quantities. Even some of the more violent games can help sharpen quick thinking and problem solving abilities. When games become bad for kids it's usually the fault of the parents for not keeping better control over their kids.

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  5. Mar 22nd, 2008 @ 9:18am

    you MUST be kidding?

    by sgt

    I see toddlers screech if you pry them from nintendo ds and gameboys! As kids get older, they become more engrossed with the games and become LESS social or able or willing to do anything else to play. When I have 7 and 8 year olds over to play, they only last for so long, maybe an hour, before they want tv or video games--at which point, the playtime ends. They sulk. There is now a huge PUSH to get kids OUT to play and get active. This wouldn't be happening if we rejected video games; families have let them be virtual kiddie tamers; like TV, just a different medium.

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  6. Apr 15th, 2008 @ 12:48pm

    R U kidding me

    by Zack Martinez

    THer is no way that video games are good for kids they are violent and they tend to set bad examples for children !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  7. Apr 15th, 2008 @ 12:54pm

    no way

    by Isacc Holt

    There is many sides to this "complaignt" okay

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  8. Apr 15th, 2008 @ 12:54pm

    no way

    by Isacc Holt

    There is many sides to this "complaignt" okay

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  9. Nov 18th, 2008 @ 3:58pm

    No More Bias

    by Concerned for Justice

    Anyone who's ever been a parent should not be allowed to post on this topic. In fact, the most unbiased position would likely come from someone who is under 25, has played a very wide variety of games, does NOT play video games as a hobby or profession, is NOT in any way involved with the video game industry, and has lived in an environment not isolated from technology and the internet. The older generations of today are incredibly biased and resistant to change, but a gamer would try to justify himself.

    The idea that video games are bad for you (any more than a violent BOOK) is ludicrous. It's just as bad as the argument that Harry Potter is evil, and Columbine was caused by a dungeons and dragons "devil worshiping" session.

    Geez...

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  10. Dec 4th, 2008 @ 1:43pm

    can video games afect your brain

    by Anonymous Coward

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  11. Feb 10th, 2009 @ 5:59pm
    by Anonymous Coward

    make your child have an hour of games

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

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