America may be beautiful and free, but it has a serious problem. People have given so much of their time to the acquisition of new technology that something magical has been lost. Basic human interaction. And that type of contact is on its way to becoming one of the stories old people tell to anyone who’ll listen; “When I was your age, we talked to our friends.” The symptoms of this illness are easiest to see in the younger generation. My generation.
Video games are the most popular form of ensnarement by technology (aka EBT). It’s a fun way to spend your time…and to lose your will. I have seen sad video game addicts everywhere. They have no life of their own, every second they spend outside in the sun is involuntary…they feel the magnetic pull of their gaming consoles. Gaming consoles are like the Sirens; they lure unwary gamers into the darkness and solitude while they promise nothing more than the chance to complete another level.
These poor young souls have no idea of the beauty in a game that can't be won with tricks and cheat codes found only on myspace. We should teach them to play together. Some of these video junkies have never played "Rock'Em, Sock'Em Robots" or known the joy of
being a "Hungry, Hungry Hippo." Too many amazing interactive games are being forgotten. How many kids will sit and play "Jenga," "Battleship," or "Clue?" Not many, and that is sad indeed. Worse even than the deprivation of America’s pre-teens is what has happened to the Big M. The board game that started it all.
Monopoly. Withstanding the various versions and cheesy remakes over the years, Monopoly stayed strong. Now even the classic game born of the great depression has been threatened by the newest trend in our value system. One little boy (who wishes to remain anonymous) said, "I don't know why we even keep the game [Monopoly], no one ever wins, so why bother?" The little Monopoly guy must be turning in his grave. Since when does anyone win at Monopoly? That's not the point.
How can we accept a generation that doesn't know that Monopoly is about hanging out with your friends, playing with fake money, seeing how long you can play until everyone is completely sick of the game, and the inevitable fight at the end of the game if someone actually manages to win. That's life.
Board games are becoming a thing of the past. Instead of Parcheesi we have "Attack of the Giant Splat-Gore Hamsters" and
other fun video games. The friendly human interaction is disappearing from the gaming world. Board games used to be about life and spending times with those you care about. Now games are completely unrealistic. Instead of playing with your friends you zone on the couch for hours, becoming as much of a zombie as the one decaying on the screen. It has to stop now.
Lets save the youth; it’s not hard, just play a game with them. Not a video game...not an online simulation...but an honest to goodness board game. If we stop the process now we may be able to prevent younger generations from growing up to become 40-year-old video game zombies who still live with their Moms as they try desperately to beat the newest Final Fantasy. That picture is even sadder than that of all those poor maligned Trekkies. At least they have friends, weird ones, but at least they have the idea. There is too much life to live to waste it alone in front of a TV. If we must waste our lives, lets waste them together.
I definitely agree that board games need to be brought back to the top of popularity. They're wonderful fun, aren't bad for your eyes, and teach children how to cooperate and get along with others.
That is, unless you're part of my family. We're cursed to never get along, my brothers and I. So I think, in our case, video games have been our salvation. Granted, we're not addicts...we do voluntarily go outside, hang with friends, and play sports. But if you sat us in front of a board game, first the board, and then fists would end up flying. Goodness, we're awful siblings...
And now I have the urge to play Parcheesi...maybe I can smuggle it to school to play at lunch tomorrow with my friends...bwahaha...
And that's comin' at ya' from yer local redneck hippie.
I believe videogames are creating people with less social skills. I have had run-ins with many videogame junkies and they have nothing else to talk about other than videogames. I, myself, do enjoy videogames but not for hours on end. The conversation is entertaining for about the first 5-10 minutes but after an hour I just keep having to hit the snooze button.
But certain videogames do have an incentive to invite a buddy or five over to play with you; multiplayer videogames. Yet with the internet expanding to game consoles these days all people need to do is pick up their phone (or extremists will map a play schedule, "be on at this time" type deal) tell their buddy(ies) to get online and play with them. Each person sitting in their respective houses not having to set foot outside the door.
"If we must waste our lives, lets waste them together."
Aye, aye, to that captain!
"Far and away the best prize life has to offer is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." - Theodore Roosevelt