Are computer games killing society?

Destruction

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Do people spend too much time on their consoles and home desktops today?

And is it not coincidence not only that our children are as fat as they have ever been, but that as a society we seem to be becoming ever more and more less of a community and more individualistic?

Ps. Just to clarify I'm not talking about the idiots who dress up as Batman and go shooting people.
 

G-Dragon

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Not really. It is your responsibility to play it moderately. In terms of being more individualistic, I agree. Although it has nothing to do with video games.
 

Modernist

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I don't think it helps, along with facebook/twitter etc, kids deem to spend much more of their time indoors thesedays, I was never in when I was younger.
 

BigDaveCUFC

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Abit yes and no.

but I'd say Mobile Phones have caused more damage, that and facebook.

Computer games killed off kids going outside to play, that aspect changed, when I was a wee lad it was going down to the school fields with friends to whack a couple of jumpers down and play football, usually that game I don't know name of where one mug is the goalie and the others pair into teams of 2 trying to score to get into next round stuff. or Go-karting, biking, knock-and-nash etc, etc

then when about 12-13 computer consoles came into play and all that stopped completely.

Horrid text chat, twitter, selfies, facebook.........them things killed off the socializing, well maybe not killed it, but changed it.
 

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I reckon old people said the same in the 50s when TV's started popping up everywhere tho.
 

TheMinsterman

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No, I've made a number of friends playing multiplayer games, who I've subsequently met and am still friends with, I also played them with friends too. I'm pretty introverted anyway, if it wasn't video games that persuaded the moments of solitude I take it'd be books or something else primarily.
 
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Christian Slater

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It's opened up a society for the more introverted individuals who can easily find like-minded people through the internet. People spend time in with other people playing games and getting pissed, or whatever. There just remains an age gap that can't relate, but that'll soon become a thing of the past.
 

Ebeneezer Goode

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I think it's the internet as a whole. You only have to look at Japan and South Korea to see where the trend is heading. There is a point to be made about kids playing computer games growing up too though. I enjoyed it, I imagine all kids do now, but you don't create fond memories or have worthwhile experiences sat on GTA. It's wasted youth.

I reckon old people said the same in the 50s when TV's started popping up everywhere tho.

And they were probably right, to a lesser extent.
 

Christian Slater

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I think it's overstated that kids are just staying in and playing games, they're probably doing it as much as I was 10-15 years ago. The scamps around where I live are out in force when there's nice weather or some fair put on for them. If kids have been forced indoors a lot of the responsibility lands at the feet of miserable adults who complain to the police and/or council if they see them on the streets.
 

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There's not really much of anywhere for kids to do anything now anyway.
It's either play football in the street and keep having to stop every 10 seconds to run out the road to avoid getting run over or play in a park and try to avoid all the junkies and needles and broken glass lying around the floor.
 

Cas

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There's not really much of anywhere for kids to do anything now anyway.
It's either play football in the street and keep having to stop every 10 seconds to run out the road to avoid getting run over or play in a park and try to avoid all the junkies and needles and broken glass lying around the floor.

Not everyone lives in Leeds, mate :O
 

Smudge

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Throw in the fact we've created a society of moral panic and parents are too scared of letting their kids play because the press would have us believe there's a paedophile on every street corner, and theres another reason kids dont play out!
 

Modernist

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There's not really much of anywhere for kids to do anything now anyway.
It's either play football in the street and keep having to stop every 10 seconds to run out the road to avoid getting run over or play in a park and try to avoid all the junkies and needles and broken glass lying around the floor.
Are you serious?:D:D:D:D
 

RavenBish

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everything in moderation and that int it?
Throw in the fact we've created a society of moral panic and parents are too scared of letting their kids play because the press would have us believe there's a paedophile on every street corner, and theres another reason kids dont play out!

Nah, surely this isn't true. I mean, I know it's different for daughters than sons but as soon as I got to like 11 it was just 'come home when it gets dark'. Doubt my Mum was ever worried about me getting nonced off on a park when I was with 5 or 6 mates in broad daylight at 6.30pm.

Never really got the point of the video game argument. I've always had games consoles and played a shit ton of games but whenever the weather was good enough I'd be down the park playing football or tracker or building rope swings or playing with matches. Makes me laugh when older people talk about this shit as if it's all a long lost language (Dave further up being an example reminiscing about 'cuppies' which I still see kids playing all the time when I walk my dog down the park and 'knock a door run' - I mean, fuck sake Dave, do you really think kids don't do that anymore?!), I'm only 22 and did the same usual shit my Dad would tell me he did as a kid. We didn't suddenly become recluses once MSN messenger came about either, the internet and things of that ilk certainly had an impact as it became an alternative to just sitting in your mate's house bored, or wandering the streets or just going round a mate's to play FIFA - but it never became a substitute for playing football/cricket/tennis down the park and that type of activity. In fact, texting and facebook etc... the communication devices of Satan or whatever helped tremendously in organising stuff. Much easier to text a few mates to tell them you were down the park than knocking on doors or trying to ring landlines when your Dad's using the dial-up internet.
 

Ebeneezer Goode

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What was the MSN messenger and FIFA equivalent from your dad's day?
 

saddler_andy

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I think it is only ruining society for those who let it. The easy option is always the priority with too many parents these days.

Putting a kid infront of minecraft is easier than taking him to a park and kicking a ball around. Kids need to be taught that video games are not the bee all and end all.

I played on my mega drive etc ALOT but I still played football in the garden with my sister even more!
 

RavenBish

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I do think kids don't do it. Like I said, the few I know spend all their spare time playing their consoles. They rarely go out and they plan all day at school to "meet" their friends online. They might go out a couple of times in the holidays but rarely and even then they will all end up round one of their houses on a console or arrange an online game. Friends at work say the same sbout their kids. They even get bored on 2 weeks holidays abroad because they have no call of duty or fifa!

Their kids are all shit then. Southerners eh.
 

Renegade

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They aren't killing society, they are warping it into something else.

It really depends on the child's psyche and their environment. If you leave introverted children without (m)any friends to their own devices with the Internet and games consoles to kill all their time, then it can have a hugely negative impact on their lives. Many won't be inclined to do anything else with their time as they have unlimited entertainment on the ends of their fingertips. This type of kid may have read a lot or found another way to avoid human contact before the dawn of the Internet, but not nearly to the same degree that the Internet allows. I know computer games stimulate the mind, but it doesn't come close to reading - it's a less healthy form of introversion.

I think computer games have contributed heavily to the increase in those placed on the autistic spectrum (and other 'psychological conditions'). My brother was diagnosed with mild aspergers a few years ago and he has pretty much the same characteristics as me, the only difference between us really is our upbringing. I grew up around a lot of friends/young people as a kid and loved team sports (which are the only things you can do where I lived other than play computer games all day), whilst my brother wasn't as fortunate in living around young people and hates sport.

Naturally, as many introverted kids now do, he became completely absorbed in computer games. Roll on a few years and he's being diagnosed with aspergers. Despite looking, talking and acting like me, he's become increasingly introverted and a lot of his issues stem from an inability to put down his controller and a complete unwillingness to leave his room. Why would he when all of his friends are online and there is nothing as entertaining for him outside? The only difference between the two of us is our environment and whilst computer games obviously aren't completely to blame, they certainly exacerbated his introversion, as they do with (I can only assume) millions around the world.

Obviously this is not to say computer games are without merit, because they blatantly are. I played them and they supplemented a great childhood. Similar to RB, I would play football, roams around fields (yes, I am Irish) and get up to no good with my friends during the day and then I'd probably play games for a few hours at night. They can be challenging, as entertaining (to many moreso) as any book or film and you can be social if you use them in the right way. I completely disagree with the sentiment that you can't make worthwhile memories playing computer games - I have a tonne of great gaming memories with and without my friends that I will remember forever. Some memories that are inextricably linked with my view of those friends too.

Depending on the person holding the controller, games can be positive or negative for society. Most people aren't susceptible to the issues I mentioned above and for them computer games can make them even more social. As with the Internet, you can continue to communicate with your friends away from 'real life' and bond with them further through shared memories. In just one family they have been overwhelming positive and negative and I think that extrapolates to society as well - they aren't ruining society, they are warping us into something different, an almost bi-polar society.
 
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Jockney

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It's impossible to measure, but while video games can be a bridge to a stimulating and creative world for a lot of kids who steadfastly refuse to read, or don't have books readily available in their home, they're often used as a parenting crutch and I think they've probably turned more kids away from productive activities than saved those 'unfortunate few'. It's instant gratification in a dangerously accessible form and it can subvert or even stunt a child's development if they're not doing enough other stuff.

There is nothing inherently wrong with video gaming but in practice yes, it's not killing society, but I think we're worse off.
 

Benito

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Im starting to think society as a whole is heading down a slippery slope kind of going off topic a bit here but its also the sense of community and family life that is being eroded with everyone just staring at screens in different rooms and not communicating, A selfish nation brainwashed by the government to not desire friends or family but material goods and wealth.
 

Renegade

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Im starting to think society as a whole is heading down a slippery slope kind of going off topic a bit here but its also the sense of community and family life that is being eroded with everyone just staring at screens in different rooms and not communicating, A selfish nation brainwashed by the government to not desire friends or family but material goods and wealth.


"All we know is fake fodder and buying shit..."

/1984

It's (sort of) happening. :'(
 

TomPNE94

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My brother gets home from school, does any homework that is due for the next day, then straight onto his Xbox and talks to all his friends on Oovoo while he is playing. Sad fucker.
 
U

UTS

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My brother gets home from school, does any homework that is due for the next day, then straight onto his Xbox and talks to all his friends on Oovoo while he is playing. Sad fucker.
Has over 1,000 posts in just over a month... calls his brother sad...

Anyway.. one of my flatmates at Uni is Korean and he just sits in his room playing on his computer literally all day everyday..

You can easily go weeks without seeing him (You can fucking hear him screaming though :mad: ) He eats all his food in his room, doesn't talk a word of English, he's fat as fuck and he never goes into University either... Gaming is ruining his life. Whats the point of coming from Korea to England if all you are going to do is sit in your room all week?
 

TomPNE94

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Has over 1,000 posts in just over a month... calls his brother sad...

Anyway.. one of my flatmates at Uni is Korean and he just sits in his room playing on his computer literally all day everyday..

You can easily go weeks without seeing him (You can fucking hear him screaming though :mad: ) He eats all his food in his room, doesn't talk a word of English, he's fat as fuck and he never goes into University either... Gaming is ruining his life. Whats the point of coming from Korea to England if all you are going to do is sit in your room all week?
I've been here since August mate.
 

Renegade

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We have all been sold a lie.

Have you seen The Century of the Self ?
Yeah, Edward Bernays is possibly the worst person in history that no one talks about. I've yet to watch Adam Curtis's latest documentary, need to get on that asap, even though they are monumentally depressing.

Has over 1,000 posts in just over a month... calls his brother sad...

Anyway.. one of my flatmates at Uni is Korean and he just sits in his room playing on his computer literally all day everyday..

You can easily go weeks without seeing him (You can fucking hear him screaming though :mad: ) He eats all his food in his room, doesn't talk a word of English, he's fat as fuck and he never goes into University either... Gaming is ruining his life. Whats the point of coming from Korea to England if all you are going to do is sit in your room all week?

Probably another introverted kid, scared to interact with a foreign world and all of his real friends are online. Maybe you could help him.
 

Benito

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Yeah, Edward Bernays is possibly the worst person in history that no one talks about. I've yet to watch Adam Curtis's latest documentary, need to get on that asap, even though they are monumentally depressing.



Probably another introverted kid, scared to interact with a foreign world and all of his real friends are online. Maybe you could help him.

What do you want to be when you grow up ? Happy.
 

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