Videogames - Argument VS Self
Written September 14, 2003

Negative-Clone Chris:

Picture this: little Jimmy is sitting on the floor in front of the TV, garishly coloured lights flickering off the thick lenses of his awkwardly-framed glasses. His head jerks spasmodically in rhythm with the lights as sweaty hands feverishly work the Nintendo controller resting in his hands. Outside through shuttered blinds, the laughter of playing children is heard, but Jimmy is fully entranced by the looping theme emanating from the television. He has no friends and doesn’t care. One, two, three hours pass. Jimmy has received the Magical Rod of Smiting, shifted dimensions multiple times and repeatedly bought himself more time with “Mom, just one more level, I promise! Make me a sandwich or I’ll pass out from starvation and never beat King Ugmo!” He’s done nothing at all.

Fast forward eight years. Jimmy has somehow made it into university despite his sub-par marks, thanks to his interests in programming and medieval history. He doesn’t go to class because he’s sitting in front of his computer, controlling a virtual avatar as it prances around on the screen and makes friends with the socially disadvantaged. Jimmy has a Super-Magical Rod of Uber-Smiting and an online “girl” friend who he’s never seen. He’s heard it all before: “waste of potential”, “lack of participation”, “four-eyes super-virgin”. His character is a mighty warrior in search of fame and bootay, but Jimmy’s never held a job. In fact, he’s pretty disillusioned and the countless acts of violence that he’s witnessed through video games haunt his dreams of social revenge. Jimmy is hella fucked-up.

As a form of “entertainment”, video games are extremely lacking. Jimmy illustrates a few of the common vices associated with the pastime – bad vision from excessive screen-staring, loss of interest in alternate activities, links between real-life and video game violence, anti-social behaviour and loser stigmas – even though he’s just a figment of my imagination. Video games lack the cultural sophistication of novels, the brevity of movies and the simplicity of music. They are responsible for countless wasted hours of productivity and the decline of interpersonal communications in today’s youth. Instead of gaily frolicking in the fields like the youth of yore, Canada’s children will be mutely staring at cavorting demons on their screens. They may even forget how to talk!

The few simple skills that can be gleaned from video games are completely inapplicable to practical, real-life situations that lack the flash and instant gratification of these virtual worlds. People talk about increased problem-solving skills and dexterity, but there’s never been any research that has decisively linked game-playing with an improvement in external abilities. Video games are technically useless, divide genders and friends, and mutilate self-confidence. They are the devil!

Positive-Clone Chris:

Fool, whatchu talking ‘bout? Two-thirds of your argument relies on a marijuana-induced hodgepodge of tired stereotypes and common misconceptions. And what kind of a name is “Jimmy” for a metaphoric character, anyways? Unimaginative bastard.

Video games are a multi-billion dollar entertainment industry, surpassing even Hollywood when it comes to raking in the cash. For decades, kids have been dropping quarters into arcade machines. Virtually everyone in Canada has had some sort of experience with a game, from the teenage target-market all the way up to the old men who get their asses kicked in “Street Fighter” by their granddaughters. You can’t talk about video games as a threat to our culture; they’ve been embedded so deeply into our society that they ARE our culture. And hey, everyday life has continued just fine.

Many of the accusations brought against video games for inciting violence in youth can also be targeted at music, television and popular movies. Blaming a singular form of entertainment for the general decay of societal morals is a cop-out, a necessary sacrifice of the scapegoat. Sure, people who play non-stop games of “Doom” may have some serious issues, but their choice of Satanic death metal, slasher flicks and subversive literature might be factors too.

Video games also feature some serious advantages over other forms of chillaxin’ entertainment. While watching movies and television is a completely passive experience, game-playing is often very social, active and inclusive. Most modern titles emphasize multiplayer action and often include the option for up to four people to cooperate or molest each other, depending on the game. Video games also offer a sense of personal accomplishment that you can’t get from TV. As ridiculous as it is to take pride in bouncing on the head of an angry-looking reptile until it passes out, you still used a modicum of skill to achieve a goal. It’s enough to give your ego a boost and make you giggle like a schoolgirl when you think nobody’s watching. Plus, working those controllers makes your fingers super nimble, which is good in other areas of life (hint, hint).

There’s no excuse for gender inequality in this forum, either. While many games are admittedly targeted at oversexed teenaged boys, the sheer creativity of the genre ensures options for everyone. With game titles like “Super Adventure Hakki-hakki Jesus Fish II Turbo”, you know that some messed-up, completely original stuff is coming out of Japan that anyone can appreciate. There’s nothing innately masculine or difficult about pushing little buttons on a controller – it’s an easily acquired talent. Social preconceptions hold video games in the male domain, and those are fading fast – extremely recent studies have found that 40% of college-age players are women.

Sure, there are examples where people take game-playing to an extreme and become recluses, but people have also taken eating, drinking, TV-watching and sex to extremes in the past. Should we condemn sex because some freak-show thinks it’s wicked-cool to bang fir trees and pot-bellied pigs? Hells no! It’s ridiculous to condemn an entire form of entertainment, especially one so prominent, based upon the examples of a handful of apathetic over-users. Your argument is stupid, Negative-Clone Chris, and I hate you!

Uh...I am insane? I decided to take the quintessential Cord technique of pitting two authors against each other on a chosen issue and play both parts myself. It's pretty hard to argue against yourself but I think I have the schizophrenic tendencies necessary for such an endeavor.