Video Games - The Parent's Point of View

NOTE: This does not apply to all parents. DO NOT tackle your mom or dad because of this post.

Why do video games alarm certain parents?

The Random House Unbridged Dictionary, published in 2006, states that a video game is "any of various games played using a microcomputer with a keyboard and often joysticks to manipulate changes or respond to the action or questions on the screen, " or "any of various games played using a microchip-controlled device, as an arcade machine or hand-held toy." In other words, a video game is playing a game on a TV. Then why do your parents tell you to play a board game when a video game is no different?

Parents generally have three problems with video games:

1. They encourage violence.
2. They hurt your eyes and melt your brain.
3. They prevent you from playing outside.

I'm here to tell you that these reasons, with sources, are worthless and stupid.

First off, video games do not encourage violence, no matter what Jack Thompson says. Source one: The ESA, or Entertainment Software Association, created the ESRB, who rates all of your games with an E or T or M. The ESA states on their website that "blaming video games for violence in the real world is no more productive than blaming the news media for bringing crimes of violence into our homes night after night." Reading this you can see the facts, such as that in 1990, the total number of crimes were 2 million. In 1999, that number decreased to a steady 1.5 million.

Second, some obscure Boy's Life magazine I own states that video games actually help your eyes, and we all know games like Brain Age can't hurt you. Plus, it's never bad to have great hand-eye coordination.

Third, my neighborhood is not active enough to have it so when I walk outside, someone is out there playing. I bet it is no different everywhere else. Video games help you play with people when there's no one to play with. As Nintendo sates with it's Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection slogan, "there's always someone to play with."

Hopefully, some parents will now shut up and let us play in peace.

NOTE: That did not apply to all parents. DO NOT tackle your mom or dad because of that post.