This was a little ironic piece that I wrote for a mini-thesis assignment on something interesting related to the game industry.
Thesis Statement
Video games are humanity’s greatest mistake, built on the backs of overworked professionals using skinner box techniques for an ever-unsatisfied toxic gamer culture
Preface
Video games and stir-fried cooking techniques are undoubtedly humanity’s two greatest inventions. They allowed us to progress to a society of extreme dominance and sophistication beyond the wildest dreams of mere beasts. But are video games really all they are hyped up to be? I’d like to make an argument on the contrary, video games were and still are a mistake, and perhaps by the end of this highly professional and scholarly article, you too shall be an enlightened one.
Content
Gaining mass market appeal in the mid-80s, computer games were a new form of media that allowed us to express ourselves in completely new ways. But was that their true purpose or were they just another psychedelic used as an excuse to escape from the harsh reality we live in. A reality where the E.T. game was unfortunately not able to take down the industry and wipe video games from our collective consciousness.
Something that seems super interesting is the aspect of the very fallen honored brothers that have absolutely no worth and relation to the very different aspects of reality that we should be a part of.
Game creators are perhaps the greatest victims in all of this, for they are part of a multi-billion-dollar industry, where workers are underpaid and overworked. According to a recent article by the Times, video game creators are burned out and desperate for change. What no one will say is that the only change they require is a change of profession. Even gamers are a victim to this work ethic, they forget to eat, sleep or maintain a proper state of hygiene. Video gaming disorder is a real and terrifying condition that affects all age groups alike. But of course, children are hit the hardest, as their young moldable minds are subject to various developmental problems as a result.
You see the main issues arise when people use video game interactions as a guide on how to socialize in real life, with things not working out as planned due to the complex and unpredictable nature of reality. And of course, multiple and well-established sources of high repute including the current president of the United States agree that there are clear links between violence and video games. Glorification of wars and violence in games is much more deadly to our young moldable minds than any trivial real-world conflict might cause. For instance, multiplayer game communities like Fortnite or Call of Duty are filled with toxic gamers that have nothing better to do than hurl creative abuses at their maker.
But why is this? Most gamers complain about the frustrating effect of trying over and over without stopping until they achieve a ‘virtual goal’. This strange compulsion seems to be one of the key differences between gamers and non-gamers. “Part of me would want to stop, but I couldn’t.” Statements like these sound like a cry for help. Perhaps all these troubled individuals need to reassess why they spend their time on an activity that drains their financial resources, reduces the quality of their social life and contributes almost nothing to society.
Moving on to the aspect of game development itself. Games tend to use skinner box systems that reward you for activities like mass murder and microtransactions, that make you spend tons of your hard-earned money on virtual artifacts within a closed loop system that provides you with nothing more than bragging rights. One counter argument is that loot boxes are like the slot machines in casinos and their voluntary nature bars them from any of the ethical quandaries that may arise from gambling. But to be fair, casinos are highly regulated, have age restrictions and winning usually results in real world rewards. Another counterargument to overspending on micro-transactions is that people also waste their money on stuff like decorations in the real world. They spend a lot of money to make their living spaces look beautiful. But one could further argue that the tangibility of these objects is what puts them above their virtual cousins.
Though it’s frequently claimed that video games improve brain function, most research studies show that they aren’t as successful as we think. The only somewhat conclusive argument is that games are good at improving spatial memory to an extent. But of course, these come with the negative effects that gaming (as discussed above in ‘gaming disorders’) or any digital activity bring with it, especially the problems that arise due high screen time exposure. One could argue that there are also better ways to improve your mental acuity. You could learn a musical instrument or a new language. As it has been found that learning a new skill over a period, improves memory function as well. One could even learn a map from memory by visiting a real-world location, to improve spatial navigation. Learning a new sport like athletics or yoga results in both a healthy mind and body.
Perhaps we choose to ignore the negative effects of video games, but one should be afraid, one should be very afraid, because the future of video games is a true virtual reality like matrix that we can plug ourselves into and live our lives in blissful ignorance. That is the kind of path video games shall lead us down and why they were and will forever be humanity’s greatest mistake.
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