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Amir Isakhunov
Literature
29 January 2018
Persuasive Essay
As said by Ray Bradbury, “Video Games are a waste of time for men with nothing to do.
Real brains don’t do that.” The man has a respected name in the world, but that quote has been
agreed and disagreed with, by millions of people. Video games have been an important part of
people’s lives, and while they are getting plenty of recognition due to events like Esports and E3,
they aren’t doing so well among the parental and in general, older generation. There is no doubt
that video games are not appreciated enough by the older generation and are rather brushed off as
a waste of time. There is no doubt that, violence and aggressive behaviour caused by violent
video games, is a myth. There is no doubt that video games, nowadays, are a very common form
of entertainment and that most people enjoy them because they are simply fun.
There is no doubt that video games are not appreciated enough by the older generation
and are rather brushed off as a waste of time. Those who believe that video games are indeed a
negative influence, say that they don't teach us anything and that they are just wasting our time.
That is an understandable concern, however, that is why there's a clear difference between video
games and things like homework. They teach a person critical thinking. They teach people how
to strategize, find an alternative solution for a difficult scenario, and make you think outside the
box in general. For example, as said by Nolan Bushnell, an American engineer and founder of
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Atari Inc., “Video games foster the mindset that allows creativity to grow.” This shows that the
creators of the first ever video games, originally created them as a place for your mind, and not
just a form of useless entertainment. By inventing video games, the developers created a whole
new universe for the player’s imagination; a universe that they can dive into, a place where they
can feel free. In addition, Wayne Brady, an american actor, said, “Gaming gives me a chance to
just let go, blow somebody up and fight somebody from another dimension. It’s all escapism.”
This just shows how even some celebrities see videogames as a way to relax, and or take your
anger out on an NPC. This is how video games should be seen by people. In brief, video games
shouldn’t be treated as a waste of time, but rather a unique way of learning, relaxing and
There is no doubt that, violence and aggressive behaviour caused by violent video games,
is a myth. Those who believe the myth, say that bloody and ferocious battles in video games
influence young players in a way that produces a harsh and savage attitude in the real world.
That is an understandable concern, however, that myth has been scientifically debunked, yet
people still believe it. While conducting an experiment, Sage Journals states, “Participants who
preferred violent games, and age were linked to higher levels of aggression.” That is an
understandable concern, however recent studies have proven that there is no long term links
between consuming violent video games and real world violence. For example, the majority of
the population use common logic to solve disputes. Due to a single coincidence, everybody
comes to the conclusion that the two topics are correlated. A blog on Huffington Post by Zac
Thompson, states, “The the whole idea of video games causing violence was just one single
claim made by Jack Thompson. The man was a lawyer which is why the claim was so
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universally agreed with. Thompson’s claims didn’t really get him anywhere, but the idea
lingered.” This shows that it’s better to check your child beforehand and make sure that they
don’t have violent tendencies, rather than making false assumptions and blaming a completely
unrelated topic. As long as the child had no mental issues before obtaining access to the games,
then games simply just don’t have the power to remake a child into a sociopath and change their
judgement. “It doesn't matter how many digital avatars you've slaughtered, you aren't going to
have an easy time killing. Even soldiers, in war, struggle with the act,” Forbes.com declares.
This shows that when people say it’s common logic to accuse violent video games of causing
real world violence, if you think about it, it’s not so logical after all. It’s nothing but a
propaganda. An accusation that uses coincidences as a supporting argument, but no actual proof.
In summation, there is zero proof that brutal video games cause adolescents to perform violent
acts.
There is no doubt that video games, nowadays, are a very common form of entertainment
and that most people enjoy them because they are simply fun. Those who believe that video
games are just a time killer, say that it is nothing more than a fun activity, and that it doesn't
really teach you anything. That is an understandable concern, however, video games satisfy three
important needs for all human beings. Those are competence, autonomy, and relatedness.
iThriveGames.org made a blog on their website where they answer the question, “Why do we
play video games?” The answer was, “They help players feel masterful. Great video games get
harder as the player progresses through them and they ensure that you are challenged.” This
proves that video games make you feel competent, they give you the sense of completion and
achievement. When you see your character level up, or acquire a rare item, you feel
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accomplished. The second need is Autonomy. The feeling that you have control over the world
around you, the part of the game that lets you choose your own path, customize a character, and
gives you overall freedom. Autonomy is a very important part of a person’s life, and every
well-constructed game knows that, and has given the player this opportunity. In addition, as said
the most fundamental developmental tasks of adolescence.” This shows that videogames are
more important than people think they are because they help their player become autonomous.
Finally, the third need is relatedness; the desire of being connected with others. Multiplayer
games such as Overwatch, World of Warcraft, connect players. They make them feel like an
important member of a group, the sense of being helpful to the team. It can cure a child’s
antisocial behaviour and even help meet friends online. Ultimately, video games aren’t simply
fun, they are a life changing experience. Video Games make you feel competent and
accomplished, autonomous and powerful, and most importantly, they make you feel related.
They are a unique form of entertainment that hold the player’s hand as they grow up.
In conclusion, video games aren’t a waste of time and they do not have a bad influence
on children and teens. They are not anymore important than homework and other learning
methods, but they still teach a good lesson. If parents were to see what video games are truly
capable of, then their view on them just might change. As the creator of Mario, Shigeru
Miyamoto, once said, “Video Games are bad for you? That’s what they said about rock-n-roll.”
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Works Cited
Kain, Erik. “No, For The Millionth Time, Video Games Don't Cause Real World Violence.”
www.forbes.com/sites/erikkain/2016/11/04/no-for-the-millionth-time-video-games-dont-c
ause-real-world-violence/#2b2173d35ffd.
Milani, Luca, et al. “Violent Video Games and Children’s Aggressive Behaviors.” SAGE Open,
Thompson, Zac. “Do Violent Video Games Cause Violence?” The Huffington Post,
www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/do-violent-video-games-cause-violence_us_58f64c4ce4b0
156697225316.
ithrivegames.org/why-do-teens-play-video-games/.