Video Games, the New
Marijuana…
Or the new beer or the new H or the new…pick your poison. The large difference is, this addiction is fully legal and primarily sanctioned and provided by parents as safe so long as the ratings that the manufacturers give the games tell us that they are safe. Caution is given with games for teens and mature games for their possible explicit language, violence or sexual content. Believe me, if there is a caution that might curtail sales of any game, you can be certain that the possibility is a pretty safe bet. Apparently, most girls seem to be impervious to the addictive nature of the games. For some reason, girls can play, enjoy and walk away but this video scourge that has taken over our young male population more efficiently than any cult organizer could dream of, has taken the diagnosis of arrested development to new heights. Our boys are cloistered indoors on gorgeous days while bikes collect dust and books and brains develop cobwebs. Mark my words, without intervention, come back in 15 years and you'll see many of those same boys as 30-year old guys still living in their parents' homes dressed in sneakers and old concert t-shirts, only stopping their games long enough to earn a meager paycheck at the local mall electronics store. (I can get some tasty games with my employee discount, Dude.)
It used to be that the television was aptly named the "boob tube" but now it seems that, despite its developing multi-channel, movie playing, plasma screen, TEVO, HD, or Blu-ray bells and whistles, it is just a large consol for what bigger and better graphics can be had for the latest bash "em, crash "em, shoot "em up war toy or destructo-extravaganza video game.
What middle class American household does not harbor within it at least one type of video gaming device? In the course of my 18 years as a mom, I have seen Atari, Sega Genesis, Gameboy, Gameboy Advance, Gameboy Pocket, X-box, Game box, Playstation, X-box 360, and most lately, the Wii. In fact, many of them are in the gaming graveyard that is my son"s closet at this very moment. All cast aside as old news when the newer version manipulates the population into spending even more hard-earned money for more of the same with promises of better graphics more exciting games or some new have-to-have twist that renders everything that came before, as just obsolete.
I may be wrong, but aren't these the drug dealer's tactics? Give a little taste and make them believe that all the "cool kids" have this game console "cause it"s the best; it delivers. Anyone who knows good gaming has not only the first version of Halo, (about $50.00) not just the second version of Halo, (about $55.00) but also Halo 3, (around $60.00) which can only now be played on the most recent version game console. In our case, X-Box, 360, so the regular X-Box we bought only 2 years ago (approx. $200.00) is old and outdated. They don't even manufacture the games for the old X-Box anymore. If we want newly released games, we have to buy the new console, (priced at $350.00 last Christmas season). Keep "em hooked and spending their money with promises of newer and better thrills. Sound familiar?
As a parent, I admit, I have given in to the hype through the years. My sons have been so excited about the newest gaming options that I have enjoyed the shrieks of pleasure at Christmas when an X-this or game-that was torn open, and I"ve stuffed an Easter basket or two with new games to see that rush of enthusiasm but more recently I've recognized that not only have we spent enough money on consoles, controllers, add-ons, hand-helds and games to send a child to Harvard, but that after the initial enthusiasm wears off, we are left with a pasty-faced, slack jawed, glassy eyed, zombie that prefers the gaming seclusion in his room to anything else. My youngest son even looked at me with incredulity one day when, with dinner plate in hand, he started to head for the stairs and I asked him where he thought he was going?
“Upstairs.” He said surprised that I was so clueless.
“Dinner is down here.” I answered.
“But I'm in the middle of a game.”
“And?”
Good sense prevailed, I thought, and he walked over to the table to put his plate down. “I'll eat later.” He said and headed back toward the stairs.
thank you, A.