is playing video games and using iphones changing todays youth?

[Icey101]

ok
in my day all i wanted to do was build stuff....tree house, boats, fix bikes, repair motors, walk endlessly in the bush with my air rifle, capture frogs, collect bugs, then i got into chemistry sets, blowing up stuff, electronic kits from tandy...i couldnt wait to leave school and get a job and make money....


so apart from playing there beloved sport cricket on the weekend, my kids seem just to want to hang around and wait for 4.00pm when i let them play their online games, i dont let them play online on week days.....but after they do there homework they just want to play with ipods. The wife put pressure on me to give way to all this gaming rubbish so as to keep up with there friends....it wasnt my choice. They also dont seem to really want to get part time jobs and earn any money on the side...the wife says it more important for them to do there homework and get good grades....etc

so is the youth of the day being influenced in a bad way and what will be the long term outcomes for society??

[johndough247]

I agree that too much of any indoor couch potato activity (gaming, tv, computers, etc) and not enough activities that gives them exercise will be detrimental for them health-wise...but to be fair to the youth of today who are bombarded with ads on more mediums than past kids...if you grew up in these times (or if these things existed in abundance during your childhood days), could you honestly say you wouldn't suffer the same fate?

Also, I bet if you stopped buying their games for them they'd change their minds about that job real quick...out of curiosity, how old are they and in which decade did you grow up?

[96tbird]

You be the judge. http://m.cnet.com/Article.rbml?nid=5...bcid=&bid=-247

[dullsilver_mike]

It develops different cognitive "muscles" than sitting down and reading a book or the other things we did as kids. Without even thinking about exercise, It's pretty clear to me that kids have a much harder time focusing on a single engaging mental activity than they did 15 years ago. They might be able to juggle 5 things at once better than we can, but intense concentration is on its way out.

And kids with a reasonable part time job-- 16-20 hours/week--tend to perform better academically. My guess is that it forces them to schedule their time so tightly they actually stick to the schedule. Unscheduled free time tends to have serious bleed out into what should be scheduled activity times. I'm sure many of us have observed the same thing with ourselves as adults--giving yourself unstructured free time breaks makes it tricky to get back into the work groove, having everything planned out to the letter because you need to fit more in makes it easier to stay on track.

[Munjibunga]

How could they not?

[Kwesi]

Originally Posted by Munjibunga

How could they not?

You video games absolutely have a bad effect on kids or am I misinterpreting what you're trying to say? If so why do you think so?

[Kwesi]

Originally Posted by Icey101

ok
in my day all i wanted to do was build stuff....tree house, boats, fix bikes, repair motors, walk endlessly in the bush with my air rifle, capture frogs, collect bugs, then i got into chemistry sets, blowing up stuff, electronic kits from tandy...i couldnt wait to leave school and get a job and make money....


so apart from playing there beloved sport cricket on the weekend, my kids seem just to want to hang around and wait for 4.00pm when i let them play their online games, i dont let them play online on week days.....but after they do there homework they just want to play with ipods. The wife put pressure on me to give way to all this gaming rubbish so as to keep up with there friends....it wasnt my choice. They also dont seem to really want to get part time jobs and earn any money on the side...the wife says it more important for them to do there homework and get good grades....etc

so is the youth of the day being influenced in a bad way and what will be the long term outcomes for society??

Not sure how old your kids are but I think that at younger ages it's up to parents to try and introduce their kids to fun activities and hobbies they might want to participate in. Some kids are naturally really curious and will find something to do with or without your help but others might need a little help.

I was never into sports as a kid. My parents tried baseball and soccer but it wasn't happening. The first thing I remember REALLY showing interest in was Legos. I got into K'nex as well and other build-y things (figurines, model planes, R/Cs).

Have they shown any particular interest in anything even within gaming? I played a ton of flight simulators as a kid which translated pretty well into me building model planes and R/C planes. For me music came along later but have they shown any interest in that? Maybe guitar hero could get their drive going a bit or something like that? It might be worth looking into interactive games (I looooove DDR) and gaming consoles as well (Nintendo Wii, Xbox Kinect, Playstation Move). Sometimes you might have to force their hand a bit as well. I love to ski but my mom had to damn near drag me out of the house on the first trip. I guess I'm just to say get them to try out as many things as you can. Don't beat them over the head with stuff you want them to do but your enthusiasm for various activities may make them more willing to participate.

I'm a huge gamer and I think they can be great for anyone at just about any age but I also thing it's important for anyone to have a variety of interests. Being well-rounded can't really be a bad thing. Obviously, you want to avoid them being complete couch potatoes but you also want to avoid demonizing something just because it's different from what you did as a kid.

[jp58]

I'm saying no. I'm going to blame poor parenting.

I've grown up with video games and computers. I've also held a part time job, learned how to take care of minor house and car maintenance, played sports and had "outside" activities, and do okay at my university. Most of my friends, with the exception of one, are the same way. The one has a WoW addiction. But, we were all allowed to play sports, or learn an instrument, or taught how to do things for ourselves and given reasonable goals to achieve. Someone who was plopped down in front of a TV to "hush em' up" so mommy didn't actually have to pay attention to them probably turn out a lot different than I did.

[BassOfSpades]

Well im 15 so i can give you my honest opinion... yes it messes us up. not me personally, i come home and play bass til dinner, but some of my friends do spend a lot of time on their computers and video games. i dont really think it has an impact on grades directly though. most of my friends and i are still in grade 10 and i never study and still get straight a's while my friends who never study get... below average. i think it has to do with concentration in class or lack of it, and i think the level of concentration may have to do with all the time most teens/kids spend on their iphones/video games/whatever. just my 2 cents.

[Munjibunga]

Originally Posted by Kwesi

You video games absolutely have a bad effect on kids or am I misinterpreting what you're trying to say? If so why do you think so?

I'm saying, "How can video games not change kids?"

[Kwesi]

Originally Posted by Munjibunga

I'm saying, "How can video games not change kids?"

Ah, ok. I think I'd agree with that.

[Jazz Ad]

iphones are 4 year old. Compared to even a kid's lifespan, they're barely a hump.

[Simo98]

Kids who like to go outside do so, those who prefer to play videogames do just that. I know kids who are out surfing or skating every single day despite having access to iPhones and videogames, and I know kids who'd rather just play videogames all day. Neither one is wrong, not is one better for you than the other.

To be honest, the ones who go surfing and skating generally have worse grades and are much more likely to cause themselves harm than the ones who are playing videogames.

[Skitch it!]

Originally Posted by Simo98

Kids who like to go outside do so, those who prefer to play videogames do just that. I know kids who are out surfing or skating every single day despite having access to iPhones and videogames, and I know kids who'd rather just play videogames all day. Neither one is wrong, not is one better for you than the other.

To be honest, the ones who go surfing and skating generally have worse grades and are much more likely to cause themselves harm than the ones who are playing videogames.

Spending the time playing a videogame for hours on end, is just as good for you as outdoor activities and socialization in the real world, the really real world? I think the reason the gaming kids are not getting hurt is because they hardly leave the house dude

[Simo98]

Originally Posted by Skitch it!

Spending the time playing a videogame for hours on end, is just as good for you as outdoor activities and socialization in the real world, the really real world?

They both have their advantages and disadvantages, but I don't see how anyone can claim one is superior to the other.

Everyone is an individual, and they all enjoy and benefit from different forms of recreational activity. Some kids enjoy physical challenges, running around and playing sports, some enjoy following the fantastical stories and mental stimulation they find in videogames. Others enjoy playing and listening to music all day. Taking a kid that likes videogames, or books, or playing music and trying to force him to play sports just isn't going to work in most scenario's, and why should it?

Originally Posted by Skitch it!

I think the reason the gaming kids are not getting hurt is because they hardly leave the house dude

Uh, yeah? You ever heard of a kid breaking an arm or hit by a car while they were inside on the Xbox? Not saying sitting in front of the TV all day is healthy, but it is certainly a safer environment in many ways.

[Skitch it!]

Originally Posted by Simo98

They both have their advantages and disadvantages, but I don't see how anyone can claim one is superior to the other.

Everyone is an individual, and they all enjoy and benefit from different forms of recreational activity. Some kids enjoy physical challenges, running around and playing sports, some enjoy following the fantastical stories and mental stimulation they find in videogames. Others enjoy playing and listening to music all day. Taking a kid that likes videogames, or books, or playing music and trying to force him to play sports just isn't going to work in most scenario's, and why should it?



Uh, yeah? You ever heard of a kid breaking an arm or hit by a car while they were inside on the Xbox? Not saying sitting in front of the TV all day is healthy, but it is certainly a safer environment in many ways.

The imagination required for books, music, outdoor pursuits etc. functions on a very different cognitive level imo, and is still relevant after you have pressed the off button.

Sitting in front of a T.V. all day is safer than life? Yes, if you call that a life.

"Nobody questions things in this country anymore. Nobody questions it. Everybody's got a cell phone that'll make pancakes and rub their balls now" - George Carling.

[Simo98]

Originally Posted by Skitch it!

The imagination required for books, music, outdoor pursuits etc. functions on a very different cognitive level imo, and is still relevant after you have pressed the off button.

Yes, different. But "better"?


Videogames are a very different medium, and they have a huge amount of potential. A videogame can take you away to a fantasy world, a world where you are the protagonist in an epic tale. It can give you a blank platform to reshape a world as you see fit. They can be a game of skill, of practise an fine tuning, reflexes and sharp eyes, and they can be a game of wits, of hours and hours of research and formulating strategies to last and outwit your opponent, be it human or computer.

To say they are inferior to sports as a leisure activity, or even music, is quite closed-minded in my opinion. Not directing this at you in particular Skitch, but rather just in general.

Myself, I quite enjoy videogames on occasion. Some days I'd even rather play a videogame than play my bass, but not often

Originally Posted by Skitch it!

Sitting in front of a T.V. all day is safer than life? Yes, if you call that a life.

Personally I don't see the attraction either, I don't watch TV. However if someone can be happy spending all of their leisure time sitting in front of the television for the rest of their life, who am I to say they are living their life the wrong way?

So long as they are not harming anyone else, I really don't see a problem. If laying on your floor drawing circles in purple crayon all day is a source of great enjoyment, then go ahead and do it.

[AccolaStudios]

As a 16 year old, I can definitely go ahead and say that they are dangerously detrimental to the future of society. There was a period of about 2-3 years where I would play from 3pm until as late as I could stay up. Some weekends I'd start at 8am and go to bed around 4am the next morning, gaming nonstop the whole time.

It ruined me for those few years. I would only shower every 2-3 days, I was weak, and my grades and social life were falling to pieces. I realized what it was doing to me, kicked the habit cold turkey relapsed once, then kicked it again for good. I sold my Xbox and all it's games, and I also got myself a job where I work 30-40 hours a week, even during school. Most importantly, I began to focus on bass.

So yes, gaming is terrible for people. I personally feel like it does more harm than a lot of the more "minor drugs". Anyway, that's my story.

[Kwesi]

Originally Posted by AccolaStudios

As a 16 year old, I can definitely go ahead and say that they are dangerously detrimental to the future of society. There was a period of about 2-3 years where I would play from 3pm until as late as I could stay up. Some weekends I'd start at 8am and go to bed around 4am the next morning, gaming nonstop the whole time.

It ruined me for those few years. I would only shower every 2-3 days, I was weak, and my grades and social life were falling to pieces. I realized what it was doing to me, kicked the habit cold turkey relapsed once, then kicked it again for good. I sold my Xbox and all it's games, and I also got myself a job where I work 30-40 hours a week, even during school. Most importantly, I began to focus on bass.

So yes, gaming is terrible for people. I personally feel like it does more harm than a lot of the more "minor drugs". Anyway, that's my story.

Interesting anecdote but you are not every person ever, haha. Games can be bad, sure. But the idea that games are bad as a whole? Debatable. I had my own 4-5 year addiction (Final Fantasy XI) as those were some damn good times. Grades sucked but I have a feeling that wasn't really the games because my grades sucked before then too . I was still a good kid - respectful, happy, sociable, intelligent. I had friends and everything. Didn't have much of what most folks would call "a life" but I wasn't some asocial recluse either. Games a entertainment for many, a hobby for some, a career for others, and a dangerous addiction for a few. Don't blow it out of proportion.

[Skitch it!]

I'm not railing against recreational gamer's here, I do understand the cognitive benefits. There was a study years back I remember where it was tested as a way of improving some motor function and cognitive function in people with particular brain injuries or issues.

I also understand the dopamine uptake too, that is what Carling was saying there. There is a difference between recreational use and addiction to dopamine and fantasy.

You know that overuse of gaming, cyberworld etc. distracts from 'real' life, in fact it can rob you of time, time can't be regained.

As for the T.V, give me the paper and crayon please.

Aldous Huxley was right, we have to quite a large degree bought into the bells, baubles and bangles. He also realized that it can rob you of your sense of reality.