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Video games are a convenient scapegoat nowadays. They've been attacked for having explicit content - both violent and sexual in nature - and many so-called watchdog groups blame them for preying upon the impressionable minds of children.
So it was much to my amusement when I read that, once again, video games have been blamed for something. This time, it's for people not caring about nature.
Research funded by The Nature Conservancy states that camping, fishing and per capita visits to parks are declining. This drop-off in outdoor recreation was found in both the United States and Japan; according to researchers, this began in the 1980s and 1990s - a period of rapid growth for the video game industry.
Now, the study does make some good points. It references the shift from outdoor activity to indoor, sedentary hobbies, which I think few people can deny. Television has been a large part of our lives for years now, and the Internet even more so; the research refers to this as "videophilia," and video games certainly fall under that category. But really, the fact that people spend an increasing amount of time indoors is more a sign of the times than anything else.
As previously mentioned, the Internet has taken our lives by storm and the sheer convenience of the Web is something that keeps a lot of people from stepping outside. When you can do your banking, shopping and even order pizza online, is anyone surprised that people aren't getting out as much?
No, of course not - or at least we shouldn't be.
Granted, I'm not trying to shift the blame squarely onto the Internet ; the Internet is a wonderful thing, and an incredibly useful tool. I simply feel that video games alone cannot bear this burden of causing "obesity, lack of social skills, attention disorders and poor academic performance."
Too often, games are portrayed as soul-stealing, addictive and mindless diversions that rob people of their basic abilities to function as human beings. And unfortunately, sometimes that does happen. But as with anything, moderation is the key, and parents have only themselves to blame if their children are constantly submerging themselves in virtual worlds. It's their responsibility - not that of the game companies - to control how much their children play, as well as what kind of content they're allowed to see.
I think this study is on the right track with their broad definition of videophilia, because in many ways it does pose serious concerns. However, healthy and balanced individuals know how to divide their time between indoors and out, and the stereotype of those who would rather stay at home and level characters than getting out is too often and unfairly applied to anyone who enjoys games.
I'm passionate about nature and I love to play video games. The two are not a contradiction in terms.
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