Are Video Games Good or Bad?

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games

Time Magazine Articles

Read these two articles from the Intranet ‘Group Documents.

1) Are video games that bad?

2) Learning to love Zelda

(May 10, 1999 Volume 153 No.18)

Discussion Topics

Go to the Discussion Forum (http://skhtst99form6.intranets.com) to choose one of the following discussion topics and discuss classmates by uploading your ideas.

Discussion Topic 1

Should we ban the sale of

violent video games to teenagers

under 18 years old?

Discussion Topic 2

Do video games influence your daily life?

Discussion Topic 3

Discuss the pros of video games.

Discussion Topic 4

Discuss the pros of video games.

Discussion Topic 5

If you were parents, what limits should you set to stop your kids from being addicted to video games, especially the violent ones?

Pros of Video Games

1. They are relaxing, almost meditative.

2. They work out the gamers’ twitchy reflexes.

3. Video Games Boost Economy

a) The electronic games industry posted sales of $5.5 billion in the US in 1998.

b) Video games were the second-most popular home entertainment after TV.

4) Playing video games can make you smarter

a) You have to learn how to solve problems fast, testing hypotheses and decoding puzzles.

b) Patricia Greenfield, a psychology professor at UCLA found that there was a positive correlation between video games and intelligence.

c) Greenfield’s research attributes an increase in worldwide “non-verbal IQ”.

Non-verbal IQ

• Spatial skills

• the use of icons for problem solving

• the ability to understand things from multiple viewpoints

5) Moderately violent video games might even be beneficial, helping girls learn how to compete in an aggressive world.

Parents’ Views

6) Parents would rather have their children and their peers playing video games than be out roaming the streets.

Cons of Video Games

1) Violent Content Nearly one third of the top 100 video-console gam

es for the first quarter of 1999 had at least some sort of violent content.

2) Bloody Titles Most Popular Among video and computer games, bloody titles li

ke Quake and Golden Eye 007 rank consistently among the most popular.

Most Popular Video Games

Quake45%

Gol d e n E y e00735%

Zelda12%

Barbie8%

3. Graphically violent games desensitize children to violence

Help break down the natural inhibitions against killing

Doom Quake

4. Violent video games prepare kids to kill and even teach them to enjoy the experience.

5. Video games are addictive

Psychologists say some

players of intense

video games show

symptoms similar to

those induced by drug

taking or other

pleasurable activities.

6. They gobble up time better spent on homework, sports and other outdoor activities.

7. Video games jeopardize our social skills.

Limits parents should set:

Rule One Know what your kid is

playing.

Rule Two Allow generous

playtime when the game is new, preferably during a school vacation.

Rule Three

Set strict time limits

Rule Four

If you can stand it, play the game with your child.

Your Writing Task

Whether video games are good or bad has always aroused controversies. They mesmerize children, yet they frighten parents. Write an article in your school magazine to discuss your own views on video games. Give your article a title.