Live, Laugh, Love… and Level UP
Games have been an essential part of society for centuries, if not longer. Games provide a sense of fulfillment for those who achieve their goals; they cultivate perseverance to those who are defeated; and foster pride among spectators. The Ancient Olympics games as well as today’s modern day Olympics nurture these characteristics.
Since the raise of the digital era, video games have flourished. With its success, the gamming community has encountered numerous skeptics and critics that question whether or not video games are harmful to this society. Many opponents of video games claim that they are a waste of time.
However, there is no significant research to prove these claims. The research pertaining to video games proves the exact opposite of said claims. In a magnificent TED talk, gamer Jane McGonigal talks about how a game that she created literally saved her life. McGonigal suffered a concussion that did not heal properly. After a month of daily struggles with various uncontrollable symptoms, including depression and suicidal thoughts, McGonigal chose to face her daily struggles with a game she created. Explained in her own words “Now the game was that simple: Adopt a secret identity, recruit your allies, battle the bad guys, activate the power-ups.” The bad guys were her daily struggles and to activate power-ups she had to complete real-life task that boost her mental health. After sharing the details of her game online, the game became a big success among those people suffering from different illnesses, ranging from cancer to depression; proving that games are not a “waste of time.”
Whether a game is physically demanding or mentally demanding, it has the ability to improve an area of growth in an individual. That is why libraries should take the extra step to implement games, competition, and incentive programs as a part of their collections and monthly events. Games, especially video games, are no longer exclusively for juveniles. Video games address all individuals in all age groups. Hence, making them an essential component of any human’s daily life.
Work Cited
McGonigal, Jane. “The Game That Can Give You 10 Extra Years of Life.”Jane McGonigal:. TED, June 2012. Web. 08 Dec. 2015. https://www.ted.com/talks/jane_mcgonigal_the_game_that_can_give_you_10_extra_years_of_life?language=en
