Umberto Masi

 The influence of gaming on teenagers                                             

 

                      The world that we live in today is ruled by technology. We are so used to it, that it has become  essential to our livelihood.  Each and every day we use and sometimes abuse the gifts that the advancements of technology have given us. To be more specific, computer games have gotten a lot of negative press, as there seems to be no middle ground: either people play video games excessively and without moderation,  or they just don’t bother playing games. Another issue that stems from video games is the supposed negative effect they have upon the young people playing them. However, so far there is no consensus about gaming and its effects overall.

                      Computer games, particulalry violent video games are quite notorious in the public, since they receive a lot of negative press. For example, in the United States, when terrible tragedies,which  involve young adults and teenagers, occur, the first step is to do a background check on whether or not the perpetrator has played computer games before. If the research proves successful, the news and the press use the proof to paint an extremely negative picture about video games. The argument  given by the press is that people exposed to violent video games are prone to be more inclined to resort to violence in their daily life, as they get used to violence and gore in video games. Another point worth being considered is the fact that video games in general are proven to be addictive. Young individuals, who spend much of their free time indulging in video games, are bound to develop some sense of addiction for a game that they are playing for a prolonged period of time. This leads to teenagers losing touch with reality, as over time, they sink into the world of the video game, forsaking the world that is outside their door. Lastly, video games can cause problems for the health of players, since in order to play video games one has to actively use their eyesight to be able to observe and control the situation. This constitutes strain on the eyes, as the pauses recommended by specialists are ignored most of the time, as 15 minutes per 1 hour would disrupt the gaming session.

                      Even though the drawbacks of video games and their effect on teenagers are absolutely clear and undeniable, that does not mean that computer games do not have any positive influence on young people. Firstly, video games are known to sharpen the reaction time and the problem-solving skills of players. This becomes clear when you take in account the fact that people, who have played video games that require the engagement of the player, are known to be better drivers. Another argument in favour of gaming is that video games help people learn languages. Now, this does not mean that there is a direct correlation between playing games and learning a language, however, from personal experience, I can fully agree that computer games have a positive influence on the language skills of the player. From reading the tasks that are assigned to you by the game, to communication with other players, which also helps hone ones language skills. Video games can also help more introverted people find new people that share the same interests, as one is enabled to make acquaintances through the comfort of the internet. This is important, as not everybody has the natural talent or ability to connect with people without first having a common interest which binds them together.

                      To conclude, video games have both positive and negative aspects in which they impact the teenager. There are advantages and disadvantages, as in everything, however, tbe judgement of video games and their effect on teenagers mostly boils down to the opinions and ideas that one has already established in his lifetime, and their experience with the medium, as an objective evaluation is extremely difficult to achieve. In my humble opinion and experience, one could mostly draw advantages from gaming, but one must also be vigilant to not abuse gaming, as it may lead to various issues.