What are video games turning us into?

An interesting lecture. I am probably from the first generation to really grow up on video games. Since I was 2 years old it was, Nintendo, than Sega, N64 came out when I was in elementary school, and there was always the basement PC.

For me, it didn't give me an increased propensity toward violence. But it did suck me in to the point where I would ignore my friends phone calls, make up excuses for why I couldn't hang out, when in reality I was just so focused on whatever the latest game I purchased I didn't care to hang out.

With the advent of games like World of Warcraft you have to be especially careful because your minds starts to believe that these type of games are more interest than real life!

This can lead you to neglect everything else, and do the bare minimum to get by so long as you can still return to the alternative virtual world.

VALHALLA is a lot like a "save game/run again" function.

opinion - I don't think video games can REALLY mold culture any more than a
"Architecture" seems to have -in SPITE of the hopes of some architects.

p.s. I think ol Hello kitty takes ecstasy and goes to clubs n raves n such,.....I SWEAR I have seen her backpack .

Hmmmmmmm,....well,.........I play a lot of "Civilization",..........and I would guess the answer to some of those e questions would depend on what culture I am running.

( Lets just say, my Germans get the tech for the panzer as FAST as they can ! )

@dudefromtherock - thanks for your contribution to this debate, you've provided some thoughtful comments here. I do agree with you about daytime TV (or any TV in fact). I think it's really important to monitor what children are watching and actually limit the amount of TV that they watch. When my own children were under the age of 6 I didn't have a TV in the house so they only watched when visiting other people's homes. Later on when we did have a TV, I continued to monitor their viewing and plenty of programmes (including soaps) were strictly off limits until they were in their teens. This seems to have had a really beneficial effect as they are both avid readers (though they do watch TV as well).

Violence is not limited to video games...daytime tv is full of violence, nudity, etc. Parent your children if you are concerned with content of any media...put down electronic media and go outdoors. Expand your child's imagination with play.