President urges young people to switch off video games

feelgoodinc27

http://breakingnews.ie/ireland/president-urges-young-people-to-switch-off-video-games-529504.html

"During his election campaign, Mr Higgins pledged to champion the arts and creative industries, and to help bring in more related jobs."

Surely the creative industries include the video games sector.

Ostrom

Or encourage them to balance their activities with gaming as just one (albeit highly enriching) element

In Temple Bar....wonder if that xbox centre is still going?

Icyseanfitz

he is a 70 year old who likes the arts, of course he is going to a. not understand and b. dislike video games,

i would much prefer my child to play video games than to be running around the street, either way i think video games are good for the imagination seeing as a lot of games leave you do what you want in them (particularly sandbox games), sure minecraft is pretty much the same as lego just cooler

Myrddin

Sigh, & so it begins. God knows what this new figurehead is earning a year & this is how he kicks off?

goose2005

But don't we need to be prepared for any eventuality, Mr Higgins?

K.O.Kiki

He might have a point though.

I wouldn't exactly call CoD/BF the height of creativity.

Aenaes

K.O.Kiki wrote: »

He might have a point though.

I wouldn't exactly call CoD/BF the height of creativity.

But throwing paint at a canvas is? ^^

Myrddin

K.O.Kiki wrote: »

He might have a point though.

I wouldn't exactly call CoD/BF the height of creativity.

Either is drinking all night, & he aint calling for pubs to be closed is he? Typical nonsense from a typically out of touch politician being typically overly paid for a typically pointless job.

Captain Chaos

K.O.Kiki wrote: »

He might have a point though.

I wouldn't exactly call CoD/BF the height of creativity.

Maybe not but are Activision or EA complaining from all the millions they made on those franchises....not one bit. CoD the largest grossing entertainment media franchise of all time ever. Money talks.

There is Bioware after setting up offices for tech support and creating jobs here.

Gaming is the future, it's where the money is if you can make it big.

Sabre0001

K.O.Kiki wrote: »

He might have a point though.

I wouldn't exactly call CoD/BF the height of creativity.

Come on Kiki...All the games that are released year in, year out and you pick those two. No, they're not the height of creativity. However, Minecraft is essentially Lego without the fear of standing on blocks and the financial back required to make impressive structures, Limbo was amazing, some first person shooters do push creativity a little because the developers create planets, environments, species, etc.

mikom

Shryke

Aenaes wrote: »

But throwing paint at a canvas is? ^^

For the most part, ya.
There's plenty of stuff out there to play that is challenging and innovative but there's far more mindless and repetitive crap. Higgins is refering to younger people, kids really. Listen to chart music and tell me what amazing music it is. Kids don't have the best taste. They're far more likely to play CoD online than Half-Life. Look at the sales for the latest game.
For all of that Higgins doesn't make any kind of relevant point and he is too old to understand that video games are a part of our lives and culture as much as any other medium. Moderation is the only real view to take, and then only if gaming interferes with the rest of life. Otherwise it's just a passtime like any other.

KalEl88

Aenaes wrote: »

But throwing paint at a canvas is? ^^

Eh ya.

noodler

If the readers in this thread don't have weight, social or productivity problems from playing video games then its understandable why you wouldn't see them as a problem.

For a growing number of our youth they surely are though.

Myrddin

noodler wrote: »

If the readers in this thread don't have weight, social or productivity problems from playing video games then its understandable why you wouldn't see them as a problem.

For a growing number of our youth they surely are though.

As mentioned above by someone, its all common sense & moderation. Regards youth & video games, its not the games themselves, its lazy/bad parenting & if kids wern't being left to play games all day it'd be something else instead.

As I said, he has to say something, so it may as well be the first thing that comes into his head.

Coriolanus

If only he were a hooker, I could fsck him then beat him with a baseball bat and take my money back.

krudler

Myrddin

From the article linked in the OP's post

“It is possible to form the impression that many of today’s children no longer fully appreciate the joy of taking refuge in their own imaginations, preferring to spend their time on computer games, or watching digital television or playing with pre-programmed electronic toys,” the president said

Maybe he's right, I'm going out for a game of stickball

Myrddin

krudler wrote: »

:pac::pac::pac:

noodler

EnterNow wrote: »

As mentioned above by someone, its all common sense & moderation. Regards youth & video games, its not the games themselves, its lazy/bad parenting & if kids wern't being left to play games all day it'd be something else instead.

As I said, he has to say something, so it may as well be the first thing that comes into his head.

I'd say in many cases it is a damaging habit which affects kids more than people in their 20s and 30s. I think most of the posters here are in my age bracket (mid 20s ar there abouts) and are maybe maybe thinking that just because it isn't affecting them that it isn't affecting anyone.


The whole "there will always be something" argument is fair enough, but there are various initatives/commentaries etc against kids drinking in the media every other week as well. I don't think games are being victimised to the extend argued in these threads.

Mr.Saturn

Our resident little person can play three hours of Disgaea or Chrono Trigger and then quite happily turn around and have a conversation about emigrating to moonpieland on a flying baguette. Higgins, on the other hand, is still doing the same hobbit impression he's been doing for years. Imagination, Schmagination.

MagicMarker

Icyseanfitz wrote: »

i would much prefer my child to play video games than to be running around the street, either way i think video games are good for the imagination seeing as a lot of games leave you do what you want in them (particularly sandbox games), sure minecraft is pretty much the same as lego just cooler

Ah here, running around the street?

Would you prefer your child sat in playing video games during the summer rather than out playing football with his mates?

Sl!mCharles

Yeah id rather my kids (if i have em :P ) to spend more time out playing on the green/road than the time they spent playing games. To get or at least try to get the best of both worlds is key in this matter imo.

With regard to Micky D, I'm disappointed that this was his first public address. There is a lot of imaginative goodness to be found in videogames, TV, and even "preprogammed electronic toys" that can nurture further interests in other forms of art and expression.

Retr0gamer

K.O.Kiki wrote: »

He might have a point though.

I wouldn't exactly call CoD/BF the height of creativity.

Recently played Rule of Rose and it ws interesting seeing how such an abstract story about bullying and child abuse could be told on this new medium. There's imagination and creativity out there in games, you just won't find it in the top 10.

I play way too many videogames but still get out to socialise, exercise, do amateur dramatics and found time to get a PhD in Chemistry. I even met my current girlfriend through videogames. Has been really damaging to my lifestyle :rolleyes: Mind you, can't get a fecking job though but sure saving the kids from the menace of videogames rather than sorting out an econaomy where someone with the highest level of education can't get a job is more important.

Fnz

Suggesting that video games have negative affected our imagination is like saying... I dunno, something.

PickledLime

And the response should be

'young people urges President to get with the times'.

frisbeeface

Sensationalist article. He doesn't say anything about 'switching off video games'. All he says is that it is possible children don't fully explore their imagination. He doesn't single out video games as the reason for this but mentions it with other things.

Typical media bull$hit trying to make a non-story into something sensationalist. Basically just trying to troll gamers.

Sarky

Nearly got Mickey D to join the NUIG fantasy and science fiction end taming society back in the day. He knows the score.

Icyseanfitz

MagicMarker wrote: »

Ah here, running around the street?

Would you prefer your child sat in playing video games during the summer rather than out playing football with his mates?

a balance is needed, when i was growing up my parents rarely left me play games or watch tv as it was "bad" for me :rolleyes: thats just being frightened by something different.

playing football etc. is all great but the amount of kids i see just messing around at the side of a road some place is why i really wouldnt mind if a child of mine wanted to spend some time at home.

was never massive into football or team sports myself growing up, in my experience it was just a way for the "good" players to lord it over everyone, i wouldnt really push a kid into that unless they truly liked the game

MagicMarker

Icyseanfitz wrote: »

a balance is needed, when i was growing up my parents rarely left me play games or watch tv as it was "bad" for me :rolleyes: thats just being frightened by something different.

playing football etc. is all great but the amount of kids i see just messing around at the side of a road some place is why i really wouldnt mind if a child of mine wanted to spend some time at home.

was never massive into football or team sports myself growing up, in my experience it was just a way for the "good" players to lord it over everyone, i wouldnt really push a kid into that unless they truly liked the game

Let me put it another way, would you encourage your child to play video games over going outside and playing with friends?

Jumpy

MagicMarker wrote: »

Let me put it another way, would you encourage your child to play video games over going outside and playing with friends?

They ARE playing with friends.

Myrddin

MagicMarker wrote: »

Let me put it another way, would you encourage your child to play video games over going outside and playing with friends?

That depends on what the friends are doing, if they're outside playing etc then yes I would encourage that more. If however they were outside getting into trouble & on the wrong path then I'd be quite happy to see video games prevail over that. You can't always say what effect video games will have, the president should know that.

Retr0gamer

I used to stay over in my friends houses to play videogames all weekend when I was a kid. Met a lot of friends that way. Also had time to play with the local football team. Responsible parents should know if children are playing too many videogames and curtail it and not let them get into something like World of Warcraft or Call of Duty if they have OCD tendencies. I know my videogames playing was curtailed and I still preferred to go out and play with my friends rather than play videogames. My parents also wouldn't let me watch tv or play any games unless my homework was done and made sure I did it all. If a child has a videogame problem its due to bad parenting.

humanji

Well I agree with the point Higgans is making. He's not saying computer games are evil. He's not saying they should all be banned. All he is saying is that young children should be encouraged to use their imagination more. And they should. Speaking in general terms, tv shows, the majority of computer games and pre-programmed electronic toys don't really encourage the childs imagination.

Computer games can have a place in a childs development, but shouldn't take the place of an imagination.

hooradiation

humanji wrote: »

Well I agree with the point Higgans is making. He's not saying computer games are evil. He's not saying they should all be banned. All he is saying is that young children should be encouraged to use their imagination more. And they should. Speaking in general terms, tv shows, the majority of computer games and pre-programmed electronic toys don't really encourage the childs imagination.

Computer games can have a place in a childs development, but shouldn't take the place of an imagination.

B-b-but he didn't call games the height of civilisation! HE'S AN OUT OF TOUCH OLD MAN, LETS NOT LISTEN!

Temptamperu

We in Ireland have the highest rate of heroin use in Europe but its videogames that are bad :rolleyes:

Myrddin

humanji wrote: »

Computer games can have a place in a childs development, but shouldn't take the place of an imagination.

I don't think anyone here is saying they should, thats a given. He's really only stating the obvious. However as has been mentioned numerous times, it all comes down to the parenting approach.

I must say it'd be nice to bring my son down to the local library as he's expressed an interest in going....but it was closed for renovations about two years ago, then the money ran out to finish the job, & its been closed ever since.

It'd also be nice to take a trip into the National History Museum, but the last time I checked the upstairs floor was closed indefinitely because new regulations meant there now aren't enough fire exits.

Instead of stating the obvious, Mr. Higgins needs to address those kind of problems people face instead of quoting Welsh poets to please Mary & Joe.

Penn

He really needs to play Portal 2 with my 4 year old nephew, then he'd see how wrong he is.

noodler

Penn wrote: »

He really needs to play Portal 2 with my 4 year old nephew, then he'd see how wrong he is.

I really think thats the exception rather than the rule though.

Arianna_26

K.O.Kiki wrote: »

He might have a point though.

I wouldn't exactly call CoD/BF the height of creativity.

What would you call 'the height of creativity'?

ShooterSF

Fnz wrote: »

Suggesting that video games have negative affected our imagination is like saying... I dunno, something.

Wit worthy of a classic simpsons episode. I laughed hard.

krudler

like everything in life, moderation is key. I play games a lot, but I still jog a few nights a week, swim when I can, go out with mates (who also play games) and occasionally a lady lets me touch her. too much time spent watching tv or playing sports or doing...well anything thats a detriment to your health or social ability is bad, video games are an easy target.

Mr.Saturn

EnterNow wrote: »

It'd also be nice to take a trip into the National History Museum, but the last time I checked the upstairs floor was closed indefinitely because new regulations meant there now aren't enough fire exits.

Is that the bit where you can hug the giraffe, or is it still just the up-upstairs bits?

Myrddin

Mr.Saturn wrote: »

Is that the bit where you can hug the giraffe, or is it still just the up-upstairs bits?

Lol I havn't a clue. I went to look up times etc on the website & there was a note about indefinite closure of the upper levels. Farcical really

Manach

Well from personal experience, Video games are a gateway to the evils of being interested and engaged with computers and IT. I mean, do we as nation really want people interested in a functional productive industry :rolleyes:

Arianna_26

feelgoodinc27 wrote: »

http://breakingnews.ie/ireland/president-urges-young-people-to-switch-off-video-games-529504.html

"During his election campaign, Mr Higgins pledged to champion the arts and creative industries, and to help bring in more related jobs."

Surely the creative industries include the video games sector.

Typical old man comments. I think he's just jealous because they didn't have video games back in his day

humanji

EnterNow wrote: »

I don't think anyone here is saying they should, thats a given. He's really only stating the obvious. However as has been mentioned numerous times, it all comes down to the parenting approach.

I must say it'd be nice to bring my son down to the local library as he's expressed an interest in going....but it was closed for renovations about two years ago, then the money ran out to finish the job, & its been closed ever since.

It'd also be nice to take a trip into the National History Museum, but the last time I checked the upstairs floor was closed indefinitely because new regulations meant there now aren't enough fire exits.

Instead of stating the obvious, Mr. Higgins needs to address those kind of problems people face instead of quoting Welsh poets to please Mary & Joe.

But it's not his job to do anything about them. And the government are well aware of those problems, so there's little reason in trying to draw attention to them. I think we'd all prefer that they spent money the likes of hospitals etc than on museums. When Ireland recovers, then we can start spending money on those sorts of projects.

In the meantime, a simple and free project is for him to try and help some parents to learn about the need for moderation and diversity in their childrens play schedules, instead of parking the kids in front of a tv or console in lieu of hiring a babysitter.

We may know it as a fairly obvious thing, but many parents don't. They may not use Boards. They may not even use computers. So having the President point this out to them can only be a good thing.

Spacedog

I'm gonna go out on a limb and agree with the prez on this one. You can't say that there's a whole lot of Irish culture in video games.

The Commandos series is the only one that springs to mind with a character with an Irish accent, let alone any kind of relevance to Irish culture or life.

Considering the mediums of art, literature and film where the Irish have made their mark, the games industry in Ireland is nothing more than an outsourced code factory.

Irish made games are as culturally relevant to us as The Simpsons is to the Korean animators who made it.

Arianna_26

Spacedog wrote: »

I'm gonna go out on a limb and agree with the prez on this one. You can't say that there's a whole lot of Irish culture in video games.

The Commandos series is the only one that springs to mind with a character with an Irish accent, let alone any kind of relevance to Irish culture or life.

Considering the mediums of art, literature and film where the Irish have made their mark, the games industry in Ireland is nothing more than an outsourced code factory.

Irish made games are as culturally relevant to us as The Simpsons is to the Korean animators who made it.

So you're saying we shouldn't bother with video games because they don't reflect Irish culture?

ojola

Arianna_26 wrote: »

Typical old man comments. I think he's just jealous because they didn't have video games back in his day

Agree totally with you mate... I am keeping all my Xbox360 and PS3 games. I will bring them with me to the old peoples home when I qualify to be homed.

krudler

Arianna_26 wrote: »

Typical old man comments. I think he's just jealous because they didn't have video games back in his day

they did have World War II, some of the Call of Duty games were based on it