Some people regard video games as harmless fun, or even as a useful educational tool.
Others, however, believe that videos games are having an adverse effect on the people
who play them. In your opinion, do the drawbacks of video games outweigh the
benefits?
Many people, and children in particular, enjoy playing computer games.
While I accept that
these games can sometimes have a positive effect on the user,
I believe that they are more likely
to have a harmful impact.
On the one hand, video games can be both entertaining and educational.
Users, or gamers, are
transported into virtual worlds which are often more exciting and engaging than real-life
pastimes. From an educational perspective, these games encourage
imagination and creativity, as
well as concentration, logical thinking and problem solving,
all of which are useful skills outside
the gaming context. Furthermore, it has been shown that computer simulation games can
improve users’ motor skills and help to prepare them for real-world tasks,
such as flying a plane.
However, I would argue that these benefits are outweighed by the drawbacks.
Gaming can be highly addictive because users are constantly given scores,
new targets and frequent rewards to
keep them playing. Many children now spend hours each day trying to progress through the
levels of a game or to get a higher score than their friends.
This type of addiction can have
effects ranging from lack of sleep to problems at school
when homework is sacrificed for a few
more hours on the computer or console.
The rise in obesity in recent years has also been linked
in part due to the sedentary lifestyle and lack of exercise
that often accompany gaming addiction.
In conclusion, it seems to me that the potential dangers
of video games are more significant than
the possible benefits.