This is a Post About Video Games
Yesterday was Christmas, which means people got new games and gaming consoles. My family is included in this group of people; they got the PS3 and, I guess, some games just come with it. When I arrived to my family's house yesterday morning, they had already opened their gifts and my 17 year old brother was playing Mortal Kombat on the new console while everyone else was watching. I'm pretty familiar with Mortal Kombat, it's an old game and I grew up seeing it being played. I'll be the first to admit that I am terrible at video games, I just don't get them. All the buttons and the combination for them all to get someone/thing to jump/roll/shoot; it all seems superfluous...and hard.
I'm not really against video games, I just don't like a lot of them. I'm not a fan of violence, in real life or in the media. I'm not a fan of objectifying humans (it's usually the women who are objectified). There's a lot of that, violence and objectification, in a lot of video games. In Mortal Kombat, different characters fight each other. The characters, some human and others mutants, have different skills sets and they fight each other in different arenas. One arena, they're in some kind of hell, with bodies and body parts in puddles of magma and on posts, and Cerberus in the background. In another gladiator-esque arena there's different dragon in the background (I'm guessing the makers of the game really love dragons) and, get this, just behind the fighters are women on either side, who are tied in bondage between these posts and have VERY skimpy clothing barely covering their large breasts and bottoms. When the opponent won (the computer beat my brother), another naked woman comes from nowhere, gets on the ground, hugs the winners thigh and makes a borderline sexual sound. I saw that and nearly had a conniption. The violence upsets me because I don't condone killing or harming others, even if it's pretend; but the objectification of women, even in the main women who fight, infuriates me!!! I felt violated and I was/am upset that the males in my life would expose themselves to such blatant violence and mistreatment of women. I was disgusted, I felt sick to my stomach.
While visiting, a different game was played, a war simulation game. All I will say about this is: I pray my brothers never have to experience actual war. I don't understand these games. War isn't funny, death isn't funny and they certainly aren't entertaining...so why have they been made into a game?
Anyways, I'd rather do pretty much everything else besides play video games. They're not very fun for me, and I always feel so old, because I can't even figure out how to do simple things like 'Select' or 'Go Back'. Here's a list of things to do instead of playing video games.
1) Read. It's the best. And, similar to the world of video games, there are endless possibilities. There's something for everyone. I believe reading makes you smarter.
2) Sleep. Studies have shown that your brain is more active when sleeping than when watching TV. Now, I know video games involve more than just your eyes, it involves thumbs as well. But sleeping still seems like a better option.
3) Volunteering. Let's face it, playing video games isn't helping anyone. So why not use your time to help build others up?
4) Exercising. There are plenty of sports video games, but they're based off actual sports. Go actually play one.
5) Creating. There are numerous ways to be creative and seemingly countless mediums to do so. Go find something you want to be good at and work on it.
I don't believe that all video games are bad and I know not all call for being sedentary. But I do believe there are far better things out there and I encourage everyone to go explore them.
I'm not really against video games, I just don't like a lot of them. I'm not a fan of violence, in real life or in the media. I'm not a fan of objectifying humans (it's usually the women who are objectified). There's a lot of that, violence and objectification, in a lot of video games. In Mortal Kombat, different characters fight each other. The characters, some human and others mutants, have different skills sets and they fight each other in different arenas. One arena, they're in some kind of hell, with bodies and body parts in puddles of magma and on posts, and Cerberus in the background. In another gladiator-esque arena there's different dragon in the background (I'm guessing the makers of the game really love dragons) and, get this, just behind the fighters are women on either side, who are tied in bondage between these posts and have VERY skimpy clothing barely covering their large breasts and bottoms. When the opponent won (the computer beat my brother), another naked woman comes from nowhere, gets on the ground, hugs the winners thigh and makes a borderline sexual sound. I saw that and nearly had a conniption. The violence upsets me because I don't condone killing or harming others, even if it's pretend; but the objectification of women, even in the main women who fight, infuriates me!!! I felt violated and I was/am upset that the males in my life would expose themselves to such blatant violence and mistreatment of women. I was disgusted, I felt sick to my stomach.
While visiting, a different game was played, a war simulation game. All I will say about this is: I pray my brothers never have to experience actual war. I don't understand these games. War isn't funny, death isn't funny and they certainly aren't entertaining...so why have they been made into a game?
1) Read. It's the best. And, similar to the world of video games, there are endless possibilities. There's something for everyone. I believe reading makes you smarter.
2) Sleep. Studies have shown that your brain is more active when sleeping than when watching TV. Now, I know video games involve more than just your eyes, it involves thumbs as well. But sleeping still seems like a better option.
3) Volunteering. Let's face it, playing video games isn't helping anyone. So why not use your time to help build others up?
4) Exercising. There are plenty of sports video games, but they're based off actual sports. Go actually play one.
5) Creating. There are numerous ways to be creative and seemingly countless mediums to do so. Go find something you want to be good at and work on it.
I don't believe that all video games are bad and I know not all call for being sedentary. But I do believe there are far better things out there and I encourage everyone to go explore them.
And this is why we're friends!
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