A few years ago, Tamagochi got popular again since it was created and sold in huge numbers in 1996. Tamagochi is a hand-sized computer which functions as a virtual pet. You can raise the pet in the small computer: feeding it, cleaning it and playing with it. The pet is in a good mood when you communicate with it well, but it is in a bad mood when you don't take care of it. In the worst case, it dies as a result of neglect.
Around that time, one of my colleague's daughters wanted one, but he didn't like any video games or digital things which were kinds of games. So, she wrote a letter to Santa Claus to give her Tamagochi (In the family's custom, kids believed in Santa Clause and wrote letters to him and put them in the mailbox before Christmas. Then parents read them and prepared for the gifts which kids wanted.) In the letter she said, "I want Tamagochi, because I CANNOT GET INTO A CONVERSATION WITH MY FRIENDS."
A recent study showed that 97% of kids play video games regularly. 7% of respondents didn't even have a computer, but they had a video game console. They might talk about other things playing games, but playing games is the motive of getting together (Daily Tech.) In one interpretation, kids don't meet each other unless they play games. They get together bringing games even if they don't know each other at all. Here is a story of another friend's kid who loves playing Nintendo DS. On the way back to Japan last summer vacation, the son played video games as usual while waiting for an airplane at the airport. One boy told something to him, and they started gaming together in communication. They played DS for the rest of waiting time together.
When I heard that, I felt it was weird. Because they were complete strangers to each other, and even spoke different languages! But at the same time, I also felt that video games might be one of new social tools like Facebook and blogs to have communication for digital age since kids have a chance to get to know each other through playing games. So are online games. It seems to me that those kinds of ways of communication are poor interpersonal relations compared to a few generations ago. Ten years ago, I used to play a guitar, and used to go to a guitar shop to get information such as concerts and seminars. I got to know some people there who had a same hobby, and chatted face to face. As "eyes are the windows to the soul" says, I could even know people's emotion while talking. However, to me, digital letters just shows information. Even if kids get together to play video games, how profound conversation can they have facing at a display and controlling characters in virtual world?
If my daughter told me "I cannot get into a conversation with my friends without video games," how would I respond? It is painful for parents that their kids cannot get along with friends. Of course playing games is not only the way to have communication. They can communicate playing outside, doing homework together, and complaining about their teachers sometimes. However, as far as video games are such popular among kids, I would buy one for my daughter if I saw her feeling lonely.
*picture: Tamagochi
2 comments:
It seems to me that the basic idea of how to use video games is similar to everything else in life: there needs to be some sort of balance. Personally, I really enjoy being in the library, and I like reading books, and I like writing. Interestingly, I always choose a table or desk close to a window so that I can look out at the trees and distract myself occasionally by looking at people walking by. I would go crazy if I were stuck in some dark basement all the time, playing video games online, chatting through instant messenger, and conducting my entire social life online.
In fact, right now, I am in a library, but there is a window next to me, and I can see the river and people playing with their dogs. The natural light gives me energy. I have bee in here working for about 6 hours now, and although I enjoy it, I need to stop soon because I want to go exercise an have a face-to-face conversation. Mixing all these things together is very important to my happiness.
Kids need to know about social trends, such as video gaming and networking,so they don't feel left out. But I think parents also need to teach kids that it's OK to have different interests too. We each exert influence on our friends and social groups: our personal decisions can impact the decisions of others. We don't have to feed into negativity and violence; we can be proud to choose and talk about more positive, outgoing hobbies.
Post a Comment