Gunpei
10-13-2003, 02:41 AM
Source (http://www.gamespot.com/features/6076645/p-4.html)
I don't even know where to begin, but I do know this: The video games are the root of all society's problems.
Take my children. So Jamie and I, we're huge movie buffs and also are very active in the local PTA. As such, we employ a babysitter--let's call her Beckie--who, I should add, came very highly recommended by a friend of my wife's best friend and who always showed up on time and never asked for payment at the end of each week--even when we'd sometimes forget to pay. Anyway! So last week, Jamie and I rush off to see Lost in Translation (and, by the way, this is the best film of the year, bar none), leaving Beckie behind to look after little Austin and Savannah, ages 12 and 9, respectively.
You can't imagine how horrified we were when we got home at around 11:30pm that night. This was a Thursday and Austin should have been sound asleep after doing his homework, while Savannah--well, she just should have been sound asleep! Honestly, I knew something was wrong before I even opened the front door. I could hear the television on too loudly, and, sure enough, there they were: Beckie, Austin, and Savannah. They were all playing the video games! What I saw on the screen was deplorable. A car was exploding as a burning man, without a head, flung himself into a river. Police officers desperately tried to control the situation. All the while the children were laughing.
I did what any self-respecting parent would have done in that situation: I stormed over to the television and pulled the plug. Austin and Savannah were ordered to their rooms, and Beckie was ordered to leave. That's the last time we'll be requiring your services, I let her know. Before she left, Beckie took whatever that trash was that she was forcing upon my children, and it's a good thing she did because it would have gone straight in with the other trash if she hadn't. This girl is 17 years old, so, frankly, I was appalled that someone of that age could be so irresponsible in handling these two young children. I could only imagine what else might have gone on in my absence. I didn't get more than five hours of sleep that night, worrying about it.
The video games are garbage. They teach our children to ignore the serious aspects of life and encourage them to laugh at them, even. Rather than study or watch an educational program, the children of America are staring blankly at the video games and practicing how to kill, like those two young men who sniped those people in Baltimore last year. Three years ago for Christmas, I made the mistake of purchasing what's called a Sony PlayStation for Austin. He quickly got bored of the game that came with it. What an extraordinary waste of money! I can't believe this scheme has gone on for so long. Many of the other parents in our group feel the exact same way, as evidenced by the typical discussion in one of our Monday evening meetings.
I love my children very much. All I do is think about their happiness and well-being, which is why I know that the video games must not be a part of their lives.
When I was Austin's age, I was already on the swim team and the basketball team. Austin is very smart for his age and enjoys reading, which is why I'm terribly concerned that so much of his time also goes into playing the video games. Make no mistake--there are no video games in our household. But I know that the reason he stays late at his friend's house is because he's over there playing those games.
I fear that poor Savannah, who's too young to understand right from wrong, is being pulled into the same trap. Though she and Austin used to fight all the time, now it's like the two of them have one mind when it comes to this garbage. Sometimes I worry so much, I feel like I'm already too late, and that they've both been brainwashed. Now they just talk all the time about this shooting game or that one and laugh at things I don't understand. Next week, my psychologist will meet with them to try to get to the bottom of this.
There is simply no time for the video games in the life of a young child, who should be out playing with his or her friends, learning new things, exercising, and having fun. I heard there was a study that the video games promote a sedentary lifestyle. Austin now weighs 93 pounds, and, for a boy who's 5 feet 3 inches tall, I think that's definitely a bit overweight. I, for one, won't be sitting idly by while he ruins his life like this. What little girl would be attracted to a pudgy little video-game-playing miscreant? I tell him this, but he won't listen and just rushes off to play the games with his friends. The nerve of him! As soon as I get the phone number of his friend's parents from the students' directory (no big surprise, they don't attend PTA meetings!), they'll be hearing from me.
A friend of mine from the office claims that her husband plays the video games. He's a software programmer, or something, and probably collects children's toys. But even so, I find it difficult to imagine what anyone could see in this garbage. I hardly ever watch television anymore (things are busier than ever!), but I couldn't possibly imagine sitting in front of it for two or three hours at a time like my friend's husband. I just wish someone would do something to stop all this. Can someone remind me again as to why we have elected officials in government offices?
In any case, I hope I've made myself clear here. The video games are rotting the minds of our children, and I have nothing more to say.
-----------------------------------------------------
This is just frightening...
I don't even know where to begin, but I do know this: The video games are the root of all society's problems.
Take my children. So Jamie and I, we're huge movie buffs and also are very active in the local PTA. As such, we employ a babysitter--let's call her Beckie--who, I should add, came very highly recommended by a friend of my wife's best friend and who always showed up on time and never asked for payment at the end of each week--even when we'd sometimes forget to pay. Anyway! So last week, Jamie and I rush off to see Lost in Translation (and, by the way, this is the best film of the year, bar none), leaving Beckie behind to look after little Austin and Savannah, ages 12 and 9, respectively.
You can't imagine how horrified we were when we got home at around 11:30pm that night. This was a Thursday and Austin should have been sound asleep after doing his homework, while Savannah--well, she just should have been sound asleep! Honestly, I knew something was wrong before I even opened the front door. I could hear the television on too loudly, and, sure enough, there they were: Beckie, Austin, and Savannah. They were all playing the video games! What I saw on the screen was deplorable. A car was exploding as a burning man, without a head, flung himself into a river. Police officers desperately tried to control the situation. All the while the children were laughing.
I did what any self-respecting parent would have done in that situation: I stormed over to the television and pulled the plug. Austin and Savannah were ordered to their rooms, and Beckie was ordered to leave. That's the last time we'll be requiring your services, I let her know. Before she left, Beckie took whatever that trash was that she was forcing upon my children, and it's a good thing she did because it would have gone straight in with the other trash if she hadn't. This girl is 17 years old, so, frankly, I was appalled that someone of that age could be so irresponsible in handling these two young children. I could only imagine what else might have gone on in my absence. I didn't get more than five hours of sleep that night, worrying about it.
The video games are garbage. They teach our children to ignore the serious aspects of life and encourage them to laugh at them, even. Rather than study or watch an educational program, the children of America are staring blankly at the video games and practicing how to kill, like those two young men who sniped those people in Baltimore last year. Three years ago for Christmas, I made the mistake of purchasing what's called a Sony PlayStation for Austin. He quickly got bored of the game that came with it. What an extraordinary waste of money! I can't believe this scheme has gone on for so long. Many of the other parents in our group feel the exact same way, as evidenced by the typical discussion in one of our Monday evening meetings.
I love my children very much. All I do is think about their happiness and well-being, which is why I know that the video games must not be a part of their lives.
When I was Austin's age, I was already on the swim team and the basketball team. Austin is very smart for his age and enjoys reading, which is why I'm terribly concerned that so much of his time also goes into playing the video games. Make no mistake--there are no video games in our household. But I know that the reason he stays late at his friend's house is because he's over there playing those games.
I fear that poor Savannah, who's too young to understand right from wrong, is being pulled into the same trap. Though she and Austin used to fight all the time, now it's like the two of them have one mind when it comes to this garbage. Sometimes I worry so much, I feel like I'm already too late, and that they've both been brainwashed. Now they just talk all the time about this shooting game or that one and laugh at things I don't understand. Next week, my psychologist will meet with them to try to get to the bottom of this.
There is simply no time for the video games in the life of a young child, who should be out playing with his or her friends, learning new things, exercising, and having fun. I heard there was a study that the video games promote a sedentary lifestyle. Austin now weighs 93 pounds, and, for a boy who's 5 feet 3 inches tall, I think that's definitely a bit overweight. I, for one, won't be sitting idly by while he ruins his life like this. What little girl would be attracted to a pudgy little video-game-playing miscreant? I tell him this, but he won't listen and just rushes off to play the games with his friends. The nerve of him! As soon as I get the phone number of his friend's parents from the students' directory (no big surprise, they don't attend PTA meetings!), they'll be hearing from me.
A friend of mine from the office claims that her husband plays the video games. He's a software programmer, or something, and probably collects children's toys. But even so, I find it difficult to imagine what anyone could see in this garbage. I hardly ever watch television anymore (things are busier than ever!), but I couldn't possibly imagine sitting in front of it for two or three hours at a time like my friend's husband. I just wish someone would do something to stop all this. Can someone remind me again as to why we have elected officials in government offices?
In any case, I hope I've made myself clear here. The video games are rotting the minds of our children, and I have nothing more to say.
-----------------------------------------------------
This is just frightening...