If Gamers Ran the World

Written by Mark Peachey

Thursday, 15 January 2009 04:09

Let's drop some knowledge.

In a refreshingly mature and academic discussion, CBC's Nora Young interviews Tom Armitage, a software designer, regarding the implications of tomorrow's leaders being raised on today's videogames.

At about the 8 minute, 30 second mark, Tom discusses how gamers see the world and might interpret it as adults. In particular, he talks of the concept of "Systems Literacy", seeing things in increasing complexity, as a series of systems stacked upon one another. The take-away: we're smarter.

In my own experience, videogames actually taught me how to work hard. I developed a sound work ethic from the time I put into videogames, a recreational pastime often associated with violent and antisocial behaviour. Indeed, I credit my academic achievements in part due to approaching my studies almost the same way I would approach a videogame. That is, there's always an answer, nothing is insurmountable - you need simply to keep at it until it clicks.

Decades from now, these knee-jerk debates around the effect of videogames will almost certainly begin to level out and come closer to centre, a balanced discussion realistically weighing the positive with the negative. Here we have something to start with.

Comments (4) Add Comment

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written by Xav, January 15, 2009

I remember covering the Sex and Violence in Video Games panel at PAX where N'Gai Croal was asked a question similar to, "Will the playing fields change on the political front when gamers grow older?"

His answer, which I believe to be true, was it probably won't because there are plenty of non-gaming people in the 18-35 range who don't care for the medium. A segment of those are even against video game, a group he called "Young Fogeys." Young people with a very old mentality.

I think there is a better chance of factual reporting and intelligent discussion on the matter in our future, but there will always be the very vocal haters.

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written by Mark Peachey, January 15, 2009

Agreed, Xav. That said, I do believe there will be a slow shift towards centre given the now ubiquitos presence of videogames in everyday life. Extremists notwithstanding.

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written by Dan Misener, January 15, 2009

Mark -- Dan from Spark here. Thanks so much for listening, and for the link. You might like to check out the full, uncut interview Nora did with Tom Armitage: http://www.cbc.ca/spark/blog/2...itage.html

Thanks again!

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written by TheBBPS.com (Bits, Bytes, Pixe, January 22, 2009

[...] I recently posted an article regarding software designer Tom Armitage and his interview with CBC Radio’s program Spark. In it Tom spoke about the implications of today’s children being raised on videogames, and then becoming tomorrow’s leaders. It was a short snippet of the actual full interview. [...]