Evan Scheeler Rhetoric 406 Mrs. Green 11/8/2013 Actual trends In video gaming discerning m!th "rom "act.

I#ve al$a!s loved video games% I "irst started &la!ing video games at the age o" ' $ith the game (ia)lo. *o$ i" !o+ ,no$ an!thing a)o+t the game (ia)lo !o+ ,no$ it is not a game a ' !ear old sho+ld )e &la!ing. It is violent it is )lood! and it is gr+esome. *o$ according to the media and man! lo))!ist gro+&s I sho+ld )e a violent aggressive m+rder and sho+ld hate ever!one. -+t I am not% I am a &eace loving tedd! )ear that hates even the idea o" h+rting someone else. I#ve )een &la!ing video games m! entire li"e violent ones at that and contrar! to $hat the media sa!s I am not a violent &erson. Media and lo))!ists love to +se violent video games as sca&e.goats "or larger events. /or instance $hen the 0ol+m)ine shooting ha&&ened the media )lamed the game 1(oom2 "or instilling violent tendencies in these t$o tro+)le g+!s. -+t the! are $rong. 3he! $ere mentall! +nsta)le4 5n"ort+natel! the media is 6+st )lo$ing this o+t o" &ro&ortion. 0linical &s!chologist 0hristo&her /erg+son a leading e7&ert on video game violence and mass ,illings at 3e7as 89M International 5niversit! said video games aren#t to )lame "or this traged!. *or are games li,e (oom and :+a,e to )lame "or &ast 5.S. massacres li,e 0ol+m)ine. 1;eo&le reall! $ant to ,no$ $hat ,ind o" )ooge!man can $e hang this on and video games are still the to& choice $hen it comes to an! t!&e o" traged! 2 </erg+son= /erg+son#s comment reall! s+ms +& the &ro)lem $ith video games. 3here is nothing $rong $ith them instead it is all &art o" a )lame game that the media +ses to sto,e the "ire +nder the 8merican &o&+lation and to get more

vie$ers. >ideo games are li,e movies the! are meant to ma,e !o+ thin, "eel emotions and entertain ho$ever a lot o" &eo&le mis+nderstand this s+dden r+sh o" emotion or the adrenaline r+sh o" r+nning !o+r character thro+gh the cr+m)ing cit! o" *e$ ?or, in a @om)ie a&ocal!&se or $atching a character !o+ gre$ to love over co+ntless ho+rs o" gaming die to )e )ad and terri)le thing. ;eo&le sa! it ma,es ,ids 1violent2. -+t is this not the reaction some &eo&le get "rom readingA Is this not the same "eelings that r+sh thro+gh a "an as the! $atch an e&isode o" a television sho$A 8re the! considered +nsta)leA >ideo games are a "orm o" art a stor! that thr+sts the +ser into another $orld% the! are not cond+its "or violence and hate. 3o ma,e things even more a$,$ard "or these nah.sa!ers o" video games clinical research has made some interesting develo&ments regarding the &ros o" &la!ing video games. 3he 5niversit! o" 5tah released a st+d! last !ear that e7amined the e""ects o" reg+lar gaming on children diagnosed $ith illnesses li,e a+tism de&ression and ;ar,insonBs disease. Cids $ho &la!ed certain games incl+ding one designed 6+st "or the st+d! sho$ed signs o" im&rovement in Dresilience em&o$erment and a B"ighting s&irit.BD Researchers )elieve the gamesB a)ilit! to act on Dne+ronal mechanisms that activate &ositive emotions and the re$ard s!stemD hel&ed im&rove ,idsB demeanors as the! "aced the dail! challenges o" their illnesses. 3hat#s right videogames are thera&e+tic "or children $ith chronic illnesses. 8nother health )ene"it o" video games is it increases !o+r a)ilit! to ma,e decision.ma,ing s,ills. Most games reE+ire "ast &aced and com&le7 decisions E+ic,l!. 0ognitive ne+roscientists at the 5niversit! o" Rochester in *e$ ?or, "o+nd these games give &la!ersB )rains &lent! o" &ractice "or ma,ing decisions in the real $orld. the last o" the )ene"its I $o+ld li,e to tal, a)o+t is e!e sight. ?es that#s right the old theor! o" &la!ing video games ma,es !o+r e!es r+))ish is indeed r+))ish itsel". 3he st+d! led )! (a&hne Ma+rer o" McMaster 5niversit! in 0anada too, si7 &atients $ith li"elong cataract disorders and

got them to &la! Medal o" Fonor "or a total o" 40 ho+rs over the co+rse o" one month. Researchers "o+nd that "ollo$ing the 40 ho+rs o" game &la!ing the vision o" "ive o" the si7 &atients sho$ed signs o" im&rovement. 3he! $ere a)le to recogni@e "aces more easil! as $ell as ma,e o+t small &rint and 6+dge the direction o" moving dots. 3his st+d! $o+ld later )e )ac,ed +& )! (r. Ma+rer o" the >is+al (evelo&ment Ga) at McMaster 5niversit! in Hntario. <*e$?or,3imes.com=. H" co+rse these are not the onl! )ene"its o" video gaming. Some that I didn#t e7&and on are )+t not limited to% Im&rovement o" sel" esteem <$$$.ran,er.com= social interaction "or those $ho have social an7iet! $eight loss <$$$.ran,er.com= im&roved m+ltitas,ing <8-0ne$s.com= increased imagination in ,ids <$$$.&arents.com= &romotes )eing a team &la!er <$$$.H0modsho&.com= and more. So $e have tal,ed a)o+t the act+al &ros o" video games and the m!th o" violence and video gaming no$ I $ant to address the &eo&le o" the video gaming $orld. I" I $ere to as, !o+ to descri)e a 1gamer nerd2 !o+Bre most li,el! descri&tion $o+ld )e o" some &+dg! or string! ,id $ith acne glass and a &oc,et &rotector $ho sits at a com&+ter or game station all da! &la!ing a$a! at a sill! ma,e )elieve game that is $eird. Iell I can tell !o+ one thing $e are indeed $eird $e do love games )+t $e ho$ever are not these +n+s+al "rea,s o" nat+re that most &eo&le ma,e +s o+t to )e. 5nli,e $hat most o" the stereot!&es de&ict $e are not a )+nch o" loonies $ith )ad "ashion sense and a an addiction to (9(. Gamers are a diverse and interesting gro+& o" &eo&le. So i" these misconce&tions o" gaming are going to die o+t then $e m+st "irst get rid o" the misconce&tions and stereot!&es s+rro+nding the &eo&le $ho do it. J+st to reca& $e tal,ed a)o+t the ma6or misconce&tion a)o+t videogames and the )iggest controvers! s+rro+nding videogaming $e addressed 3 o" the man! )ene"its o" gaming and $e tal,ed a)o+t ho$ the misconce&tion a)o+t gamers a""ects the $a! $e loo, at this controvers! as

a $hole. In closing I $o+ld li,e to state that video gaming is not &er"ect there are those that are harmed )! it. -+t !o+ ,no$ $hatA 3here are also those $ho are str+c, )! lightning ever! !ear and those $ho are attac,ed )! shar,s. 3he &oint is $e need to la! o" video gaming as a $hole. I" !o+ are a &arent monitor $hat games !o+r ,ids are &la!ing and ho$ m+ch the! are &la!ing. I" !o+ are an ad+lt then monitor !o+rsel". Gadies and gentlemen video gaming isn#t a )oogie man to )e "eared its a door$a! to $orlds !o+ co+ld onl! dream o". It#s a door to "or a "e$ shining moments allo$ !o+rsel" to )ecome something greater than !o+rsel". 8nd !o+Bre not a gamer )eca+se !o+ have no li"e !o+#re a gamer )eca+se !o+ choose to have man!