I really can’t believe this.

My girlfriend linked me to this article today. It’s short, you should all take a second to read it. I’m not going to dissect it word by word – I think you, as fans of video games, already did that while reading it. I do want to go over a few key points, though.

Mothers despise video games:

Well this is a blatant lie. Of course some mothers do, but my mom never did. Many of my friends’ moms never did. And with the ever growing population of female gamers (although still small), the next generation will be full of mothers who not only don’t despise video games, but play them with their husbands and children!

And what can we do? All the boys are playing. So our moral core erodes:

What do morals have anything to do with the situation? Notice at the end of the article, she lists board games as one activity she finds wholesome. Does she not realize board games and video games differ in only the video aspect? True, some games are morally questionable (Manhunt, GTA, and so fourth) but there are thousands of games out there that are entirely enjoyable by all ages and have nothing in them that will do any more harm than a board game.

But it’s not only the content of the video games that is so destructive. It’s what boys are not doing with their time: They aren’t studying, they aren’t playing, and they aren’t talking to one another:

First, video games can be a great way to study. True, teens are less likely to play so-called “edu-tainment” games, but for younger children, games can be an excellent way to learn languages, how to type, reading, and math skills. The psychological drive for reward that games enforce are excellent at holding attention spans longer than a book or teacher can, despite what the author says about “the short attention spans…that are sometimes linked to video games.” Second, what does she even mean by not playing? Games are the very essence of playing, and if she means physical exercise, games such as Dance Dance Revolution and the upcoming Wii Fit are great ways to game and stay healthy at the same time. Last, I don’t know what gaming era the author is stuck in, but games today encourage all sorts of social interaction. Some of my more fun and memorable gatherings have been centered around games, and I have met so many incredible people in college based around our shared love of gaming.

When a study shows that children who play video games can read a 300-page book…then I’ll be the first one in line at the computer store:

The author assumes here that reading is inherently morally wholesome. She forgets about the millions of novels that deal with sex, violence, and surely every subject she finds objectionable in video games. Video games are just like any other form of entertainment. Some games, just like some movies, TV shows, and even books, are intended toward a mature audience. It is the parent’s duty to help their child make informed decisions about what to watch, read, and play. Filtering an entire form of entertainment out will do nothing to make the landscape of American entertainment less objectionable.

It is time for gaming to truly come in to its own right as a real form of entertainment and to not be looked at as a morally questionable activity when a PG-13 Hollywood movie can have just as much sex and violence as some Mature rated games, if not more. Games can be educational, social, and healthy, and believe it or not, even fun for moms.