While channel surfing last week, I came across a rebroadcast of G4TV’s big countdown for the release of the new game console: The Xbox 360.
The setting was in a huge hanger located somewhere in the middle of the Mojave desert. As the huge hanger doors began to open, hundreds of men from all walks of life began to run inside as if the very lives depended on it. Apparently Microsoft (the obvious sponsor of the event) had booths set up where gamers could play the latest version of Xbox while they waited for the official release time. Within moments I saw chaos turn into a soothing calm as these grown men become so mesmerized at what was before them. To see these grown men run up to these game consoles, grab the controller and plop down in front of the monitor, I was reminded of lab animals I have seen on the Discovery channel who have just become inoculated with some formula after going through a battery of tests.
Now before I continue, let me tell you that I have always been a huge fan of video games. When Atari 2600 came out back in the 80′s, I was one of the main ones out there every Saturday just playing away until my little brown thumbs became almost raw after playing game after game for hours. I also was a big fan of the arcade. Each weekend I would pump quarter after quarter into these machines in order to get my quick fix of ultimate control for a few moments out of the day.
What makes these game consoles like Xbox and Playstation II in such a high demand is their almost flawless emphasis on realism. Pong is truly a thing of the past as today we have games that make you feel that you are controlling real people. Add stereo surround sound and it just enhances the experience to a whole new level.
When the first Xbox hit the market some time ago, I had to make a commitment to myself that I would not purchase this console for the very simple reason that I knew how powerful of a distraction this device would be in my life and the lives of my children.
The other day, my wife asked me why is it that men are so infatuated with video games. As I eluded to earlier, I told her that one of main reasons why many men tend to go ga-ga over video games is because video games serve as a quick and easy fix to satisfy our natural appetite for conquering and control. Let me briefly explain myself here before some of you take what I just said way out of context.
We need only to look at history to see how men have been the forerunners when it came to protection of those he valued and advancing warrior against those that meant him harm. Sports will always be a big hit with men because it involves two things: planning and execution. This is why I vehemently disagree with those who suggest that men do not like details. Men love details as long as there is a clear goal or objective for its usage. So as you can see, video games serve as the ideal substitute for that natural instinct. In short, its instant gratification.
What really disturbed me about this Xbox release party that I mentioned earlier was that not only did many of these men come from all parts of the country for this event (two of the guys drove 36 hours straight from Mississippi to California in order to be a part of the event), but these same guys were eager to pay AT LEAST $400 to for this game console. It disturbed me because we live in a country where it would be next to impossible to gather the same amount of men with the same level of enthusiasm to invest in something more meaningful. And let me not forget to mention that many of these men did not appear to be rich. Like you, I can think of a whole lot of things where the male presence, enthusiasm, and $400 could go very far.
Another thing that disturbs me about our gamer culture is the large amount of the over-30 crowd I see in the mix. Growing up I remember when we kids would have our fun in the arcade or with our game consoles while our parents would be in the other room talking about various issues. Today I am noticing that that line between the two groups has become more and more blurred as adults (over 30–especially males) have joined the ranks of the gamer community. This is why I titled this posting “Xbox 180” because it seems that the “grown folks” who are heavily involved in this culture (and there are many) have taken a 180 degree turn as it relates to their responsibility to a culture that has craved for that same attention and enthusiasm. Here is an excerpt of an article written almost a year ago regarding the youth/adult usage of online gaming…
“The online survey polled 1,226 teenagers between the ages of 12 and 17 in Canada, asking them to respond to a number of questions regarding their online behavior. The survey found that the average teen spends approximately 13 hours online per week, compared to the 18 hours the average adult spends online.” (more…)
In conclusion, if you think that I am declaring an all out war on the gaming industry and those that spend hours being a part of it, please think again. Video games are just another form of entertainment. But when one takes the time to see how video games are proving to be more of a distraction than a benefit to society at large, makes you wonder if the entertainment factor is even worth it.
For some men out there, you may think that I am nick-picking or making much ado about nothing. But the way I see it, we have so much slack to take up from just the previous generation, doing without OUR toys from time to time is the least we can do for our future generation.
