Do Games Make You Stupid?

Eskimo Press: "You've all heard people nagging about video games. Declarations such as “rots your brains” (previously applied only to television) and “doesn't teach you anything“ are common when the elderly or uninformed are expressing themselves on the nature of video games. I beg to differ. Sure enough, the vast majority of games don't really teach anything, but most train skills such as; reflexes, observation, and basic logic capabilities, which are all fine skills on their own. A few games, however, are capable of teaching rather useful skills or flat-out enlightening and educating us."

[Hitman0769]

definitely not! if anything they have been proven to strengthen and build existing and new neurological connections as well as enhance hand-to-eye coordination. not to mention the benefits of using game/simulation virtual environments to learn dangerous jobs such as working on an oil rig or being military personell.

[Thatlalala]

It's not the games, its the mad amounts of weed and alcohol most of the CoD community consumes while playing.

[TheSaint]

Please don't label all weed smokers as CoD players, it's insulting.

[waltyftm]

Well said.

[dafegamer]

according to scientists, its actually proven that playing videogames can help improving someones memory and sight. You could say that videogames stimulates your brain as well
An examples is fps. Its said that FPS increases someones reaction time

[J0Scorpionake]

In my opinion that's an stereotype, like others, based on ignorance.

[MontyQ]

guy in the topic pic is a real stud lol

[TheSuperior]

I sure hope they dont if so I must be one of the stupidest people in the world. Lol

Good read :)

[poopsack]

My cousin learned a great deal of english through gaming, and he can now understand me close-to-perfectly. His teachers were games, television, and the deeply flawed public education system in Puerto Rico. So I believe if you "became" stupid through gaming, you were quite stupid to begin with. And yes, I did end that sentence with a preposition. Nazi away.

[Kashouri]

videogames will make u smart...at videogames!..if ur playing videogames,or call ur self a gamer,then get asked a question about science 70% chance u will get the answer wrong..same as if u we're a biologist or physicist and a gamer asked u about the best gun and hide outs in cod, u most certainly will not get the question right..so the point is u will only get smart in the subject ur in..ur not gonna be a pro physicist by having a high KDR in cod LOL!!

[EskimoPress]

So. Your point is; "it depends on the game"?

[krepler]

He should have pointed out that it won't help with spelling and grammar. Obviously.

[Gamesgbkiller]

If you play like a one .. then yes.

[blackmanone]

Stupid games might make people stupid. I'd love to see today's generation play the older Ultima or Wizardry titles. I doubt they could get a tenth through those games cause they'd be required to think about what they're doing.

[Indo]

"Stupid games might make people stupid"

Play some Duke Nukem Forever and tell me if you don't feel a little stupid afterwards. thought what you said was funny but made some sense.

[bigfish]

It depends how you play a game, If you play just to press a few buttons and run around collecting things and killing people, then playing games would make you a bit blunt over the years, but if you really engage and understand the storyline, strategise, read lore and put it into context, apprecitate the details, story telling, gameplay etc then i guess it wouldnt have any negative effect.

[level 360]

Naturally born dumb ass people.. you can't fix that.

But in gaming it all comes down firstly to the game scriptwriters, how objective, progress thinking they are in pushing that extra idea to make them more exciting and new.
Games like film or animation aren't just made by one person but it still needs a good producer and director to make that script work.

[doublejj]

NO

[ninjahunter]

Depends. For example, twitch shooters and various run and gun games do not help, or build any skill sets. On the other hand Games like starcraft strengthen memorization, multi tasking and response times for actual thought processes. Games like hitman and splinter cell focus more on awareness and analytical skills.

Of course there is a pretty good spectrum of how games affect mental health, mindless games like call of duty or various phone games Wont require you to use your brain, which could arguably be negative, but at the same time if your a calmer gamer it could be medatative, soothing or help relieve stress.

Im not an expert on anything, gaming psychology in particular, but i can put one and one together and draw lines. Things that make you think will generally enhance your brain, things that dont will sooth, or even make your brain get out of shape.

[Max-Zorin]

Only Jack Thompson think video games make you stupid.