Seduction of the Innocent: how videogames warped my fragile little mind
The desire to bicycle three thousand miles does not arise without significant inspiration. If you've been following my blog, you've already read about the dad connection. But I count another, more insidious factor among my inspirations. I blame videogames.
I've been a gamer since I first plugged quarters into Space Invaders at age 9. My first home console was a Sears Telstar, which played four variations of Pong. By now, at age 40, I've owned over a dozen dedicated gaming systems. My favorite games have always been ones with big environments that reward exploration.
One of my very favorite games, just released a year or two ago, is a Japanese import called Shadow of the Colossus. In it, you spend most of your time on horseback riding peacefully through empty plains, lonely forests, remote mountain lakes, desert mesas, and the desolate ruins of the magnificent culture that once spanned them all. These long, contemplative rides are punctuated by brief, violent battles against creatures the size of megachurches, but that's neither here nor there. Really, the game is about riding the horse and enjoying the scenery.
I won't say that the game instilled me with a desire to travel, but it certainly raised my awareness of a deep seated need. During long car rides, I'd often felt the gentle tug of broad, expansive vistas, inviting me to explore them. And here I am, riding my horse and tilting my lance at windmills. The scenery is everything that was promised in Shadow of the Colossus: the endless grassy plains, the green rolling hills, the remote mountain lakes, even the desolate ruins. I haven't met any giant monsters yet, but my hopes remain high.
So the next time you hear someone claim that videogames aren't corrupting the fragile minds of our precious youth, you tell them for me how videogames turned me from a productive member of society into a seasoned vagrant, following the winds of chance wherever they may take me. In short, you tell them how videogames ruined my life!
I've been a gamer since I first plugged quarters into Space Invaders at age 9. My first home console was a Sears Telstar, which played four variations of Pong. By now, at age 40, I've owned over a dozen dedicated gaming systems. My favorite games have always been ones with big environments that reward exploration.
One of my very favorite games, just released a year or two ago, is a Japanese import called Shadow of the Colossus. In it, you spend most of your time on horseback riding peacefully through empty plains, lonely forests, remote mountain lakes, desert mesas, and the desolate ruins of the magnificent culture that once spanned them all. These long, contemplative rides are punctuated by brief, violent battles against creatures the size of megachurches, but that's neither here nor there. Really, the game is about riding the horse and enjoying the scenery.
I won't say that the game instilled me with a desire to travel, but it certainly raised my awareness of a deep seated need. During long car rides, I'd often felt the gentle tug of broad, expansive vistas, inviting me to explore them. And here I am, riding my horse and tilting my lance at windmills. The scenery is everything that was promised in Shadow of the Colossus: the endless grassy plains, the green rolling hills, the remote mountain lakes, even the desolate ruins. I haven't met any giant monsters yet, but my hopes remain high.
So the next time you hear someone claim that videogames aren't corrupting the fragile minds of our precious youth, you tell them for me how videogames turned me from a productive member of society into a seasoned vagrant, following the winds of chance wherever they may take me. In short, you tell them how videogames ruined my life!
posted by Ivan at
7:31 PM
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