So...A Waste Of Time?

 Earlier this week, I asked my teenage son if I could check out his Switch. He agreed, and after several moments of not knowing how to use the thing, I finally got it working. It's an impressive console (and this model isn't even the good one...). It reminded me just how advanced video games have become.

I thought of my father--my kids find it hard to believe that my father was born before the invention of a television. I'll bet my grandkids will find it equally hard to believe that their grandfather was born before the invention of video games. Pong was invented in 1972...I turned seven that year. My father was three when Philo Farnsworth transmitted his first signal.

Whether you like video games or not, you cannot argue that they are incredible in the artistry, the creativity, the technical marvels that they are. When games went from the arcades to the home, I was a little old for their target market. I played games on the Super NES, but never graduated beyond that--hence, my inability to quickly master the Switch. And I'm okay with that. Not playing video games has saved me a lot of money...

But, has it saved me a lot of time?

I know people who say they never watch TV, or they don't have a TV in their homes. When we ask if they watch a TV shows or movies they answer that they do, but they watch them on their computers. To me, it's the same thing, with our without an actual television set. Some people will look at video game players and think it's all a waste of time. Yet, they find enjoyment in reading, painting miniatures, or knitting. Point is, those things bring them joy. I know playing games brings the players joy, too. I suppose it can be said, too much of anything--video games or knitting--isn't good.

As I played with the Switch, I was impressed, but I don't believe I'm going to get one of my own. I have a few games I play on my phone and that seems to satisfy me. I don't know if I can justify picking up something else. 

The more I learn about modern video games, the more impressed I am. They are literally works of art. Even though I don't play them very much, they're no less amazing, and the industry less than fifty years old. I wonder what things we'll see in the next half century.