Computer games are more useful for children than chess. Pros and cons. Types of computer games. Types and benefits of computer games

One evening, finding myself nearby, I went to a center where drug addicts, victims of totalitarian sects, and now also those who are “addicted” to computer games or slot machines are being rehabilitated. In response to the question "how are you?" The local psychologist smiled wearily.

Better nowhere. Gradually I turn into an automaton.

In what sense? - I did not understand.

In direct. How was it before? A man comes to you and describes the situation. Each case is unique in some way: people are different, circumstances are different. And now one person enters, followed by another, a third, a fourth, but there is no difference: standard complaints, standard situation, standard questions. As if a special program was laid down. What do you think, maybe you need to record everything on a tape recorder and just scroll through the recording every time so as not to waste your energy in vain? Neither your own nor others? - joked the psychologist.

Well, what is the standard? To be honest, he intrigued me.

How in what? Don't they treat you like that? “We bought our son, on our own head, a computer - and it started. He stopped studying, is rude, rude, fights, became uncontrollable. We don't know what to do."

But really, I thought, the parents of children "addicted" to computer games always complain about the same thing. The child becomes irritable, reacts hysterically to attempts to distract him from the computer, stops reading, and his circle of interests sharply narrows. If you let everything take its course, then pretty soon many children will leave the sections and circles that they have attended so far, start their studies and spend all their free time in front of the screen. Moreover, these changes of the same type occur with children and adolescents with a very different character. Even a naturally peaceful, benevolent, friendly child can become aggressive. Computer addiction, as it were, levels out characterological differences, erases personality, destroys individuality. The same thing happens with alcoholics and drug addicts. Sometimes people change beyond recognition, so that the wife, when asked how she could marry such a person, quite reasonably answers that she did not marry such a person, he was completely different.

All of this is now applied to computer addiction more or less clear. However, I couldn't help but feel that there was something we didn't understand. That fixing on the brightest external signs, we miss the inner, not so obvious, but probably more important. In the end, boors and psychopaths have always been. And in the "computer boys" there is something that distinguishes them from other promiscuous teenagers. Something unusual, strange, confusing adults. It's like they have some other program in them.

The experts with whom I had a chance to talk on these topics said that computer games hinder the development of the child, accustom to destructive, deviant behavior. But no one could clearly explain what kind of personality is formed under the influence of computer games. However, this is not surprising: such things can be judged only by accumulating experience, and we still do not have enough of it.

The answer came unexpectedly and, as often happens, not at all from the side from which I tried to find it. About a month and a half ago, when I switched to something completely different, they brought me an American book with a catchy, obviously setting title “Finished! How a generation of gamers is changing the business environment forever” (Pretext, M, 2006, Harvard Business School Press, Boston, Massachusetts). And although the authors, John Beck and Mitchell Wade, by their own admission, considered the topic narrowly, in relation only to the field of business, this book shed light on many issues that interested me. Especially valuable in this case is the fact that it was written by people who are by no means critical. On the contrary, they are trying to prove that the pessimism of opponents of computer games is unfounded, that the “generation of gamers” (that is, players, from the English word “game” - “game”) is in many ways superior to the previous generation of “boomers” (from the English “baby- boom" - "the explosion of fertility" that followed in America after the Second World War and continued until the "sexual revolution" was made there).

For "gamers" the future, we must come to terms with this, the authors inspire, everything is inevitable and forever (see the title of the book), and there is nothing wrong with that. That is, we have before us an apology for the “new world order”, and therefore it is especially valuable that even such people are no longer able to deny the cardinal changes that are happening to children and adolescents who grow up on computer games. One could say about the opponents of games that they exaggerate, distort, intimidate. Here it is impossible to assume, and therefore it is doubly impressive.

It is also important that the book does not in question about some extreme, egregious cases. On the contrary, the authors emphasize that the features of gamers they describe are completely normal and widespread. And then, when psychologists and psychiatrists give examples of the occurrence of various disorders in children under the influence of computer games, millions of parents console themselves with the fact that nothing terrible happens to their child. He doesn’t rage much, doesn’t steal money, doesn’t skip school, spends his nights at home. “You never know what others “fly off the coils”? And ours didn’t fly off, and there’s nothing to scare us, ”the mother and father think, who, of course, don’t want to endure their son’s tantrums because of the taken away computer. American authors do not scare anyone and even try to dispel parental fears and suspicions. But - at least to me - their panegyrics to gamers scared even more than the most terrible stories told by familiar psychiatrists.

I will quote from the book, accompanying them with my comments.

So, what are the characteristic features of computer games that John Beck and Mitchel Wade distinguish?

The role of the individual

"You are a star. All attention in any game is directed only at you, in contrast, for example, to sports sections, where most children never become stars ”(hereinafter, the aforementioned book“ Finished the game .. ”, pp. 28-30 is quoted).

And then parents are perplexed why their child does not stay in any circle for a long time and that he does not have any motivation to study, but he can sit for hours in front of a computer screen!

“You are in charge. This world is sensitive to your desires. You can change reality as you wish or get used to the image that you like best; this is impossible in real life."

In fact, a child, of course, can "get used to the image" and "change reality" even without computer games. For example, participating in theatrical performances, writing fairy tales or stories, drawing pictures. But these activities require much more effort, and not all children have pronounced creative abilities. Therefore, of course, it is easier to follow the path of least resistance, to become not a creator, but a consumer of someone else's creativity. True, then the already weak craving for independent creativity will fade away altogether. And for more creative children, the head will be filled with monotonous, often ugly clichés, which also does not help. harmonious development personality.

Speaking of the consumer...

“You are the customer, and the customer is always right. It's like in a store where everything is arranged so that the buyer is comfortable and pleasant. Of course, you will have tough opponents, but not so much that you can’t deal with them.”

Well, what, however, nourishment for pride! Especially in the conditions of the current "child-centrism", when a child from infancy strives to take over his parents, to become a commander in the family! But life is not a store, and when faced with a reality where not everyone perceives a “gamer” as a client who is always right, he will first, out of habit, show his coolness. (For example, he will try to behave in the lessons as he pleases.) Having received a rebuff, he will not put up with it, drawing the appropriate conclusions, but will heal his wounded pride by moving away from unpleasant reality into a pleasant, playful one.

“You are an ace. Many times you have been able to quickly achieve success, especially compared to those who have not yet learned it.

This is the answer to the question why so many teenagers have an inflated opinion of their abilities, and at the same time do not want to strain. They want either a quick result or none. This model is firmly rooted in their minds.

"You're a cool guy. Neither failure, nor torment, nor even death can stop you. It may seem that this setting contradicts the previous comment, but in fact it is not. And the victories of the "gamer" are virtual, and the torment is not real. In life, such people, on the contrary, do not want to endure not only torment, but also rather minor inconveniences. They are irritable, capricious, often make claims. All of them, as they like to put it, "enrages". But on the other hand, other people's suffering, and sometimes even death, really “does not stop” them, this is devalued.

The rules of this universe

"There is always a way out... Anything is possible."

A very dangerous thesis, especially considering the rapid blurring of the boundaries of norm and pathology, good and evil in modern world. In children's fairy tales, when they say, for example, that "everything is possible on New Year's Eve," they mean "good miracles." In the current defiantly immoral culture, the thesis “everything is possible” basically implies the legalization of any abomination. It's like fighting without rules.

A small example of the processing of children's consciousness through computer games. In the same book, "We've finished the game!" about the Sims game The Sims) (popular, by the way, among Russian children) says the following: “<Девочка>Sarah learned another life lesson when she settled a gay couple together. She did everything she could to keep them happy, but there were so many restrictions in the game that she was terribly upset. In the end, she turned to her dad to fix the program error. As soon as she explained what was the matter, dad realized that his daughter was fighting not with software errors, but with society and its wild laws. Sarah wanted gay people to get married, but the game didn't allow it” (pp. 148-149).

This is the answer to many parents, from where the child got some non-childish information, who instilled in him super-liberal views, otherwise they are amazed: their son does not seem to watch TV, does not read depraved magazines, mom and dad have traditional ideas about family and marriage. .. Is there something in the air, like harmful bacilli? And “it” - or rather, they, perverted values, do not hover anywhere, but lie on a shelf in the form of disks, being skillfully built into various, quite even harmless games (which were purchased, by the way, with my father’s and mother’s money) ...

The following setup reads:

“The easiest way to win is by trial and error. That's the only way to get ahead in most games, even if you end up losing your patience and turning to the user manual or repeating what others have done in particularly difficult places."

Sounds innocent, but let's move this setup to real life and think: how will it develop in a person who always acts blindly, is not able to make generalizations and conclusions? You can read about what kind of specialist he will turn out in the same book, a little further away: “We hear complaints from middle managers (usually boomers) who say that their new subordinates (usually gamers) solve problems using the method of successive approximation: “I I had to redo the presentation 2-3 times after the team of my subordinates worked on it ... they just sculpt one on top of the other to make it beautiful, but the essence was not thought out. And they think it's okay - they experiment on me, I find a mistake, they fix it, I find more. And so it is repeated until the deadline for the delivery of the work approaches. They don't realize that by the time I look at what they've done, they should have perfected it” (pp. 192-193).

When I read the last two quotes to a familiar mathematician, he exclaimed that now he finally understands why the current graduate students, redoing the same work several times over and over, all the time "plant" new errors. As a scientist, this passage shocked him the most, since it testifies to the destruction of logical thinking among computer game lovers. And without logical thinking, what kind of science can there be?

Imagine what kind of future awaits us if the designers of bridges, buildings, nuclear power plants start to act by trial and error, if surgeons operate in this way. Yes, and in their personal lives, such people are doomed to chronic failure. As the famous saying goes, "A smart person learns from the mistakes of others, and only a fool learns from his own." “Gamers” do not even learn from their mistakes, but at the same time they consider their way of existence correct and effective.

Relationship between people

“This is a competition. You are always competing with someone. Even if you are collaborating with other players, you are competing with some character or you want to beat someone on points.”

Thus, the foundations of friendship are undermined, because it is impossible without mutual assistance and mutual support. If we also take into account that the most favorable age for the development of strong friendships is adolescence, and that it is during this period that children are now especially fond of computer games, then the forecast is disappointing. Having missed, as they say in psychology, a “sensitive” period and having been saturated with the spirit of rivalry, which excludes true friendship, a young man will most likely be able to establish only non-committal friendly relations, that is, he will be doomed to inner loneliness and in a difficult moment will be left without support. Of course, in many other children's games there is an element of competition, in itself this is not scary. But one thing is an element of competition, and the other is the basic principle. And besides, children do not play either mobile or board competitive games as often and for a long time as they do computer games. Therefore, the spirit of competition does not have time to seize the majority of the guys. Moreover, competitive games are often team games, which means that they set up not only for rivalry, but also for cooperation.

“Relationships are strictly regulated. There are only a few positions for characters (real or virtual), such as rival/ally or boss/subordinate.”

However, life is not so, it is much more complex and diverse. Faced with reality, the gamer most likely will not understand it and will prefer to go back to the simple and logical world of the game. Outwardly, this manifests itself in autism, painful isolation, and serious violations in the field of communication.

The principle also works for autism: “Everyone on their own. Even if you play in a band, you always have your own path, your own experience. You can't try everything if you're in a group."

But what a terrible mine is placed under intergenerational ties:

“Young people rule the world. In the game world, they are the main ones. Young people have a lot of advantages, duties do not take much time, and you should not pay attention to older ones.

Why then be surprised at the outrageous childish rudeness and stubborn, sometimes even some kind of maniacal desire to command adults? By the way, parents of boys complain about this much more often, which “in the light of the foregoing” is quite understandable. On the one hand, boys are usually sharper, more self-willed, more ambitious than girls, and on the other hand, they play computer games more, where their natural shortcomings receive powerful positive reinforcement.

“People are simple. Most of the characters look like cartoon characters. Their skills may be excellently honed, but the psychological type and pattern of behavior is simple to the extreme. They are either big and strong, or wild and crazy, or beautiful and sexy. There are several other caricature types. And it's all".

Well, what kind of relationships with people can gamers build? They are programmed for failure, because a person is not a caricature, but an image of God. However, the globalist world just needs losers, many losers, because this is how - quietly, without noise - you can "free the planet from unnecessary people." And at the same time, cash in on the sale of drugs, alcohol, action movies, computer games and other harmful things that allegedly help a modern person to cheer up, overcome depression, which is already called the “mental cold” - it is so common in the modern civilized world.

Let's now look at what course of action computer games set up gamers.

What do we have to do?

“Rebel. Here it is absolutely necessary to aggravate the situation and relations.”

After reading this, I vividly recalled the events of seven years ago. When my youngest son was ten, he loved to play role-playing games like a computer, only without a screen, "in the mind." The rules are simple: the situation is set, we agree on who plays for whom and come up with what our heroes do and say. Deciding that this was a counterbalance to computer games, at first I was happy and even participated in the game. The son has a rich imagination; I thought it would be interesting. But after a while he stopped playing with me. “You are trying to settle everything peacefully, somehow agree or outwit the enemy, and this is wrong.” "Why? - I did not understand. - Why swear and fight, if you can agree? And then, not all of them are opponents. In any fairy tale, the hero has not only enemies, but also friends. Help someone - and t, make friends with him. “Well, it's in fairy tales ... - the son grimaced. "It's not like that in role-playing games." Now, having read the book "We've finished the game!", I finally understood how it is "so" ...

And the psychological background of the “orange revolutions” became clearer to me. After all, unlike the “velvet” ones, they are somehow meaningless. Of course, not for those who both: plans and arranges, these people get their profits and bonuses, but for the “extras” What kind of freedom and “independence” did the Ukrainians who gathered on the Maidan lack? And what about the Georgian "revolutionaries of scarlet roses"? In fact, it was a rebellion for the sake of rebellion, senseless and absurd. But since the main actors there were students and schoolchildren - just the generation of gamers - then, apparently, in the favorable conditions created (favorite rock music, bold slogans, strong drinks, relaxed atmosphere, crowd effect), it was not at all difficult to update the installation on the rebellion learned during the game. So computer games are also a breeding ground for revolutionaries. And statesmen who are condescending about this childish pastime, and even advocating mass computerization of schools, should think that they are cutting the branch on which they sit.

Well, for parents who are far from politics (although when a crowd of teenagers who first trained on slot machines, she goes to burn cars, break shop windows and passers-by, it’s not politicians who suffer first of all, but precisely those who are far from it, but by an unfortunate coincidence they were not far from bandit thugs ...), and so, apolitical parents need to understand that the rebellious spirit that computer games bring up will manifest itself primarily in the family. If you ask people if they want to live with scandals, fights and hopeless rudeness of ungrateful offspring, no one will say yes. But - with their own hands they buy a computer for the child, this guarantor of the future "fun life".

The next "commandment" reads:

“Be a hero. If you want to succeed or have fun, then you will have to become a star, willy-nilly.”

And, therefore, to emerge as little as possible from the virtual reality of the "star factory" to the surface of real life, where you do not shine with talents, you cannot succeed.

“Communicate with people who play the same game, and do not live in the same country or rotate in the same environment. The game world is one.

It turns out that computer games are a powerful tool for globalization, and not just a way of autism and kicking out a huge part of young people from active socially useful activities! And all this under the guise of innocent children's fun... Yes, it is not for nothing that so many sociologists, psychologists and psychiatrists have been working on the globalist project!

Elsewhere in the book, this thesis is confirmed once again:

“Gamers in general are a very global generation.”

Someone, perhaps, decided that I was exaggerating about the “orange”? Then take a look at the following setup. What is this if not a direct incitement to rebellion and anarchy?

“Choose your path in this world. Those in whose hands power are useless, and even harmful - do not pay attention to them.

And finally, perhaps the most important setting of the globalist world:

“Forget everything and have fun. The game is a way to get away from reality. When reality is boring, you are transported to the world of the game. When you get bored with the game, you can take on another, which is not yet tired.

Some more quotes

“From our research, we concluded that the line between reality and the virtual world for a gamer is not at all as clear-cut as it seemed to us, people of the baby boom generation ... When they demand realism from games, they do not mean literally copying the world around us , they want everything as in life - only even better. In other words, they want to have fun. And entertainment is what they know a lot about at the deepest, subconscious level. After all, this generation grew up in a world where entertainment is the most valuable thing. Gamers prefer to have fun by copying reality, then editing it, speeding it up and enhancing it to something completely new. For us, this is an escape from reality. For them, it is an opportunity to choose one side of life, the most fun” (p. 74).

“The world of digital games is much less flexible<чем реальный>: his motto should be: "Live fast, die young and leave behind a beautiful (virtual) corpse" (p. 89).

“The gamer generation sees rivalry everywhere. This is quite natural. After all, almost all of them grew up in a world where the only way to relate to other characters - whether real or electronic - comes down to rivalry. And they believe that rivalry is - almost literally - the law of nature” (p. 106).

«<Геймеры>... consider themselves experts. They are so confident in their skills that they don't think they need to work as hard as other people” (p. 119).

Let's leave the illiterate style on the conscience of the translator, who also seems to be sure that he is an expert and does not need to bother himself with working on the word. Let's get to the point of the statement. And it boils down to the fact that the typical characteristics of the “computer” generation are conceit and laziness. Yes, a good future is in store for us with such workers...

“Gamers expect high rewards for what they create ... The most amazing thing is that interest in salaries and bonuses is directly dependent on gaming experience employee. The questions in our questionnaire revealed one thing that all gamers have in common: if they work, they demand serious remuneration for this” (p. 119).

But about rudeness and infantilism:

“Gamers can offend their senior colleagues and bosses. It seems out of place, as if they are seeking respect they don't deserve. Although gamers often startle elders with their immaturity” (p. 134).

“Our research has shown that people of the gamer generation prefer to express their desires immediately after they appear.<выраженная задержка психического развития, ведь в норме так ведут себя совсем маленькие дети>, and do it to the place and out of place<неадекватность>. Compared to her older respondents, gamers are more likely to admit that they “strive to be leaders! groups."<Спросим себя: возможно ли общество, где все стремятся быть лидерами и настроены на соперничество?>Boomers are notorious for wanting everything and everything. Gamers want to do things their way Pathological willfulness>, here and now. In the questionnaires, we also found that gamers suffer from frequent mood swings... Simply put, they are very irritable” (p. 153).

“True gamers are noticeably more likely to say that “connecting with the right people is the key to success.” The more experience they have of the game, the more likely respondents are to agree with the harshest statements, including: “I will turn inside out to make friends with those in power” and “You can get anything from people if you tell them what they are.” want to hear." It is clear that gamers extend such views in the spirit of Machiavelli to themselves ... So it does not surprise us that people with such views consider themselves capable of successfully manipulating others” (pp. 154-155).

“They may seem callous, as if they see everything and everyone as a game, but doesn’t this quality seem a little more attractive if a leader possesses it?” (p. 204).

“Perhaps the generation of gamers is too risk-averse – it's a matter of taste... As a result, gamers take risks much more than other people outside the digital world” (p. 172).

The same book says that in creating Internet companies that suffered a crushing collapse in the early 200(bx), the generation of gamers played a leading role. Moreover, after ruining many people and losing a lot of money themselves, gamers were not even particularly upset. "It's amazing. They consider it a sign of efficiency. They say that in the 30s, during the Great Depression, bankrupt business leaders lost their presence of mind, threw themselves out of windows, and gamers did not even move their ears. But, in my opinion, this is just "frostbite" conscience and pathological insensitivity. Such players will arrange a worldwide catastrophe - and they won’t even understand what happened, why you can’t restart the computer and start all over again. But after a while, in the process of a natural change of generations, gamers will come to power everywhere, this is the authors are right.

That is, adults who are now cashing in on the sale of computer games and, for the sake of their own pockets, crippling the psyche of entire generations, are digging a grave for themselves and us with their own hands. The situation is terrible and completely unimaginable. And time goes by and works not for us...

“Irresponsible, not understanding that mistakes have to be paid for - are these people we wanted to see at the head of the economy? - the authors ask and answer contrary to logic, as if they had zombified themselves in the process of writing the book: Actually, yes. Because gamers are born leaders” (p. 193).

On this "optimistic" note, let me end.

If I played toys (and I started at the age of 10), then I chose them according to my imagination. At first it was football, but I didn’t get used to it, since I didn’t have my own PC, they played in the salon, limitedly, and in time and for money + there was a real field nearby with real players and a real ball (that's where they got real pleasure!). A PC appeared (at 14) - let's go, my imagination was no longer directed to real creativity (writing, drawing), but to virtual - first FIFA in immoderate volumes, then GTA, then CS, later Battlefield, and maybe all at once. Then the historical genre - strategy games and role-playing games. With the advent of adulthood, pastime playing games has decreased significantly, then even less. one favorite game of the historical genre, which I periodically indulge in from nothing to do. But what did I notice? And I noticed that the appearance of computer games significantly influenced my life, my choices, decisions, etc. Replacing reality with virtual world I lost the ability to think logically, to be patient, to some extent I lost my awareness of choice, and most importantly, the will and ability to stop in time. I lost precious time, self-conceit and laziness began to dominate, and the main thinking became more consumer rather than productive. , the inability to get high from real life, bad habits and chronic fatigue syndrome. But fortunately, by the age of 23, I still matured to the fact that I need to change and I'm already on my way to it. Everything is written correctly in the article. Games are a drug , sold under the guise of harmless entertainment. And first of all, those who have complexes sit down on it. For myself, I concluded that it is better to start playing in real life, even if I made his many mistakes.

Andrey, age: 05/23/2015

Well, after reading it, I thought a little, you are somewhat right. But here the law of the coin applies, on the one hand - an eagle, on the other - tails. It all depends on which side you look at. And here is the "spirit of competition", all this is nonsense, in games a person always tries to make such a choice as in life, and in childhood this manifests itself constantly. I always try to go the good way, playing as a doctor or a magician - a healer, helping others, even when I tried to play for evil, I felt in a different plate, it was even mentally painful for me to harm everyone, both bad and good. This is how I realized my addiction, I didn’t fight it, I accepted it as an uninvited guest. I am slowly developing myself, and games and some books help me with this. I feel more or less comfortable in society. In this matter, the whole point is not in a person, but in the world around him. I inclined my choice to good, the question is whether you are able to do right choice because it is always in your hands.

necromorf , age: 15/26.02.2015

An interesting article, to say the least! But there is more information load (truth) in the answers and comments to it. There is truth in each of them, this does not mean that everyone has their own, everyone is right, they just discuss different sides of 1 coin. I've been playing since I was 14, I've been playing drunkenly since I was 18 (a period of great stress as a teenager). I've been through a lot, in terms of games and not on low difficulty (hardcore, gamer), I'm very aware of my addiction to games, yes I often try to avoid the real world. This happens because something doesn’t suit me in this world (read the article), but not many people can realize this ... I communicate normally with others, I think that my communication skills are quite developed, I can’t say that I’m a mega athlete, but a horizontal bar I saw 3 km. I will run and not die. But I can also hate the world around me if I felt shortcomings in all the listed points. The fact is that yes, there are people prone to alcoholism, drug addiction - to one or another addiction. Addiction is when you haven't tried anything better. It's not their fault. It exists only in the outside world, finding the reason why a person turns into a gamer does not mean opening his eyes and ridding him of addiction. Tell an alcoholic that he is an alcoholic, he doesn't care, as long as the glass is full... I know my addiction, I don't fight it, but I try to live. Remember the movie "A Beautiful Mind", no, I'm not a math genius, I'm a gamer. But I realize this, unlike many other gamers. The fact is that everyone who gave comments in favor of computer games is right in everything. Under certain circumstances, games can develop, take World of Tanks, can you imagine what kind of knowledge a player must have in order to win in this game, on high levels. He must know the performance characteristics of almost 300 vehicles, knowledge of the tactics of the game on different maps, in different situations. To put it simply, the threshold for entering the game is huge - the reason for the large number of inept (deer, crayfish) players on the servers. But there are also super players who understand all this, know how to use it in the game - gamers (nerds, extras), they have extensive knowledge, say that they are useless, I can partially agree, but they develop the brain unequivocally. And now let's turn the coin over! Inadequate teenagers play the same tanks - schoolchildren who save money on food in the hope of donations, who fall into hysterics from a couple of lost battles, you can continue the negative indefinitely ... All this is also true. Games are a catalyst if a person with an adequate psyche plays dead space, then he will not go to shred people on the street. And if this is a child with an unformed psyche, then there may be trouble. By the way, these games have an age bar, as in films of erotic content. Say that games are already pornography, well, there are some of them. And now let's think about who is evil porn, or too busy parents who missed the moment of sexual education of the child-the result is a high probability of a pervert with various deviations, and most importantly the opportunity to implement them in\"innocent \" society. To ban games is pointless, and most importantly impossible! You need to understand them (may even control them), and parents can only take away a computer, they are struggling with the symptoms of the disease! There is no understanding, if we are talking about cases where psychiatrists have already taken up the matter, then medicine is already here. And in those situations when a child is not lost - he is not crazy, it is worth fighting the disease - with the outside world, because the problem is in him! Scary zombie games have nothing to do with it, I know people who told me that they would never play games, I told them that they just haven’t found themselves yet interesting game! I was often right, and maybe always, because who knows when they will find for themselves the right game. It is bad when she appears at a difficult moment in the life of such people. I would be very happy to find a replacement for games in my life, but so far there is none. But that doesn't mean I'm socially useless or dangerous. But there are some. Now think about what you have changed with this article. Comments were left here by adequate people, possibly game addicts, well, at least me, but adequate! Anyone who is already lost to society can re-read all this 100 times and play on. The main thing is that society does not suffer, because adequate players will also suffer with it. Find problems in the outside world, and not in the child's psyche, because initially it is normal for society (we do not take deviations due to genes or injuries). So you can write a whole book here, but what will it change? I didn’t pass by, I tried to introduce my idea, which is equally suitable for all sides of the discussion - subjectively. And now I’m going to play, I know my problems and live with them, and you struggle with your problems, but to no avail. The main thing is not to harm me, because you are such a right world around, and I don’t want to lose the opportunity to avoid you, at least not for long.

Apatrid , age: 09/25/2014

Alex, first of all, you cannot judge a person without knowing him personally. What do you know about how I live, have I degraded? So I'm not saying that games are much more useful than books, movies, good shows, sports. Also, I'm not talking about independence from games. People who can be addicted will be addicted to anything. How are games different from movies? When computers weren't so common, there were VCRs and people watched movies all night long. There were movie buffs. Standing in line at video rentals. Spent the last money on cassettes. What about melomania? Isn't it addiction? They walk with their ears plugged, listening to Rammstein. You walk next to such a person, you don’t chat with him - he, you see, listens to music, don’t interfere. Ban music and movies? I do not deny that excessive use of games is harmful to health. My classmate used to read a lot of books. Yes, he is reading now. She just flies away to those worlds that books give. She travels in time, flies to distant planets, participates in the First World War. Reads, have time to submit books. So what? Yes, it is interesting to talk with her, to discuss books. But it is also interesting to talk with gamers about games. But she doesn’t have a personal life, she planted her eyes, she doesn’t really eat - she’s all in that world. So that? Should we ban books? Everything depends on the person himself. For me, for example, and read good book interesting. I recently read Orwell's 1984. But there is no one to talk about this book with. Around teenagers with spermotoxicosis and business people, always somewhere in a hurry. You also need to distinguish good games from simple one-day games. There are games that carry artistic value, there are games that are designed to rake in money. It's like comparing Daria Dontsova and HG Wells. I don't like people who read Dontsov all night long, they can't tear themselves away. But people who read Dumas have respect for them. I just don't like the fact that games are being blamed for something they're not involved in. Yes, it is likely that they contributed to the shooting at the school. But you can not say so one-sidedly that only because of the games. Many factors. The fact that we enjoy playing and relax - what side is the deception? After all, it really is. The fact that someone boasts that he has more experience points, he new tank how many frags he has - I agree with that. That's bullshit. These are nerds. I never love online games s. Especially with a donation. This is fragodrocherstvo. Really badass games. But, for example, the game Syberia, which I am currently playing, provides an excellent bewitching world with its own problems, heroes in which one wants to believe. Or Spec Ops: The Line. After passing this game, you feel like the last bastard who killed unarmed civilians. You sit in deep thought, digesting the past. You think about how the characters have changed in a couple of days. And what emotions were there when an angry mob hanged your sniper, a cheerful boy Lugo. He called for help, but you couldn't do anything to save him. You think that the main villain is not so bad in theory. He was just trying to save civilians. But he violated the order. Did he do the right thing? Or the same Half-Life 2. A tale about the iron will of people who do not bend in front of a numerically and technically dominant enemy. The people are waiting for their savior, they believe in a brighter future. And what a pity for Eli Vance, who gave his life in the struggle for the future of mankind. You can say that these are fictional characters, a handful of zeros and ones. But music is just an assembly of 7 notes. And Mona Lisa is a combination of 3 colors. And Raskolnikov - a set of 33 letters. And yes, I equate gaming with art. An art in which details from other arts are intertwined. Some sort of essence. Creating a story - literature Creating levels - architecture Creating character models - sculpture Creating textures - painting, photography Creating soundtracks - music Creating cut-scenes and scripts - cinema, theater Fully agree with Roman =)

KorteZZ, age: 06/26/2014

I was always struck by the excuses of the players, how bad life is, how much violence, murder, theft, alcohol, etc. And, they say, against the background of this comp. trivia games. I'm speaking as a player (hopefully former), stop fooling yourself. That's not why you're playing. You play first out of curiosity, and then out of addiction. You are the real slaves (I do not exclude myself), you say that you relax, enjoy, say that this does not interfere with your personal life in any way - all self-deception and lies! You have degraded morally and spiritually to such an extent that you are unable to admit your addiction and come up with stupid excuses about the benefits of games. In particular you, KorteZZ. What computer game can be more useful than a book, than watching educational programs, the same films, music, playing sports, communicating, or even just thinking, dreaming - all this is life, unlike a game, from an illusion. I don’t want to talk about the consequences of games for health, but most of all I’m offended that it’s so easy to become a slave and give part of your soul for some kind of “experience points”, “new tanks”, “equipment”, etc. And these people are even proud that killed 7k frags, played 20k battles, have 10 tops in the hangar and other nonsense, from the point of view of reasonableness. And could this be the future?

alex, age: 05/17/2014

Thank you for the article - I read it with great interest. But not only games deform the psyche.

StansionSide, age: 20/25.02.2014

Pretty accurate, thanks a lot for the article. I've been a gamer myself for many years. Many years have passed since I started playing, and looking back, I noticed that computer games are becoming more and more violent and senseless, and game process, which I once greatly appreciated, obtuse to the point of impossibility. Now I imagine where the source of my laziness is located, I hope this will make it easier for me to deal with it. Your article opened my eyes and gave me the answers I was looking for for a very long time. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for this article.

Green Wizard, age: 18 / 12/30/2013

Thanks, I'll play less. VERY GRATEFUL

Egor Burlakov, age: 11/22.05.2013

Fully agree with kortezzom

Paxan, age: 18 / 12.04.2013

I play different games since the Sinclair and Sail days. I am a gambler by nature, and before I got my first computer, I read books until the morning. I was irritable if I was prevented from reading. And he went into reading with his head, went away from reality. Nobody condemned me. I believe that some games, like books and films, can deform the psyche, injure, and corrupt. But games are more dangerous because children are instantly drawn into them, and parents don’t even know what kind of atmosphere their child gets into. Parents, be interested in games! Find out more about them, who is the manufacturer, what is the plot of the game, what main character and, most importantly, what is the atmosphere of the game. How would you rate "The Three Musketeers" by Dumas? A young almost teenager d "Artagnan is armed with cold weapons, he solves issues with the help of violence and a series of murders, including representatives of law and order? No. The atmosphere of the book, the image of the hero, the ideals of justice, romance - that's what this book is about. You need to clearly know "what" the game is about. Nothing without it. Humanity knows a lot about literature. Over time, perhaps, it will know no less about games. For psychologists, this is not a plowed field. After all, in the game one could read, collect, analyze information about behavior of players.Speed ​​of decision-making, the decisions themselves, behavior patterns, their change.You can write scientific papers, or maybe someone is already writing))) I won’t be surprised if, along with tests, some types of online games, the results of which will supplement these tests. I really liked the article. Many thanks and respect to the author. It is interesting to see clearly formulated what I understood unconsciously. From this, thoughts are confused and I don’t envy the one who then he will try to read))) I would just like to say, do not be afraid of the new. Learn, master the question, use.

Roman, age: 38 / 26.02.2013

How sad it is that psychologists can only scream how bad it is ... THIS IS EVERYONE AND SO KNOW ... don't you think that it is necessary to devote articles to "what needs to be done"? How to change the situation? What should parents of gamers do? After all, in your article, all the symptoms are identical .... so give answers (maybe even a lot) so that people can change something ...

Natalia, age: 30 / 26.01.2013

Interesting article. The situation described in it looks intimidating to me. But the fact is that the negative personality traits that are attributed to gamers here - the lack of logic, self-will, the desire to command adults, unjustifiably high conceit, etc. My husband and I have long discovered in our daughter. Now she is 12 and she is NOT a GAMER, and has NEVER been a gamer! We quite consciously keep her away from the computer for the time being. She has been studying violin for the 6th year at the music school. At home they brought her an aquarium, a hamster - to develop a love for animals, etc. But that doesn't change her behavior much. In words, she agrees with you, reads books about animals, and then she may "forget" to feed the fish or the hamster for several days. At the same time, he sits for days at the aquarium, watching the fish, and plays with the hamster, takes it in his arms. At the same time, she still composes a lot, draws comics, writes fairy tales, tries to write poetry. There are many more things to describe. I understand that my child has such a pathological personality type. And educational measures are ineffective here. Information about such children comes from everywhere (it seems they are also called indigo), maybe not only gaming is the reason for this?

Lyudmila, age: 35 / 09/10/2012

I have accumulated here. =) I'm still a gamer. Started playing way back in 95, playing game legends like "Doom"," Duke Nukem 3D", "Fallout". Now I play no less bloodthirsty "Killing Floor", "Unreal Tournament 2004", etc. But with all this, I do not observe any irritability, anger, I distinguish where the game is, and where the reality and etc. Yes, I understand and regret that I wasted a lot of time and energy that I could have used for good, but I look at my peers and see: one went to jail, another drank himself, someone hanged himself , married-breeded-divorced, resulting in another orphan, I guess playing blood and cruel games I spit out the negative. After a couple of hours of wild meat kneading with friends against zombies - I'm the kindest person. I don't see conflicts or anything else. And my friends, with whom I often play, are also the nicest people. Previously, he was a member of the clan (team) of the game "Counter-Strike". Communicated, trained, discussed tactics and techniques of the game. Played against other clans. There was a team captain, whom everyone obeyed. He was much younger than me, but I obeyed him, because I knew and I know that without a respectful attitude towards my (and not only) clan members and good team play, there is no victory. Tournaments are also held not only local, but also on a global scale with a large prize fund . All this takes place at the level of, say, tennis tournaments. Broadcast on the Internet. There are idols and fans. These streams are watched by a large number of players who want to be "like Spawn" or whatever. In general, everything goes so that ordinary, uninterested residents do not notice anything. Now let's see what happens during the football championship. Drunk fans run the streets at night when everyone is sleeping (or in my case playing), making noise, burning cars and beating passers-by. So who's pissed off? I also believe that some games deserve to be enlisted in cultural values. Making a game is like art. Like movies. Let's say the same Half-Life, Fallout, Unreal, etc. They have a very elaborate and believable world, unique and charismatic characters, an excellent plot that is not inferior to well-known novels. Yes, sometimes quite even cruel art. But military science is also an art. I note that in the television and film industry there is more dirt, garbage, immorality than in games. Take at least the same "House 2", so beloved by our housewives. The kids don't watch it. This is disgusting to them. I will definitely introduce my children to the masterpieces of the world game industry. In my opinion, let the children play (under the control of their parents) than run around the street, drink yaga and smoke different kinds of kaku. As for the article - in some places it is true. It can be seen that the author is far from the world of computers and computer games. It was mentioned in the comments that "not all gamers are equally evil". Often this is the stupidity and unwillingness of parents to understand a new form of entertainment. The films have long been sorted out - you can watch this, but you can’t. But that's not the case with games. There are age ratings according to which you can decide whether to "feed" a child with such a product. ESRB, PEGI are called. the content is also indicated there: cruelty, an abundance of blood, obscene expressions. If you think that your child will take it normally, then you can not worry, but if he does not fall under the age limit or he is impressionable, etc., then it is better not to buy this for him. It is better to buy games for a child yourself, depending on age, psyche and interests. I note that children who do not play at all can feel rejected by their peers: they do not understand what others are talking about, the same ones believe (and they openly tell them) that they are backward from life. Therefore, they want to "be in the know" and can even play against their will, just not to be a stranger among their own. About shootings in US schools. They were positioned as events spurred on by games. Allegedly, these teenagers brought weapons and explosives to the school in order to kill their classmates and others under the influence of computer games. I advise you to watch the movie "Class". Or at least read about it. He is either Polish or Bulgarian. I do not remember. It is known that schools are secretly ruled by gangs, all kinds of groups. They crush children, "put on the counter", "squeeze out" money. There was a case in our school when a student was threatened to be killed if he did not bring 10 thousand rubles to the "starshaks". them on booze. The boy was frightened, stole this amount from his parents, but was caught. In the end, it all came to light. It turned out that he regularly paid them "tribute" for about a year and a half. And all this time, the parents did not know that their "son" every day is under pressure from high school students, either physically stronger or simply influential peers (authorities), and besides, teachers (guards) put pressure on them. There were also cases when children were "lowered" (what is it, just like in prison! o_O). And if the child does not withstand this pressure, then he can “break down” and bring weapons to school to get even. There is such a sad joke: - Let's try to understand the motives of the crime. Our suspect had abusive alcoholic parents, was bullied at school and constantly beaten, he loves guns, computer games, wrestling, alcohol and drugs. - Yeah! Computer games! IMHO, computers and computer games are not universal evil. There is irresponsible parenting.

KorteZZ, age: 05/24/2012

Very informative article, thanks.

Igor, age: 26 / 31.10.2011

I will allow myself two words as a person practicing transurfing. Firstly, all computer games take a person away from real life, this cannot be argued with. This "withdrawal" is fraught with very, very many problems, such as: failure to achieve one's goals, unawareness of oneself in one or another life situation. This is first. Secondly, pay attention: what are the most popular games today we have? In the social networks VKontakte is "Tyuryaga" - a game where you can feel like a real prisoner with all the attributes of a thieves' life and thieves' language. Our kids also tend to play "shooter games" where they only learn to kill each other. Take the game "Stalker" - the plot is based on a new disaster in the area of ​​​​the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, a zone has formed there and a civil war is in fact going on. Take "Counter Strike" - the players are divided into two teams and alternately kill each other. The game "Metro 2033" - deserted Moscow, radiation, mutants, the remnants of people are hiding in the subway. Is this what we want in the near future? There are games like "How to get a neighbor", where a young man in every possible way scoffs at his neighbor, dirty and klutzy. Or maybe it would be worth releasing a game in which he also re-educates a neighbor in a kind way? Why are the games of the GTA series, where you are given the role of the leader of a gang, where you have to kill, steal, distribute drugs, steal cars, are popular with us? Thoughts tend to become reality, thoughts and what we keep in our heads for a very long time. Think now before it's too late. Someone will say: "Here, we used to play war games, and nothing..." We played, after the civil war we got the Great Patriotic War, after the Second World War - Afghanistan, after Afghanistan Chechnya, maybe it's time to stop and start raising children in a different direction? I am not opposed to any constructive games, although they should not seriously lead a person away from reality. I myself am building the VKontakte metropolis, so I know what I'm talking about.

Wanderer, age: 26/14/04/2011

“A smart person learns from the mistakes of others, and only a fool learns from his own” What kind of stupidity? Conclusions\"smart \" people with high self-esteem. First of all, you need to learn from your mistakes, how else can you gain life experience? (So,\"smart \" is not mistaken, only looking for the shortcomings of others?) Elya, I agree, but the article is for those who are addicted. Ordinary (not addicted) people will only find advice.

Andrey, age: 17 / 23.02.2011

Hello, In my understanding, the author of the article, Tatyana Shishova, confused the cause with the effect. In order to become an alcoholic or a gambler, one must have an initial congenital or pathologically acquired predisposition to this. Not all people who use alcohol and even drugs, play games, become addicted. This is well described by the psychologist Vladimir Levy in the third edition of his book "The Art of Being Yourself". He\"addicted\" to drugs after the first painkiller injection, when he was in the hospital after the removal of appendicitis. Other patients in the ward experienced drug euphoria without these effects. I will be 47 in a few days. I bought my first computer 12 years ago. A month later I connected to the Internet. I have a moderate dependence on the computer, and on the Internet, and on games on it. My wife is 26 years old. She has a similar picture. This picture arose not because we overpowered ourselves, refusing trips to nature, from going to visit, or whatever else the gamer loses there. Initially, we did not enjoy the socially approved way of life. We initially had a predisposition to depression (to illness, not to a bad mood). I have hated nature for as long as I can remember. People like us need tools to create the "illusion of life". We cannot be cured or re-educated. I don't think gambling needs to be dealt with. It is advisable to learn to identify a predisposition to this condition and teach gamers to control their addiction. Gambling is a consequence of psychopathy, which cannot be cured. It can only be compensated. That is, you can only teach a psychopath to live more or less comfortably and safely with his peculiarity. I had to learn this myself. With great difficulty, but he received a good education, in his city he was the best in his profession. Trained his wife, now we work together. We buy as much money as we want and as much as we need. But I would have avoided very big troubles if I had not struggled with my personal characteristics, but immediately learned to live with them. Those who wish to discuss this topic further can write to me. Email indicated.

Vitaly Ivanovich, age: 47 / 06/30/2010

They turned it around somehow ... to see the president in the person of a nerd-gamer veteran of WOW., this is probably my nightmare ... although it won’t hurt many people to get out of the house more often ... as a person who served in the GRU special forces, it’s always fun to read discussions of shooting from the virtual\"Vintorez\"...since they are talking about the Internet as a universal evil, I would ban dating sites, because they lead to personality degradation, inflated self-esteem of both sexes, and loss of sociability in real life...I agree with Vadim 26 years old / about the zombie man ...

Valery, age: 20 / 30.05.2010

The article, unfortunately, is amateurish and here the very first comment in the topic is much more logical and reasoned. A person who is not personally familiar with computer games will never be able to write a correct article. In addition, the beginning is about a psychologist ... You know, if a child is brought to a psychologist with this problem, then this is really a very neglected case. There are already hundreds of millions of gamers, people who really need a psychologist 2-3% of them. Yes, gamers are quite different from people who, so to speak, of the previous generation. But usually this very last generation simply does not want to sanely and seriously understand gamers. And as a result, tearing out of the book begins with the original meaning inherent in them being clearly distorted. For example, take a piece with the Sims. Why did the author of the article decide that the game instills that gays are normal? Did you think of it yourself? On the contrary, the restriction of the game, which does not allow gays to marry, is wonderful, just to show that this cannot be done because it is not normal!!! And now let's turn on MTV, one of the most popular channels for today's youth. There is such a wonderful program where a girl chooses a couple for herself, BUT she chooses from people of BOTH sexes! Or another show where from a bunch of men a girl was looking for a normal one, the rest were gays. And knowing the love of our television to steal ideas for programs from the West, we will soon have this. So the number 1 evil in life is TV. As it is still called today\"zomboyaschik \", it is through him that distorted, dirty ideals are invested in the first place. Secondly, the Internet. That's where there is such an amount of uncensored dirt that a person with a fragile psyche will have severe stress. And youth magazines are something, I read a couple for interest. If a person takes this seriously, he will be a degenerate. And games (with a few exceptions, of course) are harmless enough for people with a healthy psyche, so you don’t have to expose them as universal evil. Games are a great way to relieve stress if they are not abused.

Vadim, age: 05/26/2010

Elya, I don’t know as a gamer, but a person who sometimes plays computer games, of course, can be normal. This is too obvious to write an article on this topic. Take and write. Okay, let's publish it. Only with arguments, with a story about a specific normal gamer and his certificate from a psychiatrist :)

Admin, age: ** / 10/13/2009

and you call yourself realists?! Where AT LEAST ONE article that gamers can be normal people? You are not realists, but maximalists. Argument your TK. I won't because I don't want to get into a pointless discussion.

Elya, age: I won't tell / 10/13/2009

If you do not educate the child, do not communicate with him, but put him at the computer so that the child does not interfere, then the output is like rz and the situation is as described in the article. Parents simply shift the problem of raising a child from their shoulders to computer games, and then complain why the child does not appreciate them, but spends all the time at the computer or game console. Do not confuse cause and effect, the child behaves within the framework set by the parents, and if the parents do not care about the child, then this does not end well.

Alexander, age: 35/08/28/2009

The article is good and helpful. Unfortunately, some fragments spoil it. In particular, this one: “And the psychological background of the “orange revolutions” became clearer to me. After all, unlike the “velvet” ones, they are somehow meaningless .... What kind of freedom and “independence” did the Ukrainians who gathered on the Maidan lack?” Dear Tatyana. When asking a rhetorical question, it is best to try to get an answer to it. Which, indeed, lies in the field of psychology, but not "gaming", but archetypal. The people of Kiev, with whom I spoke - quite adult people, fathers of families, explained to me that a significant part of their acquaintances came to the Maidan not in support of the "orange", but out of unwillingness to see Yanukovych as the president of the country. The person had two convictions, and under the article "hooliganism". No sane political consultant would ever advise such a figure to go to the polls. Therefore, the dubious victory of Yanukovych was explained by the weakness and mediocrity of his opponent, Yushchenko. When a man who wrote in his autobiography that he was a “professor”, a man with a criminal past, appeared on the threshold of power in a city, certainly a cultural one, not only teenagers, but also many adults were indignant at this. Hence the Maidan. Apart from this, I repeat, the article is useful.

Michael. St. Petersburg, age: 40 / 04/10/2009

Do not worry so much - this is the usual conflict of generations, as in Dostoevsky\"Fathers and Sons \" do not understand each other. It has always been so! Some of the statements of the authors of the book\"Finished out...\" hit right on the mark. For example, the ability of gamers to take risks and the high need for leadership. In general, all people love to play and be\"bumps \" in science or business whether it does not matter. It's just that gamers have these needs inflated at times + there is no patience and endurance. Hence the desire to quickly become an important person. And in a computer game, this can be done the fastest: in a couple of months or even hours! I admit that I have a high passion for computer games. But I see harm from computer games not in the\"corruption of the younger generation\". And that instead of playing in the real world, people spend their strength, health, time on the implementation of virtual successes. They become virtually rich, virtually successful and virtually recognized, instead of becoming so in reality. I think the sooner a generation of gamers starts playing in real life, the better. Let them not waste their energy on computer monsters, but try themselves in reality. I hope that over time, many\"overload \" on reality and begin to make progress here. That is what needs to be worked on. Your article reminded me of the Soviet ones about the dangers of masturbation. When\"smart uncles and aunts \" wrote to me, still fragile body, that masturbation destroys the personality, increases irritability, and in general, if abused, will be fatal! In short, complete nonsense. I know that deaths from exhaustion playing computer games are a reality, but not a pattern. I admit that at one time I went crazy with toys and now I’m going, although I’m already an adult uncle. I try not to play, but to spend my energy in real life. And I want a generation of gamers to do the same as me. I stopped playing in a fictional world and began to play in the real one. Look at the dictators - they play their soldiers, but these are not computer bots, but real people. You won't be able to play like this with a generation of gamers, because they don't want to be bots, soldiers, they don't recognize authorities. With gamers, you can only negotiate on mutually beneficial terms. This is the only way gamers will play as a team - a thoughtless order will not work here. It's like trying to give orders to a group of leaders. It will be like peas against the wall. My son went even further than me :-) If my parents could spank me with a belt, then with my son the orderly tone will not work. We have to negotiate, improve in order to be an example and a real leader in the family, and not just in words. Physical strength, order and authority no longer work for the new generation. Only real skills and abilities are able to prove to their children that their parents are more experienced and skilled. And, of course, it is necessary to limit the number of hours at the computer until it grows up and decides for itself how to continue to live. Only it is necessary to press not with bare authority, but to go to the trick and make sure that the child himself decides not to sit too much at the computer. Because there is nothing stronger than inner convictions. Like this :) All the best!

(Alexander Olikevich, industrial inventor, father of three)
Who is playing who? ( Georgy Mayorov)
The enemy is within us Mikhail Bero, MD)

The computer is not a toy for children.

And the textbook and simulator - something like this you can continue the phrase written in the title. In fact, you, dear mothers and fathers, are not going to fence off your child with a Chinese wall from the achievements of modern civilization, which include the computer. Only this achievement should be used exclusively for pedagogical purposes, that is, wisely and under strict parental control. Otherwise, the computer will harm the child.

By the way, we are talking about computer games.. The child learns the world around him in the game. Therefore, there is nothing surprising and terrible in the fact that he is drawn to play on the computer. The task of parents is to use this craving for the benefit of the intellectual development of their child and not at the same time cause irreparable harm to his health and psyche. So let's weigh all the pros and cons.

The arguments against computer games are simple. Firstly, they take away precious time, which is better spent with a book in hand or in the fresh air. Secondly, different shooters and scarecrows develop aggressiveness. A teenager who is carried away by them often shows unmotivated cruelty, ceases to distinguish the line between good and evil, well, let alone psychological dependence on a computer, when they spend day and night on it - a day away - written and rewritten, and the number of such addicts does not decrease. Thirdly, sitting at a computer adds work to ophthalmologists. And not only to them - pediatricians, psychiatrists and neuropathologists repeat about the dangers of computer vigils.

Arguments for. Harm is obtained if the measure is not observed. If you work at the computer according to the rules, the benefits will be enormous. Computer "toys" develop logic, resourcefulness, non-standard thinking. Thanks to the computer, the child discovers new qualities in himself, learns to think creatively. The computer is now increasingly used to prepare the child for school. It develops the ability to analyze, attention, visual memory, with its help you can teach a child to read and write, draw, count, etc.

Computer games and programs are designed in such a way that the child is involuntarily forced to adjust his actions depending on the situation.. Thanks to computer games, the child gets a generalized idea of ​​similar situations or objects. Thus, he learns to generalize and classify, begins to think without relying on external objects. And this is the ability to read “to yourself” and count in your mind. The achievements of children in computer games are immediately evaluated by their peers, which increases self-esteem and adds confidence.

And finally, by practicing with the keyboard and mouse, the child develops fine motor skills. and coordinates the activities of the eyes and hands. At the same time perseverance develops. On the computer, the kid is engaged with pleasure, because no child will perceive computer games as an activity.

But, as we have already said, it is important not to overdo it here.. Listen to the advice of doctors, and you will immediately understand how to play on the computer. A 5-6-year-old kid can spend no more than 10-15 minutes at the computer. After that, you need to rest. If a child has vision problems, he should only work on a computer with glasses. Make sure you have good lighting in your work area. The light should not fall on the screen and shine directly into the eyes. The distance from children's eyes to the monitor should be at least 50-70 cm.

Hands should be at elbow level, and wrists should be at the edge of the table(on the base plate). Do not forget about walking, playing sports. Never allow your child to eat or drink at the computer. After class, wash your child with cool water or wipe his face with a damp cloth.

What to play. Games should be chosen with children's perception in mind. The easiest thing for children to perceive is a large color still image with sound. With the smallest, you can safely view photographs and pictures on a computer, accompanied by narration. When drawing on a computer, a child strains his eyesight very much. And that means he's stressing himself. The same can be said about reading text from the screen. Harmful: moving on high speed picture and small details.

Well, in order not to get into a mess, choose the right game and not hit the face in front of the children in the dirt, it would not be bad for parents to understand what computer games are and what the name of their genre means. Adventure (adventure) are usually made out as a cartoon, sitting at the computer can control the action. Arising problems are solved with the help of finds - items that the character finds, overcoming different levels of the game. Here, a balance is important between the complexity of the tasks that arise and the capabilities of the child. If the tasks are too simple, the game will end too quickly, the child will not get satisfaction from overcoming obstacles. If, on the contrary, everything is too difficult, the kid will lose interest in the game.

The strategy involves management. Troops, factories, minerals - it is not so important, it is important that at the same time something needs to be planned and monitored for the current situation. The goal is to score points or win something. These are enough challenging games develop perseverance, train thinking for the future.

Arcade games split into levels, the reward and the goal is to advance to the next episode or mission. Here the player scores points and bonuses (for example, lives) for finding secret doors, passing speed, etc. In such games, the eye, attention, reaction speed are trained. But they can be recommended to preschoolers only if parents keep track of the time. Role-playing games involve many characters, each of which has its own role. Together, the heroes must find a treasure, treasure or learn a spell. And on the way to the goal, you need to overcome pests and overcome a lot of obstacles. The child must learn how to use the characters correctly.

3D-Action is zatyukannye and overplayed by all yell-shooter-killer. Special effects, three-dimensional graphics create the effect of presence, which, in principle, is dangerous for a fragile child's psyche. The child will not learn anything new from them, unless he develops the motor skills of his hands. But, honestly, you can develop motor skills using less costly methods for the psyche and health. In general, there is little benefit from them, but the harm is obvious. Including from the point of view of morality.

Logical games- it's a puzzle. The main thing is that they are accessible to the child. Here you will find puzzles for rearranging figures, drawing up a drawing, and solving some simple puzzles like “find the extra”. With their help, they teach children counting, reading, writing and other wisdom. And at the same time they train logical thinking, memory, motor skills and other qualities necessary in this life.

Simulators usually explain what is it that they simulate or imitate. These can be simulators of sailing or modern ships, cars, spaceships, airplanes, helicopters, whatever you want. The desire of the child to sit behind the wheel and control the complex mechanism, manufacturing companies have learned to take into account "excellently". What is good, the responses are almost the same as in reality. Even the smallest details are respected. And the child gradually begins to understand: he sharply turned the steering wheel - the car spun in place, if you want to turn to the right, then turn the steering wheel there too, but do not forget to return it to its previous position in time. Reaction speed is what such games bring up. Not bad, right?

Conclusions? Simple. The genre of the game must be chosen in accordance with the temperament and capabilities of the child. Some people like calm games, others - dynamic ones. Focus on research content, developing component. During the game, the kid should take the initiative, try to solve problems that arise, analyze the situation, and draw conclusions. Keep a close eye on the time. Rules first! And keep in mind: the more active and intense the rhythm of the game, the less time it should last. But you can not interrupt the game before the child completes the episode. The proverb “finished business - walk boldly” has not yet been canceled. In addition, the child must get up from the computer with the consciousness of a successfully completed task.

Unobtrusively, but persistently bring to the attention and consciousness of the baby: the computer is good, but not to the detriment of other activities: sleep, food, walking, sports, reading books, etc. The more firmly this is learned, the calmer you will be when the child grows up and adults can no longer control him inside and out. And - most importantly: the computer and communication with its help play only an auxiliary role. The real world is much more complex than virtual reality. Therefore, do not forget to introduce the baby to the real world, let the baby actively communicate with peers, and the computer will be just one of his hobbies.

Today we will talk about the impact of computer games on children. Today you often hear complaints from many parents: “My child sits at the computer all day long, you can’t pull it out with a crane!”

Or: “And what did he find in these toys? It would be better if he gave so much energy to study. Other moms and dads, on the contrary, are only happy about such a hobby for the child: “At least they don’t hang out on the streets, anything is better than alcohol or, God forbid, drugs!”

In third families, children generally treat computer “troubles” with the calmness of a mammoth: they say, they will go crazy and return to normal life. So who is right anyway? So let's try to figure it out together.

And we argue, you won’t fight?

Larisa, 36 years old, doctor

Computer games are evil! Honestly, if I were a deeply religious person, I would say in all seriousness that this abomination was brought into our world by the devil. It’s not enough for us to have real wars and all sorts of local conflicts, now virtual ones have also appeared! Think for yourself what it sounds like for a mother when a child boasts at dinner with a full mouth: “Mom, today I soaked such a bunch of ghouls, it’s very nice!” Personally, such statements just give me the creeps. Who after these "shooters" can grow out of my son - the new Chikatilo? Bin Laden? No, quit!

Dmitry, 42 years old, journalist

For some reason, many people believe that computer games, the same shooters and action games (“shooters” - for those who are not in the know), make our children unnecessarily aggressive. And in my opinion, it's quite the opposite. Killed several enemies, relieved tension - and the mood was restored. It is not in vain that in Japan they once invented a way to relieve stress - to beat the doll of their boss. Or, for example, this is what Stephen King, the famous "king of horrors" says: they say, I will be offended by another review of critics, I will come home, I will see a couple of old women on the monitor -
and life becomes beautiful again!

A joke, of course, but in every joke, as you know, there is some truth. So, in my opinion, the “shooters” spat on by everyone contribute, among other things, to appeasement nervous system. In certain situations, of course.

Stanislav, 37 years old, manager

To say that computer games pave the way to hell is a clear exaggeration. There are three points to be considered here. First, a lot depends on the parents. Why not keep track of what your son or daughter is playing? You don't let them watch porn videos, do you? This is where control is needed. Secondly, the character and type of temperament of the child plays an important role. Phlegmatic - one thing, choleric - another.

In general, to each his own, as they say. And thirdly, computer games do not consist of only shooters. There are many logic games. Yes, and the same Quests, "walkers" can bring considerable benefits, developing both logical and, in some way, spatial thinking. So I'm all for it.

Alexey, 31 years old, car mechanic

I don't understand my son. He sits in front of the monitor all day long. And it would be fine to do business - after all, on the Internet now not only useful information search, but you can earn real money. And the guy has only one game on his mind. I explained to him, explained that no matter how many monsters you kill with a rifle, you still won’t become a champion in bullet shooting. And the same story with massacre: put at least a hundred fighters on the monitor at once, in a dark alley a half-dead drug addict will rob you - if instead of playing sports you stare at the screen all day long. Zero attention!

True, some benefit from the stupid box has recently nevertheless formed: the kid became interested in iron. He digs into this system unit of his, changes the details, and even cleans something. But, actually, this has nothing to do with computer games ...

Zhanna, 37 years old, teacher

As with any situation, there are pluses and minuses here. Develop thinking? Yes. Ruin your eyesight? Undoubtedly - in case of non-compliance with the elementary rules of working behind the monitor. Develop a reaction? The fluff is complete! Yes, you will undoubtedly learn how to move the mouse quickly, but so what? The real reaction is developed not by games, but by normal physical training, the same martial arts, by the way.

I think the whole point here is how to turn the minuses into pluses. And this is the task of parents. For example, having noticed that my son in games is most attracted by the quality and originality of graphics, I sent him to computer design courses. Now he dreams, when he grows up, to develop computer games himself. And I don't think there's anything wrong with that.

The opinion of psychologists about computer games

In general, everything is as usual: how many people, so many opinions. However, by and large, here the opinions of parents were divided strictly into two positions: for and against. What is most interesting, among psychologists, there is also no unambiguous answer to the question: are computer games harmful in the end or do they still bring some benefit? Therefore, we present, in our opinion, one of the most democratic opinions.

According to some child psychologists, computer games may well perform an educational function - but not all, but only some of them. "Correct" games are designed in such a way that the child can imagine not just one specific situation, but also automatically form a generalized idea of ​​all similar situations or objects. That is, the cub will develop such important components of logical thinking as generalization and classification.

In addition, computer games facilitate the process of learning to count or read to yourself. The memory and attention of the child improve, intelligence and motor skills develop. Educational computer games for children from 3 to 15 years old (or older) are very useful in learning foreign languages ​​and mathematics. And, as strange as it sounds, simulation games (for example, you in the role of an airplane pilot) can help with the development of certain skills. For example, such as driving a car.

However, as it always happens, there is always a “BUT”. And here it is quite simple: in no case should you forget about certain norms. Experts, not without good reason, believe that prolonged communication with a computer adversely affects the physical and mental health of children. Therefore, you need to follow the elementary rules, which, if they do not protect the child completely, then at least minimize the negative impact of the computer.

So…

1. Parents should monitor the content of the children's games. Any violence and cruelty, of course, should be excluded.
2. Never skimp on buying a good monitor. Now the best thing is a quality LCD monitor.
3. Organize your workspace properly. The child should sit on a chair with a back no closer than 60-70 cm from the display. Houseplants, constant ventilation, an ionizer and a humidifier are useful indoors.

And of course, there is a time limit. It is better not to let a kid under five years old to the computer at all. Until the age of seven, a child should not spend more than half an hour a day at the monitor. From 7 to 12 years old - no more than an hour daily. And from 12 to 16 - no longer than two hours. Classes at the computer are strongly recommended to alternate with physical exercises and special exercises for the eyes.

In our age when spaceships plow not only open spaces Bolshoi Theater, and computers are implanted directly into the human body, it is difficult to protect a small member of society from getting to know various gadgets and using them. The most attractive area for children is computer games. Of course, the situation largely depends on the position of the parents in this matter. Here you can meet with a reaction from a strict ban to active encouragement.

What games are offered for children on the Internet

Many sites offer educational games for toddlers 3-4 years old, using the same familiar concepts with subject sets, such as coloring books, puzzles, pyramids, cubes, etc. It should be noted that in the game with real objects, the child develops not only his color perception, thinking, logic, which can be successfully helped by a computer game, but also fine motor skills, coordination of movements, spatial imagination. He sees not a flat image of the pyramid to be assembled, but the object itself in space. Work on coloring, drawing, collecting puzzles teaches thoroughness, perseverance, a sense of time that needs to be spent to get the result.

Children aged 5-7 years old are attracted to more complex "shooters", "walkers", arcades, various simulators, quests and others.

Getting used to the computer from an early age, the child receives a kind of “crutch”, without which it will be difficult for him to move in his later life. After all, he will not be able to understand what he is capable of in real life, with real objects, if he will learn the world only by pressing a button.

Allow or Deny

Researchers have identified several criteria for and against computer games for children. We note the main negative points of this enthusiasm:

1. Separation of the child from reality. In the virtual world, it is not necessary to make laborious efforts to achieve any goal, everything is decided by pressing a button. This simplicity often provokes a child, especially if he cannot realize himself in the real world, to go into an imaginary world.

2.Gambling. Unfulfillment in society, receiving positive emotions by a child as a reinforcement of his virtual achievements is often the cause of gambling addiction.

3. Problems of communication with others. When dealing with invented characters, the child often does not understand what emotions people experience in certain situations, which leads him to disorientation in society and a lack of empathy and compassion.

4. Uneven psychophysiological development of the sense organs. For example, with excessive enthusiasm for bright computer images, the sphere of perception of auditory signals suffers. It becomes difficult for the child to perceive various kinds of instructions by ear, which can adversely affect further education at school.

5. Neurological problems. Excessive overexcitation of a fragile children's nervous system can lead to disruption of the deep phases of sleep, thereby depriving the body of proper rest. In addition to the problems noted, there may be underdevelopment of speech, poor concentration, aggressive behavior.

But it must be admitted that along with negative aspects, positive trends in children's enthusiasm for computer games can also be noted. Thanks to colorful computer images, the perception of the color and shape of objects develops. Logic games stimulate the mental abilities of children, increasing intelligence, train attention and teach the basics of behavioral strategies. For example, in 2014, Microsoft certified an unusual specialist in computer technology. A month before turning six years old, Ayan Qureshi successfully passed the qualifying exam. From the age of three, Ayan's passion for computers was instilled by his father, who is engaged in IT consulting.

So is it good or bad?

We can summarize the advice of experts on the issue of whether it is worth allowing preschoolers to play computer games. First, it is worth assessing the health of your child and preventing the possibility of aggravating the problem, if it already exists. Secondly, careful control is needed in the choice of the game itself so that it meets the age criteria and benefits development. Thirdly, to monitor the emotional component of the child's behavior, not allowing him to escape from reality. Warning signals will be aggression or a state of depression if the child is not allowed to communicate with the computer. The desire to quickly redo all the cases in order to return to the monitor. Lack of interest in live communication and real gaming activity. Fourth, the optimal playing time on average should be ten minutes.

Well, parents really face a difficult choice in making a decision. An alternative replacement for computer games is the active involvement of the child in interesting activities. I wish you success!

We all know what computer games are. Either they played themselves, or they saw how others play. Many children play. Many people play at work to kill time. Games are divided by genre, but are divided mainly into online and offline games. Online games are games that can only be played over the Internet. Off-line - these are games that you can play with a simple installation on your own computer.
There are fans of both off-line games and online. And there are opponents of computer games as a matter of principle.
So about the dangers and benefits of games.
The main harm that computer games can bring is damage to your eyesight and your stomach. Very often people who are fond of (and not only games) simply forget about rest and food. Hence various eating and sleep disorders. There may be irritability.
The benefit of computer games is that with their help you can improve your reflexes. Such as attention to detail, the ability to work in a team, increased reaction in dangerous conditions. Development of tactical and strategic abilities. The ability to calculate the situation. Some games develop the ability to organize and manage. Manage time - since many games require you to act within a strictly limited time.(1)
Types of computer games:
Action. This is what scares parents more than anything. Still not to be scared! In such games, there is a lot of blood, weapons, and the game is played from the first person. That is, it seems as if a person puts himself in the place of a hero. This is not entirely true. Or rather, not at all. Our subconscious is not ready to perceive the image on the computer as real. Therefore, combining the image with real person not happening. A person perceives the hero as what he could be if he were in such conditions.
Simply put, the same thing happens when we read a book. After all, everyone willy-nilly put themselves in the place of the protagonist. Especially if the story is in first person. No one has yet gone to shoot people just because in the book he read, the main character does just that. Therefore, do not be afraid that the child will go to wet everyone right and left, playing action games. Only people with an already damaged psyche are capable of this.
But the benefit of the action is clearly there. The child develops attention, speed of reaction, speed of thinking. After all, in these games you need to make the right decisions very quickly. In addition, many action games have already become sports games. And virtual sports are also sports. It is a pity that he does not develop the body, and the computer spoils the eyesight, but still these are not drugs.
Simulators. Perhaps this is one of the most popular genres of computer games. The secret of its popularity lies in its diversity. After all, anything can be simulated. You can be both an airplane pilot and a god. A separate type of simulators is sports. Any sport - football, volleyball, snowboarding, hockey - whatever your heart desires.
The advantage of this genre is that all similar games more or less educational. Some training programs are built on the basis of simulators. For example, if you want to learn English. You find a game where the protagonist is Russian, ends up in England, and there, starting from the basics, learns the language in order to get used to this world. The benefits, in my opinion, are tangible. Especially if you play with sound.
Strategies. This genre is also very popular. Especially among the male half. Even very adult uncles, sitting in their office, often play these games. Here you need to think, and think from above - at the level of the head of the city, army, state or even the whole planet. You can think step by step, or you can think in real time. Step by step is easier, because you take turns thinking with a computer. In the second case, there is no time for reflection. Otherwise, while you are thinking, the computer will already do everything. Great workout trainer strategic thinking.
Role-playing games. The good thing is that the hero develops during the game, accumulates various necessary items and generally grows in the eyes of others. Usually role-playing games have a fantasy plot. You can choose different heroes. Basically it is a priest, a thief, a magician and a knight. The development of the player determines himself. You can be good, you can be bad, you can do tasks, you can not do them. Complete freedom of choice.
What is a good game for a teenager? The whole point is that if you choose the path of evil, then the game becomes much more complicated. Accordingly, the conclusion is made: it is easier to be kind and good than to be evil and very bad.
And finally, quests. Meticulous and scrupulous people specialize in them. Those who love to think. Real time does not matter, the main thing in these games is not to miss anything. They are mostly detective stories. Solving the problem in quests with a swoop will not work. Their benefits are obvious. Logical thinking, attention develops, and memory, perseverance, and at the same time patience are trained (2).
In our time of highly developed technologies, when the computer has become a public and necessary element of everyday life, the question arises of its impact on humans. Is it beneficial or negative? This issue becomes especially acute when it comes to the impact of computer games on children, since it is games that persistently crowd out all other activities from the children's world.
The answer to this question cannot be unambiguous, because even useful and vital things can become dangerous... The same can happen with computer technology especially with computer games.
Remember, first there were simple games created for fun and relaxation. They developed attention, speed of reaction. Growing up, the child began to be interested in more complex - mind games. So, the passage of labyrinths can be a good mental training that develops logical thinking. They were replaced by more complex games - strategic (strategy), they were already significantly different from the previous ones, since they simulated the reality in which the player was. Rather, they set the path to follow, creating this reality on their own. Based on the name, we can say that such games teach planning, develop analytical thinking well.
Therefore, children playing computer games are broad-minded: they have a well-developed idea of ​​the world around them, and it is more in line with the worldview of adults. Such "computer-smart" children are usually ahead of their peers in mental development, easier to learn educational material, confident in their knowledge.
However, there is also a negative side of passion for computer games. This is when cyberspace becomes a reality of life for a child. This is especially pronounced when the child experiences socially unsuccessful contacts and plunges into the game world, where he feels himself the master of the situation. It is in this ghostly world that the feeling or anticipation of victory increases self-esteem, compensates for low self-esteem and shapes behavior when the only meaning of life is the pleasure of gaming sessions. Thus, "computer or game addiction" is developed.
Such a disease can be characterized as an excessive passion for computer games for the sake of avoiding reality, which leads to qualitative changes in the personality - the social, professional, material and family values ​​of a person are deformed.
Particularly dangerous in terms of acquiring addiction role-playing computer games (RPG - role playing games), where the player (gamer) takes the role of a computer character. Virtual reality forms the unreal world of a computer game, develops the effect of "presence". There is what can be called "Ego-disintegration" into "I am virtual" and "I am real". Such games undermine the mental state and can radically change the idea of ​​yourself and the world around you. All this contributes to the growth of anxiety and disharmony.
There is an opinion that some computer games, in particular, military strategies and "shooters", which were originally created to develop special skills in the military, form cruelty. Much research has been done on this subject to support this view. On the one hand, they help the release of aggression and negative emotions to the outside, on the other hand, on the contrary, they form certain negative stereotypes of behavior. And they even influence the psyche more strongly than militants.
And if while watching an action movie the child only follows the events taking place on the screen, worries about the characters, tries on their roles, then during the game this happens “interactively”: that is, the player, taking the role of a character, plunges into his world and on time becomes that character. Thinking or acting on behalf of the hero, he brings this experience into real life. Another feature of the game is that the heroes are "immortal": every time after they were destroyed, they come to life again and again, and the number of their lives is infinite. This fact inevitably affects the perception of the value of life, removes the boundary between life and death and develops a propensity for life-threatening behavior.
That is why the problem of computer addiction and the influence of computer games is very relevant. Therefore, when buying a game disc for your children, think carefully and, if you still decide to give such a gift, carefully consider the essence and purpose of this game (3).
How to protect your child from computer-gaming addiction
If we talk about children, then the parents themselves are able to protect their child from this disease. To do this, it is necessary to give the baby as much attention as possible, to attach to culture and sports, so that he does not seek to fill his free time with computer games. If the child prefers to shoot virtual monsters instead of knitting or swimming, do not be angry with him and in no case forbid him to play. Prohibitions here do not work for good, only aggravating the desire of the child to plunge into the "forbidden" computer world. It makes sense to limit access to games with violence and cruelty, and instead offer a "computer alternative" - ​​instructive toys that broaden one's horizons. It is necessary to help the child learn from the very beginning that there is a game and there is reality, that despite the interesting virtual world, there are still real friends and hobbies. Try to occupy it with something else besides the computer. Don't like chess and gymnastics? Take him to dance or draw, something the child will definitely like, and he will spend less time at the computer. In any case, the child definitely needs to feel your love and care, be sure that he will be understood and supported. Then he will have less reason to move away from you, "hanging" in virtual reality.
In addition to universal means - understanding and care - herbal remedies that reduce the excitability of the nervous system and positively affect the functioning of the brain help in the treatment of gambling addiction. Doctors recommend ginseng extract, preparations of Rhodiola rosea, oregano and a number of other herbs known since the time of great-grandmothers. You also need a vitamin complex. Specifically, for people who spend a long time at the computer, preparations with vitamins A, E and selenium are useful.
In any case, the best way to overcome gambling addiction is the desire of the gamer himself to start a "real" life. If a person wants to get rid of addiction to the computer and restricts access to it himself, no advice, no medicine, no help from psychologists will be needed (4).
Sources
1. Sadikova Diana. What are the benefits and harms of computer games? / electronic resource - [access mode]