New Economist article on video games "Breeding Evil?

[GameNinja]

I was in the airport when I walked by one of the newsstands and this issue of The Economist caught my eye. It was titled "Breeding Evil?" and it is about how although video games are often blamed for making children violent, etc. research shows that it really might not be the case. They also describe how it can heighten creativity and such. I didn't get to finsih the article, but it seemed like an interesting read. Has anybody here read it? Thoughts? Opinions?

link to economist website: http://www.economist.com/printedition/

I apologize if this is in the wrong forum or has been posted before, a search came up with no results.

[IntvGene]

Here are some selected quotes from two articles from the magazine:

"Attitudes towards gaming depend to a great extent on age. In America, for example, half of the population plays computer or video games. However most players are under 40—according to Nielsen, a market-research firm, 76% of them—while most critics of gaming are over 40. An entire generation that began gaming as children has kept playing. The average age of American gamers is 30."

"The problem-solving mechanic that underlies most games is like the 90% of an iceberg below the waterline—invisible to non-gamers."

"For the time being, however, the demographic divide persists, and it does much to explain the polarisation of opinion over gaming and, in particular, worries about violence. It also provides the answer to a question that is often asked about gaming: when will it become a truly mainstream form of entertainment? It already is among the under-40s, but will probably never achieve mainstream status among older people."

"Eventually, objections to new media resolve themselves, as the young grow up and the old die out. As today's gamers grow older, video games will ultimately become just another medium, alongside books, music and films. And soon the greying gamers will start tut-tutting about some new evil threatening to destroy the younger generation's moral fibre."

The articles bring up some interesting points. Nothing too ground-breaking, and it hits and misses at some points. But, it does show how both sides, the gamers and the non-gamers view gaming, and the social problems/benefits associated with it. It's a pretty good read.

Anyway, let's hear some more opinions. Here's the link to the one article:
Economist Article: "Chasing the Dream" (http://www.economist.com/printedition/displayStory.cfm?Story_ID=4246109)

BTW, I can send people an online version of the other article (I'm a subscriber). If anyone's really interested (and too cheap to buy the magazine), PM their email address.

[Gamereviewgod]

Anyone know what stores carry this mag? I'd like to pick up a copy.

[WanganRunner]

Anyone know what stores carry this mag? I'd like to pick up a copy.

Anywhere worth it's salt.

The Economist is and has been one of the best, most credible magazines in the world when it comes to world events, world markets, etc...

It sounds like about what I'd expect out of them, very even-handed. They don't tend to let stuff get published until they've checked out both sides of the coin.

[squidblatt]

You can get it at any Barnes & Noble, Borders, B. Dalton, or Waldenbooks. If there is a newstand nearby, you can be sure they will have it.

[njiska]

Any Canadian stores carry it? I've heard of i, but never actually seen in on a shelf and this one certainly sounds like an issue worth owning.

[kevincure]

Yeah, every decent store should have it up in Canada. You can quite literally buy the Economist anywhere in the world - hotels and foreign language shops in the third world often have it, airports almost always have it, and any newsagent or chain book store will definitely carry it.

I thought they treated the issue quite well. Much better than the jaw-jaw tut-tut of most mainstream media.

[davepesc]

The Economist was required reading in a Global Politics class I had.

Hated the class, but I gained a lot of respect for The Economist.

[evildead2099]

Sounds a hell of a lot more credible than the shite that I've been reading in Time Magazine...