The Life Skills That Computer Games Teach

What is a problem? What is an error? For many people problems and errors are obstacles which are in their way and which prevent them from being able to complete certain task. Those people who play computer gamers however tend to look at problems and errors not so much as obstacles as opportunities. Computer games by their very nature regularly put obstacles and traps in the way of the player and players accept that they will regularly face problems which they will need to overcome in order to progress through the rest of the game.

It is this alternative way of looking at problems as opportunities rather than as obstacles which has led many people to believe that playing such computer games actually provides valuable opportunities for computer gamers and video gamers to develop their life skills for the real world, and become people better adapted at dealing with the inevitable flood of obstacles and issues in their way. The argument is that someone who plays a computer game is more likely to look at a problem in their own life, or a mistake that they may have made, as an opportunity to develop, learn, and get it right next time, whereas non gamers are, perhaps, on the whole more likely to simply see an obstacle, and ignore it, or just stop whatever project they're on, or enlist extra help.

This is, naturally, a gross exaggeration, and there are many people in the world today who are highly successful, and very well suited to the real world and all its problems and obstacles, but who have never touched a computer game. Of course, real life is the best practice one could possibly get for real life, and no matter how realistic and well programmed a computer game is, it is still a mere echo of the world it represents, and the life skills taught and the lessons learnt within that world will, themselves, be an echo of the skills real life will teach you.

However, the essential point to this is that, rather than simply being a leisure activity which wastes time, or is no good except for its own purpose, there is some merit in playing games, and in some cases they may have more to teach us than we currently realise. There are very much two distinct camps discussing this issue - those who are deeply in to playing video games and computer games, and those either opposed to them, or with little interest in them. Many gamers argue the benefits of games, and many non gamers argue that games are a complete waste of time. As with most arguments, both sides have valid truths in their cases, but at the same time, both sides are exaggerating their own case whilst belittling that of the opposing party.

Once we are able to put aside the essential differences and prejudices, we may find that not only do some interesting studies and understandings develop, but that the future of gaming may be influenced in such a way that valuable lessons for life and specifically introduced or developed further.