Blogpost # 5: Video games in the Real World

You will not earn points by bumping others' cars. Street fighting does not involved fireballs. Princess cannot fly. You cannot have instant house by clicking the "Play" button. Lasers cannot slice or cut human. Toads do not talk. Plants do not shoot zombies. And most of all, people cannot live again after they died. See how the fantasy world or virtual word differ in the real world? 

We are the people who are confuse in the real world and go and find the way to the answers. In the virtual world, all answers will be reach easily so it will not be exciting. In virtual reality, we are the one who is controlling the situation. We want to jump out in the real world and go to the fantasy world where we replace the satisfaction of making discoveries by the joy of being in power.  

In this days, people are gradually missing their connection in the real world because of the satisfaction of what virtual reality can give. We can buy what we want in just one click and act in the identity of what characters we choose. It seems people lose their interest in the real world and want to stay in a fantasy. One of the examples of virtual reality is the video game which we are really enjoying because we can control the characters in the game. We can get what we want and we can have the power to unleash one's ability.  

As I researched through different articles about the reality and video games, I came up in a site named "Kotaku" with an article entitled "Please Stop Comparing Real Life To Video Games" written by Mike Fahey. In this article, the author stated that how people lived in this world with the influence of the video games. 

He began his article with a news about a fifteen-year old boy who was involved in a bank robbery as if he acted as one of the character in the video game he played. "It’s a bizarre, surreal case of a young man almost acting like a real-life action video game – nevertheless it was a robbery,’ the judge said." The psychologist suspected the game Grand Theft Auto which is the most and contains ultra violent storylines. 

Compiled by Chris Person are the articles from  news papers, comparing the real world events in video games seems to be the habit of the people. One of his compiled works quoted with these sentence, “Bicycling is not like a video game. You do not earn points for passing a certain number of riders, bravely challenging half-ton cars and many-ton trucks, riding through red lights, or scattering pedestrians”. 

I agree with this quotation above because as we can see, riders, not just bikers, are hurry and hasty in riding their motorcycles. They are like racing with each other as if they are racing with their death or with the grim reaper. They will not earn some point or coins just like Mario that every time he will pass the road there were coins scattered.

Another statement that he emphasize. When video games are like-real life. Actually, games did not invent crimes but it make the violent behavior of the child more aggressive like what happened on the fifteen year old boy. Bank robbery is common but because of what the child saw or played he will act like how the characters act.

Mike also stated how the real world can compare to virtual world . He cited an examples of having a little daughter who is cheese omelet is better than her mother's, like a video game. A man who sits in his car, listening to music for an hour, like he is playing video game. 

I want to conclude on his article that the players must be the one who control the game. They are the one who has power. Do not let the game characters controlled you. Do not let the game to influence you in the case that you need to hurt some one or to act as if they were you.

The other article that caught my attention is in the site called "The Real Truth" with an article entitled "Video Games: An Escape From Reality?" written by Jeffrey Davis. I stopped for a moment a think for the answer on his questions, "Is video game a paradise? "Why is society so wrapped up in them? What do studies and research show? Why are people so enthralled by these inventions, spending countless hours in front of a screen?"

For my answers in those questions above. I can tell that video game is a paradise for me because like what I had said on my previous posts, it is one of my stress reliever and it really entertains me. Computer games are not complaining if I had done wrong not like my mother who will shout at me. I can unleashed also my emotions to it like when I got angry because I cannot finish the game I will just throw the mouse. But if got angry with my friends I cannot throw them. For me, video games is really a wonderful world and creations. 

According to this article, games have rules but no laws. Rules are just the mechanics of the games but laws are the 'do's' and 'don'ts' written on the books. Laws are just for real world. Go ahead, kill them, rob a bank, steal a car, shoot the innocent, and no one cares. 

The author also answered his questions above.  "Why is society so wrapped up in them?" It is because people were escaping from stress. For many people, the world of video games is a perfect break from a reality filled with deadlines, stress and responsibilities.  Video game is one way to free themselves from pressure and tension and t gives them relaxation and fun. Also for the sports lover, game gives passion for them as they played baseball, basketball, volleyball and other sports related video games.

People also looks for social lives. The video games of today can be compared to the board games of previous generations. People once played board games as a form of social interaction. These games were generally a way of learning about and getting closer to family, friends or even dates. It was an opportunity to spend time with people and learn about how they thought. Board games offered a chance to socialize, stimulate the mind and enjoy interesting conversation. Human beings need this type of innocent social interaction. People were designed to engage with—talk to—each other.

Player can also choose on what will be the characteristics or appearance of their characters in the game they played. For psychologists, video game is one way we use to fulfill what we do not have. Video games doe not need your appearance of the real player but the appearance of the character. 

To sum up all these things, video games do not intend to hurt someone. But it intend to provoke someone to do some violence. In other words, we, people have the mind, the computer only had programs. It is in us if we will really become aggressive. Another is do not wish for the perfect world which all things are controlled by you because the importance of fun and adventure will be ignored. Last know the differences between the virtual world and the reality because in the end, if you are hoping to be in virtual it will be hard for you to cope up in the real world.