Obama: "Turn off the video games and pick up a book."

[Caiti Voltaire]

Do you really believe thats true? Wow... You're wrong, utterly and completely, but thats a very interesting view to have. Most video games are actually complete rubbish in terms of intellectual value, lets be honest. Early COD was a fun shooter, but you know what it wasn't? A good account of WW2. History books>Cod. But COD lets you shoot shit, so it passes the boredom test.

And thats all most games do really, is just pass time. Only the very greatest games leave any kind of lasting impact after they're done and they're in a tiny minority.

By contrast there are many, many fantastic(literally, world altering) books, written on all topics by masters and geniuses of their field, including most of the greatest minds of all time. Compared to that, video game writing looks like scribbles on toilet paper. Don't let your love of gaming cloud your thinking, most games are barely worth the discs they're made on in terms of changing your thinking and improving your mind.

Just as there are mindless pointless whiz-bangy shooty games, there are mindless pointless books that have the entertainment and intellectual value of complete tripe on a bike. Inversely, just as there are literary triumphs of books that are excellent reading material, so too are there triumphs of the art form in gaming that tell imaginative and intelligent stories. Planescape: Torment is a very thoughtful work, gameplay issues aside, for example.

Making sweeping blanket statements only dilutes the value of any conversation that could be had on the matter.

 

[Zhadramekel]

I quite happily balance video gaming and reading books pretty much equally. Job done.

 

[Radoh]

So video games don't act as fiction? When I read Great Gatsby, I think this is a worthwhile story, but I learn nothing from it. The thing about that is it's a required book in High School where I am from, so why read a book that offers nothing more than a nice story?

How are games in any way different from them? To be honest I find that a game can be a far more effective story than a book can be since there is little room to miss the scene being conveyed.
Games are more efficient story telling experiences than books, I see nothing wrong with them.

I dont think you or half the people in here understand why he is telling people to read books. I will give you a hint it is not for the story. It is because you are reading and by reading you are both expanding your vocabulary and your reading comprehension.

And what then, video games can't do that?
In the last oh say, eight years, I've been reading books and playing games.
In those eight years of books and games, I've learned more from video games in both vocabulary and reading comprehension. My writing skills have become far greater than ever before because of this site, which is dedicated to games. Not to mention of course, my reaction time has pretty much doubled, and my ability to think critically has also benefitted from them.

The bottom line is Obama is stuck on the idea that video games are bad and books are in every way better.
This old stigma is wrong and silly.

 

[gellert1984]

I read a lot and I play video games a lot, if I didnt have those I'd probably veg in front of the TV if I didnt have that I might get up and do something productive...or sleep 16hrs a day...

 

[Layzor]

I love how that article is sponsored by Rage.

 

[mattaui]

If only this was the dumbest thing he or his administration promoted, I'd be happy. It's probably one of the more sensible ones, really.

If you're the sort of person who reads and plays video games, he's clearly not talking to you. But I think we all know people who seem to go from bed to work/school (if that) to PC/console and then back to bed. It's not that they don't read, but have no other outlets of any kind, and they seem totally removed from the waking world except that which comes at them through a computer or TV screen.

If the President telling people to read, eat their veggies and be nice people has any impact, he should say it.

 

[the7ofswords]

How about pick up a controller and play WITH your kids?

AND read a book with them.

AND maybe take them out for a walk or go shoot some hoops, or something ... pass/kick a ball around, or whatever?

Games can be mentally stimulating. And many games (Wii/Kinect/Move) will give you some physical activity, too.

As a father, I think it's more important that I spend time with my children doing just about any activity, rather than simply telling them what I think they should be doing with their time.

 

[debossman21]

its seems like the whole entertainment industry makes video games its scapegoat. the president shuns video games yet allows shows like Jerry Springer, Maury, and a whole lot of other bullshit go around unchecked? he really needs to get his priorities straight.

 

[StereoMike]

I agree with the people talking about great things that have been done with books, but thats mostly because we've had thousands of years where books were essentially the only narrative medium. I don't think that makes them inherently a higher form of art. They are a higher form of art because far greater works have been created using the written word, but this does not make books by their very nature, a better medium. Both games and books have the potential to make great works of art, games just haven't done it yet.

There's a weird obssession with books in the western world. Nobody ever says "you should put down that novel and pick up a picasso!" but that would be really good advice.

 

[rembrandtqeinstein]

Hey prez, why not work on fixing the education system so that it isn't actively causing kids to hate learning? Oh wait that would require standing up to the teacher's unions that so heavily support democrats.

To quote South South Park creator Matt Stone

"I hate conservatives, but I really (expletive) hate liberals."

 

[Spookimitsu]

So...yeah...don't get on my case mousieur Obama...

Most likely this wouldnt apply to you, or anyone else who reads for recreation. A lot of youth don't, I even have a nephew who once told me that books were a waste of time as he barely took time to glance up over his DS. I vowed never to empower the gamer in him again, until he learns to read for pleasure. This is merely an example, I am willing to bet my life that there are thousands upon thousands of disenfranchised youth across the USA who would much rather occupy their free time in the fantasy of a video game rather than to read a good book.


Now I must get back to World War Z, almost done with it (and I'm at work... tee-hee!)

 

[GrimHeaper]

Only book that has ever given me over 8 hours is the thickest harry potter book.How many books do you know of that give that kind of length?

Arnt the harry potter books only like 500-600 pages? I have never read one myself but when ever I see them in bookstores they look fairly small. Hell the last two series that I read each book was 900+ pages and there was about seven or eight in each series.

I can read at about 393 words per min(well right now anyway not sure about when I was younger)
Order of the phoenix took me the longest AS IT HAD 257,045 words.
That took around 11 hours assuming or a little more even with breaks in between such as eating and the bathroom.
This was when I was around 14 I think not being exact about that.

How about pick up a controller and play WITH your kids?

AND read a book with them.

AND maybe take them out for a walk or go shoot some hoops, or something ... pass/kick a ball around, or whatever?

Games can be mentally stimulating. And many games (Wii/Kinect/Move) will give you some physical activity, too.

As a father, I think it's more important that I spend time with my children doing just about any activity, rather than simply telling them what I think they should be doing with their time.

You are a good father then...

 

[Mxrz]

OMG HOLY SHIT! He mentioned video games! He must be addressing everyone! Quick, let's all brag about how we read at a 99th grade level, and how wrong he is!!!

Good grief.

* Sort of just happy to have a President that knows what a video game is.

 

[baddude1337]

Wait.. didn't he advertise in games as part of his election campaign?