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Boy (Cub) Scouts Create Video Game Pin, World Gets Dumber

From the title, some of you already be thinking "Shut up! Video games can promote things like hand eye coordination, and BLAH BLAH BLAH"  Some of you might not even read this far and already be commenting on how I'm stupid. (actually I just wish people who weren't spam bots would comment on this blog, even if it were to call me stupid.)  Well, if you were to do this you would fall right in with everyone else in the world that I just realized is really dumb.  Today I was browsing CNN.com and came across a story that the Cub Scouts, which is part of the Boy Scouts Associations, added a video game belt loop / pin to their collection of goodies that kids can earn.  That seems a little odd, yes.  Oh, someone right at the start of the comments posted a link to the requirements for the badge from the official site.  Let's see what they are:

I killed 100 goombas for this thing!

Belt Loop

Complete these three requirements:

1. Explain why it is important to have a rating system for video games. Check your video games to be sure they are right for your age.
2. With an adult, create a schedule for you to do things that includes your chores, homework, and video gaming. Do your best to follow this schedule.
3. Learn to play a new video game that is approved by your parent, guardian, or teacher.

Oh, wow, that seems like a very responsible way for kids to learn that videogames should be played in moderation, that only appropriate games should be played, and that schedules are very important.  Schedules are especially important because even college students and full time employees have a difficult time balancing their personal life with their school work.  To get a pin, cub scouts need to teach others how to play games, compare prices of the same game at many places, do a comparative analysis of two consoles to decide which would be more preferable, and other life lessons.

Click continue to read on!

Let's take a look at some comments from CNN's story.

teej: Stupid move Cub Scouts. Aren't kids fat and lazy enough already? Why don't we have a pin for the kid who can put away the most cheeseburgers while we're at it?

Brad D.: I have my kids in Scouts to get them away from video games, tv, and other things that make them lazy, lack imagination, and fat. This is sad...

Okay, well maybe those people didn't read that someone posted the requirements for the belt loop, let's look at this engadget post that actually lists the requirements in the post itself.  And it's a tech blog so people will defend games, let's see what commenters had to say there:

SLINC: Very Sad, don't get me wrong, I love my Gaming, but Killing 7 Hookers in GTA is not merit for Badge in Scouts!

nobody2000: I didn't read the article ... he writes about as much as the article itself ... And trust me, I'm an Eagle Scout.

Really nobody2000?  You didn't read the article but you want us to fucking trust you because you are an eagle scout?  Well guess what, trust me, I play a lot of video games.  Also, is it still cool to put 2000 at the end of usernames?  I think I'm going to change mine to Alex3000 just to be the first one to do it... shit, Andre beat me... oh well.  To be fair, a lot of the engadget comments were actually well informed and half intelligent.

You are probably wondering what point is the point I'm trying to make.  It's three fold.  Read, comprehend, and think before you speak/comment and sound like an ass.  Don't defend games with dumb arguments, it makes all gamers look stupid.  And lastly i want to point out how games aren't stupid, and can be beneficial.

1.  Commenting on the internet.  Yes I know I shouldn't care about internet comments.  But I think comments news websites should be half decent, when they really end up sounding just as stupid as anywhere else.  My real issue isn't about the actual content, just hat people really need to READ and COMPREHEND before they WRITE.  I guess people do the same thing online as they do when talking face to face, they don't give a shit about what the other person is saying, they just want to say what they think.  Which inevitably ends up making them look stupid because they didn't listen in the first place.  You want to say something on the internet?  Buy a domain name and make a blog, that's how us REAL internet commenters do it.

2.  Don't defend video games in the following ways.

• "video games improve hand eye coordination."  So do lots of things, like writing, playing baseball, and juggling.
• "I play video games and I'm not fat/dumb/violent/etc."  Guess what, I pooped twice at work today, therefor everyone at work pooped twice today.  Saying you know a guy who had a friend who's dog killed a person after playing Nintendogs doesn't mean that Nintedogs made him do it.

2000 bullets? Check. I'm Ready.

3.  Video games DO have benefits for all the people that think video games are evil.  Of course this means when you play them in moderation.  So if you are making an argument  in the favor of video games, please remember some of these things.

• According to Pew Research Center, 75% of young adults play video games on consoles.  More people are playing video games than not playing video games.  Studies exist that show that children who play video games have an easier time socializing with other children because they have video games as a common interest.
• Video games have a strict set of rules and various subsystems.  I'm too lazy to look up if research has been done in this area, but I suspect that children do subconsciously learn about rules and how systems interact on a high level when playing games.  Okay, this is a shitty argument because I'm too lazy to back it up, but I'm SURE it's true.
• As with anything, if you think think critically about something, a lot can be learned.  Video games are an active form of entertainment that constantly requires some form of thinking, which is more than can be said for television.  As with part c, this can also mean critically thinking about how the underlying game systems work.
• Video games can lead to learning.  I wish I could find the article, maybe someone can tell me if they find it.  Basically the article said educational games suck, because they aren't fun.  However people can learn from video games because the games get them interested in real life subjects.  A student playing Gran Tourismo (or Forza for you youngins) might find the car customization interesting and start researching just what the hell a flywheel is and before you know it he is explaining why you need more torque in your horsepower.  While I don't think video games can be some form of exclusive education i think this interest through video game association is a valid argument.
• In the end video games are a form of entertainment, just like television, movie, and books, and yet all have varying levels of benefits and downfalls.  Whats that?  You think reading can have a down side?  You can't argue that a crappy love novel will benefit little jimmy in any way other than teaching him the words "throbbing hard on" can you?  Exactly, it's all in the context.

You are probably thinking, "wow, video games sure didn't do you well, your writing and grammar sucks."  Yeah, you are right, you would be amazed how many words i just spell checked to fix.  But my skills lie elsewhere (in bed maybe? ha), you'll have to figure out what those skills are.  But for the love of god, please stop using spelling and grammar to discredit other people on the internet, what it means is that you are too damn lazy to come up with a decent argument.

Final Message: Take responsibility for yourself and your children yo!

Boom boom pow, away!

About Alex

Alex has always had an interesting in technology and a love for games. He started gaming with Mario Bros. at the age of 2 and never looked back. He looks fondly on the past and eagerly toward the future as he spits the truth about the currant landscape of the video game world.