Video Games As Scapegoats

This will be a short post, but I am tired of politicians using video games as a scapegoat for not dealing with the crisis of domestic terrorism.  I don't want to get too political, but blaming video games for violence after tragedies such as occurred in Texas and Ohio is just wrong.  If you have done any research, you will find reputable studies and reports that will tell you the same thing.

There are multiple sources that show that video games do not cause violence.  The American Psychological Association issued a policy statement from their media psychology division where they found that "scant evidence has emerged that makes any causal or correlational connection between playing violent video games and actually committing violent activities."  In fact, Dr. Chris Ferguson, a Stetson University psychology professor who led the committee issuing the policy statement said, "The data on bananas causing suicide is about as conclusive.  Literally.  The numbers work out about the same."  In addition, the Supreme Court heard a case about a California law that banned selling violent video games to children.  They found that there was no research to support the idea that video games were to blame for violence.

My sons, now adults, have played video games most of their lives.  I've seen for myself the impact these games have on them so I am not surprised by the evidence that negates this "causal connection".  Anyone familiar with video gaming knows how prevalent it is in Japan and South Korea.  Those countries have some of the lowest rates of violent crime.  It is just ridiculous to blame video gaming for the acts of domestic terrorism we are experiencing in our country.

I see on Twitter that #VideogamesAreNotToBlame is trending nationally.  I'm happy to see the pushback against making video games scapegoats.  They are not the problem!  If you haven't read the tweets, you may want to do so.  They're interesting and compelling reading.

#VideogamesAreNotToBlame

Have you found your tech joy today?

#Blaugust2019

How Do You News?

Today was a big news day! Don’t worry!  I’m not going to write about the content-we’ve all probably had our fill of it today. No, I want to discuss how we get our news in the digital age and if there’s a difference by age.

My phone was lit up today with news alerts! That’s how I often get breaking news. The other way I get news is through Facebook when our local channel streams news reports.  I am of the generation that likes news so this is usually the beginning for me. If I’m interested in the story, I might look for longer news articles online to get more details. I also checked Twitter to see what tweets were showing up. I wanted to see how the world was reacting. I also checked to see if FiveThirtyEight Politics had an emergency podcast. They did! It was interesting as it always is.   I’m probably unusual for my age group because digital news is my preferred method.

I definitely am like my age group because I also watched national news on TV.  I sometimes also check out CNN on TV. I still like TV news to get video and to hear experts and pundits to get a variety of views.  I don’t watch it every night as my parents used to do. I watch if there’s something in particular I’m interested in seeing.

There is another common way that younger generations look for news. Many like to check out Reddit (or The Reddit if you’re in the UK). I’ve tried it but it seems like such a rabbit hole. I get lost, and it takes too much effort to find what really interests me. So, I rarely check out Reddit.

I think it’s good to be informed no matter which method you choose. Let me know what your preferred news delivery method is. I’d also be interested in your opinion about preferences by age group.

Have you found your tech joy today?

#BlaugustReborn

The Blessing of Technology

Today as I was working in my kitchen, I had the misfortune of pulling a muscle in my back and having muscle spasms. Not surprisingly, I was laid up for the rest of today. My husband helped me get situated and brought food and medication as needed.  The couch, ibuprofen, and ice packs were my companions. I really haven’t been able to move a lot without pain, but inactivity can be so boring. Luckily, I have technology to keep me entertained.

Since I was settled in for the remainder of the day, I chose my family room as the ideal location. I had my phone, my iPad, and my Roku to help me pass the time.  My iPhone kept me in touch with the world outside my home. I had a lengthy phone conversation with my younger son. I had concurrent text conversations with friends and other family members. I read posts on Facebook and kept up with Twitter.  My son texted me some clips to watch, and that’s when I switched to my iPad.

On my iPad, I checked out some streaming and clips on Twitch. I also watched some videos on YouTube.  When I was tired of that, I played some games and completed some Color By Number pictures.  Next up, I turned the TV on and switched to Roku.

Roku offers so many options. I started with Netflix where I finished watching Season 2 of Greenleaf. (Can’t wait for Season 3 to start!). My husband arrived home after picking up pizza, and we moved to Hulu to watch The World of Dance.  We then finished up our TV watching with the latest 20/20 about Aretha Franklin.

Now I’m back on my iPad to write today’s blog. Usually I would use my laptop, but the position that feels the best for my back doesn’t work with the laptop. The iPad, however, works perfectly!  I know that tomorrow I’ll be back to normal, but tonight I am thankful for all of the technology available to keep my mind occupied.  It is such a different experience than when I was younger with only books, print media, and network TV to help pass the time. Isn’t technology amazing? I am truly happy to have it as a daily tool in my life.

Have you found your tech joy today?

#BlaugustReborn