🐱 Why Is There So Much Concern Over Gaming, But Not Social Media Consumption?

Why Is There So Much Concern Over Gaming, But Not YouTube & Social Media Consumption?

What we really want to explore is why gaming gets so much bad press compared to YouTube and Social Media, which are both arguably equally bad for you.

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With the world spending more time indoors, gaming is enjoying a boost right now. Gamers are indulging in their passion more often and many others are venturing into new gaming worlds for the very first time. As the number of people gaming increases, the age-old debate of gaming being bad for you raises its ugly head once more.

However, what we really want to explore is why gaming gets so much bad press compared to YouTube and Social Media, which are both arguably equally bad for your mental health.


The Perception Of Video Game Violence
Video game violence has long been blamed for real-world incidents. Even just in the last couple of years, we've seen Indian cities ban PUBG Mobile, enforcing this with fines, due to fears it was addictive and caused players to become more violent and aggressive.

This time last year President Trump tried to lay the blame for America's mass shootings on video game violence, saying "We must stop the glorification of violence in our society. This includes the gruesome and grisly video games that are now commonplace."

Over the years many studies have been undertaken into video game violence. So far none have proven a meaningful link between aggression and video games. As recently as July this year a study by researchers at New Zealand's Massey University has concluded that “Current research is unable to support the hypothesis that violent video games have a meaningful long-term predictive impact on youth aggression.”


However, despite this, it's still gaming that seems to take the brunt of the criticism when screentime is discussed negatively, either in terms of violence or in terms of addiction. So, is this fair?

RELATED: President Trump Calls Video Game Violence A Source Of Mass Shootings

Gaming As A Healthier Use Of Screentime
Over on the TrueGamning subreddit, user Dragon_king14 started a debate about how gaming is a healthier use of screentime than social media or YouTube. They state that "Although gaming can be addictive and a time sink, I argue that it's still much better to have a society interested in gaming, especially young adults, than all obsessed with social media and YouTube instead." So, does this argument hold up? Is gaming truly a better use of screentime?


Unsurprisingly, there is a wide range of views in the thread, many of which are well thought out and make for interesting reading. Ultimately, it becomes apparent that the simple question of games versus YouTube versus Social Media is far too simple. You cannot break it down in these terms, as how healthy any of these mediums are ultimately depends on how you consume them. As Reddit user Fblolanos says "at the end of the day, it all depends on the content in any medium."


RELATED: Hatebase Seeks To Eliminate Hate Speech Online

Content Over Platform
All three platforms have their own benefits and drawbacks and all three are often linked together, since gamers in particular often frequent social media and YouTube alongside gaming. However, gamers aren't the sole cause of toxicity on platforms.

Many social platforms see users presenting only the highlights of their lives, posting unrealistic ideals, arguably often in order to try and foster jealousy from others. We also see social media used to circulate and try and validate homophobic, racist, sexist, and otherwise toxic views. There is a very dangerous and nasty edge to social media that all too often can make people with an axe to grind feel validated.


YouTube can be an extension of this culture, with toxic content creators spouting and promoting hatred as well as rallying their supporters to their cause. This often ends in the creator's audiences launching online attacks through social media against specific targets, causing upset and spreading harassment. Some of these creators are gaming-focused but many aren't. Toxic channels may focus just on social issues or may spread over into celebrity culture or similar areas.

However, this doesn't mean gamers aren't a cause of online toxicity, far from it. Gamergate opened the floodgates for abusive individuals to start channeling their hatred towards specific targets and sadly it's not slowed down since. Certain games have toxic online communities and public voice chat channels can be a minefield of abuse, especially for women. All three platforms have their bad points but are they all bad?


Balancing Your Media Consumption
Having healthy habits for either social media, YouTube, or gaming all require the same steps to be taken. It doesn't actually matter which platform you prefer, each and every one has positives and negatives. While we focused on the negatives above there are also some positives.

Social media can provide ways to connect with others, especially for minority groups such as LGBTQ+ communities or those with disabilities. Extending your social reach online means more chance of finding hatred but also more chance of finding love and acceptance. Many online friendships are as strong, if not stronger, than those based on location and support groups, and strong, helpful, and welcoming communities are also to be found.


Likewise, YouTube can teach and inform, with videos on a wide range of subjects to be found. Users can learn how to perform DIY tasks, discover more about art, science, languages, and culture, or even just watch an enjoyable web show. The platform is filled not just with toxicity but also with educational, informative, and well-made content.

Finally, gaming also varies. Games aren't all violent. Some are relaxing, some make you think and some connect you socially and require teamwork and co-operation. Different genres fulfill different needs and reflexes, reactions, and motor control are also tested.


Ultimately, whatever media you consume the key is to seek out content that is beneficial to your mental health and to balance your time to ensure your family, friends, home life, and work don't suffer. Balance and content moderation are key, the medium itself is completely irrelevant.

 

[Fuck Y'all]

>G***rgate mention

the great lie still lives

 

[Bland Crumbs]

Social media is a useful tool of indoctrination. Games are fun and distract from indoctrination. When attempts are made to turn games into indoctrination they are rejected.

 

[BOONES]

Karen's dude. Just Karen's. They WILL never admit that their habits are bad and will blame the internet and video games for all their problems with others. Believe me I know someone who still thinks gamers are hardened merciless killers because of violent video games.

 

[Meat Target]

"GaYMeRs ArE TOxIc!"
Then hit the mute button FFS.

 

[Alrakkan]

More men than women play vidya, more women than men have social media addiction. The relevant hijinks ensue.

 

[Troonos]

Karen's dude. Just Karen's. They WILL never admit that their habits are bad and will blame the internet and video games for all their problems with others. Believe me I know someone who still thinks gamers are hardened merciless killers because of violent video games.

What's Karen's dude's name?

 

[BOONES]

What's Karen's dude's name?

I'm unsure what you're asking but she has a "karen" type name. Kim.


Edit: OHHHH now I get it I said Karen's instead of Karens

 

[Duke Nukem]

Video games being blamed for real world violence? Someone's apparently nostalgic for the 90s.

 

[TowinKarz]

Video games being blamed for real world violence? Someone's apparently nostalgic for the 90s.

I'd understand that, nostalgia is a hell of a drug.

But something tells me these people are young enough that they shouldn't have any recollection of the 90's, let alone the anti-vidya sentiment in it.

The leaders of this charge are not nostalgic, just ignorant of history, because if they'd just ask their big brother, he'd tell them about the time everyone though Sonic would lead you down the path of becoming a serial killer who's calling card was snipping the ring fingers off his victims..... and that politicians have ALWAYS eagerly supported moral panics for personal gain.


TL : DR - Nostalgia would be explainable, this is just pure stupidity.

 

[usernames can change now!]

Because the concern trolls who think gaming is a problem are social media addicts.

 

[X Prime]

The correct answer: social media has been almost completely taken over by centralized left-wing interests. Video games (and their consumers) have not gotten there yet.

It really is that simple.

 

[GarthVader]

Because there are more faggot busy bodies on social media than playing video games.

 

[DrunkenDozing]

Same reason dangerhairs rant and rave about toxic masculinity in things like video games and movies, but never discuss it in terms of rap culture. It's a symptom of "but I like that stuff myself! I cant cancel that!"

 

[TowinKarz]

Same reason dangerhairs rant and rave about toxic masculinity in things like video games and movies, but never discuss it in terms of rap culture. It's a symptom of "but I like that stuff myself! I cant cancel that!"

Blacks can't be racist

Men can't be raped

Islam is peaceful

My hobbies are stunning and brave, yours are problematic.

Winston Smith, report to Room 101, Smith to 101, thank you.

 

[Unassuming Local Guy]

Social media is a useful tool of indoctrination. Games are fun and distract from indoctrination. When attempts are made to turn games into indoctrination they are rejected.

100% this. Social media is the single most powerful brainwashing tool in human history. Why would the political elite ever say anything bad about it? Without it, they're nothing and they know it.

This whole article is naive at best. It's like asking "why is this demon singing the praises of Satan instead of volunteering for Habitat for Humanity?" Because it's a demon, you moron. It likes things that are evil. That's kind of the whole idea.

Video games being blamed for real world violence? Someone's apparently nostalgic for the 90s.

In the 90s they actually had a valid concern. It was a brand new, unstudied medium, and on a very basic level the vast majority of video games are ways for children to kill things. It was entirely possible that video games did affect children negatively, but we didn't know for sure.

30 years later we've studied the shit out of them and determined that they don't cause violent behavior, and that the only little kids playing Mortal Kombat are ones whose parents are such deadbeats that they were going to raise sociopaths anyway. At this point the moral panic is just people saying things they know aren't true for the clout, much like almost all hand wringing in the age of Twitter.

 

[TowinKarz]

100% this.


In the 90s they actually had a valid concern. It was a brand new, unstudied medium, and on a very basic level the vast majority of video games are ways for children to kill things. It was entirely possible that video games did affect children negatively, but we didn't know for sure.

Even then, video games were not seen as a direct threat/cause of violence like Heavy Metal music and Dungeons and Dragons, but rather, were seen as a contributor to amorphous "moral rot" that a lot of 90's pearl-clutchers were always on about, unable to see that the changing social environment that kids grew up and socialized in was not just the natural organic way that things change, but a real breakdown of society. Why? Because reasons.


Video games weren't seen as directly CAUSING the rot, per se, but, were assuredly a barometer of how far we as a society are declining and how fast that day of the Mad Max High Schoolers was coming. Can't you see your kids were buying MURDER SIMULATORS. and eschewing "proper" social outlets like getting drunk at the Sheraton Hotel bar and coked at the Disco? Oh, yeah, we maybe got a little wild at times doing that in the debauched 70's and 80's, but, we grew up normal thanks to our internal moral vigor.

However, due to the decline of Western Society, these kids can't be trusted... even though they're "straighter" on the surface and do less booze and coke, they have these weird and deviant obsessions with Nintendo Super.... can't you see it? They play it all the time at parties instead of putting records on! That sound NORMAL to you? I didn't play vidya growing up (ignore the fact it didn't exist). Somethings WRONG with them no-good youngsters, just you watch....


There was a lot of panic at the time, especially among academics, that the 00's would see the rise of "Superpredatory" youth, the kind straight out of A Clockwork Orange who, instead of going to the dance hall, or the roller rink (the wholesome places kids used to hang out, according to Mom, anyway) would now hang out in dark basements playing video games as a preamble to Mountain Dew-fueled benders of looting, rape and arson, specifically targeting the just-beginning-to-retire Baby Boomers, and nobody would be able to stop them.

I also recall one or two college Professors I had being actually disappointed and bummed as the 90's drug on and crime not only stayed low, but kept trending down.... they'd staked their sociology credentials on societal collapse due to nothing more than "kids these days" , and it wasn't happening. One in particular was almost ANGRY that we weren't experiencing that crime wave yet because it would make us "Doubt the models that are actually correct, until it's too late. The problem isn't that it's not happening, it's just not happening as fast as we said, so you are missing the obvious warning signs that we are just in the calm before the storm"

Now where have we heard that kind of "We won the argument, so we did't really lose the vote as much as we were subverted by racists and morons" argument before?

 

[Looney Troons]

If being called a faggot, or any variation of the gamer word upsets you, do something about it other than cry. Just about every game has a mute/block feature, use it. I highly doubt the person calling someone a niggerfaggot is going to spend the rest of his day creating smurfs just to harass one person (unless they’re Wings or something). There are tons of people to be called niggerfaggot.

It’s never about the “content” of the game. It’s because the language makes people sore.

 

[afternoon_tea]

100% this. Social media is the single most powerful brainwashing tool in human history. Why would the political elite ever say anything bad about it? Without it, they're nothing and they know it.

This whole article is naive at best. It's like asking "why is this demon singing the praises of Satan instead of volunteering for Habitat for Humanity?" Because it's a demon, you moron. It likes things that are evil. That's kind of the whole idea.



In the 90s they actually had a valid concern. It was a brand new, unstudied medium, and on a very basic level the vast majority of video games are ways for children to kill things. It was entirely possible that video games did affect children negatively, but we didn't know for sure.

30 years later we've studied the shit out of them and determined that they don't cause violent behavior, and that the only little kids playing Mortal Kombat are ones whose parents are such deadbeats that they were going to raise sociopaths anyway. At this point the moral panic is just people saying things they know aren't true for the clout, much like almost all hand wringing in the age of Twitter.

I start to verge into doomer territory when I start thinking about how social media effects people, but it really has been like watching a slow motion horror movie to see people subsumed by the hivemind over the years.

Any time I've tried to bring up the unhealthiness of it with someone who is a big time user off social media they get incredibly squirrelly and defensive about it, it's like an addict defending their drug of choice.

It is far too potent as a political tool to get the serious scrutiny it deserves at this point in time.

 

[Kheapathic]

Because contrary to the popular arguments; there are more boys in videogames and more girls on social medias... and boys aren't allowed to be left alone or have fun.