The value of video games

For my third blog this week, I had planned to do more research on bias in the classroom and begin to tie it in to how avatars might be used to ameliorate this problem. But an email I received from a friend this morning stopped me.

I tried many ways to copy and paste the email into a Word document but the images are protected so, instead, I sent a copy to each of your UF email accounts. Please check it out -- the subject line is "Video games really ARE valuable" -- I hope it doesn't get filtered into Trash or Junk.

The email shows pictures of the new Mercedes Benz SCL 600. This was actually presented in 1996 as a "Concept Car" at the Paris Motor Show to show how technical features could be incorporated in a new car. There are some pretty interesting new features like a driver's side door that twists up and out, but the main new feature is no steering wheel! The driver uses a joystick instead. The email is partially true. Here’s the real story, from snopes.com: http://www.snopes.com/photos/automobiles/newmercedes.asp

A car with a joystick instead of a steering wheel may not be ready for market in 2010, but I bet it will be soon. When I thought about it, at first, I freaked out. I can't use a joystick! I'm pretty inept at those types of video games and, while I love some games (especially role playing and adventure games), I don't do well with the shoot-em-up types where I need to move quickly with a joystick. While I am sure it will take a while for this joystick-steered car to become the norm, I bet it will, someday in my lifetime – and while I am still a driver. I thought, "Liz, you are simply too young to be removed from the pool of drivers."

But then I remembered that, in 1995 I was still refusing to use a mouse because I learned everything about computers using a keyboard. I owned computers with GUIs (Windows -3.0?) for about 5 years before I actually stopped by-passing the GUI (I worked through DOS). But, within a week or so of my decision to pick up the mouse, I became a pro. I bet I could do the same thing with a joystick if it meant Learn It or Stay Home.

But the whole thing brings up a lot of thoughts. Not everyone is so malleable. When the Joystick Car becomes the only one available, will a lot of people be left behind (literally and figuratively)? What else is on the horizon that requires a whole new set of computer-based skills? I still can't text. As yet, I don't need to and, at this point in my life, I don't have the time to learn skills until I need them. I thank my lucky stars that I'm a quick learner. But not everyone is.

Who are we leaving behind? Or are we leaving anyone behind? Ten years ago people lamented that their grandparents would never master computers. But so many grannies and grandpas are now avid surfers and email aficionados.

This is sort of the flip side of the Media Equation. Not only do people view media as real enough to interact with socially, but it seems that people are willing to extend themselves to learn to maintain that interaction.

And, finally, it makes me feel a lot less guilty about spending so much time learning to move around Second Life!

References:
http://www.snopes.com/photos/automobiles/newmercedes.asp