Introduction

I was not too interested in video games or computer games until around age 10. Up until then I enjoyed playing with Barbie dolls, reading books, or playing outside.

I guess I could say that peer pressure was most of the reason I begged my parents for a gaming system. Eventually they relented,and I received a cute pink GameBoy for Christmas.

In the past I used to read several books a week; after I received the GameBoy I spent most of my time absorbed with the games.

After a while my parents confiscated the thing, because they were worried about the effects of gaming and I was more absorbed in the virtual world than the real world.

I am not saying that gaming is inherently bad; I think we need to limit our use of games. Luckily, some companies such as Wii are inventing new games and gaming platforms (like Wii Fit) which are meant to encourage physical activity.

As Plato's essay indicated, people need distraction and a break from their actual reality- games can do this for us.