Yesterday, the New York Times wrote a story that focused on how kids spend too much time playing video games and using their phones during the Covid-19 pandemic. Today that story was on the front page of the newspaper. This seems strange when you consider how the world is falling apart and democracy is dying out before our very eyes, but then again, let’s consider that children might be playing too much Roblox.
The article, which ran on January 16, quoted some experts, and presented many “scary” screen time figures. But it also glossed over the fact that video games and the Internet have helped many people, children and adults, stay connected and healthy during these horrific times.
The entire post was also strangely made by a random little family currently struggling during the pandemic. Their son plays a lot of video games to connect with his friends. His mom and dad are concerned about how much time he spends in front of the screen, but also know that this is one of the few ways he should safely socialize while Covid-19 runs around the world. This is a tough situation, I imagine many parents around the world are going through it right now. But just emphasizing kids and how much screen time they use ignores the fact that all of us, not just kids and teens, are dealing with increased screen time and a lack of real human interaction. Instead, the article goes on and on about how potentially unhealthy and dangerous all this screen time for kids can be. How children need to disconnect more. How children play too much Roblox.
G / O Media can receive a commission
“What are you going to do when you are married and stressed? Is your wife telling you to play Xbox? “This is a quote from the story, from the mother, as the son explains that after their dog died on New Years Eve, he used games to take his mind off the grief. It is presented as negative. Yet I can mention numerous times. that me and others were using video games as a way to relieve stress or escape a terrible day I’m trying not to throw this mom under the bus I can understand the frustration she and so many others are going through.
The real question is why that frustration is on the front page of it New York Times, presented in an article that sees video games and the Internet as dangerous, addictive things that ruin and imprison our children. The article literally starts with a quote from the father about how he feels like he “failed” his son because he plays video games and uses his phone. It’s like something I would have seen on a local news broadcast in the 90s, with clips of kids playing NES in the background.
This isn’t the first time we’ve seen it larger and older outlets cater only to children playing games and try to use scary and scary numbers to build a story that completely ignores reality.
Are there any reasons to be concerned about how much time we all spend online? Probably. Being glued to Twitter for 12 hours and the latest tragedy doom scrolls presumably hurt me in ways I don’t quite understand. But right now things are different. The world is fighting a global pandemic that kills thousands every day. Many of us are stuck inside, dealing with all the stress and boredom that comes with it. During all of this, we continue to work, go to school, raise children and solve hundreds of other problems. I don’t need to tell you how difficult life has become for so many of us in the past (check calendar) year? (Holy shit …)
So if you or your kids need to escape and want to play some Minecraft and maybe you play a few more hours than usual, don’t worry about it. We all rely on digital apps and services to stay connected and content. Binge some Netflix. Have a Zoom hang-out session with family and friends. Or play some Call of Duty Warzone with your long distance siblings.
Life is hard enough now. Don’t beat yourself up for taking care of yourself or letting your kids have fun with their friends.
.