Some believe that computer games are advantageous for children as they improve a number of executive skills, while others fear that they deprive minors of the vital experience of interpersonal interaction, thus stunting their personal growth. I believe that the latter concern outweighs the benefits of gaming, as socialization is crucial and the age bracket for properly engaging in it is limited to childhood years.
It is argued that playing computer games helps children hone fine motor skills, improve their reaction time and teach them to think strategically. To win in a computer game, one has to be a fast thinker and must be able to act quickly as well. Such skills are easily transferable and can be applied in various ways in multiple everyday situations, from driving a car to making work-related decisions. That is why gaming is considered by many to be a sport, with its own championships and other events aimed at determining the best players, whose results are to be admired as much as those achieved by any other athlete.
However, while being useful for developing a particular skillset, computer games cannot teach the most important soft skill, namely that of face-to-face human interaction. Moreover, they interfere with the natural development of this skill by isolating children. Most games are played while being alone, thus, minors’ crucial social skills remain underdeveloped, which affects their adult lives. For example, generations whose adolescent years coincided with the advent and further development of sophisticated computer games are more reluctant to start families and even have intimate relationships. This reluctance might be the result of failure to establish rapport with other human beings.
To conclude, while computer games offer a great opportunity to improve one’s physical reflexes and mental skills, they also put minors at risk of insufficient socialization, which can result in their inability to connect with others on a personal level, thus dooming them to a solitary existence as adults.