Just a Game?

In the August 2009 issue of the Ensign, Charles D. Knutson and Kyle K. Oswald wrote a compelling article about the pitfalls of online gaming entitled “Just a Game?” This article is intended to help online gamers recognize that excessive game playing can damage their lives. However, I believe that this article was more directed to the parents of online gamers, so they could plan ways in which they can help their children overcome their addiction. This article is a great example of pathos.This article draws on the emotions of parents by demonstrating examples in which people have been addicted to video games. It shows that playing video games excessively damages your social life, and they make gamers more prone to violence. It uses examples which show that playing video games excessively makes people less likely to go to early-morning seminary, less likely to read the scriptures or pray together, or go to singles activities. These gamers will be too busy with their online “guild quests” and “raids,” that they won’t have enough time for other, life building activities.

If I were a parent reading this article, I would be deeply concerned for my child’s well being. This article shows how serious video game addictions can be. According to this article, playing video games excessively can lead to anger, laziness, social awkwardness, and even violence. Knutson and Oswald state that “news reports include stories of broken marriages, lost employment, failed health, even children removed from parents because of criminal neglect caused by the parents’ excessive online gaming.” Knutson and Oswald are trying to make parents aware that if their children are playing video games excessively, this is how they could turn out.

These examples in this article show parents whether or not their children are addicted to video games. They make the parents want to help their children find help, so they can overcome their addiction. It shows that video games can cause neglect to other beneficial activities, and makes parents want to help their children participate in these activities.