Video games have done more harm than good to society

To open, gaming is the realm of all people. Pew Research has found that just about the same amount of men and women play video games. About 52% of all gamers are male, and 48% of all gamers are female. We also see gaming to be incredibly diverse in the field of age. 29% of all gamers are under the age of eighteen. 32% of all gamers are between the age of 18 and 36. The remaining 39% are over the age of thirty six. Now that we have established that gaming is indeed for everybody, let's take a moment to look over some of the benefits of gaming. Research has found that gaming helps with visual perception and attentiveness. By this I mean that people who have had a history of gaming have been found to have many advantages in some visual testing. One of these tests had an individual follow one chosen dot on a screen as it moved around with several other identical dots on the same screen. Another popular variation of this test is the 'follow the cup' game in which a ball is placed under one cup and moved alongside several other cups and hidden in the midst of it. Individuals with a history of gaming outperform others who take this test by up to 3-4 additional dots. Research has also found that gaming can improve ones mental flexibility, critical thinking, problem solving skills, memory, and multi-tasking ability. Not only has video gaming given evidence to benefiting the subtle items listed previously, it more importantly offers many incredible skills to players. Humans being social creatures strive off of attention, companionship, social interaction etc. Gaming, being for everybody, is a gateway to socialization. Not only does it help peers grow and bond together, but it also encourages you to go out of your comfort zones, talking to people who you would have never met before, or would have never thought of talking with before. Groups, or in some games guilds, show the importance of teamwork, and unity to people. It doesn't just tell them about it, it puts them in a virtual situation in which they need to work together with other individuals in order to attain victory in the end. There's so much more to it than social interaction too. Skills and knowledge also come from gaming. Although games are not always the most trustworthy sources, there are still many things one can learn from such a thing. Take for example economics. Games with a virtual economy show people how economics work. They don't just tell you about it like a school does, they show you. You get to see first hand how the value of an item is decided and distributed, based upon the theory of supply and demand. Text-based gaming has been know to improve literacy in individuals, as well as cite an interest in reading actual books, which I think most people can agree is always a good thing. So up until this point I've discussed the benefits of video games to the majority, or to the common person. But one thing that simply cannot be ignored is the ministry of help games offer to the people who need it most. Video games have been found to ease and in some cases cure dyslexia. It has also been found to help individuals struggling with Autism or ADHD. Individuals who are involved in gaming are found to be less stressed in life. Research shows individuals struggling with Anxiety and/or Depression are able to relax and look past their worries while gaming. Individuals struggling with addiction, such as drinking or smoking, are also more likely to succeed in quitting while being involved actively in gaming. In conclusion, games are helpful. They grow traits, they grow skills, they grow talent, but most importantly they grow people. Video Games act a simulation of things ordinary education simply cannot produce, and it sparks life in individuals. Not only are games helpful, but they're helpful to everybody. People of all ages, identities, sexual preferences, what-have-you are all welcomed and fully able. This includes the people who are less fortunate than others, the disabled, and the struggling - the people who need it most. Gaming is a beautiful development that is changing lives. Sources: . http://www.pewinternet.org... . http://www.dailydot.com... . https://www.psychologytoday.com... . https://www.psychologytoday.com... . http://mentalfloss.com...