We hide behind the defense that we are in the entertainment business, not the art business, but that defense only betrays a profound misunderstanding of art. Art can be starchily elitist, but good art can also be a foot stomping blast. Fortunately, times are changing. Already, we see a backlash developing against computer games. This backlash is viewed by smaller minded members of the industry with anxiety.
More visionary thinkers watch the backlash with eager interest rather than defensiveness.
The American people are telling us something here, something very important. It is imporant enough to them that they are willing to compromise their traditional reluctance to interfere with other people s business. While the arguments presented in public debates normally focus on formal issues such as delinquency from school, creation of large groups of rowdy teenagers, and so forth, the concerns expressed privately reflect a distaste for the games, a vague suspicion that the games are a waste of time. Computer games are much like candy, comic books, and cartoons. All four activities provide intense or exaggerated experiences.