Vaude For Thought: Video Games Bring People Together

Hello everyone,

Welcome to the second edition of Vaude For Thought where I will give my thoughts on certain topics and for this edition of Vaude For Thought, it's about video games and how it brings people together.

Let's get started.

Vaude For Thought: Video Games Bring People Together

Video games have a mixed reception over the past few decades where there are cases that video games can be viewed as the problem for certain people's behaviors, actions, and wellbeing. Damaging your eyesight in the long-term for playing long sessions, playing video games instead of doing important work which can cause procrastination, or behaving and acting like the video game characters in real life.  Yes, there are issues where video games can damage people and there's no denying that. However, I'm not here to talk negative, I'm here to talk positive as I'll be discussing how video games can be great and can bring people together in a positive way so let's get to it!

People in the media that don't really associate with video games tend to view video games being bad as they generally post stories and news on how video games can hurt people and change people's behaviors. In that case, sure, there's no denying that and for the people that actually use video games for bad, I have something to say to you.

How dare you make the video game community look like villains and for anyone that supports anything like that or acts in that nature, I suggest that you leave and never come back. Thank you. Anyway, let's get back to the topic in hand.

As I mentioned before, video games can make a positive impact on people. Whether it be locally or online, video games can bring people together by not only having fun with each other, but also going through tough times. Video games can relieve stress among players who had a hard time at work or having a bad day in general. The game does not have to be anything competitive or anything of that nature, as long as you are having fun and feel relieved, it helps a lot especially with mental health. 

In addition, you can play video games with not just yourself, but with also other people whether it be locally with friends and family, or online. Playing with video games is a lot more fun when you play with others as being with other people can help people be more connected with people and actually can help with communication as well. When building connections with other people through video games, you developed a bond with them and eventually they can become friends.

In my case, I have made a lot of friends through video games whether it be a discussion about them or playing them, that deep connection that you have with video games can bring smiles to not only yourself, but others around you, but also others and that's a great feeling. 

Plus, according to a blog from Andrew Fishman, who is a MSW, LSW, Clinician, Response Center for Teens, he researched and found evidence that "video games can be a safe place to experiment with social interactions for vulnerable people,". That includes people like with autism spectrum disorders, people having trust issues, shy people, people with depressive symptoms, and people with social anxiety. Andrew Fishman also mentioned that video games online can help people communicate with other people whenever they want to without trying to respond right away, or being in the same physical space with them. These tactics that he mentioned include helping with "reading body language, understanding tone of voice, maintaining eye contact, and rapidly comprehending and responding to information,". Developing these kind of skills with people online can be applied in real-life and according to the research that Andrew Fishman did, he found that people can play video games online with those people end up meeting in person. 

Not only does video games bring people in terms of having fun with others, but also help bring people together with mental health issues and help them develop communication that will affect them in real life.

To recap, yes, there are some negatives on how video games can affect people and for those people that use video games for bad, all I have to say to you is this. Leave, and never come back. You guys make the video game community look bad so leave, and never come back. Despite the negatives on video games, there are positives to video games as it brings people together to not only have fun, but also help through stress, help develop communication skills, as well as help people with mental health issues. I really hope in the future when it comes to the media, they tend to focus more on the positives of how video games can really impact people instead of the negatives. Granted, knowing the media, they tend to favor the drama of negative stories than positive stories which is very unfortunate. However, I feel like video games can help people for the better and I hope in the future, that more people see that way. Until then, I'm going to do my part and promote video games for the good and I hope you guys that do enjoy video games do this as well.

Well, that's the second edition of Vaude For Thought.

Hope you guys enjoy it.

If not, well, that's fine too,

Either way, thank you for reading.