I decided to respond to the Ted Talk that discusses making the world a better place through video games. Before watching this speech, I always considered video games a waste of time. It never occurred to me that the amount of time people spend playing video games would give them some sort of skillset. However after I was finished, it made sense to me that we have a large number of people who have mastered the skills suggested by Jane McGonigal: urgent optimism, social fabric, epic meaning, and blissful productivity. Furthermore, when I finished watching this speech, I personally felt that gamers could better change the world by utilizing their skills in a unique work places. Although Ms. McGonigal’s idea of creating video games that people would play then ideally carry with them in real life was a valid idea, I personally felt that if we designed a work environment with the same principles that draw gamers to excel, and focused that energy to fix real world problems, we would truly exceed in solving real world problems.
I have similar feeling with you about playing games. I also think playing game is wasting time before watched the video of TED. You said “gamers could better change the world by utilizing their skills in a unique work places”, so what specific area that they can work? Can you give some examples to explain it? According to your explanation, I think you mean people can imitate the real environment in the game so we can resolving the real problems through playing games. However, is this possible to imitate the real environment of real world in a hundred percent? I believe that there are much uncertainties in the real world so it is very difficult to accurately imitate the real environment.
Yiwei, I do not know if there is a current area that these gamers could work in a similar environment as the virtual world but that does not mean one cannot be created. I also think it would be extremely difficult to imitate the virtual world 100% but that does not mean it will not be effective. Like Alfredo mentions in his comment, gamers are quick learners and have quick strategic mind sets. As a result, a not-for-profit organization could be created that focuses on developing different strategies to counter some of the problems we are currently facing. We could even implement some sort of “reward system” where for each idea created, that worker gets a badge and the people with the most badges have the most authority.
George, It is incredible the amount of gamers there are in today’s society. It is difficult to grasp, but I do believe that the attributes that these gamers gain from the skill set they utilize, it enhances their ability to be quick learners and have quick strategic mind sets. A common example, the military and Air Force use Xbox controllers to fly their drones. In this weeks reading, the author Beverly Jones writes how art is now being heavily presented in our technology, and the up bringing of graphic designers. It will be interesting where the career of video gaming will lead to next.