Games Are Not My Thing

In Jenkins article about media education (I think everyone knows what I'm talking about by now), he states "Gamers may be acquiring some of these distributed cognition skills through their participation in squadron-based video game" (37). After watching a TED talk about how gaming can improve the world and develop the next leaders of the world, and reading in Jenkin's distributed cognition section, I can certainly believe that games can be beneficial to the world. There's just one problem:

I don't play video games.

 

I did not grow up playing video games or even computer games a lot. When it comes to playing either one, I am super incompetent.

 

I've tried, believe me, I've tried but I just end up embarrassing myself and those playing with me. It could be my lack of experience--and natural talent-- but I'm just not good at video games. To avoid mortification, I just don't play them.

 

 

Yes, yes, I know. It's the coward's way out. I should pick myself up and force myself to learn. But games are expensive and truthfully, I don't have the motivation to spend time to learn them--no offense to gamers. I admire your skill, I really do. Still, I think there are other ways to gain the skills distributed cognition has to offer. For example, learning how to build websites, participating in online writing communities, collaborating with a friend on a blog, networking over social media, and utilizing as much technology as possible provided in your workplace or school.

 

Those are just my thoughts. This was a quickie because my week has been a wreck and I don't know what else to say. So, game on gamers and be creative nongamers. Good luck all!