» Bellevue School District Parent | Bellevue School

»
S
I
D
E
B
A
R
«

My Gamer Fragged your Honor Student

September 22nd, 2009 by admin

While I’ve seen some really, really irreverent and hilarious bumper stickers, I’ve never been a big fan of the medium. For me, they are a bit like tattoos, while I might find it witty or beautiful today, I’m never sure that I will want to wave that flag for the lifetime of the tattoo or sticker. (I suppose I could put one on my window where I can scrape it off, but…)

So, I DO tend to wonder about the thinking behind some of the stickers I see. When I see a “Beam me up, Scottie” or a “Fukengruven” on a young kid’s car, it makes me smile “ah, to be young again…”. “I met the MAN” always makes my mouth water (it’s the catch phrase for a local BBQ shack!). When I see a “I heart chihuahuas”, I get that also; their little, yappy-dog makes them happy, cool.

On the other hand, I saw a “My gamer fragged your honor student” on the back of a Honda CRV driven by a middle-aged woman, near Interlake High School, right here in Bellevue School District, apparently a mother, and it really bothers me. I’d love to fire back a bumper salvo of “My honor student will, one day, FIRE your gamer!” or “My honor student will lead a longer, more productive, happier life than your gamer because he has greater knowledge, more varied interests and has been able to acquire wisdom through studying the failures and successes of preceding generations rather than simply nudging his nose against the adrenalin-rush button like a fast-twitch rat in a maze.” but, of course, that wouldn’t fit on a bumper sticker, would it?

What is her motivation? Is she really so proud of her Gamer? Or, is she so jealous of my Honor Rollers? Or, is it something more systemic..? I LOVE gaming! Ask my wife about whole weekends that disappeared while I cranked away at Prince of Persia, Commanche or Civilization. There are Ms. PacMan machines in eastern WA and Tokyo that probably STILL have my name, ZOK, on their honor rolls. But, I was never so myopic as to think that victory was good for anything other than temporary bragging rights. I just can’t imagine bragging about my progeny having nothing else going for them than their ability to twitch thru a combat simulation.

I work hard every day at the Tutoring Club trying to get kids ON the honor roll because I believe in education. Are there really people out there that haven’t gotten the message that the surest way to raise your kids’ place in society and to help them lead “examined” lives is to make sure that they get a good education? Wasn’t there a movie called Idiocracy that riffed on this theme a short time ago? Next time a batch of “brain” jobs is outsourced to India or China where getting a great education is held in high esteem, don’t rail at the CEO of the company that is simply trying to find qualified applicants, go have a talk with the Gamer’s mom about supporting education instead of denigrating it.

3 Responses

admin writes:
October 7th, 2009 at 5:49 am

Drew,

Thanks for the comment. You ARE obviously an intelligent kid and I love that you have passion for gaming. Despite the fact that I have not had your experience with recent games, I really truly do love gaming (Unfortunately, these days, I don’t have the time to play as much as I would like.). I, further, don’t deny that our educational system needs revamping.

However, after that, I’m afraid I disagree with you wholeheartedly. At the core of my argument, is the fact that I believe that education gives you life-skills enabling a better, more fulfilling life and job. In contrast gaming is a past-time. Getting to the end of Halo is cool but it doesn’t hold any more meaning than beating someone in Monopoly. I think any parent that brags about gaming over education is doing their child a massive disservice.

Aspiring to work in the Gaming Industry is no different than someone wanting to work in Health Care or Social Work or Biotechnology. In the real world, “a cushy job with art or programming at a well-known Seattle-based games studio” doesn’t exist. That company’s management all have MBAs and realize that the studio is only as good as it’s last title. They’ll be hiring the best people they can find (some of whom will, undoubtedly, be to some degree self-taught) to work as hard as they can in their cubicle farm. The day to day life of a programmer, CG artist and an accountant in that company will be almost identical.

So, when you design your first game, let me know. I’ll be first in line to buy it and play it. In the meantime, if I can help you get through Trigonometry, Calculus, AP History or any other class, please come in to the Tutoring Club. I’ll be happy to help you get the education that I think will benefit every young person so much!
Drew writes:
October 6th, 2009 at 9:59 am

Watch as your honor student gets a job in accounting while that gamer gets a cushy job with art or programming at a well-known Seattle-based games studio. Your problem is you are underestimating the power of the gamer and his culture. Being on honor roll in this country is no big deal; a blind child could get on honor roll. Our educational system needs a total reform, and all you’re doing by sitting on your high horse and complaining about this is criticizing one of the most lucrative industries in the world. Recession-proof and unable to be outsourced, gamers have a passion. Anyone can simply be a mindless drone, completing work only to get more work, but to be truly devoted to something is quite different. All you’re doing by complaining about this is supporting the flawed system. Not to mention you’re obviously railing on this student for no reason: “greater knowledge, more varied interests and has been able to acquire wisdom through studying the failures and successes of preceding generations”. I am a gamer; I am considerably more intelligent than many of my peers, I have a variety of interests that, believe it or not, extend beyond sitting in front of the television, and I know more about failure and success than your honor roll student ever will. This generation’s gamers are a different breed: not those who feed quarters into the Pong machine out of boredom, but to understand and perfect the art form. Perhaps it’s due to your obvious misunderstanding of the current game scene: games have come a long way from Sid Meyer’s Civilization for MS-DOS, where spearmen can destroy tanks easily. Now, it’s about perfection, a skill that will always prove useful in any field. But I’m sure your honor student is already aware of that, being the epitome of education that they are.
My gamer WILL frag your honor student. Be it in a career, or just in pure devotion for their field. Thank you.
David writes:
October 6th, 2009 at 3:28 am

“My Westie is smarter than your Honor Student.” Yeah, sure…ok.. whatEVER!!