Soccer Dad

Not just for nerds

In Way beyond Pong, Jeffrey D. Barnett argues that video gaming (especially nowadays) is a great exercise. It's not for the isolated sociopathic nerd, but for accomplished professionals who are pursuing a hobby.

When I look at my gamer friends, I see adults, mostly my age or older. I see successful engineers, scientists, programmers, IT professionals, small business owners, and students thriving in college. I see responsible fathers, mothers, husbands, and wives. I see people who grew up playing video games and people who just started. I see people socializing and networking. In short, I do not see the loser that many Americans conjure when they think of a video game enthusiast.

Though the article is about the benefits of networked games there are benefits to the old style non-networked games, too.

Pfc. Oscar Buonafina, of Reseda, Calif., from Company C, 215th Forward Support Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, a driver currently tasked as a chaplains assistant, allows a child at the Salhiya Orphanage to play with his Gameboy, during a Task Force 3-8 Cavalry medical humanitarian assistance mission Dec. 9. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Susan German, 122nd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment)

I could also argue that Barnett's view of gaming also applies to blogging.

video gaming.