Monkey views : Me vs GAMES ARE IMPORTANT

Recently there has been more and more pressure on the argument of games being art, with no real conclusion. What it seems to come down to, much like most forms of art, is the individual. If i were to be shown around a art gallery, it would be pointless. It wouldn't evoke any type of emotion, while to others a mixture of red and green paint would bring back a distant childhood memory....or something. Anyway im drifting, but what i plan to talk about today is the effect games have on our lives, how they can mold and shape you into the person you are or will become.

See i never took games seriously. They were fun, thats about as deep as it got. As a kid, i was lucky enough to have most consoles, starting from around the age of 5, my first being the genesis, and with that obviously came Sonic. Then, the N64. Then the Ps1. You get the picture. A few weeks ago i was playing dead space 2. Now i hate to bring the tone down here, but once again my parents were arguing, and i was ignoring them. Like i had done for the past 8 years. But, unfortunatly, this time was the nail in the coffin, and they are getting divorced soon.

Now that doesnt worry me, i always expected this to happen. It was just a matter of time. But as i sat there, shooting limbs off necromorphs, it shocked me that i didnt care. I had no urge to get up and try to stop this. My sister and brother were both downstairs pleading with my parents, while i was in my room, completly seperated. I felt like shit, what gives me the right to do this? Then i started to think, looking back on my life and how games had helped me through these times when i was younger. When i could hear them going at it, i would go into my room, turn on my console at the time and become absorbed. I was oblivious to what was happening, i was literally sucked into games. Some may say that i became more detached from reliality, taking escapism to a unhealthy level. Fuck that. How messed would i have been if i was subjected to my parents shit whilst seeing it.....



It made me realise why i had such a love for particular games. Sure, the fact that they were good games helped, but they...without sounding too cliche....were there for me.

Now i dont want this post to turn into a 'aw bad luck man' pile of shit, i want to hear personal stories, people that have been changed or effected by games, in a negative or positive way. Why are games important? You tell me.