The following is a editorial letter I wrote to the National Post in response to Father De Souza's Article "Lessons Learned-The crack cocaine of the electronic world."

A Real Lesson to be Learned

In recent years, there has been an assault on the so-called perils of videogames, fuelled by irrational articles like Father Raymond J. De Souza’s “The crack-cocaine of the electronic world.” Videogames are no different than movies and music, all of which should be enjoyed in moderation. To believe that videogames are an uncontrollable addiction on the same level as illegal drugs is absurd. Everyone should realize that in life there are priorities and that videogames should come after them, and even then one should balance them with healthy activities. Parents should play an active role with their children by playing games with them, whether it is videogames or outdoor diversions like sports. As well, they need to be instrumental in providing a healthy lifestyle for their children which, if done right, can include videogames.

I am very saddened by the perpetuation of misinformation by people who clearly don’t understand the issue that they are talking about. How can one truly understand something with relatively no experience about the issue? Father De Souza has played one videogame and that was over 16 years ago. Would you let an illiterate tell you the downfalls of reading? Father De Souza makes many narrow-minded statements in his article which can only be explained by his ignorance of the true idea behind videogames—that they are realms of fantasy. Just as how a book invites us into a different world so too can a videogame.

Also, parents should ensure that their children play games that are age appropriate. The Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB) puts ratings on ever game, just like movies. Just as one wouldn’t show an R rated movie to a twelve year, neither should one let them play a mature rated game. The gaming consoles themselves actually have features to assist in this; the Nintendo Wii has setting which can let you lock out games with a certain ESRB ratings (i.e. no Mature rated games); and the Xbox 360 provides a feature called the parental timer, which allows parents to choose how much time a day their son or daughter can play.

Videogames are a media that is not going away, it is a staple in this generation, like the computer, cell phone, and internet. None of those are going anywhere. So instead of shunning them, get involved, get informed.

Mike M of Toronto, ON