Last week I posted on an article that discussed generational trends and specifically Gen Y and the effect of video game playing on their work habits. Steven Rothberg from CollegeRecruiter.com added a comment to that post that I wanted to share. Steven provides the most insightful commentary on Gen Y that I have read so I always consider his expert-level commentary.
I thought his comment on my post was as good or better than the original article:
Some may argue that video games are ruining the minds of this generation, but I feel that they’re not ruining the minds but instead changing them. The mind of someone of Gen Y age simply works differently than that of a Gen X’er or Baby Boomer.
Video games teach you how to think very quickly, collaborate (the most popular games are multi-player but even if you play single player mode you’re still collaborating with the computer), and executive decision making. Watch kids when they play video games. Yes they’re looking at the screen and can sit on the couch for hours but they’re also continuously talking with their friends and working together to solve problems. Sometimes they succeed and that’s great. But sometimes they fail.
The opportunity to fail is refreshing for a generation of kids who have grown up not being allowed to fail by their helicopter parents some teachers who mistakenly feel that everyone must succeed all of the time in order to have high self-esteem.
Now look at those same kids once they get into the workplace. You’ll find a group that is able to think quickly, decisively, and collaborate to reach goals which are optimal for the group. Sound familiar to their video game experiences? You bet.