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It's funny, isn't it: on the one hand I'm all for jumping in at the digital deep end and happily spend oodles of time beavering away at the computer while on the other, I oppose modernisms such as constituent councils and subterranean trains. Reading in the second of June edition of the papers that a bunch of big-headed US scientists had discovered that the ability to concentrate is better among youngsters who like to play computer games didn't do much for me in this respect. Would it help, I wonder, if those very scientists were to investigate whether something can be done about the dichotomy of boring knowledge versus exciting games? As far as I'm aware, science is exciting and life, an enigmatic game. Even if you were to fail in your casual attempt to explain exactly how this works, I have sworn to practise self-control. If I didn't, after all, what right would I have to speak out on the social skills that are acquired by expecting violence all around one? Thank goodness those very same scientists also commented that there was a possibility that those who were naturally blessed with superior concentration had a proclivity for this kind of activity. However, before I had the chance to berate the papers about their sense of responsibility where it comes to publishing drivel, I realised that this in fact gave me something to get worked up about. Whenever it seems to take no effort at all to score points, I tell myself that it is invariably difficult to excel no matter in what direction you're looking, and so I swallowed my disapproving comment just in time. |