Dodgeball vs. Doom

As I read Steven Johnson’s recent LA Times column, I realized that even though people are getting bent out of shape about “violent” video games like Halo 2, kids have been playing violent games for years.

Hello? Ever hear of Dodgeball? Or how about the pickup games of tackle football I used to play every recess in my junior high. There were more than few violent outbreaks as a direct result of actions taken during these kinds of activites. And they are the kinds of games kids play ALL THE TIME.

I remember clearly my mother getting upset about my playing football with the neighborhood kids back when I was 6. I got bumped on the noggin pretty hard one of those games and sprained my ankle another time. Choruses of “I told you so” would follow me all the way to my room.

(And yes, readers, PLAYING football can become violent. WATCHING football should not.)

Given the choice between having my kids play Halo 2 or Dodgeball, it’s pretty much a tossup in my book. On the one hand, the kid gets some good exercise, and learns how to deal with a little pain. On the other, he exercises his mind and doesn’t come home with a bloody nose.

I guess we’ll see when I have kids…