At my company work party they gave away a bunch of video game consoles. I won an Xbox 360. I’ve wanted an Xbox for a really long time now. I haven’t had one since the Sega Genesis (anybody else remember Shining Force, that game was awesome!).
I was absolutely ecstatic last night when I won. I made a bit of a fool of myself because I was so excited (but I do that on a regular basis, so no one was surprised). I jumped up and down and screamed a lot. My co-workers were excited for me so that I can join the ranks of after work online play.
My coworker’s wife said, “Does your wife know she’s never going to see you again?”
It made me stop and pause. I thought about how much some men that I know play Xbox. While her comment was said jokingly it held a kernel of truth. Her husband is a good guy. He works hard at work, and is a valuable employee. I also believe that he’s a good husband and father to their children.
It made me think. How much time is too much time in front of the video game console? It’s a serious issue. With so much media out there distracting our time, and treatment programs opening worldwide for video game addiction, men (and women) have to evaluate how much time they’re spending in front of the screen.
EDIT: Derek Semmler over at Dad Balance has made a note on how the Nintendo Wii can help you experience time travel.
Even if we’re not addicted, how much time is too much time? What do you think?
