Ryan Kurkut has been an avid video gamer for years and has seen many people act as if gaming was immoral, evil, or anti-social. However, he believes that video games can be a positive good in many people’s lives and something well worth doing if it interests you. Here are the reasons why he thinks that video games can improve social skills, as proven by several scientific studies.
Ryan Kurkut: Use Video Games to Enhance Social Skills
Ryan Kurkut has used video games to expand his social skills and make new friends. As a shy kid growing up, video games helped him find a friendship circle with whom he felt comfortable. It made it easier for him to talk with people because they had a shared interest and provided the help he needed to understand himself better and the unique challenges facing him as he grew older.
Beyond this benefit, video games also taught him various life lessons he needed to know. For example, by watching video game cut scenes, he learned more about how people interact and talk. While he later learned that these ideas were somewhat inaccurate or exaggerated, it was through this careful observation that he learned more about how to interact with people he didn’t know.
Just as importantly, video games help Ryan Kurkut and others like him interact with people when they’re shy by opening up online discussion portals. This type of interactive chat helped him better understand how to talk with people and expanded his social network considerably. It also helped him build strong relationships with people who he may never have met in real life.
Interestingly, many modern video games emulate the world of film by creating in-depth storylines that tell fascinating and emotionally complex stories. This has made video gaming a massive draw for many people because they can direct stories and live out the events as they happen. Experiencing other people’s lives this way may increase empathy and understanding of other people’s needs.
Video games also share a similar role to movies, Ryan Kurkut argues, in that they can create mythological worlds in which society can become a realm. Greek and Roman mythology was more than just an attempt to understand the world, but a way to connect people and cultures. Modern mythology focuses on things like superheroes, video games, and other unique cultural aspects that help make people feel closer together and build deep emotional bonds.
In many cases, gamers often have tight social circles and many friends, all of whom they play various games with outside of their daily lives. That benefit is significant for people who may have interests outside of the norm. Those who struggle to connect with others may find that video games are the perfect outlet for their emotions and a great way to build long-lasting relationships.
