Many of us spend or have spent a lot of time playing video games. But is it worthwhile to spend so much time on an activity that seems to have little practical value for you or anyone else?

A recent Reason article by Peter Suderman argues that playing video games is okay. Suderman starts by claiming that video game use among young, lower skilled men has increased markedly in the past few decades. In general, the underemployment of this demographic has struck many as deeply worrying, foreshadowing changes in the future of work and creating a need for a universal basic income.

But Suderman questions whether we should be worried about this demographic playing lots of video games in particular. He reflects on his own experience playing and tentatively concludes that video games can provide structure in these people's lives.

What do you think? Are you troubled by the purported rise in video game use by young underemployed men? Can video games provide purpose or meaning in life? Or do they just help pass the time? 

Read the article here:

http://reason.com/archives/2017/06/13/young-men-are-playing-video-ga