"For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world." 1 Jn 2:16
I had a disturbing encounter today. I took my sons to the Chiropractor and sat in the waiting room awaiting their turn. The waiting area is very pleasant and comfortable with fluffy couches and children's play things. We were the only ones there at first. I was sitting, relaxed on the sofa with my 6 month old when a grandmother and her two granddaughters walked into the office.
The girls were young - tweens you would call them. A smile crossed my face. This age group of girls always love my baby and Avi was a super friendly mood, what a treat this would be for everyone! Imagine my surprise when the girls walked right passed us with their faces buried in pink, hand held video games!
Avi saw the girls sit down across from us and expected to be cooed over. He smiled and clapped his chubby hands in sweet anticipation but they never looked up from their games. He squealed and giggled all in an attempt to get their attention but to no avail.
The whole time we were at the doctor the girls never looked up from their games. They chatted with each other as they played and I got an idea about their game from their comments to each other. The game was a care taking game! They were feeding, bathing, and putting to sleep some fury little e-creature for points.
Wow, I thought. I've really missed something here. Boys are no longer the only children having their natural instincts exploited by the gaming industry. Game companies learned in my generation that you can take and exploit a boys natural desire to hunt and explore via video games. I was ignorant to the fact that girls' natural instinct to care take had found an exploitation niche in our consumer driven, techno obsessed cultural.
"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen." 1 Peter 5: 8-11
Many men in recent generations have been robbed of a relationship with the real world and now girls have been sucked in too. Who needs to take care of a family when your techno pet needs to be fed every 15 minutes? Just enough to satisfy that natural drive without any of the soul building responsibility of real nurturing. Just a retreat into selfish, self centered living.
What will happen if we continue down this path where men are not earning their way responsibly and women are not raising the next generation because they are being exploited by money hungry video game corporations? Those Sci-Fi movies where everyone lives a virtual life is not too far off is it?
