While I like video games and found Everything Bad Is Good for You: How Today’s Popular Culture Is Actually Making Us Smarter an entertaining ride, I am skeptical when people describe video games in all glowing terms. Like everything, they improve specific skills. Also people are attracted to games in which they have specific skills.

For instance, girls are said to be attracted to games which tell stories and can create their own story. This explains the female attraction to Final Fantasy series with its hours of video between minutes of play. As the stories got longer, my interest waned.

Using a game to solve the world’s problems reminds me of the Last Starfighter. If you need me to go blow up a space ship, then I’m your guy. Solving global warming is far, far down my list of interests.