What a long way we've come since then. Atari has come and gone, and kind of come, and kind of gone several times since.
We've moved from being entertained by moving squares of pixels to having video game footage merged almost imperceptibly with actual video footage.
We've moved from gentle competition with other people to solo splatterfests with nightmarish monsters in the form of first person shooters.
We've moved from having a glass ceiling for women employees at around 50% to around 75%.
We've moved from having our best friends beaten with baseball bats because they are gay to having freaks shouting "God hates fags" at our churches (BTW, that was the day I joined my church, the day those people from Kansas were protesting it from across the street).
I wonder what it's like to never have known a world without video games. I'll ask Dan next time I see him.
One Comment
Ah, a time before pong. Let's see, there were board games that one could play, inside or outside on a sunny day on that great old blanket. You know, like Monopoly, Clue and Sorry, just to mention a few…and those board game marathons too! There were card games, ball games, slip 'n' slide on a hot summer day. Items as simple as a rope or a hose could help create hours of fun. Bikes, tricycles, skooters (pre-skateboard…yeah, there was a time before skateboards!) and any number of things that made us move around rather than just sit in front of a screen all day.
And, of course, the neighborhood park where one could play on the swings, the slide, merry-go-round, teter-toters and monkey bars…you know PHYSICAL things!
We worry about our younger generation gaining so much weight…it's no wonder.
Okay, I'll shut up now. I've said too much already and I should be punished. I know: Go directly to jail, do not pass go and do not collect $200.00!