Students Create anti-Binge Drinking Game... But Still Face Luddite Criticism
Students Create anti-Binge Drinking Game... But Still Face Luddite Criticism
April 8, 2008
When students in Scotland use game tech to persuade peers that binge drinking is a bad idea, that would seem like a positive thing.But a critic says that ThinknDrinkn is "irresponsible."
Compute Scotland reports that the game was created by a joint effort of students from Paisley Grammar School and St. Andrew's Academy along with assistance from the University of the West of Scotland's School of Computing. Binge drinking is apparently quite the problem in that area, with an estimated one-third of 15-year-olds getting drunk every week. From Compute Scotland's report:
In the game, the players have to find and help a friend who has been drinking and whose condition is constantly deteriorating. Game players will have to provide fluids and food to a drunk friend and either take them home or to hospital, avoiding obstacles including youth gangs along the way. They will also have to answer various questions related to alcohol misuse and can use links to useful websites to find relevant information.
Thanks to the success enjoyed by the game, variations are being studied which would address issues with drug abuse, gambling and sexual health.
But not everyone likes ThinknDrinkn. As Spong reports, Nick Seaton of the Campaign for Real Education objects:
It is irresponsible to confront children of just 11 or 12 with the idea of a friend lapsing into unconsciousness because they have had so much to drink.
Spong notes:
This is the same Nick Seaton who earlier this year told anybody who would listen that introducing Nintendo Wiis into schools was, "pandering to the views of the physically idle".
Thanks to: GP Correspondent Colin "Jabrwock" McInnes for the heads-up on ThinknDrinkn...
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Comments
I'm sorry about being a dick to your response. But yeah in a whole ignorance is not a good, I'd rather know why not mix fire and gas.
Has Seaton even read the game description?
You're supposed to help said drunk friend. If anything, that sounds more like a crash course in basic first aid, which I think actually makes sense.
It's more irresponsible to pretend that it doesn't happen. And what's so terrible about a friend passing out? Trust me, a kid at that age can handle it. Hell they may have even passed out once or twice themselves. Because the age we kids drink and have relationships gets lower and lower every year.
Give'em a year or two and they might be in that situation.
Its irresponsible to bury ones head in the sand, pretend it doesn't happen and not supply them with info for this situation... be it from parents, pdhpe classes, or games.
I think this game sounds like a great idea, for pretty much all ages. There is no law preventing people from being drunk around kids, so there should be no age restriction on a game that depicts the same thing.
These kids have done something commendable in creating this game. First, it draws attention to the ALREADY EXISTING problem of youth binge drinking. Second, it puts player in the place of someone helping the drunk, which might get kids thinking about talking to their friends who drink. Third, any kid who does already drink might look at the game and think "Jeez, is that what my friends have to do with me when I get plastered?".
The only irresponsible action here, as pointed out already is pointing a finger at something aimed at giving information about an existing problem, while ignoring the actual causes of that problem (ie. lax parental supervision, no activities for kids to take part in, the ease of availability of booze, etc.)
Work pc's mixing names up due to the network.
Oh, wait ....
And yet apparently gamers have a problem with 'living in a fantasy'...
How about a lesson on how stupid they look when they are drunk.
One night in college a stranger brought home my roommate who was so drunk he was just sitting on the couch vomitting on himself (didn't bother me much as it was his own couch).
It's not a matter of "He can't hold his liquor." It's a matter of, "His brain is shutting down because it isn't able to function correctly." It won't even go into how sick the guy was the next day, I couldn't really hear him with my stereo turned up and the subwoofer going full blast... [evil grin]
Personally I'm all for it, since common sense seem's to be failing these days, maybe shock tactics will work.. I hope someone invents a video game for new drivers which shows in horrifying graphic detail using the best graphic technology and physics available what happens to people who drink drive or disobey the road laws and get into accidents,
The new speak for 'success' is 'victim.' We clearly shouldn't empower ourselves or our children.
Reminds me of one of those people who goes up in a panic when you teach children gun safty with the idea OMG NOW THEY ARE EXPOSED TO GUNS!
"Adults think childhood is all fun and happy.. it isn't, kids are hurtful and teenagers curious about all sorts of things adults don't want them to be.. but now adults know, and don't like it"..
These people want to stop kids knowing about the way things are.. if you ask me, by the time a child is in high school they should be learning about such things and graphically educated about the negative effects.
I remember why I don't smoke.. when I was playing around pretending to smoke a cigar that my father had been given by a friend and never gotten around to smoking, when I was ten.. he cut it up and made me eat bits until I promised never to smoke.. he didn't want me addicted like my parents did.. and I never wanted to taste tobaccoo ever again.
Above all, the game presents it as a cartoon. It's not even that realistic. Have they remembered back when teachers would put in videotapes of PSAs, anti-drug campaigns and such? How is this any different?
And also, 1/3 of 15 year olds getting drunk every week? Guess there's some good to keeping the drinking age at 21 here in the States...
Eh, at my school, I'd say about 1/8 of high schoolers get drunk semi-regularly, and over half have gotten really drunk before.
But these days, that's more than enough for CPS to come and grab your children.
@ JustChris
Making something illegal exponentially increases the likelihood of abuse. I believe that this is a major contributing factor. You don't have the same level of problems in households/countries that introduce children to potentially dangerous items when they are young. This applies to guns and alcohol in a big way, IMO.
What are the chances that a 15yr old will have only a few beers after school just to unwind?
ex. Once I was 21, having beer was no longer 'an event.' No reason to celebrate the fact that I have it, and so my tendencies to 'abuse' it were all but erased.
Quite correct, mainly due to this bizarre concept that childhood is ment to be sweetness and light and, since children can do no wrong, they should not be punished, expected to respect their elders or even taught necessary but harsh lessons.
It is irresponsible to confront children of just 11 or 12 with the idea of a friend lapsing into unconsciousness because they have had so much to drink.
Children of that age are already confronted with the problem. This game not only draws attention to said problem, but it also educates players on how to deal with the problem in what I hope is a mature and responsible way. It's not meant to be a problem but a potential solution. Critics should take heed of such things instead of simply admonishing such attempts. These people are so out of touch, it's not even funny... though sometimes it is.
And while they're at it, no more middle school sexual education? 'cause kids will be promiscuous with that information. ;)
If you don't want your kids learning this stuff in schools, step up and inform them at home, have honest and frank discussions where they can ask you anything, I know it might be uncomfortable for parents and kids, but the information they get is given to them on your terms and you can make sure they understand and they can understand where you, as a parent, are coming from.
I tok American sex ed examples because I have no idea what sex ed is in the UK.
It is also completely unconscionable to tell them not to drink paint thinner and drain cleaner! How can anyone justify crushing the beautiful innocence of children by telling them about all the scary brain damage and cardiac malfunction that threatens them underneath the sink? You gamers make me sick!
Ahh... sweet, wonderful unconsciousness....
Indeed! Next thing you know, we'll be warning them about getting into strangers' cars or trying to tell them to be careful online, I think it's disgraceful that we should make kids aware that there are predators out there, it would ruin their innocence!
Would you like some candy and a ride to the ice cream store?
Eh, lets stop trying to guid children through life ourselves and let the Feds do it for us. I'm sure they can do a much better job than us between them wasting tax payer money of Second Life and arguing whether or not to condem a commercial that insults the military.
*headdesk*
*headdesk*
*headdesk*
Well, think of the 15-YEAR OLDS THEN! DUH!! Jeez...
Hehehe, thing is, when I was about 9, someone did try to pick me up from Primary school saying my parents had sent him, this was in 1981, it was only me going 'Oh look! There's my Dad! Hi Dad!' that prompted him to drive off at speed, if I hadn't been aware of the dangers, it could have ended very differently. That's why idiots like this Seaton, who seem to believe that ignorance is bliss, get on my nerves so much.
On the same note, I also blame M. Night Shyamalan for this:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article37090...
So no candy?
In some ways ignorance is bliss, but I'd rather know why I shouldn't lite a match near gas fumes. And I'd rather NOT know about animal breeding or why it's called the "clap"
I hate that saying...Ignorance is not bliss. Lack of responsibility is relaxing, that's all. And that only holds up until whoever is responsible for you makes a decision you don't like. Anyway.
It's been said already, but I concur that not warning children in some fashion is the true irresponsibility. You can't "protect" them by not telling them anything. You will not always be there to tell them what to do, and even if you were, they might not do it. And if they did...then they're not really living, are they? Life without choice is empty. Risk is part of every choice. And knowledge is the only thing that helps people avoid risks, whether they are young or old. Therefore, knowledge is a necessity.
Now, I don't think we should necessarily start warning kids about the potential dangers of substance abuse/etc. as soon as they can walk...but when they're 15, they better know. Because when I was in high school (not long ago, I'm in college now) over 50% of my grade could already be categorized by their substance of choice (alcohol. cigarettes, and pot being the big three, with ecstasy and coke belonging to a minority) at the beginning of freshman year. To reiterate: they already had these habits, possibly addictions, known to each other and myself when high school started. Kids can learn earlier than adults think.
Oh, and to put that in context: the school was a private high school in the northeastern united states. I think that's enough to get the idea. This happens, and in plenty of places. Parents need to stop lying to themselves about the innocence of children.
You know I was making a joke right? Because it really is bliss not knowing how an animal is breed (meaning the process of farm breeding) or what happens during labor. Now those are some really nasty things that thanks to biology and sex ed, I know graficlly about.
I understood you were joking, yes-just got sidetracked by the phrase. When I said "I hate that phrase" I guess I was trying to distinguish my objection against it from your actual viewpoint. Sorry for being unclear.
And those are decent examples of ignorance as bliss...but in truth i think they rely on our innate culturally manufactured squeamishness, so while they are valid in real life, I think in an improved culture (one not obsessed with ignoring facets of reality for no good reason) they wouldn't really be considered unpleasant.
Part of the district's DARE program required students to finish the game, which was very easy by just saying "no" to every drug that comes along (Once you start accepting, you can quickly lose control of the game). Alternately, you can do what I did to piss off my teacher and figure out how drugs effect the game, snort down everything in sight, and still get all the questions right.
And I do agree with others posted who postedbefore me with thier comment:
*headdesk*
*headdesk*
*headdesk*
"Try to please everybody and somebody won't like it."
R.I.P for now Common Sense. But we hope someone resurrects you in the future.
As for the anti-binge drinking game. I would like to give two thumbs up to the people who made it.
"Knowing is half the battle"
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