Research Paper on:
The Play's the Thing by Ted C. Fishman

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something left primarily to the adults - kids found amusement in such seemingly harmless games as stickball, kick the can and pitching pennies in the alleys. Because contemporary society  does not permit these types of outside games to exist in many places anymore due to the drastic increase in crime and street gangs, Fishman explains how the high-tech alternative  of video games has taken their place to allow young people the opportunity to stretch their aptitude, become savvy to things they might not otherwise be exposed and escape into  the all-important sphere of imagination - all in the safety of their own homes. II. CONTROVERSY Those who contend that the video game explosion has virtually corrupted todays youth  completely overlook the fundamental basis of what these games truly have to offer. The most prominent claim against this type of entertainment is that far too many titles are  filled with gratuitous violence that infiltrates impressionable minds and predisposes them to committing violent acts. Fishman counters this assertion by reminding his readers that children and adolescents need an  pressure outlet no differently than their parents do in these extraordinarily tense times; with outside activities often out of the question due to safety factors mentioned above, kids are able  to work out their penned up frustrations, improve dexterity and experience what it is like to become totally immersed in the fantastic world of video games. III. THESIS SUPPORT  The level of violence has not increased with regard to youth games; rather, the technological sophistication is what has been developed to make it appear as though it has.  Fishman contends that playing video games full of violence is no different than playing stick sword or G.I. Joe outside with a friend - both ways employ the art of