外国语学院2001级4班　桂肖燕

       Playing computer games is now a vogue among the young, especially students. Whether it is a heartening phenomenon or an alarming omen is still unsettled. Since everything has its good and bad sides, playing computer games is no exception. It is instrumental in handling computer adroitly, training the abilities of thinking and operation and so on. However, the positive effects should be mentioned with caution, because the insidious effects far outweigh the direct effects.

       Playing computer games is detrimental to health, which, in my opinion, is the worst influence. Students devoid of self-control tend to dally over the illusory world for hours or even days without eating and sleeping. Self-evidently, the irregular life will give rise to various diseases. What’s more, computer games are always designed in imitation of the real world, so they inevitably contain violence and sex, which will mislead the young students who are weak in discernment. Moreover, the long-time stare on the screen and the dingy pictures will apparently fatigue people and then divert them from their study and work, which are the major tasks in their daily life. I used to hear of a true story that one of my friends and his father wallowed so much in playing computer games that they almost lost all their properties. It sounds ridiculous, but it occurs around us, reflecting the derogative outcomes of playing computer games.

      Playing computer games is prevalent among students, especially middle school students. Why is it widespread? The “peer pressure” plays an important role in the epidemic. Young students always incline to follow their companions in order not to be kicked out of the “friend circle”. Therefore, playing computer games is like an infection sprawling out among the children. And this is the reason for its hidden effects.

       As is known, many students play computer games not at home but in the Internet bars where divers problems are likely to arise. As most of these Internet bar managers seek only profits, they usually admit and prefer under-age students to be their consumers. In the bars, children often play games until squandering all their allowance and even owing debts. Then, some of them will go stealing or robbing, for they dare not tell their parent the truth and have to snatch money to get out of the debt. It looks as if the crime is not the direct result, but it is the subsidiary effect caused by playing computer games and far graver than playing games itself. As far as I am concerned, the Internet bar is a criminal seedbed. There are some other negative effects. For example, it was reported once that three children were beaten to death in the Internet bar for failing to repay debts. Tragedies like this defy enumeration.

       Now, the problem has aroused wide concern. We must search for some measures, because the present tendency, if permitted to continue, will surely ruin many juveniles who might have splendid future.

（檀东鍟老师　批阅）