Some Blog Site

What is the point of developing hand-eye coordination?

I was thinking about that while on vacation with my extended family. My nephew and I were playing Guitar Hero, and I thought “Why does it matter how good I get at this game? Sure, it’s fun to play, but why should I spend hours practicing pushing little plastic buttons?”

No, I don’t actually spend hours practicing Guitar Hero, as I don’t have the game. That was just a hypothetical question. And yes, it is fun to play and one can create lasting memories playing games with people. But it’s the interactions and relationships with people that really makes the memories, not the game itself.

It would be one thing to spend that time practicing a real guitar, a guitar that I could take places and entertain people. Come to think of it, it can be pretty entertaining watching some people play Guitar Hero. But I have no aspirations of becoming a singer/songwriter, so that’s why I don’t spend time on a real guitar.

For a long time, the best rationalization people had for spending timing gaming was that it develops hand-eye coordination. I suppose a minimum level of that skill is necessary, but after some point there can’t be much added benefit.

In your normal life, how much precision hand-eye coordination is required? Once you get the basics down, you should be good. Why not work on your walking skills or breathing skills?

Maybe someone wants to become a skilled surgeon – that would require good hand-eye coordination. What would be a better use of your time – staring at a screen and pressing pieces of plastic with your thumbs or maybe knitting or sewing something?

Playing something is one thing; practicing it is another. You should practice what you want to do. If watching a screen and pressing buttons very quickly is what you want to do, then go for it.