Save "The Sims" or not?

James Paul Gee learned that video games create what psychologist Eric Erickson calls psychsocial moratorium-which is a learning space in which the learner can take risks where real-world consequences are lowered. I believe that is what was happening to me the last time I played "The Sims". I create a family of three people. Each person had a problem. The mother, Claudette, was lazy and did not want the responsibility of cleaning up any messes, hers or anyone elses. The dad, Pierpont, was depressed and did not want a job. Everytime I tried to sent him out to look for empolyment, Pierpont would reply "no, I am too depressed to look for a job." Claudette and Pierpont had one child, a daughter. Now what was her name? Oh yeah, Hazel. Hazel was the saddest of them all. All she did was cry. I was really starting to enjoy the Clark's (my video game family's last name) misery. No, I WAS enjoying their misery. I was laughing and enjoying the sad background music and the Clark's miserable voices. I even had them start to abuse one another. A slap here or a tease there. Who cared? I didn't. There are no video game police. Or are there?

On Thursday night I started playing "The Sims". My daughter was in the room with me. She could not believe what I had done to my family! She grabbed the mouse out of my hand, and within a few minutes, my family was happy again. The mom and the dad were both working and getting money for their work. Without money, my family had little furniture, no food in the refrigerator and no socialization. Hazel was off to school. At the end of the day, all three of them ate dinner. Now all was grand according to my daughter.

They next time I get back on "The Sims" guess what I will probably do? That's right. I will either create a new family or use one of my old families and start to make things miserable for them. What will happen anyway? Will the die? Will they disappear? Oh well. If they do, I will just start all over again. Stay tuned for next week's episode of "The Sims".