Gaming to the Rescue?

Can gaming save the world? I truly do not know. But, as we discussed in class today, there are many different opinions as to why or why not it may happen. I would like to look at one particular reason why it may not work. Firstly, I am not saying this from my point of view because, frankly, I have not thought about this topic other than in class today. I am playing devil’s advocate for those who might argue that gamers cannot and will not save our world because, at least stereotypically, gamers are not the most educated people on the planet. When we think of someone coming up with cures for disease, hunger, and economic problems, I would assume most of us envision someone with years of schooling, or someone who has been actively involved in the “real world.” Whether fairly or unfairly, the first thing that pops into my head when I hear the word “gamer” is someone sitting in a beanbag chair with a headset on and a bag of Cheetos next to them. I do not think the world will give these people the opportunity to try to solve its’ issues because they don’t get out enough, they don’t have a PhD, etc. This is not to say these people are incapable of accomplishing these tasks, but we tend to be very close-minded people. Even if given the opportunity, it is difficult to imagine the opinions and solutions they come up with will be taken seriously by those in a position to implement the plans and allow them to make a meaningful change.