Does your favorite leisure activity benefit the world in any meaningful way?
11-year-old Moshe Kai Cavalin, who graduated from East Los Angeles Community College last week, has many interests ranging from astrophysics to the Rat Pack but video games are not among them. How come? The newly-minted holder of an Associates Degree of Liberal Arts explained:
I feel it's a waste of time playing video games because it's not helping humanity in any way.
Perhaps a rather odd statement coming from a lad whose passions include martial arts, scuba diving and playing piano. He also aspires to be a movie actor.
-Reporting from San Diego, GamePolitics Correspondent Andrew Eisen...
Via: NBC Los Angeles
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HEY, you're an 11 y/o that graduated college, not many 11 y/o's can say that, GOOD FOR YOU!!!!!!!! (ladies and gentleman, the NEXT Rev. Dr. Mr. Sir Jesus Jack Jones Thompson) LOL
edit: i dunno where that came from, but i know that dissin' video games makes you big as Jesus Jack Jones Thompson
Jesus Jack Jones Thompson loves you, so kill for his amusement so we can get money for the new "People's Temple of Jesus Jack Jones Thompson"
He graduated from a community college. I could easily have graduated from community college at that age, as could most people.
Why you gotta playa-hate, huh? And why are you acting like you graduated from MIT?
MIT doesn't offer courses that interest me (or rather, didn't when I went to college) at the level I wanted. I have degrees from a number of schools, among them Duke, which I enjoyed far more because you can have a dog in your dormitory room.
Ha! Like you could have gotten in to MIT. Ha!
I had a 1580 SAT and a 3.8 in highschool. For all you younger kids, this was back when the SAT was a 2 part test (math and english) and had no essay writing portion.
I don't care if you had a papal dispensation, you still wouldn't have gotten in to MIT. Lemme break the news to you as gently as I can: you ain't nobody's rocket scientist.
And not even in any specific field! He graduated with a pussy-ass Liberal Arts degree! And with a 2-year Associates!
He's an inspiration to us all. \sarcasm
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Game on, brothers and sisters.
Hey come on even if most liberal arts degree holders use it to wait tables he's only 11, he can go back and get something more usefull. Graduating this early I am not surprised that he has been raised to see games as a waste of time.
Wow. A four year liberal arts degree is worthless, so what does a 2 year liberal arts degree count as? A waste of time and money? I'd rather get a real degree that can lead to employment than waste 2 years of my life getting the most pansy-assed degree available at a community college (basically sounds like suck all around, eh?).
But this whole thing has the sound of parents pushing him way too hard. One of the big problems these 'prodigies' (and I feel certain the title was poorly given to this child) experience is that they never socialize normally, much like homeschool students, who, though they may fare better with socialization, often have problems. That's one of the reasons why, even if offered the opportunity to skip grades ahead, a parent should be hesitant.
As for this child's take on games, its laughable. This kid has a worthless degree that he wasted 2 years on, he scuba dives, partakes in martial arts, and wants to be an actor. None of these things contribute to society, and most people with 4 year liberal arts degrees only contribute (if one can call it that) because they end up with jobs whose main function is to question if I want to get extra fries with that, or extra steak on my burrito (I found out yesterday that my favorite worker at chipotle has a liberal arts degree from a four year college that he graduated from six years ago.). Basically, the kid is an idiot, and like others have said, it sounds like he's parroting his mother, who, one can only surmise, is also an idiot.
"Wow. A four year liberal arts degree is worthless, so what does a 2 year liberal arts degree count as? A waste of time and money? I'd rather get a real degree that can lead to employment than waste 2 years of my life getting the most pansy-assed degree available at a community college (basically sounds like suck all around, eh?)."
Oh, Austin. Something we actually agree on.. The kid is an idiot.
Lemme guess, his parents don't buy him video games because THEY think it's a waste of time. I sincerely doubt they even allow him to watch TV. My parents used to act that way, and prety much mellowed out after a few years. I feel for the kid. Poor kid had a wasted childhood and not much to show for it except a college degree that his mom and dad can brag about in front of their friends.
Yeah its accutally nice to have a not so expensive college to try out various courses to see what I would want to seek out as a career.
So lets focus our snootyness at the 11 year old dick, not people who go to community college. Kay? Thanks. :D
Yeah. There'e s nothing wrong with going to or graduating from a community college, as long as you don't pretend it's some major accomplishment. Any chimp with $10,000 (or maybe less) and a lot of time can get a degree (see also: George Walker Bush).
That's the kid's opinion, I don't support it
Watching JT on GP is just like watching an episode of Jerry springer only as funny as the fights
can you imagine if this kid can graduate college at 11 and he wants to go to law school? the thought of it alone scares or amuses that crap outta me :D
Jesus Jack Jones Thompson loves you, so kill for his amusement so we can get money for the new "People's Temple of Jesus Jack Jones Thompson"
luckily that kid in question is going into acting
and I do agree that the statement is rather odd
Watching JT on GP is just like watching an episode of Jerry springer only as funny as the fights
you never no though, these kids turn from actors to "activists"
Jesus Jack Jones Thompson loves you, so kill for his amusement so we can get money for the new "People's Temple of Jesus Jack Jones Thompson"
Just because you've a degree doesn't make you wise. I approve of your take on the issue, sir/ma'am. ^^
"HEY! LISTEN!"
Sounds about right.. additionally, an 11 year old who went through college, scuba dives, and takes martial arts classes osunds like he doesn't have a free schedule. Poor kid probably doesn't have an off switch and I can only imagine how aggressive his parents are about this kind of stuff.
To take it one step further... always take the opinion of smart people (outside their field) with a grain of salt. Just like everyone else they tend to armchair things they do not understand.
What do JBT and this article have to do with each other?
----
Papa Midnight
http://www.thesupersoldiers.com
Someone should tell him about Child's Play.
Or PAX.
Or Videogames Live.
Or the Independent Games Festival.
Then he can talk to me about improving the lives of others.
Not to mention that (as they said above) he's going into acting. How is he going to help the world? Chemisty? Nope. Engineering? No way. Historian? Not going to happen. His way of helping is to emote at a camera.
Little hippiecrit.
Sounds like a movie plot!
Oh wait.....
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sullivan%27s_Travels
isn't community college considered the lowest level of college?
besides,
I wonder how much fun it was for his parents to beat him into never playing videogames, because no 'normal' kid would not care about 'helping humanity'
Considering he's eleven, cut him some slack. Tony Stark v2 coming up.
----
Papa Midnight
http://www.thesupersoldiers.com
He's 11.
He's permitted a little naivete.
Heres more on the kid
an only child of a Taiwanese mother and an Israeli father.
notice somthing even odder whith the fact that the person was half taiwan
Watching JT on GP is just like watching an episode of Jerry springer only as funny as the fights
what does that have to do with anything.
Forget it, very bad idea
Watching JT on GP is just like watching an episode of Jerry springer only as funny as the fights
I second the motion. FORGET EVERYTHING. D:>
"HEY! LISTEN!"
simply fixed:
1,buy a PS3
2,fold @ home
There, now he has no excuse.
except folding @ home is not a videogame but merely something you play on your PS3 that lets the labs use the ps3's power. I heard there's also a PC version.
But there is games that can help train doctors or so I heard.
----------------------------------------------------
Debates are like merry go rounds. Two people take their positions then they go through the same points over and over and over again. Then when it's over they have the same positions they started in.
I read about this earlier in the week. Considering he's an 11-year-old prodigy, and therefore more intelligent than any of us could ever hope to be, I'm inclined to give hm a pass.
Most forms of entertainment are a waste of time considering they don't obviously help humanity. Although try to remove entertainment and you'll find many people in society are prone to eventually just breaking down. Human beings need some form of enjoyment or release. So the kid is technically right but I doubt he doesn't sit down to watch TV or read a nice novel now and again.
wow.
An 11 year old is the worlds greatest internet troll. Who'da thought.
I came here to see everyone tear the kid a new on. I was pleasantly surprised.
The kid used a gun to counteract our tearing him a superfluous new behind. And when that didn't work, he used more gun.
"HEY! LISTEN!"
Maybe they should ask that smart kid about relationship problems, midlife crisis, drug related issues and modern art as well. ;)
Nope, sorry, not impressed. I remember way too many "smart kids" from my own youth, who ended up having rather dull careers, never really achieving anything for science or the rest of society - except maybe earning a lot of cash.
ZAR.
Most of the intelligent people I've known got bored in school. They knew the value of school but couldn't take it seriously because it was so easy, so when they finally got to university they usually couldn't handle it... they had to work hard for the first time in their lives.
This is why advanced classes are very important: putting smart people in a math class that takes a month to figure out how to find the length of a side on a right triangle is going to bore the hell out of them.
Hmm... wonder what brought that statment on. I mean, reading the article, it just feels tacked on.
Then again, given the length of the article, I guess they just needed to pad it a bit or something.
After making this statement he started a cut vs. uncut thread on /b/, closed pools in Habbo Hotel and submitted a story that made Linux look awful to slashdot. Before bed he made a post on freep.com that proved beyond the shadow of a doubt that Obama was born in America.
And thus ended another day in the life of the most epic troll ever to live.
Hm... I often wonder about child prodigies who are expected to become adults way before they're ready. Childhood only occurs once in life, so one must never forget what it's like to be a child, to be carefree and curious about the world around you.
“To be concerned about being grown up, to admire the grown up because it is grown up, to blush at the suspicion of being childish; these things are the marks of childhood and adolescence. And in childhood and adolescence they are, in moderation, healthy symptoms. Young things ought to want to grow. But to carry on into middle life or even into early manhood this concern about being adult is a mark of really arrested development. When I was ten, I read fairy tales in secret and would have been ashamed if I had been found doing so. Now that I am fifty I read them openly. When I became a man I put away childish things, including the fear of childishness and the desire to be very grown up.”
- C. S. Lewis
-------------------------
"They were retarded hairless pink bunnies, all of them. Except Shigeru Myamoto and... well, the good ones were just too /rare/ to be worth bothering about." - Mason Hornblower on the extinction of the human race
Agreed. I'm betting the parents are overjoyed though: they're already counting the money from their TLC reality show.
I no haz plans to grow up..oh wait to late...I am old and I suck..oh well back to pretending I am soemthign I am not to stave off compeltel maddness. la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la
I am a criminal because I purchase media,I am a criminal because I use media, I am a criminal because I chose to own media..We shall remain criminals until Corporate stay's outside our bedrooms..
http://zippydsmlee.wordpress.com
You know, I find it odd that you hear about these "child prodigy" kids once, and then you never hear from them again. Well, I hope this kid actually does become something of a success.
With a Liberal Arts degree from a community college?
I wouldn't hold your breath.
Well he's still got time to go to a university though. I just really hope he doesn't turn into one of those sad bastards who blew their childhood on excessive study time while watching other kids skate by on A's and B's with minimal effort and getting pretty good jobs and careers, and then he goes on to write some dickish book about how the current youth generation is nothing but apethetic "slackers".
Seriously, no more of those people.
You mean skating by on B's and C's...right?
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Game on, brothers and sisters.
A's and B's, B's and C's, some people require less effort than others. I know I didn't have to bust my fucking balls to mantain good grades though...I actually got to be 11.
Seriously,you'd think a prodigee would realize that even a Poli Sci degree counts for more than a Liberal Arts degree.
Because they end up having NO social skills or ability to get through the REAL world. They've been enshrined in studies, if they haven't been home schooled they've been coddled and protected by teachers as they were pushed through school (think about it, even a genius 11 year old would have series problems in a High School).
They get to college or get out of college and suddenly realize "Wait, you mean I actually need to TALK to people to make it in life?"
They either refuse to acknowledge that they're superior intellect is not the be all end all of the world and end up treating their co-workers and bosses like idiots or they simply cannot deal with the social world and burn out.
There's reasons other than just learning we don't put kids in High School or College till certain ages, 11 year olds don't really know how to interact with 18, 19, 20, 21 year olds.
Wasn't there a compulsive gambler on that Intervention show that was a "child prodigy"?
He's right, playing games isn't helping humanity. That's why its called "entertainment".
Piano, martial arts (unless you are actively defending others, super-hero style), scuba diving, and ESPECIALLY being an actor don't help humanity either.
Respect for graduating community college at 11. Now try going to a real college */sarcasm*
What about the retirement homes and Veteran's hospitals that are using Wii's to help disabled patients get motor skills back?
Well technically the playing of those games isn't benefitting humanity, it's benefitting the individual, kind of like food. The people who produce the food and the games are contributing to society as a whole. But what this kid here forgets is that most people function better when they can unwind with some entertainment.
Forgets? The kid obviously hasn't even experienced unwinding. College degree at age 11 doesn't exactly scream "relaxed".
Just chock it up to this kids ignorance. So what if he has a degree at age 11... HE'S FUCKING ELEVEN! Kid hasn't even hit puberty. Who knows how his views will change then... he certainly doesn't.
Probably why he only went to a comunity college, and got a liberal arts degree. Even so, OVER ACHIEVER!
We don't need the government, all we need is Medicare, Medicade, and Social Security!
Ah, kids. Let's face it, everyone goes through this stage at some point. Usually in college/late high school (delete as geographically appropriate), when you become politically aware.
Then a little bit later you become financially poor, then workily overstressed, then Steamily headshotted.
So you want to beoem an actor....what what good will you do for humanity being a druged up celeb?
I am a criminal because I purchase media,I am a criminal because I use media, I am a criminal because I chose to own media..We shall remain criminals until Corporate stay's outside our bedrooms..
http://zippydsmlee.wordpress.com
He'll try to get people to help some random African country and vote for whatever dimwit supports his personal point of view.
Or import wifes..er...kids..from there....*rolls eyes*
I am a criminal because I purchase media,I am a criminal because I use media, I am a criminal because I chose to own media..We shall remain criminals until Corporate stay's outside our bedrooms..
http://zippydsmlee.wordpress.com
Wait, so you can have a Liberal Arts degree and be considered a prodigy?
--------------------------------------------------------
Believe in something! Even if it's wrong, believe in it! -Glenn Beck
He's eleven and has a college degree. I don't know what his IQ is, but it's probably really up there. That's probably why people say he's a prodigy.
On a side note, why the hell do you have a quote from Glenn Beck as your sig? Just from looking at the quote, I'm not sure if it's up there as a joke or if you believe in what he said. But whatever, that's just a little of my personal beef.....if..you can understand what I meant right there....
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Game on, brothers and sisters.
I knew lots of people who could have gotten a Liberal Arts degree at 11, in theory. I could have too except Liberal Arts is teh sux.
Everyone is entitled to their opinion as well as their own interests, likes, and dislikes.
The stuck up attitude behind those opinions, however, may get him into more trouble than he's expecting in the future.
That's the first response from me.
The other: "Well, isn't that special?" The Church Lady, SNL
Nightwng2000
NW2K Software
Nightwng2000 has also updated his MySpace page: http://www.myspace.com/nightwing2000 Nightwng2000 is now admin to the group "Parents For Education, Not Legislation" on MySpace as http://groups.myspace.com/pfenl
The "stuck up" attitude is the one expressed by Dennis and the commentors on this site.
"I feel it's a waste of time playing video games because it's not helping humanity in any way."
then says he wants to be a Movie Actor... same shit different pile
I forgot to mention, what the hell was with the NBC article?
"Pre-Teen Could Probably Beat you up, too"?
Lick his ass harder why don't you...
One of his hobbies is martial arts. Not sure how far he's gotten with that, though....
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Game on, brothers and sisters.
With his personality, he needs it.
Right now, a video game is helping my daughter learn to read. I own many games that have taught me lessons from history and many others that teach strategic and tactical thinking. Anyone who believes video games don't help humanity in any way is very ignorant about what video games can do.
This kid's quote just goes to show that academic achievement in one discipline doesn't mean you're not completely ignorant in other areas.
Someone should tell him that it's not feasible to try to help humanity 24/7 noble as it may be. It's perfectly ok to wanna do something just because it'll entertain you (assuming that thing doesn't hurt a non-consenting 3rd party).
All work and no play makes jack a dull boy.
----------------------------------------------------
Debates are like merry go rounds. Two people take their positions then they go through the same points over and over and over again. Then when it's over they have the same positions they started in.
In my family it's "All work and no play makes Jack a dead boy." (Usually from burnout or suicidal depression, so no flaming please.)
Hunting the shadows of the troubled dreams.
You are lucky this isn't 4chan. Lol.
In all seriousness, I totally understand, and both myself and my girlfriend have suffered from various forms of Depression over the past few years. It fucking SUCKS..
At least he has good taste in music.
Good job at alienating people little kid.
Future politician in action.
Not just any politician, JT.
We don't need the government, all we need is Medicare, Medicade, and Social Security!
I feel the same way about listening to the Rat Pack.
It must suck living half a century in the past, especially when that time was 40 years before your birth.
Whew, slow news weekend.
And honestly video games have helped humanity, a lot. Gaming has pushed computer technology further and further. In fact if I remember right Id was a company that was pushing some of the first graphics accelerators using Quake.
Don't forget about Wii Sports, Wii Fit, Dance Dance Revolution, Guitar Hero, some various Serious games about world issues like that Middle East game where you are a peace keeper trying to solve the conflict between Isreal and Palistine?
Without Videogames, computers may not be the way they are now.
Without Videogames, there may never be any HD TVs or Blue Ray players.
Without Videogames, we may have mobile phones that struggle to fit inside our pockets.
Without Videogames, other things in life that people take for granted may not have been possible.
More to the point, entertainment technology can help other tehcnology to advance.
/facepalm
"God, is that you?" "No! It's a me, Mario!"
What's this?! No video games, degrees only, Final Destination!
"I feel it's a waste of time playing video games because it's not helping humanity in any way."
yeah, martial arts, scuba diving and playing piano are really helping humanity!
--------------------------------------
"Science asks how, and faith asks why"
Maybe he uses his martial arts and scuba abilities to fight crime...underwater...and then uses his piano skillz to calm the...fish...
Wait, he's Aqualad? The only person who's worse than Aquaman? A few notches below Robin?
Wow, sucks to be that kid.
"That's not ironic. That's justice."
What about the wonder twin's pet monkey? :P
And why bother graduating at 11? That means you still have to ask your parents for permission to go to work, and to give a ride to work.
Dude, monkeys rule.
"That's not ironic. That's justice."
Because Doogie said it, it must be true.
People have opinions, some are smarter than others.
It does not take a prodigy to find out that sometimes he might have heard that opinion from someone else, #1 his teacher. #2 his mother or father.
This is not meant to be an attack on the kid, but it is only just a careful summary.
Lets face it, schools teach us what to do except for teaching us to think for ourselves.
So much for education sadly.
Plus even though Videogames are not going to help humanity, it does not change the way I feel about them.
I love playing Videogames, they make me enjoy life.
Other people do other things, like watch TV and the news... yeah...like THAT would ever help humanity.
Does anyone think that #3 should be that this kid has been listening the news a little bit too much?
The kid may be smart, but that is nothing unless if you are happy to be who you are.
I do hope that this boy learn to respect other people regardless of their form of race, religion, entertainment and sexuality.
To me, that is more important than being smart.
Remember the cartoon Pinky and the Brain?
The Brain was as smart as you can get, but he was never happy and he never got to rule the world.
it was really more Pinky's fault than smart != happy. Brain would have been happy if his plans weren't foiled
Kid's been living in a bubble. Wait till he experiences the real world. Then his dreams will shatter.
Reminds me of this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bubble_Boy
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Making the world a better place... one Headshot at a time...
I remember when it hapened to me. Good times.
We don't need the government, all we need is Medicare, Medicade, and Social Security!
Do we really care what some little 11 year old bastard says?
When Jack Thompson runs his mouth, does anyone really care what he has to say anymore?
Having visited 4chan at least once, I can say that yes, we internet people do apparently care about what various 11 year old bastards say. XD
Hey I'm a 14 year old with an IQ of 140 and I'm finishing highschool a year early! When does my bullshit opinion get in the news.
(sarcasm XD)
We don't need the government, all we need is Medicare, Medicade, and Social Security!
I play games specifically to avoid helping humanity.
I also kick dogs and turn over trashcans.
I'm gonna be blunt and say this out right.
What a smug little shit.
Your post made my day.
Just send him to that kid an old GameBoy and a bunch of old games. In matter of minutes his life will be destroyed by vidjagames...
The cynical side of videogames (spanish only): http://thelostlevel.blogspot.com/ My DeviantArt Page (aka DeviantCensorship): http://www.darkknightstrikes.deviantart.com/
Uhhh...Im thinking anti-gaming activists would want to use this kid as ammo,Im hoping he doesnt abuse his intellectual gift by attack people for who they are or that they play video games or something like that?
I don't like this kid. At all. Go to Harvard, then come back and hate on games.
At the risk of sounding rude, I don't really care about a kid who crapped in his own pants every day less than 10 years ago.
Isn't this the same kid who wants to discover time travel?
I'm sure he will be as much a boon to humanity as actors such as the Baldwin brothers.
-Ultimately what will do in mankind is a person's fear of their own freedom-
Well, he is from LA, so chances were he'd be a dick.
Freedom of speech means the freedom to say ANYTHING, so long as it is the truth. This does not exclude anything that might hurt someone's feelings.
"I feel it's a waste of time playing video games because it's not helping humanity in any way."
...Sort of like a liberal arts degree?
"Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety" - Benjamin Franklin
...Or a third testicle.
lol community college
http://www.eliteownage.com/nice
So many comments, no time to catch up on reading, so I'll just voice my opinion.
K.. So a kid.. Graduates with a LIBERAL ARTS degree from a COMMUNITY COLLEGE?
No offense, but I'd imagine that anyone with a 6th grade education can probably do that. Get a Bachelor's degree from an Ivy league school, and THEN we can shower you with praise.
But a Liberal Arts Degree from a Community College will just earn you a pat on the back while the rest of the world laughs at the fact that you chose the same route a useless high school dropout would take to get a degree..
I'll bet that this kid's parents push him really hard and make him spend all his time doing schoolwork and his other activities so he never has time to just be a kid an play a video game. He wouldn't be the first kid I've seen whose parents do that to them. He's probably just parroting his overly-controlling parents' opinion since they've probably never let him have enough time to himself to develop his own ideas.
"He's probably just parroting his overly-controlling parents' opinion since they've probably never let him have enough time to himself to develop his own ideas."
That statement is one of the most important in this whole list of comments. A kid this smart needs to be able to make his own path, and the only intervention people should put in is to remind him that no matter how smart he is, he can still make mistakes, and due to the power trusted to him due to his intelligence, those mistakes will be big.
Wisdom is such an important factor in these things, and an 11 year old just doesn't have it. He will, maybe 10 or 15 years later, but 11? Someone needs to tell this kid to be patient, above all else.
of course playing games are a waste of time!
How are you suppose to relax and/or unwind if you don't waste some time!?
sheesh!
Games aren't a waste of time because they keep me from going batshit and rampagalizing.