Today I presented on the Israeli Defense Force (IDF); the two other students who presented had topics about video gaming in South Korea and the Swedish Education system. These three topics do not seem to have much in common but as I was watching these presentations I kept finding things that could relate to my presentation.
Before I share my train of thought I would like to touch on the other student's presentations. I thought both of them were great and they clearly know a lot about their topics. The way Sweden's education system is laid out is very unique and I have heard of nothing like it. I wonder if it discourages or encourages more people to continue their education (to higher ed) because high school ends much earlier (age wise) than the typical education system we are used to. The video gaming was very interesting and actually makes me angry how segregated the sport is because it seems like only men are recognized as typical players. Yes there are females out there but the only mention I heard of a female and gaming throughout the whole presentation was about the "love seat" where a boy can invite his girlfriend to come watch him play video games...not play, just watch. I wonder if it has anything to do with the fact that most of these games are so violent and involve killing other people.
While listening to the education system presentation I was thinking about how being drafted into the army at 18 affects the Israeli education system. It certainly affects the high education system as I mentioned in my presentation but I am curious to know if it also affects the elementary through high schooling because most Israeli citizens are preparing to go into the army. I am sure it does and will talk to my language partner about it.
The people who are typically playing these video games are high schoolers according to the presentation. Most of these games involve killing and there is such excitement about it (as we saw in the video clip)...there is something very wrong about cheering someone on while they are killing other people/beings in the game. Yes it is only on the TV screen but who says a video game cannot influence life offscreen? Most people in the IDF are right out of high school, not much older than these gamers, and are out on the battlefield and in the streets with guns in their hands. Although the Israeli government has good intentions putting a gun in an 18 year old's hands sound pretty dangerous to me. If these gamers are so excited to kill their enemies...why wouldn't people halfway across the world and about the same age have the same feelings?
I support the IDF and do not think this is of huge concern since they all go through intensive training but the presentations brought up these interesting points for me.
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