6. We'd Be A Lot More Productive Without Video Games
Games, fun though they are, serve one primary function; distraction. They are an easy way to distract from the ennui of every-day existence, in much the same way that going to the gym, reading a book and watching movies are; they just happen to be fun rather than a chore. Still, there's the nagging feeling that as a society, we'd probably function a whole lot more efficiently - if also be a lot more boring - if video games didn't exist. The test case for my claim is the release of GTA IV back in 2008; numerous news sources noted that the days following its release revealed record numbers of sick days being taken in the UK (reportedly 14% of men had no problems doing it), causing the British economy to take a brief hit. This is a testament to the power of gaming as a commodity; it can be so engrossing, to the point that our very infrastructure can begin to wane. We can all start getting really worried when GTA V releases in September to rave reviews and record sales figures, while sick days again reach an all-time high.