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Moshe Kai Cavalin started college when he was 8. He has now graduated from East Los Angeles Community College this month with a degree in Liberal Studies. Pretty amazing, right?
Well, on the other hand, it's a slightly sad story. He won't legally be able to get a job until he is 15-16, and was also quoted as saying: "I feel it's a waste of time playing video games because it's not helping humanity in any way".
Worry about helping humanity when you're older. But spend your childhood having fun, making friends and just being a kid.
Not on the agenda: playing video games.
"I feel it's a waste of time playing video games because it's not helping humanity in any way," says the 11-year-old, who wants to use his knowledge to change the world.
Additional sources:
- 11-Year-Old Genius Says Video Games A Waste Of Time (kotaku.com)
Latest comment:
Most recently commented on by on Jun 17, 2009
Most recently commented on by on Jun 17, 2009
Comments
Kid obviously hasn't heard of games like Deliver the Net or Rendition: Guantanamo, nevermind all those video game charities, video game therapy, plots with morals and politics and such (you know, like in books and film), or the fact they're proven to improve mental ability.
It makes me laugh for all this kid's "genius", he doesn't know what the *bleep* he's talking about here.
Oh, and lacking a childhood.
He will die a virgin.
(Why the *bleep* was this one deleted? The others I can understand but give me a god-damn break and stop over-compensating Mr. Ava' man
Same substance.
"I feel it's a waste of time playing video games because it's not helping humanity in any way." So are things like watching movies, going out for a walk, exercising, etc. Clearly they don't help humanity as a whole, but we do them for some reason, right?
If this little brat keeps talking like this, I will consider him to be a failure (by his logic) if he ends up being anything less than the next Mother Teresa.
"conceited little prick" HA! I love it!
Who listens to an 8 year old anyway?
If so, pity for you.
i can imagine it, it's an interview with a child prodigy - who's pretty much just a 'normal kid'. they ask him ' so you play video games?'. he says 'no, theyre a waste of time'. its not like he came out ranting about it with a poorly-written article on yet another video game weblog about it just to piss all the silly gaymers off.
he wasn't criticizing anybody, and he wasn't saying he's better than anybody. tho, being an 11 year-old college graduate, apparent genius, and multi-national martial arts champion - he's already far more accomplished than most of the people who are crying about his comment.
A lot of people have, judging from this comment section, including yourself.
That's the point I'm getting at.
Your comment said to me that doing such as that meant he has the right to talk down to people about it. Not once in that comment to Magimaster did you say 'It was a passing comment so don't get your panties in a twist about it', instead you just further insinuate that he can talk about it with authority by saying what you did, even though you now claim he doesn't give a shit so it doesn't matter?!?!
So you say 'Have you done everything he has done? No, then shut up you lesser creature!
All work and no play makes Johny begin to go insane or start to hate work so much that Johny no longer wants to do anything and becomes a lazy bum! I have personally learned that this year especially, with working and working and working some more in between sleeping and eating. I think I need to take a break and go get me inFAMOUS that I've been putting off.
Games, as long as they are not put above more important things like LIFE and OTHERS, helps to give enjoyment.
Video Games are a nice anti-burnout medicine and an easy way to chillax when you're down...certain games excluded.
Some consider it more useful to use your time for others above all. Still some think obtaining more knowledge is their ultimate goal in life, so they'll start asap.
Let's just hope the kid doesn't regret his choices, and that he DOES do some good for others.
Also like you say, life is short, so do with it what you enjoy doing.There's lots of things I regret doing or not doing but what's done is done, no point in worrying about what could have been.
when i was his age, i was outside doing things, and being active. playing video games is hardly what being a kid is all about. actually it's more what being a boring know-it-all teenager is all about.
This 11 yr old kid makes me wanna slap him across the face and bite his ear off.
like it or not, video games are mostly just hollow entertainment, and it's not this kids fault if to all you jackasses videogames=life.
This kid just proves that being a genius doesn't stop you from being a douche.
also excuse the hell out of me for contradicting the hivemind of gamegrep. i will try to adjust my mindset to think more like a defensive 15 year-old gamer in the future.
Some meditate. Some play sports. Some paint model trains. Some watch movies. Some read. Some do yoga. Some do yoga fire. Some play video-games. (and mix matches of whatever).
Only a pretentious/ignorant ass-hole would consider it, as a whole, a waste of time.
(The above was sarcastic, btw)
Meh, hes entirely entitled to his opinion. I enjoy playing video games, so I'll do it.
Or, in the interest of fairness;
Because some stupid little people took one of his opinions as a massive truth just because he's proclaimed as a genius, even though he made it passingly and doesn't give two shits.
He doesn't have to like video games, but he doesn't necessarily have to have fun like we all want him to. If he wants to use his abilities to change the world, then that's awesome. That's the only part I really care about.
This kid can have all the college degrees in the world. That doesn't make you a good person. What's the point of it all when you're life is all work and you don't make time to actually enjoy the little things in life ? There comes a time where you need to put the textbooks down and hang out with friends.
I don't envy this kid, I pity him. When I was his age, I was out having fun with my friends.
On a side-note: kid, thanks for breaking the stereotype for us Asians. I read the title and the first thing I thought was, "Oh, he's Asian."
*points finger at stupid genius and laughs*
AMIRITE
Werd.
Yup, werd. That's how I do it 'round here.
What have you gained from obnoxious questions? xP
Mental stimulation? Really? How has these 'epic growths in creativity' manifested itself?
I'm genuinely curious, sorry if it comes across as me being a dick.
Well, in writing. I'm a writer. Seeing plotpoints in videogames and innovation in combat, style, characters and the like (for example the uses of weapon and style combinations in Devil May Cry or the forms of time manipulation for the Prince of Persia trilogy) have helped and do help evolve ideas of my own for which I use in stories, in the same way the same things do in movies or books. As for the mental stimulation it's mostly the same as the creativity thing; I see something and imagine the millions (well, not millions, since that would fry my brain) of different ways it could be done, changed, chopped and added to other things, thus progressing my own ideas in the process.
For example I'd be thinking about how to add an extra element to an otherwise decent story to make it more then that, and then I'll remember (bad example but since inspiration can't be called it'll have to do, since it's just an example xD) Jack in Bioshock having to fight against the mental control Fontaine has on him and think perhaps I could have something to do with *character* having an inner power he/she has to supress/fight to control and it goes from there. Or maybe I'm just thinking of a unique weapon for a character to have then I remember DMC3 in which Dante fought with a guitar and give the character something similar (a harmonica that can control elements (Reverant 20 ftw (you don't need to know xD))) and so on and so forth
I see, thank you.
Welcome to Gamegrep
The kid says that video games are a waste of time, and we could spend so much more time trying to figure out how to better the world. I say that all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. I'm not going to work from 7 till 9 trying to figure out how I can create infinite energy from breathing. It gets the job done, but it's inhuman. Plus, children - the main population of gamers - actually need to play, interact, and be entertained if they want to grow up with any personality at all. I can nearly guarantee that that kid will never have a friend who isn't actually a scientist trying to manipulate him.
Also, found it funny that nobody pointed out yet that he's Asian. :3
These are the people that make the world go round man. This is progress. These are the people that achieve something; laugh at him, or look down your nose at him, but what have YOU achieved? Ask that when the laughter stops man. what a world it's become where we should all be acting more like 11 year olds.
Just another time I've been made to wonder if half the people on the net actually pay attention and understand what the hell it is I said.
So it's obviously I'm more of a genius than BA is seeing as he can't even understand simple English.
Nah it's not hate filed mate. I actually explicitly stated there that I wasnt refering specifically to you, and you've instead gone and demonstrated exactly what I was talking about; there's no need for insult. If you don't like what I've said, disregard it, doesn't bother me. But it's those "passive aggressive" jabs, that end up tipping it over the edge.
And if it takes me two paragraphs to make that point, so be-it. That always was and is my philosophy on it; you call it spam I call it grade-A butcher's choice man you should all be over the moon that there's so much of it. Enough for everyone. Like Jesus with the bread and fish.
Some people play sports, read, paint models (the miniature kind, not the Tyra Banks kind... though that would be fun) and so on and some people play video games. To say all forms of entertainment are a waste of time is either highly arrogant or incredibly naive.
Though make no mistake; there are a number of people above PMSing because he 'be dissing they jive'.
And it's only a waste, if you could be doing something more. It's not a waste for someone to work in a supermarket, because they ARE working. BUT, it is a waste, if they could be doing something more than that. If they COULD cure cancer, but work in that supermarket instead, then it is a waste. If you could influence the world for the better, but choose to play games instead, then that's what's a waste. Not playing games; but playing games in LIEU of something of greater importance. That's the waste.
Some people can balance that out, some people cant. Some people need that relaxation time, so they're then more able to immerse themselves in their work later; some people need to remain immersed in that work, so they dont lose their focuse or their vision; and SOME people, keep themselves in that relaxation time, because they're afraid of the work. Generally speaking, of course, but that's the way it is man.
It's obvious the kid does get entertainment and stress relief, if not through anything else, because he does Martial Arts, which isn't going to help him make scientific breakthroughs, is it? It's just something to keep him fit and he must enjoy doing, since he's championship level.
Yet, he says which is coneited, or at least naive, since what he's doing in saying that is degrading gaming as a form of entertainment. Martial Arts, whilst not solving humanities problems, is A-OK but video-games are a waste of time
Like I've said above though, there's a very big possibility his comment on it was just passing and he doesn't care whether people do it or not, I'm just arguing against BW saying 'entertainment is a waste', since it's not.
And martial arts, solves problems in a different way man, martial arts solves your own problems. It's a regime to strengthen the mind and the body, it's not a game. It's not neccessarily the point that he's "not allowed" to do ANYTHING that isnt gonna "save the world", it's just a mindset. some people are only happy doing things that has a clear cut purpose/effect. When it comes down to it, I dont expect anyone is gonna live their life according to what an 11 year old says. It really is just a matter of, if you enjoy games, then play em; if you dont then dont. And look at what alternatives you have; personally if I had something better to be doing, if I had a focus like this, not only would I not play games, but I wouldnt be here talking about it either; because I wouldnt be able to live with turning my back on that. Maybe tommorow I'll find something, who knows, but as it is, I in fact envy those people that really know where they're going man. Games are just games, who gives a shit, they serve a momentary purpose and that's the sum of it.
Go to a real college kid and get a real degree and some life experience.
(Actually, while it may be the easiest degree to get, it also gets him on his way to a teaching credential if he so chooses.)
And once the kid takes up you know something serious like you know nuclear physics or discovers how to stop AIDS I'll begin to take a seconds look. Untill then yeah he's a kids but arent kids the most annoying of all.
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