{"id":865,"date":"2010-07-09T14:56:39","date_gmt":"2010-07-09T20:56:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/minkhollow.ca\/beckerblog\/?p=865"},"modified":"2015-09-29T10:09:08","modified_gmt":"2015-09-29T16:09:08","slug":"knowing-x-does-not-imply-knowing-y","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/minkhollow.ca\/beckerblog\/2010\/07\/09\/knowing-x-does-not-imply-knowing-y\/","title":{"rendered":"Knowing ‘X’ does not imply knowing ‘Y’"},"content":{"rendered":"Approximate Reading Time: <\/span> 2<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>

Earlier this spring, I had a lovely conversation with a fellow game researcher and enthusiast (Jostein Hassel) about how digital games are related to non-digital games. I learned a lot from this conversation (more on that in an upcoming post).<\/p>\n

One of the things that came out of that conversation was a crystallization of an idea that has been rattling around in my head for years (see title above).<\/p>\n

“I know about THAT because I know about THIS and there are some similarities.”<\/h3>\n

Just because I have played solitaire does not mean I understand games<\/em>.<\/p>\n

I am an expert on computer games. That does NOT make me an expert on RPGs, LARPs, board games, ….<\/p>\n

Note: and this is really<\/strong><\/em> crucial: The reverse is also true. <\/strong><\/p>\n

So knowing something about in-class role-play games does not<\/strong><\/em> qualify you to make claims about digital games. This is an assumption I have often heard from Education academics.<\/p>\n

Here is a fairly typical response on the subject of digital games being distinct from other forms of games:<\/p>\n

\n
It matters not. if some appeal and others don't -\r\nI have no skill in computer games so use them little -\r\nbut they are the 'same'!<\/pre>\n<\/blockquote>\n
Someone who does not play or use computer games feels qualified to judge them? To claim they are the same as board games and in-class simulations?<\/p>\n
That would be like making a pronouncement on Shakespeare’s works without ever having read a single one. We would think that’s preposterous (or should). Why are we supposed to take this dreck from educators? Harlan Ellison<\/a> made the point very well:<\/p>\n
When I reviewed television, people said “If you hate television so much, how come you’ve got a television set in your house?”. Stephen King even said “You know, Harlan’s got a big TV.”. Yes, that’s right. I try to\u00a0 be courant. I try to know what it is I’m talking about. I am not like many people who give you an opinion based on some sort of idiot hearsay or some kind of gut feeling you cannot validate. When I give an opinion, I do my best to make sure it is based on information<\/strong>.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
You don’t have to be a hard-core gamer to be able to talk about games. BUT….<\/p>\n
If you want to offer an opinion about digital games,\u00a0 you MUST play some.<\/strong><\/em> If you don’t play games you have no scholarly authority to talk about them.<\/p>\n
And here’s the kicker for a lot of Educationists: if you don’t play digital games, you have NO business making educational ones.<\/p>\n
 <\/p>\n