This is a very fine article, but I keep hoping to see an article that's more general and discusses the real-world consequences (such as having to hire spoiled e

This is a very fine article, but I keep hoping to see an article that's more general and discusses the real-world consequences (such as having to hire spoiled employees) of the ways games systematically distort reality and rewards. We know that the more TV kids watch, the more likely they are to end up in hospital from an accident - their view of physics and risk has been distorted. Are heavy game players more likely to get fired from their first few jobs? I grant that games have to be fun, but I wonder if there isn't a way to both please the player, as is done now; and inform them about the downsides of reality too - by showing them the contrast with a reality-run-through (maybe as an option), or by showing them after the game where they got an assist, or something. I started thinking about this topic heavily after playing Borderlands 2 a lot. Quite apart from the sociopathic role-playing bits, it became very clear to me that mere perseverance was being rewarded far more than skill, or increases in skill. Much less real learning. Just churning through a level badly a few times would you'd level up enough to be able to Steam through it. (Pardon the pun.) I don't know what the effects of this on developing minds are - will they persevere at hopeless real-world tasks futilely waiting for the pity-timer to kick in, but not really try to learn or improve in the meanwhile? Will they rarely persevere 'cause the rewards are too slow in coming? I dread to think (but could be wrong to be pessimistic.) I do think I learned a lot about learning when playing solo computer games decades ago in a way that is all but impossible now, since online players or your buddies will tell you the most efficient way. There's nothing like realizing you've played the carriers in Starcraft the wrong way for years to make you reevaluate whether you're a good learner or have really tried to figure out how the world works; or really understand the world, your relationships or anything else.