Let me respond to my own post by using a Brain Training analogy. I am a researcher, working on hardcore science problems, and solve difficult problems on regularly. Initially, I completely dissed Brain Training as something for people who settled into a job of tedium and not needing to think very often (yes, elitist point of view...). However, after one great review after another, and in fact, it was following the recommendation of a great friend of mine (who's interviewing for a professorship at tier-one universities) that I tried Brain Age.
So, response to:
Point 1)
I really didn't think I needed Brain Age. I don't like puzzle games like Zack and Wiki since I feel like if I'm gonna spend my time thinking about solving puzzles I might as well go back to my research. And the ads I saw are people doing additions and subtractions--I don't need those kind of exercises. Surely not.
But after trying it out I realized this. The variety of the exercises and training in Brain Age surprised me. For instance, there is a memory test where you try to memory 30 4 letter words in 2 minutes and try to write them back out in 3 minutes. Since my research is all about logic and reasoning, memorization skills is something I've left behind since... oh, high school. I felt parts of my brain rekindled when playing that exercise, and thought it is a terrific way to work my brain in different ways. Memorization is just one of many areas of my brain I realized that I haven't paid enough attention to.
WiiFit, I anticipate, would have the same effect, even for professional athletes. WiiFit I'm sure would contain exercises that can be helpful for anybody, just like Brain Age did for me.
Point 2)
Using the memorization example again, why would I in my right mind try to memorize things when it's not a skill I really need in research. But in a game, when it becomes an objective, I try to beat my own score, or my wife's high score.
Memorization became less of a tedium.
Point 3)
Like many WiiFit critics, I dissed Brain Age. I didn't think I would come close to needing it. What drove me to getting it was that people said it was fun.
And yes, indeed it was fun. And it allowed me to realize point 1 and point 2 above.
The me who criticized Brain Age also neglected Point 1 and Point 2. If the me a year ago was debating with the me today, the me today would certainty win the argument.
the Wii is an epidemic.
