I admit it. I openly mock my family and friends about their ongoing love and fascination with Farmville. There is a shred of curiousity that peaks as I wonder what the draw is. How can my son sit in the living room for hours and tend to his crops and livestock when he doesn’t even tidy his room? My wife informs me that she needs to get on the computer to harvest her crops. Really?
That’s just one piece of it, and I could almost handle this, but then it gets bumped up a notch to where I can no longer sit idly by. I have a voice and it’s time to use it! But first, time for a shower.
Ok, I’m back. My wife went on my laptop while I was away. As she handed it back to me she said..and I quote...”Here you go. I’m all done my farming.”
Farmville is likely a fun game. Enough people play it on Facebook. Let me illustrate what my beef is. I log onto Facebook and this is a sampling of my Top News:
Jordan just harvested their chicken coop and found some Treasured Golden Mystery Eggs, and wants to thank their friends for feeding the chickens!
Dennielle was working on their farm when they found a lonely Gray Horse! This Gray Horse is rarin' to find a good home where she can help with the work.
Russell is constructing a French farmhouse to decorate their farm and is over half-way finished! Russell can tell they'll have some left-over materials and wants to share them with you!
Then there are the postings that show my friends in need of wood and nails to complete the barn building projects on the farm. When is the last time you actually went to the neighbour’s house and asked to borrow a tool? When is the last time you actually went to offer supplies to a neighbour who was working in their yard?
Even better question; Do you know your neighbour’s names? We are blessed to know our neighbours and we have helped each other with various tasks. Imagine a world where we all lived like we do in Farmville. We would see a need at a neighbour’s home and we would answer the need without request. We would join in with our neighbours as they built a new shed in the yard, just because we want to help. It really could work and it did for many generations, just ask your grandparents, or if you are lucky enough to still have them, ask your great-grandparents.
But today, sadly, this is rarely the case. I know why though, and it’s a sad testament to our value system. In Farmville, players are rewarded for their kindness. In reality, we are selfish and if there isn’t anything in it for us then we won’t likely go out of our own way to lend a hand. There is an overwhelming lack of intrinsic desire for what is right and good. Can you cite the ‘golden rule’? Treat others as you yourself want to treated...or as is more accurate, Love thy neighbour as thy self.
Remember this, someday, you might be in need. You don’t want to be alone. So step up, talk to your neighbour, give them a hand, have them over for a barbecue and get to know them, bless them. Everyone has a story.
No comments:
Post a Comment