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SUMMARY:The Play Paradox: How video games build better humans - Dr Rachel 
 Kowert\, University of Cambridge
DTSTART:20260514T113000Z
DTEND:20260514T123000Z
UID:TALK245371@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Oliver Knight
DESCRIPTION:For decades\, video games have shouldered the blame for societ
 y's greatest challenges …violence\, isolation\, declining empathy\, and 
 deteriorating health. Even as we face shrinking lifespans\, escalating men
 tal health crises\, and fraying social bonds\, gaming remains our culture'
 s favorite scapegoat. But what if we've had it backwards this entire time?
 \nIn this talk\, we'll examine how moral panic has kept us from recognizin
 g one of the most transformative tools of the 21st century. While we've be
 en busy condemning video games\, the evidence tells a different story: gam
 ing has been quietly making us cognitively sharper\, emotionally healthier
 \, more compassionate\, and deeply connected to one another. The paradox i
 sn't that games are good despite being play\, it is that digital play is c
 entral to how humans thrive in the 21st century. Video games aren't destro
 ying us. They're building better humans.
LOCATION:Hybrid (in-person at the Herchel Smith Building and online via zo
 om)
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