Mike King

The Demise of Guys?

The topic of the demise of guys is being increasingly being discussed.  If a prominant Christian leader, psychologist or sociologist was behind this data it would be dismissed by many as moralizing.  However, the article on CNN's website entitled, "The Demise of Guys: How Video Games and Porn are Ruining a Generation," is from world-renowned Psychologist Dr. Philip Zimbardo is a professor emeritus at Stanford University.

Zimbardo believes the consequences of pornography and excessive gaming "is creating a generation of risk-averse guys who are unable (and unwilling) to navigate the complexities and risks inherent to real-life relationships, school and employment."

Read the full article here.

Zimbardo has also released a book with artist and psychologist Nikita Duncan entitled, "The Demise of Guys: Why Boys Are Struggling and What We Can Do About It."

Zimbardo has also been featured in the following mini-TED talk discussing this same subject.

Dizzy Ball

Our creative, energetic (and young) youth worker staff have invented a game called Dizzy Ball.  It is played with a whiffle ball and bat in the main office among the cubicles.  They have come up with some killer rules which make the game quite fun, challenging and filled with strategery.  HEY, we are a youth ministry.  Refusing to grow up I have become a regular player.  I sustain some kind of injury almost every time I play.  Right now my big toe is totally black from a game last week.  Today, I rug burned the palm print off my right hand sliding into home plate.  My 50 year old body has an increasingly difficult time keeping up with my competitive mind and an imagination which has me making one spectacular play after another.  Here is our team picture after today's game followed by a second one in which we all tried to look really tough and mean.

I don't think we are going to scare anyone...