3.07.2007

Simple Thought

Simple Thought: Maybe better isn't always
It seems like many youth workers (myself included) have bought into the idea that newer, cooler, more expensive, fresher, flashier stuff is always better. If having lights is good, then better lights must be better. If playing games is good, then better games must be better. If having our own youth room is good, then a better youth room must be better.

About 6 months ago, I broke the bank and purchased four brand new X-box 360's to replace our old X-box systems. Nothing was wrong with our old ones, but hey 'If an X-box is good, than a better X-box must be better!'. Not even close! Sure, the graphics and games were a bit better, but we have had problem after problem after problem with the new systems. We've returned a couple only to have different problems with the new ones.

Our solution? We decide to buy a bunch of $20 plug-n-play games at target...there is a whole isle of them to choose from. My logic was that when these broke, we could easily replace one for less than the price of a single X-box game.

Two interesting observations:

1) They haven't broken! They are pretty durable.
2) Our students love them and we haven't had a single question about the whereabouts of the X-box systems.

Maybe better isn't always.

5 comments:

Mark E. Eades said...

Kurt - Nice thought. You explained this idea of "better" isn't really in your artical in Group mag for mar/apr 07. Both good reads thx.

John DeMarco said...

That's a great idea, too, about the plug N play games!

Darth Pastor said...

We've done that with the cheap games and it works well. We also picked up a Wii and an extra controller and that's been a hit. The Wii Sports is all we have and students love it. So far, no need to get any extra games. The Wireless is also nice cause we keep the system in our sound booth and you can have the controllers almost anywhere. But when it comes down to it, all these games are just tools we use to get the students interest. They are blessings but not necessities.

Josh(ua) Treece said...

So... What did you do with the 360's? 'Cause we could take them off your hands if you want... And by "we" I mean "I"...

Joe said...

Isn't it amazing how that works?! They love the retro just as much as the new.