Nothing is safe from parents’ inclination to insist that anything new and different is bad for kids and inferior from the way they grew up. According to an 1859 issue of Scientific American, that darn Chess contraption hinders learning, and kids should go play sports instead.
Here’s the full quote (thanks to Medium) in all of its “video games will rot your brain” glory:
…a pernicious excitement to learn and play chess has spread all over the country, and numerous clubs for practicing this game have been formed in cities and villages. Why should we regret this? it may be asked. We answer, chess is a mere amusement of a very inferior character, which robs the mind of valuable time that might be devoted to nobler acquirements, while at the same time it affords no benefit whatever to the body.
via Geekosystem
Image: Dustin Gaffke
