As for the helping humanity thing, as said if games make allot of lives better then i think thats proof enough that games help humanity. Its the same for most hobbies really.
... I see what your saying, games provide entertainment, entertainment = good!
What i don't understand is why you think this helps humanity any more than any other entertainment available? Movies, music, sports, theatre, crafts, drinking, non-electronic video games like board games, card games, social communion with peers, shopping, going to the beach, a park, for a walk etc.
Without games we'd simply look elsewhere so how do they better humanity anymore than any of those other things? Without one we'd simply indulge in the other so it's absence is irrelevant, unfortunate but irrelevant.
Consider this... the child is suggesting that something is a waste of time... lets say the card game, Solitaire. We might disagree which is fair enough but to differ from this is to suggest that playing Solitaire is the opposite of a waste of time... Ie.
Productive
So let's look at what solitaire effectively achieves, it releaves us of boredom and it organizes our cards into 4 neat stacks... it may also provoke other thought processes... let's say it possibly provides the player with a meditative state for inspiration.
So we can atleast say that Solitaire can be productive Ie. Not a waste of time.
Can we claim however that the game is this productive for all that play?
Can anyone play Solitaire and achieve inspiration or relievement from boredom?
Could it not for example cause frustration and agitation?
Why can't one person find something no use to humanity from his perspective without it infrnging on your perspective that it does better humanity?
Do you see how your taking what he said too personally?
What he said only ever applied to him, personally, not you and he said nothing to suggest that it did have anything to do with you. The only thing that he
did suggest, in proxy to your person, was that he didn't think that
him playing a video game could better
your personal existence.
Does that make sense? it's simpy the way i intepret what he said... personally.