Is there more to life?

[stormcaller]

Ok so the title is mis-leading I know there is more to life then gaming but anyhow:

So for some reason or another, my father has decided it's time for another "Going to school, coming home, having lunch,gaming then going to sleep all the time is bad for you!" lecture which I pretty much have to attend because he said "come downstairs and chat, if you want" which means "If you don't come downstairs tonight then you will be in biiiiig trouble."

Anyhow some backstory, as I've made it pretty much my mission to inform everyone that I have recently moved. Some of you may already know, but if you don't then I recently moved from NZ to Ireland (see? ) and since I got here I've quite literally found nothing to do, so like said I go to school,come home,eat,go on here then sleep which in my mind is lazy yes but there is nothing else for me to do at the moment and my dad's been hogging the T.V all the time on the news and economy channels.

Ok that probably went more off-topic then it should have but the thing is, why does everyone see gaming or surfing the internet as such a bad thing? I mean hell I enjoy it.

(I'm also trying to convince my mother to let me install and get a time card for WoW on my dad's underused gaming laptop. Fighting two wars here! )

what happened to the title??

 

[rottenbutter]

One of the main reasons is because they see it as "mindless" entertainment (even though there is really no such thing). They think you should spend your time doing something productive, like learning, or getting exercise. Not "rotting your brain."

 

[PureChaos]

and because you 'should' be getting 'fresh air' and doing 'exercise' and 'meeting people'.

 

[Good morning blues]

Because video games and the Internet are a sedentary pastime that offer little more than fleeting instant gratification?

I mean, I love relaxing by playing a game or two, but seriously, if you just moved, you need to be making friends so that you have things to do that aren't sedentary and offer more than fleeting instant gratification.

 

[N.K]

My parents used to do that, but I think they either gave up or have accepted gaming as what I do most of the time. I hope it's the latter.

 

[Landslide]

Ask him to help you buy a laptop. Tell him it'll let you get out of the house more, and you can still log on here

 

[stormcaller]

and because you 'should' be getting 'fresh air' and doing 'exercise' and 'meeting people'.

Because video games and the Internet are a sedentary pastime that offer little more than fleeting instant gratification?

I mean, I love relaxing by playing a game or two, but seriously, if you just moved, you need to be making friends so that you have things to do that aren't sedentary and offer more than fleeting instant gratification.

Ok I realize I sound like a hideous cave troll in the original post so let me just point out, I've made a few friends but I don't think I'm quite ready to say, ask them if the want to come over and get beaten at wii-bowling or anything yet. I've only been in school since last Wednesday. About the exercise trust me my 30kg (exaggeration....probably) plus bag with 3 flights of stairs does a good job.

 

[Duck Sandwich]

Ok that probably went more off-topic then it should have but the thing is, why does everyone see gaming or surfing the internet as such a bad thing? I mean hell I enjoy it.

Perhaps it's because there's a lack of social interaction when it comes to gaming/surfing the web. Sure, you can have your buddies over for a session of Halo/Brawl/Street Fighter, or you can browse forums/facebook, but from personal experience, I find most of the aforementioned social interaction to be rather insignificant.

For an example on gaming, I might go to a friend's house and play Brawl with a few friends. Often, there isn't much conversation outside such topics as how hilarious Ganondorf and Bowser's suicide moves are, or how awesome that well-placed/timed Falcon Knee was. Then again, maybe my situation is an isolated incident.

As for surfing the web, sometimes I may come across an article that informs me, something I can bring up in the next conversation I have with my friends, or I might discover some other cool thing (like a song, or a picture). But often, all that results from surfing the web is just a few laughs, or something else to be forgotten.

With most people, you can't talk about games, or some funny internet meme-related video on Youtube you saw, and have them be able to follow the conversation. But say, if you tell them you're taking up Judo, or you play a guitar, they'll find that more interesting, and possibly ask you questions about it, even if they themselves aren't into martial arts/music/whatever.

For me, gaming/surfing the web is pretty much just a "filler" - something I do while I'm waiting to get hungry, or to recover from exercise.

EDIT: Ironically, I'm posting this as I should be doing some routine exercise at this time.

 

[mokes310]

Are you old enough to be interested in the ladies? If so, there's your primary focus.

 

[Archereus]

One of the main reasons is because they see it as "mindless" entertainment (even though there is really no such thing). They think you should spend your time doing something productive, like learning, or getting exercise. Not "rotting your brain."

if you are referring to playing video games rots your brain you would be badly mistaken, many games are good for problem solving skills, time management and hand eye coordination, that is only a start, and just give every one dance dance revolution or wii sports or some thing and the exercise part is handled, games aren?t bad for you, just the bad games are bad for you, things like GTA and such

 

[Nimbus]

Mmmm... That is one of Irelands big problems; there is not much to do if you are in a certain age group. At my age (16) it is pretty much limited to gaming, bush drinking or 'sports'. I chose the former and, apparently, so did you. There's really nothing wrong with that.

 

[roblikestoskate]

he probably just wants to see some sort of indication that his son is doing something meaningful or productive with his life. and if he doesn't see enough evidence to overcome his concern, he probably feels to blame. just a thought. if this is the case, a healthy amount of communication can go a long way in addressing his concerns.

Ireland sounds exciting, but i don't know how rural your region is. if it were me, i'd be scoping places to hang out and trying to meet some local women.

 

[Duck Sandwich]

They think you should spend your time doing something productive, like learning, or getting exercise. Not "rotting your brain."

if you are referring to playing video games rots your brain you would be badly mistaken, many games are good for problem solving skills, time management and hand eye coordination, that is only a start, and just give every one dance dance revolution or wii sports or some thing and the exercise part is handled, games aren?t bad for you, just the bad games are bad for you, things like GTA and such

There's a reason he had "rotting your brain" in quotation marks.

 

[Revernd Awesome]

Sex.

With women.

Attractive women.

/thread

 

[zirnitra]

One of the main reasons is because they see it as "mindless" entertainment (even though there is really no such thing). They think you should spend your time doing something productive, like learning, or getting exercise. Not "rotting your brain."

if you are referring to playing video games rots your brain you would be badly mistaken, many games are good for problem solving skills, time management and hand eye coordination, that is only a start, and just give every one dance dance revolution or wii sports or some thing and the exercise part is handled, games aren?t bad for you, just the bad games are bad for you, things like GTA and such

first of all he was being I don't know what to call it my minds in a state today but the quote marks should of been a clue. second GTA isen't a bad game...It's a fucking great game.

and yes there is much more to video games, like they're much more in life to watching TV. socialising should really come before the two.

 

[stormcaller]

Are you old enough to be interested in the ladies? If so, there's your primary focus.

14 and not really at the moment, I suppose I'm going to be one of those shut-in doesn't bother unless he wants to marry types.

first of all he was being sarcastic. second GTA isen't a bad game...It's a fucking great game.

and yes there is much more to video games, like they're much more in life to watching TV. socialising should really come before the two.

I've already addressed the me sounding like a friendless troll thing.

 

[PureChaos]

and because you 'should' be getting 'fresh air' and doing 'exercise' and 'meeting people'.

Because video games and the Internet are a sedentary pastime that offer little more than fleeting instant gratification?

I mean, I love relaxing by playing a game or two, but seriously, if you just moved, you need to be making friends so that you have things to do that aren't sedentary and offer more than fleeting instant gratification.

Ok I realize I sound like a hideous cave troll in the original post so let me just point out, I've made a few friends but I don't think I'm quite ready to say, ask them if the want to come over and get beaten at wii-bowling or anything yet. I've only been in school since last Wednesday. About the exercise trust me my 30kg (exaggeration....probably) plus bag with 3 flights of stairs does a good job.

i can't speak for Good Morning Blues but i meant it as that's what parents think are better than playing games, not that's what you should actually be doing. i was always being moaned at growing up for playing too many games and not being out enough. didn't do me any harm. and heavy bag + stairs is exhausting, i've been there too.

 

[stormcaller]

i can't speak for Good Morning Blues but i meant it as that's what parents think are better than playing games, not that's what you should actually be doing. i was always being moaned at growing up for playing too many games and not being out enough. didn't do me any harm. and heavy bag + stairs is exhausting, i've been there too.

Ok, I did realise that afterwards sorry, yeah and the bag thing double sucks because I'm used to a large flat school where you go from building to building to get to class.

 

[thiosk]

Just tell them that the purpose of life is to reproduce (purpose of, not meaning of), and they should be grateful that you aren't spending your time after school doing that.