"The Only Thing I Know" - A video about video game addiction
- Thread starter Ldude893
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Hmmm I disagree with one essential part of what he's saying and that's that there is no value in playing games or that games have no value besides entertainment.
I'm glad that he stopped allowing his addiction to consume his life, but the same can be said for any other medium, hobby, sport, drugs etc. You can allow reading books, doing charity work, playing soccer to become an addiction just like drugs.
This does not mean you have to immediately think that there is no value in such a thing. I believe it's one's personal responsibility to decide if they want to play games for the rest of their lives or not. I love playing games and I personally consider it a good habit, because they relax me, teach me more about myself and make me discover new things, just like books, movies or traveling would. I just do these things in healthy proportion to what else I want in my life, such as being a good friend, a good lover or achieving my ambitions.
I'm happy that he sees the value of the community around it and that he moved on from his addiction, but I disagree with his argument about games having no value.
I'm glad that he stopped allowing his addiction to consume his life, but the same can be said for any other medium, hobby, sport, drugs etc. You can allow reading books, doing charity work, playing soccer to become an addiction just like drugs.
This does not mean you have to immediately think that there is no value in such a thing. I believe it's one's personal responsibility to decide if they want to play games for the rest of their lives or not. I love playing games and I personally consider it a good habit, because they relax me, teach me more about myself and make me discover new things, just like books, movies or traveling would. I just do these things in healthy proportion to what else I want in my life, such as being a good friend, a good lover or achieving my ambitions.
I'm happy that he sees the value of the community around it and that he moved on from his addiction, but I disagree with his argument about games having no value.
personally, i don't see things as addictions unless they are physically addictive such as cigarettes, because no matter how much you think you're addicted to them, in truth you could stop at any time, i personally use video games as more of an escape, if i'm stressed out, or have something stressing in my life, then i can sit down for a few hours and get immersed in another world, where i'm not myself, and i don't have my problems, it's a good way for me to get away from everything even just for a few hours
so because he is bitter about what he did, and willingly chose to do, video games are evil and ruined his life? He says he is taking responsibility now but that is completely at odds to him blaming videogames for everything bad.
I made it to like level 11 in warcraft before I couldn't give a fuck anymore. Also J.K. Rowling is a bad writer so the time would be better spent shooting in the face in a brainless FPS.
I made it to like level 11 in warcraft before I couldn't give a fuck anymore. Also J.K. Rowling is a bad writer so the time would be better spent shooting in the face in a brainless FPS.
I saw this ages ago on screwattack. He raises some very, very interesting points but I don't agree with everything he says, entertainment can have a lasting value just like films can. To kill a mockingbird ring any bells?
What an incredibly arrogant jerk. Who is he to say entertainment has no value? Who is he to tell me how I should think? Who is he to extrapolate his experiences and apply them to everybody?
He suggests things with no explanation as to why they are true, when they make no sense at all. Why is it preferable to read several works of fiction over playing WoW a lot? Are they not both entertainment? Why do books have value but video games don't?
All this looks like is some guy feebly attempting to sound profound by talking about something currently controversial with foreboding music playing in the background. Quite frankly, even if you do agree with what he is saying, he still needs to be called out on his immense pretentiousness.
Edit: If this was made a year ago, then I guess my point about this being a controversial subject now gets kind of thrown about... =P
He suggests things with no explanation as to why they are true, when they make no sense at all. Why is it preferable to read several works of fiction over playing WoW a lot? Are they not both entertainment? Why do books have value but video games don't?
All this looks like is some guy feebly attempting to sound profound by talking about something currently controversial with foreboding music playing in the background. Quite frankly, even if you do agree with what he is saying, he still needs to be called out on his immense pretentiousness.
Edit: If this was made a year ago, then I guess my point about this being a controversial subject now gets kind of thrown about... =P
So he screwed up his life and now blames videogames.
Why would videogames have no value besides entertainment?
they don't make you 'smarter' in the sense that they probably don't improve your ability to understand things. but neither do books. both of them can make you more knowledgeable though, I learned a lot about history by playing videogames like age of empires and call of duty (the earlier ones, obviously). I think games can improve reflection times (for what that's worth...) but i don't think anyone thinks games will make you a better swordsman or a kung-fu master....
It'll be funny when he realizes that now that he stopped gaming, he's still overweight, divorced and friendless. If you stop playing videogames you don't magically turn into some socially gifted superhero...
Why would videogames have no value besides entertainment?
they don't make you 'smarter' in the sense that they probably don't improve your ability to understand things. but neither do books. both of them can make you more knowledgeable though, I learned a lot about history by playing videogames like age of empires and call of duty (the earlier ones, obviously). I think games can improve reflection times (for what that's worth...) but i don't think anyone thinks games will make you a better swordsman or a kung-fu master....
It'll be funny when he realizes that now that he stopped gaming, he's still overweight, divorced and friendless. If you stop playing videogames you don't magically turn into some socially gifted superhero...
I am not sure what to think about this.
A part of what he says does apply to me, and I should give it some thought, but other parts do not.
Personally, my life sucks! But it is not BECAUSE of the fact I play videogames, rather I (often) play videogames BECAUSE my life sucks. It is a mater of cause and effect. I might very well spend my time doing something more productive than playing videogames, but then again the same can be said about most people that have a hobby.
A part of what he says does apply to me, and I should give it some thought, but other parts do not.
Personally, my life sucks! But it is not BECAUSE of the fact I play videogames, rather I (often) play videogames BECAUSE my life sucks. It is a mater of cause and effect. I might very well spend my time doing something more productive than playing videogames, but then again the same can be said about most people that have a hobby.
I agree with him. but I've really never been one to push aside everything else in my life for a video game (with the exception of a few small cases).
but on the other hand my 12 and 14 year old brothers do have a problem with this.
but on the other hand my 12 and 14 year old brothers do have a problem with this.
Well made video, he does bring some interesting points, but with game addiction you kinda have to work at it. You really need to play games day in and day out, and be oblivious enough to ignore the rest of your life.
I'll admit that I play games maybe a bit too much, but it never causes a problem with the rest of my life.
Though I have to argue that games do have meaning in much the same way that films do.
I'll admit that I play games maybe a bit too much, but it never causes a problem with the rest of my life.
Though I have to argue that games do have meaning in much the same way that films do.
Oh, god, I think that might just be the preachiest video I've ever seen. Gag me with a spoon. :X A bitter fool refuses to realise that it's his fault his life is fucked up. It ain't 'cuz of the video games, man.
Seen this video a couple times before, and while it does tend to make me think about a couple of things, the most prevalent of those thoughts tends to be as follows.
"Oh-ho, so you tremendously, spectacularly fucked up your life and now games are the bad guy? No, it's your fault you let yourself get so addicted, stop using games as a scapegoat you can blame your ruined life on, you preachy, pretentious bastard."
"Oh-ho, so you tremendously, spectacularly fucked up your life and now games are the bad guy? No, it's your fault you let yourself get so addicted, stop using games as a scapegoat you can blame your ruined life on, you preachy, pretentious bastard."
Guys, if I were an outsider coming to the Escapist and reading these comments, I would have no willingness to join. Please consider what you're writing, and that the person who made the video was merely voicing his opinion, not force feeding you it. Think about that, before you come across as the "incredibly arrogant jerks" (and this was a voice to some, not all of the comments here).
I respect him as a person for noticing his problems/addictions. I do not respect his "position" on video games. Nearly every "hobby" is pointless in certain views but not others. Here are other pointless but respected hobbies: Movies, TV, coin collecting, shoe collecting, watching sports, etc. Why do we have "hobbies"? A simple reason is for stress relieve and/or a feeling of accomplishment. We ALL go through a stressful life and need some form of "amusement" to take the weight off our back, unless you want to be cranky when your older.
For me to take his position that video games are to blame for his problem instead of his own individual self control is for me to lay blame on every inanimate object that "caused" problems. Alcohol made the drunk driver kill people in hit and runs, not the driver's irresponsibility. The gun itself made a person shoot people in a bank, not the guy with the gun..etc, etc. I know it's not easy for everyone to say no, but it is even easy to blame everyone and everything except yourself.
Edit: One final thing. I am 24 years old, playing video games, have a full-time job, LOVE my mother, brothers, and sisters and I am extremely content with my life. I have a handful of friend because I choose them wisely. I could not be happier with my life right now, well if I did ever find love that would be a great bonus.
For me to take his position that video games are to blame for his problem instead of his own individual self control is for me to lay blame on every inanimate object that "caused" problems. Alcohol made the drunk driver kill people in hit and runs, not the driver's irresponsibility. The gun itself made a person shoot people in a bank, not the guy with the gun..etc, etc. I know it's not easy for everyone to say no, but it is even easy to blame everyone and everything except yourself.
Edit: One final thing. I am 24 years old, playing video games, have a full-time job, LOVE my mother, brothers, and sisters and I am extremely content with my life. I have a handful of friend because I choose them wisely. I could not be happier with my life right now, well if I did ever find love that would be a great bonus.