Is it okay for adults to play videogames?

[DiplomacyandWarfare]

I agree with CaptainFritz. Videogames, especially social ones or versions of strategic games like Diplomacy, can be helpful and even healthy to play. On the other hand, spending 5 hours a day playing online first-person shooters and being extremely toxic to everyone isn't going to do you any good.

[Fluminator]

Why don't you let people do whatever they want and drop this navel-gazing fake moralising?

Fucking hell.

While I've been adequately convinced videogames are okay, I think as a society we need to bring back societal shame. (So to be clear, I think there are contexts where videogame players don't need to be shamed).

I think we all agree bullying is bad, but in the societal push to remove it, we also removed all shaming, and we need the happy medium again so people are guided towards living their best life without going overboard in correction. It's actually due to my empathy for people that I want to see them thrive.

I know you'd agree with me that shaming in some contexts is okay (like you probably shamed people who didn't get boosted).

Or another example, Bill Gates probably happened because he wasn't bullied enough in high school, and again I'm not saying he should have been bullied, but if he had a little more shame he wouldn't have become the person he did.

[JustAGuyNamedWill]

I think I lean towards no, but I'm open to arguments to change my mind. There comes a point where you need to live in the real world, and video games are just a form of escapism that is unhealthy.

Society would be better if people spent more time leveling up real skills and getting experience in practical stuff (instead of learning how to stomp on koopas)

What do you call your participation on this website?

Webdiplomacy is an online game.

Webdiplomacy is more a simulator than a game, isn't it? Maybe that's a good point, but I don't know if I consider this a videogame.

Dang you’re a really slow typer! Took ya 10 months to type this out!

[Jamiet99uk]

Why don't you let people do whatever they want and drop this navel-gazing fake moralising?

Fucking hell.

While I've been adequately convinced videogames are okay, I think as a society we need to bring back societal shame. (So to be clear, I think there are contexts where videogame players don't need to be shamed).

I think we all agree bullying is bad, but in the societal push to remove it, we also removed all shaming, and we need the happy medium again so people are guided towards living their best life without going overboard in correction. It's actually due to my empathy for people that I want to see them thrive.

I know you'd agree with me that shaming in some contexts is okay (like you probably shamed people who didn't get boosted).

Or another example, Bill Gates probably happened because he wasn't bullied enough in high school, and again I'm not saying he should have been bullied, but if he had a little more shame he wouldn't have become the person he did.

Did someone hurt you when you were a child?

Is that why you are like this?

[Jamiet99uk]

Please just go away for another 9 months, troll.

[A.Severus]

I think the better question is, can we stop adults from playing videogames?

[Fluminator]

Please just go away for another 9 months, troll.

I'll see you in December 2024

[Fluminator]

Please just go away for another 9 months, troll.

I'll see you in December 2024

I'm back

[Octavious]

You're late

[Ernst_Brenner]

Society would be better if people spent more time leveling up real skills and getting experience in practical stuff (instead of learning how to stomp on koopas)

Society is so spoiled that if I spend 100 hours a week on a new Diablo instead of communicating with people, I will lose nothing... I will get pleasant emotions from the game instead of spending my resources on other people, adapting to them, their character, their mood... no, please spare me.

But don't you see how you have wasted your time? You would have been far better served if you used your time wisely, playing an old version of Diablo.

[Jamiet99uk]

Please just go away for another 9 months, troll.

I'll see you in December 2024

I'm back

Welcome back.

Is your question still the same? As I recall, you implied that any effort expended by an "adult" on video games was a waste of time.

Therefore I have some questions for you:

1. Can you, Fluminator, confirm that you have spent ZERO time in the past 12 months playing video games?

2. If your answer to (1) is "yes", what have you made the focus of your activities in the meantime, and what is the beneficial outcome of that activity?

3. If your answer to (1) is "no", why were you wrong?

[Jamiet99uk]

For reference, for anyone who is new to the site:

Fluminator is an aggressively ignorant internet troll who occasionally pollutes this forum. Pay him as little attention as possible.

[jamesa7171]

Pay him as little attention as possible.

I feel like this message becomes far less convincing when it comes 3 minutes after posting a lengthy reply to him...

[Jamiet99uk]

Pay him as little attention as possible.

I feel like this message becomes far less convincing when it comes 3 minutes after posting a lengthy reply to him...

Ok.

Feel free to write a 5,000 word essay about why it is better to spend 16 hours a day masturbating to Mario Kart or whatever. If that pleases you, feed the troll. I'm not bothered.

[CaptainFritz28]

Pay him as little attention as possible.

I feel like this message becomes far less convincing when it comes 3 minutes after posting a lengthy reply to him...

You think that was lengthy? Perhaps you are new to these parts of the forums...

[Fluminator]

You're late

Only by a few days. But yeah I hate I forgot for an entire month.

[Fluminator]

I'll see you in December 2024

I'm back

Welcome back.

Is your question still the same? As I recall, you implied that any effort expended by an "adult" on video games was a waste of time.

Therefore I have some questions for you:

1. Can you, Fluminator, confirm that you have spent ZERO time in the past 12 months playing video games?

2. If your answer to (1) is "yes", what have you made the focus of your activities in the meantime, and what is the beneficial outcome of that activity?

3. If your answer to (1) is "no", why were you wrong?

1. I did play a game called Stellaris with a friend.

3. I mean, I think we can all agree that Stellaris is a bit of a different caliber when it comes to videogames. My initial post mostly stands. Some videogames can have exceptions I guess.

But thing like Call of Duty? What good is playing that?

[Fluminator]

For reference, for anyone who is new to the site:

Fluminator is an aggressively ignorant internet troll who occasionally pollutes this forum. Pay him as little attention as possible.

I am not! People can check my posting history and know I'm very sincere.

[Esquire Bertissimmo]

But thing like Call of Duty? What good is playing that?

I'm confused by this point of view.

Should we spend every waking minute being "productive"? I'd argue that's neither possible nor even desirable. It would be a waste of human life if it could be achieved.

Is a "smart" game like Stellaris really a more noble use of time? Why are the skills Stellaris builds on (strategic thinking? pattern recognition?) inherently better than the ones used by COD (hand-eye coordination, reaction time, sometimes teamwork)?

There are many dumber and less engaged things I can think to do beyond COD (e.g., TV watching, getting stoned, literally just staring out the window) and yet I do those things too.

[Octavious]

3. I mean, I think we can all agree that Stellaris is a bit of a different caliber when it comes to videogames. My initial post mostly stands. Some videogames can have exceptions I guess

True, that. Stellaris is far easier than Mario Kart. Ultimately all you're doing is looking at pretty pictures and listening to some futuristic elevator music whilst making the occasional decision, and wondering why it's so bloody difficult to work out what technology to research to get antigrav (or whatever basic tech is holding you back). It's a good game to play whilst watching cricket