Videogames

[Juicy]

I see a lot of people proud of what they 'achieved' in a video game. Things such as completing the Pokedex or reaching a certain level. What do these 'achievements' have in common? They don't actually mean jack. You sit there for hours watching your score go up, slowly or trying to get to the next level. In this virtual world you have access to instant rewards. You can see, clearly the progress you're making and it makes you feel good. Your Charmeleon just hit level 36! Hell yeah, it can evolve now! In your head you've achieved something. You can look back and see, arranged and detailed, all your so called achievements and feel like you've done something.

Of course, none of it translates to real life. You're still just the same as you were before playing said game. I'm not saying you're still a loser, not only losers play video games. But even if you're not a loser, you're no better than you were and that's the problem. The instant gratification that videogames give us is addictive. It makes it harder to better ourselves in the real world where we don't get a little trophy every time we run 100 meters. We don't get an award when we learn something new. Instead we get confused. The more our minds open the more questions start pouring in. Unlike in videogames, there's no end. But now we're used to the satisfaction of reaching the end. We need it.

It's pathetic, really.

 

[acatfrommars]

Videogames are a part of life, people play tournaments and win money from videogames. Yes, I'm accomplished when I complete the pokedex in X, but I'm also accomplished when I can bench press 225 or when I impress a girl at school. Am I addicted to games? Of course! Do I love other things as well and find balance, of course!

 

[Golurks Were Meant to Fly]

Video games don't have to just be about leveling up, or achieving something. Watching a movie could easily be considered wasting your time too, what are you gaining? Fun? Culture? A way to relax? Games can bring that too - they're meant to entertain. And leveling up can be about that too, it's entertaining. Plus, games are often art mediums in terms of graphics or their stories. They can definitely translate to real life - I'm still thinking about the ending to The Last of Us. As Bruce Banner said, it's about balancing any type of fun, including games, with other things.