Old blog 11

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I think that it's dumb that some people still put down video games and shun them away. Isn't the point of a hobby to waste time anyways? What makes one better than the other?

@CounterShock said:

I think that it's dumb that some people still put down video games and shun them away. Isn't the point of a hobby to waste time anyways? What makes one better than the other?

Eh I have a friend who puts us down for playing videogames, then goes home and plays Madden or Guitar Hero which is apparently ok haha

I will put it like this, playing video games is no better or worse then sitting around watching T.V. If anything it is better. But how I actually justify it is by weight lifting 10 hours a week and eating better then like 80 % of Americans. Also I'm currently dual majoring in college. In general, I have my shit together. So if I want to sit around for a few hours a day and play a video game I will sit around playing a video game.

I guess I justify it by saying I am happy with my life

@matthias2437 said:

I will put it like this, playing video games is no better or worse then sitting around watching T.V. If anything it is better. But how I actually justify it is by weight lifting 10 hours a week and eating better then like 80 % of Americans. Also I'm currently dual majoring in college. In general, I have my shit together. So if I want to sit around for a few hours a day and play a video game I will sit around playing a video game.

The last sentence by itself is actually enough justification.

I don't necessarily feel the need to justify my hobby to those that already decided what they think of it. Just as long as they don't call me dumb for enjoying it, they can think what they will of it. But if it gets personal, I'll rip them and their hobbies apart like a blitzkrieg of words.

I have never felt the need to justify that I enjoy playing video games. The people I talk to aren't pathetic enough for that to be an issue

@Commisar123 said:

I guess I justify it by saying I am happy with my life

Why do you need anything more than this?

@ZeForgotten: No one I talk to/hang out with has ever asked me to justify it. But my father who is a HUGE outdoors man, hunting and all of that. He tried to get me into it but it just wasn't really for me, but still to the day he gives me shit because I play video games instead of do something like hunt. Trying to justify something like this to someone like him is almost impossible.

@ZeForgotten: No one I talk to/hang out with has ever asked me to justify it. But my father who is a HUGE outdoors man, hunting and all of that. He tried to get me into it but it just wasn't really for me, but still to the day he gives me shit because I play video games instead of do something like hunt. Trying to justify something like this to someone like him is almost impossible.

@ZeForgotten said:

@matthias2437 said:

@ZeForgotten: No one I talk to/hang out with has ever asked me to justify it. But my father who is a HUGE outdoors man, hunting and all of that. He tried to get me into it but it just wasn't really for me, but still to the day he gives me shit because I play video games instead of do something like hunt. Trying to justify something like this to someone like him is almost impossible.

Just sit down and play one of those hunting games just to piss him off. Then tell him to shut the fuck up :P

How about taking it a step further, and watch someone else play one.

I remember worrying about what people thought of my gaming hobby when I was in high school and during my early years of college. As I grew older, I learned to care less and less about what people thought of my hobby. It's not like they're the ones 'wasting their time' on it. :/ Besides, like the OP said, everyone is a geek about something! :)

I can see people regarding games as more of a "waste of time" than certain other forms of media entertainment. I would even 'on some levels' have to agree with that sentiment; games can amaze and entertainment but for me personally they have never had the emotional impact of certain books, films or pieces of music. They have not made me stop and think about my life; what could of been, what has been. They don't make me think about my loved ones and my relationships with people. I could go on but you get the point.

There is a lot that games haven't done for me, but as pure entertainment, as a form of fun; they are simply fantastic. Whether I'm stealthily creeping past a situation in MGS, blowing shit up in Saints row or just playing a favourite oldie like Time Pilot the games never fail to entertain and I don't regard being entertained as a waste of time.

@ZeForgotten said:

@matthias2437 said:

@ZeForgotten: No one I talk to/hang out with has ever asked me to justify it. But my father who is a HUGE outdoors man, hunting and all of that. He tried to get me into it but it just wasn't really for me, but still to the day he gives me shit because I play video games instead of do something like hunt. Trying to justify something like this to someone like him is almost impossible.

Just sit down and play one of those hunting games just to piss him off. Then tell him to shut the fuck up :P

How about taking it a step further, and watch someone else play one.

People should justify why they don't play videogames. Bam.

Don't pull up a list of "accomplished" video gamers to prove the purpose of entertainment. It's besides the point. Whether or not your motor skills, co-operative skills or reaction time are refined by playing video games is besides the point. Whether or not video games are a waste of time is besides the point.

The point of entertainment is to entertain you. If Ryan Reynolds thinks he can arbitrate what entertainment is a waste of time and what isn't, then he is an idiot for not understanding a concept so simple. Then again, most people are idiots.

I don't justify shit. If people don't like it, they can fuck off. If I get on their nerves talking about video games, they can tell me to fuck off.

Entertainment is the art of getting people to pay you money for wasting their time, and you are paying money to throw your time away. Get over it.

One of his favorite kinds of entertainment is videogames but he didn't play a game since Ms Pacman?
 
I know enough from that alone, my god.

People who require justification for other people's hobbies can fuck off.

Hell, people who need to justify their hobbies to themselves can fuck off too. Be happy with what you do, or do something that makes you happy. End of story. I don't evaluate what other people do, and I require no evaluation for myself.

I don't need to justify how I spend my time - but let's be honest, if we were all extremely wealthy movie-star sex symbols, we wouldn't be wasting our time playing videogames. Videogames are here to placate the masses, just like professional sports and sit-coms.

@Claude said:

I don't justify shit. If people don't like it, they can fuck off. If I get on their nerves talking about video games, they can tell me to fuck off.

That was a pretty good explanation of the subject.

I'm an adult. I don't need to justify my hobbies. I do what I want.

@yeah_write: A relative of mine is a hobbyphotograph and fisherman. He got real excited to talk with me like a month ago. He had bought a goddamn original xbox, and wondered if I wanted to play some kind of fishing game.

I have no words. That felt like an actual waste of my time.

I don't play games enough to have to justify anything, I put important things first.

and when people ask why I like fighting games so much, I simply tell them because they appeal to my competitive side far more than any other genre does. (excluding StarCraft)

Who cares what people think? I don't have to justify anything.

If those same people try to take away my right to play said video games or if they try to bring down the industry or something (yeah right) then I'll start caring.

I'm an adult, playing games is not against the law, so I'm off to catch up on Deus Ex.

Good day.

They are wastes of time. Same as movies and TV. Especially reality shows, those things really suck but people still enjoy them for some reason.

[To their credit, my parents did an amazing job at managing my time with games and making sure I had a healthy relationship with them. I totally deserved that time they took away my Gameboy on that family trip to St. Louis—turned out going up in the arch was way more memorable than A Link to the Past.]

This is what I'd like to point out. A far bigger problem than kids playing Grand Theft Auto is kids playing Grand Theft Auto for their entire waking lives. I will not say that I didn't do this, because I did, and at times I still drop into bad habits. Learning to manage your time is key here.

And if you truly need a justification, understand that your body and mind need time off from work, school, other people, etc. This is what entertainment is for in the first place - an escape from the troubles of this life. Taken in moderation, it's far more helpful than it is harmful. It's refreshing and essentially resets your mind and your patience for actual work.

Almost everything is a waste of time when you think about it. If its not helping you survive, or progressing mankind forward in some way (even that can be a stretch) then really it is a waste of time. I say as long as you are happy doing what you are doing and making others around you happy then keep doing it.

@yeah_write:

A preferable way to argue would be to present your points or make observations, then link to sources of further reading. Just dumping links to "studies" is not going to convince anyone. The only point you are making, and I do like how you circle back around to it, is that "everyone is geeky about something". Which is a bit of a platitude.

Even though games have matured as a medium, they are going nowhere beyond "blockbuster" titles mostly. There are major problems with marketing commercialized exploitative titles to children and teens. There are major problems with addiction, problems with a lack of user creativity (games with user created content are the exception) and problems with a lack of physical activity during gaming. Problems with quality control. The list goes on.

Just like cards, Poker & Co., video games are doomed to be regarded as a guilty pleasure at best. And they rank low on the general hobby usefulness scale. Unfortunately game reviewing is run by young people and fans, who feel the need to be apologists and promote binge gaming (gaming marathons) etc. Instead, the reviewers - and you do mention this - should show and teach how to indulge a hobby in a responsible manner, how to balance school, activity and games, how to not be manipulated by so called "achievements" or absolutely worthless virtual rewards. The guys on GB have come a long way since MMOs, achievements, e-sports and dreams of game development, without becoming too much of a shill.

The meaning of life is to enjoy it = Play hella video games.

What a fantastic post to wake up to!

A lot of people have already answered in the proper way of "as an adult you shouldn't feel the need to justify yourself to others" but in addition to that if you need someone to fall back on - actor Will Arnett had publicly stated that he's really addicted to playing Xbox games and would spend hours playing Call of Duty with his buddies online. For better or worse Ice-T claims to play a lot of games and has that whole love thing for Gears of War and he was a tough, straight from the hood, gangster rapper of his time. So yah, don't hate Ryan Reynolds after this or anything but it's a pretty inconsiderate and judgmental thing to say.

If you justify it, it means you think there's something wrong with it. If you're justifying your habit of smelling the toilet seats in the woman's room at the mall, fine but video games? No.

I smell them because it's the best I can do, alright? 22 years and I got nothing, let me smell the damn toilet seats. I'm not hurting anyone, I always clean up after.

I don't even know why you have to justify playing games. If that rocks your boat, so the fuck what?

There is a lot more to reflect on in the 50+ hours of Final Fantasy IX than in the 2 hours of Avatar. I don't see how it is different to any other art form, other than in the nature of how it is engaged.

Don't care what people think, I don't know if you've noticed but there is a lot of ignorance, xenophobia, hate and stupidity around the world. The best thing anyone can do is live their life happily and do what brings them joy, as long as you hurt nobody else in the process. Words to live by

I need no justification. I am master of my own domain.

@mandude said:

There is a lot more to reflect on in the 50+ hours of Final Fantasy IX than in the 2 hours of Avatar. I don't see how it is different to any other art form, other than in the nature of how it is engaged.

The only thing you can get out of Avatar is that James Cameron is a poor filmmaker.

@ABK_92: But isn't it nice that he can love himself so much despite all that? It really is beautiful that he can see through all the glaring flaws and find something worthwhile. I think we could all learn a lesson from the example he sets...

You will never be able to justify something to someone, because if they demand justification their mind is already made up.

I work incredibly fucking hard so I will use my money to do what I want and video gaming is it.

I DON'T NEED NO JUSTIFICATION, FUCK THOSE JUDGMENTAL PRICKS WITH THEIR SOPHISTICATED FORMS OF ENTERTAINMENT.

I'm sorry for the caps.

I'm a grown fucking man that's been playing for soon 20 years. I don't justify shit. My dad asked me "so when are you going to stop playing vidya games" for the last time four years ago. Seriously, if people hate on your hobby, try to explain, if they refuse to understand, get them out of your life.

Everyone needs down time. Some people use that down time to do certain things. Others other things. We here on this site use our down time to play video games. Anyone who says that is wrong also probably hates people who have different opinions and lifestyles then they do. They are probably miserable, humorless, angry little people who are a chore to be around.

Eg. Ryan Reynods.

I don't feel the need to justify why I do something that I enjoy. I enjoy it, that should be enough justification.

There's really nothing to justify. If I didn't play video games, I would spend the same time reading books or watching movies. The whole point of entertainment like this is to make time pass.

There isn't need to justify shit.

That's what most hobbies are by definition, enjoyable wastes of time.