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>the discipline, progress, and sense of purpose offered by this kind of physical challenge is absolutely real The discipline, progress, and sense of purpose of
by mrob 6y ago
>the discipline, progress, and sense of purpose offered by this kind of physical challenge is absolutely real
The discipline, progress, and sense of purpose offered by video games is equally real. If you think it's lacking any of these attributes you're probably playing something too easy. I've done martial arts before, and the thrill of winning a full-contact fight (in my case judo) is identical to the thrill of overcoming a genuinely hard video-game challenge. You even get much the same physical reaction; watch somebody who speedruns with a heart-rate monitor when they're on world-record pace.
The only advantage of martial arts is the enforced exercise, and it's a form of exercise with high risk of injury. And because the brain is a physical organ like any other, and because there's no clear distinction between mental and physical fitness, most competitive gamers realize that exercise gives them a competitive advantage. It's rare for a pro gamer to never hit the gym. Advertising this fact is probably more beneficial than advertising martial arts directly.
- jacknews 6y agoI agree, but there are more advantages to real life compared to virtual. IRL, you meet your opponents, and possibly make friends. Online is often anonymous. IRL you're learning subtle body-language and other cues. IRL the discipline is stronger even at the lowest levels, and rewards scanter. Games are designed to give you just enough hope to keep trying - real life isn't. IRL teaches perseverance, even when there seems to be no hope. The real problem is problem gamers - those that satisfy their drive and desire by playing games all day, rather than progressing their career and real life.
- ben-schaaf 6y agoI've made plenty of friends and even met some from playing video games. Depending on the game you also learn a lot about working in/with a team.
- formerly_proven 6y agoTo be honest most IRL skills improve at a rate far quicker than grinding online games for skill for exactly the reason you stated, games designed to give you a variable (and marginal) reward, just enough to retain engagement indefinitely. Meanwhile many IRL skills and hobbies will have an entry barrier that may require some perseverance, but once you get engaged with it you tend to make big strides quickly and can look back on the massive progress you've made.