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I love video games, but I agree. You also have nothing to show for the time (I don't buy the "if you had fun, it was worth the time" argument). Hobbies where yo

I love video games, but I agree. You also have nothing to show for the time (I don't buy the "if you had fun, it was worth the time" argument). Hobbies where you can learn/hone new skills are more valuable. With video games, there's nothing to show for it. The only scenarios where I think they're beneficial is when they're enjoyed with friends (preferably in-person), or for the elderly to help with hand-eye coordination and keeping their minds active and busy.

hnra 6y ago
So you are against most forms of entertainment? Art, music, movies, books, and games, are all forms of entertainment where you have little or nothing to "show for the time". I think this focus on hyper-productivity as some form of ideal is a sad way of approaching life and self-worth.
- hindsightbias 6y ago
  My view for youths is that anything that increases your attention span in other domains is good. Art, (normal speed) music, board games, sports, daydreaming and books more so than (modern) movies, commercial TV, videos, tiktok or gaming. You can always pursue less productive outlets when you have a job.
RHSeeger 6y ago
> You also have nothing to show for the time (I don't buy the "if you had fun, it was worth the time" argument). This is also true of: (recreational) sports, reading, social interaction, and probably the majority of recreational activities. The entire point is to have fun, because having fun is important.
AnIdiotOnTheNet 6y ago
> Hobbies where you can learn/hone new skills are more valuable. With video games, there's nothing to show for it. Not strictly true. Games are fun because they are a learning experience. Boredom is the result of having learned all that is learnable from a thing, and frustration is the result of continually failing to learn from a thing. In this sense, all games are teaching or honing skills, just ask anyone who's finished Getting Over it With Bennett Foddy. You may argue that games teach "worthless" skills, but I would say the same is true of many hobbies and, moreover, not everything valuable is valuable because it can be put on a resume.
opan 6y ago
I find that basically any video game is educational. From the most basic form of just teaching you new vocab to things like seeing into a job you haven't or wouldn't do in real life. Games are basically virtual work that's been made a bit more safe/easy/fun. You can grow digital vegetables and walk away knowing a bit more about that process than before playing. A game's dialogue and story may present philosophical themes that impact your real life, quite similar to reading a book or watching a movie. The digital resources that don't cost you money also allow you to build things and think through things you otherwise couldn't. This is Minecraft's big appeal. You can't necessarily cut down the trees in your real yard, build structures without permits, and so on. Games with online social elements also present similar benefits to hanging out with people. If you're fighting monsters with a group, you may talk about all sorts of things in your downtime.
- watwut 6y ago
  My friend history teacher hates games in historical settings for that reason - kids think random stuff they learned from it are history and most of what they learned is complete nonsense.

hnra 6y ago

So you are against most forms of entertainment? Art, music, movies, books, and games, are all forms of entertainment where you have little or nothing to "show for the time". I think this focus on hyper-productivity as some form of ideal is a sad way of approaching life and self-worth.

hindsightbias 6y ago
My view for youths is that anything that increases your attention span in other domains is good. Art, (normal speed) music, board games, sports, daydreaming and books more so than (modern) movies, commercial TV, videos, tiktok or gaming. You can always pursue less productive outlets when you have a job.

RHSeeger 6y ago

> You also have nothing to show for the time (I don't buy the "if you had fun, it was worth the time" argument). This is also true of: (recreational) sports, reading, social interaction, and probably the majority of recreational activities. The entire point is to have fun, because having fun is important.

AnIdiotOnTheNet 6y ago

> Hobbies where you can learn/hone new skills are more valuable. With video games, there's nothing to show for it. Not strictly true. Games are fun because they are a learning experience. Boredom is the result of having learned all that is learnable from a thing, and frustration is the result of continually failing to learn from a thing. In this sense, all games are teaching or honing skills, just ask anyone who's finished Getting Over it With Bennett Foddy. You may argue that games teach "worthless" skills, but I would say the same is true of many hobbies and, moreover, not everything valuable is valuable because it can be put on a resume.

opan 6y ago

I find that basically any video game is educational. From the most basic form of just teaching you new vocab to things like seeing into a job you haven't or wouldn't do in real life. Games are basically virtual work that's been made a bit more safe/easy/fun. You can grow digital vegetables and walk away knowing a bit more about that process than before playing. A game's dialogue and story may present philosophical themes that impact your real life, quite similar to reading a book or watching a movie. The digital resources that don't cost you money also allow you to build things and think through things you otherwise couldn't. This is Minecraft's big appeal. You can't necessarily cut down the trees in your real yard, build structures without permits, and so on. Games with online social elements also present similar benefits to hanging out with people. If you're fighting monsters with a group, you may talk about all sorts of things in your downtime.

watwut 6y ago
My friend history teacher hates games in historical settings for that reason - kids think random stuff they learned from it are history and most of what they learned is complete nonsense.