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I disagree, games are a form of escapism. Nothing is better for the passage of time than immersive gameplay, but passage of time is not always beneficial. If s

I disagree, games are a form of escapism. Nothing is better for the passage of time than immersive gameplay, but passage of time is not always beneficial. If someone was happy, they’re less likely to escape that world, unless they’re playing with the people they’re social with in reality not a gamer they play with, usually with local LAN or multiplayer it’s different than single player or playing with strangers.

penjelly 5y ago
playing video games is still existing in the world. Just because youre focused on something doesnt mean you cease to be human. If that were true, sport would be the same, programming the same, etc.
- GhettoComputers 5y ago
  Sport is not tricking your sound and vision it is elsewhere. In programmer terms you know that perfect flow state, where you’re attuned to everything and you’re programming really efficiently then some error or bug comes up and kills your streak of productivity? That’s what games induce by default.
  - penjelly 5y ago
    so what? theres something wrong with "flow state" now? it seems to me youre just against videogames. Your point about sound and vision doesnt even mean much, all entertainment is then, by your definition, escapism: movies, books, programming, video/photo editing, playing/listening to music, the list goes on. Even sports are an imaginary set of rules set aside which are unnecessary for actual survival. Maybe youre right all those things are escapism but im much happier with any/all of those things then i am without.
    - GhettoComputers 5y ago
      I said that speeding up the passage of time is not always bad. Play is important and sports provides fitness benefits and fun. I don't think there is anything wrong with coping with unhappiness, but lets be honest about what they are.
seventhtiger 5y ago
I can tell you from my own experience that they very first sign of my (diagnosed) major depression is losing interest in games. Pleasure completely evaporates, and something that takes some effort to enjoy like games or reading is the first to go. I would rather lay in bed awake staring at the ceiling with my chest heavy and in a lot of pain than play a game. I don't relate at all to anything you say about escapism. Depression doesn't mean hating the world and your circumstances. Most of my depressions came when I knew that objectively my life is great and I'm doing well. It's an internal total loss of joy that destroys the positive feedback loops that keep all of us motivated. I don't think of games are more escapist than any other solo activity, like education or reading non-fiction or programming. It's just another type of joyful effortful focus. I don't forget myself and who I am and live in the game. I'm still me, playing the game.

penjelly 5y ago

playing video games is still existing in the world. Just because youre focused on something doesnt mean you cease to be human. If that were true, sport would be the same, programming the same, etc.

GhettoComputers 5y ago
Sport is not tricking your sound and vision it is elsewhere. In programmer terms you know that perfect flow state, where you’re attuned to everything and you’re programming really efficiently then some error or bug comes up and kills your streak of productivity? That’s what games induce by default.
- penjelly 5y ago
  so what? theres something wrong with "flow state" now? it seems to me youre just against videogames. Your point about sound and vision doesnt even mean much, all entertainment is then, by your definition, escapism: movies, books, programming, video/photo editing, playing/listening to music, the list goes on. Even sports are an imaginary set of rules set aside which are unnecessary for actual survival. Maybe youre right all those things are escapism but im much happier with any/all of those things then i am without.
  - GhettoComputers 5y ago
    I said that speeding up the passage of time is not always bad. Play is important and sports provides fitness benefits and fun. I don't think there is anything wrong with coping with unhappiness, but lets be honest about what they are.

seventhtiger 5y ago

I can tell you from my own experience that they very first sign of my (diagnosed) major depression is losing interest in games. Pleasure completely evaporates, and something that takes some effort to enjoy like games or reading is the first to go. I would rather lay in bed awake staring at the ceiling with my chest heavy and in a lot of pain than play a game. I don't relate at all to anything you say about escapism. Depression doesn't mean hating the world and your circumstances. Most of my depressions came when I knew that objectively my life is great and I'm doing well. It's an internal total loss of joy that destroys the positive feedback loops that keep all of us motivated. I don't think of games are more escapist than any other solo activity, like education or reading non-fiction or programming. It's just another type of joyful effortful focus. I don't forget myself and who I am and live in the game. I'm still me, playing the game.