4 ms·

> They have been designed to be so thrilling that normal life cannot compete. Maybe today's normal life, at least for us in the developed world. But I'd wager

> They have been designed to be so thrilling that normal life cannot compete. Maybe today's normal life, at least for us in the developed world. But I'd wager that spear hunting a wild animal in the woods with your fellow tribe-mates is far more thrilling and rewarding than any video game. That could be the issue, our brains don't differ from our ancestors who did things like those, regular life today lacks life-threatening thrill which could be the reason of growing addictions. I know of a phenomenon present among some peoples in Siberia, the part of the tribe that lives out in the wilderness following reindeer live a tough life but depression among those tribe-members is non-existent. While those living in the towns have substance abuse problems and high suicide rates.

seanp2k2 5y ago
Try rock climbing, snowboarding, kite surfing, mountain biking, etc…all quite popular among my friends and colleagues in the tech industry and all quite thrilling. Luckily, there are still tons of accessible activities with choose-your-own levels of risk and excitement that involve physical effort instead of focusing on a screen.
gnicholas 5y ago
I’ve never gone spear hunting but I did play paintball once. It was thrilling, and when I woke up the next day I was more sore that I’d ever been in my life (including playing varsity sports). I realized that’s because it was the closest I’d ever come to ‘running for my life’. FPS mimic the pleasure of this experience, but without the physical engagement. It’s like the refined carbs version of hunting.
- seanp2k2 5y ago
  Really wish CQB paintball was more popular in the US. I’d love to play the equivalent of SWAT or Rainbow Six with paintball, but most of it these days seems to be “spray thousands of balls at large inflatable barriers on a tennis court hoping to mark a bit of your opponent’s elbow”. The CTF events seem fun, but I want something more like a Battlefield round if it’s going to be like that.
  - acrobatsunfish 5y ago
    Try playing with one hopper of ammo a round. You can't create Lanes of fire and denial without an obscene amount of paint.
ClumsyPilot 5y ago
"regular life today lacks life-threatening thrill" The problem is not that surfing isn't exciting or life threatening, the problem is that most jobs in accounting, HR, etc. Are soul crushing.

seanp2k2 5y ago

Try rock climbing, snowboarding, kite surfing, mountain biking, etc…all quite popular among my friends and colleagues in the tech industry and all quite thrilling. Luckily, there are still tons of accessible activities with choose-your-own levels of risk and excitement that involve physical effort instead of focusing on a screen.

gnicholas 5y ago

I’ve never gone spear hunting but I did play paintball once. It was thrilling, and when I woke up the next day I was more sore that I’d ever been in my life (including playing varsity sports). I realized that’s because it was the closest I’d ever come to ‘running for my life’. FPS mimic the pleasure of this experience, but without the physical engagement. It’s like the refined carbs version of hunting.

seanp2k2 5y ago
Really wish CQB paintball was more popular in the US. I’d love to play the equivalent of SWAT or Rainbow Six with paintball, but most of it these days seems to be “spray thousands of balls at large inflatable barriers on a tennis court hoping to mark a bit of your opponent’s elbow”. The CTF events seem fun, but I want something more like a Battlefield round if it’s going to be like that.
- acrobatsunfish 5y ago
  Try playing with one hopper of ammo a round. You can't create Lanes of fire and denial without an obscene amount of paint.

ClumsyPilot 5y ago

"regular life today lacks life-threatening thrill" The problem is not that surfing isn't exciting or life threatening, the problem is that most jobs in accounting, HR, etc. Are soul crushing.