The only thing I know

I found this to be an interesting flash video to discuss, as it touches a subject that's common to basically all of us. I'd like to hear people's perpective's on this case and on the subject.
Do you think he was a victim to videogames? Do you think videogames weren't the cause of his problems? Do you find games a waste of time - time that could be spent doing other stuff? Do you treasure your times as a videogamer? Do you feel videogames have kept you from doing certain things you would've liked to do?


Personally, I treasure most of my time playing videogames. Sure, it doesn't mean jack to other people that I beat Persona 4 100% (just an example). But it was something that I took pleasure in doing. Something I chose to do with part of my free time.
But one thing is for sure. I've never let videogames "take over me". I always knew full well the consequences of using my time playing them. And never have I put videogames before my own health or my relationships.
And I believe this was the problem with this guy here. IMHO I think he didn't really care about his health or his wife to begin with. And I think it wasn't videogames that led his life to this path.

Anyways, give your thoughts on the matter.

How did he get married then?

Amusing how it took him 30 years to figure out being a level 80 paladin with the best gear and the most gold doesn't amount to shit. Unless of course he gets some sucker to buy his account.

coincidently I watched this same video just yesterday. I have to admit I'm a lot like that guy in the fact that we've both realized how much time with friends and family we've lost. Another thing I realized is that this also applies to anime fans too, since we get no benefit from sitting around all day watching anime either.

like you though, I've never been so obsessed with either of those to the point where I disregard everything around me. It's just a little disappointing when you realize that you've played for so long that you missed out on a great opportunity to say...develop your relationship with your girl/boyfriend (or even find one), or spend time with your family.

Meh, to not realize his mistake until he became a poor, fat and divorced bastard is his own fault for being so damn slow. Sure, you miss out a lot in life by playing video games or watching anime several hours a day, but still if you like it, then do it. If you have a working brain you know how and what to prioritize and won't let it control your life.

I do agree with some of what he said. While I do watch anime and play videogames a lot, I really enjoy being able to be part of a warm, accepting community. Going to conventions and cosplay meets has made me realize how important it is to find common interests with people and make as many friends as you can. I think if you don't play them too much, videogames can really enrich your life.

The only things I know, is that this page doesn't load properly for me.

I enjoyed the video, if it was a bit short-sighted. It's not just video games that suck "precious" hours from our lives. Many people waste countless hours cruising the internet or watching movies or reading. But what would happen if a person never did any of those things? A life filled with only work and building towards something important would be an overload, for sure. When a person spends over 40 hours a week on school or work, he needs a way to relax. But as the guy who made the video pointed out, people can spend too much time on useless entertainment shit. If you spend four hours a day playing games, for an entire year, that's 1,460 hours - over 60 whole days. That's 1/6th of the entire year, devoted just to video games. But I'm belaboring the point.

Where should we draw the line? Is 1/6th of our time too much? Would 1/12th be that much better? I guess the best way to figure it out is to look at how it affects your life; if you sacrifice your relationships with people, or your desire to better yourself or get further ahead in the world, for the sake of video games or any form of entertainment, that's going too far. If you'd rather play a game than go on a date with your wife, you need to put down the controller. Or get a divorce, if you loathe the idea of spending time with your wife.

Off-topic, but I think this should be moved to Serious Discussion. This is a serious topic, and it would be good to get serious replies.

In grade 12 i went to summer school and i spent those 2 weeks of my life beating FF7,Crash 1,2 and 3. and i passed the course i was in. People said i was going to fail and i didnt.
I knew full well what i was doing and i could have failed the course but I knew when it was time to work and time to play.
What im saying is, people know their limits when playing games and if you dont. then thats bad and you should get help.... or a social life.
EDIT: and after watching that flash, cuz it finally loaded... I have come to the conclusion. that I have not given up any time i shared with my family to play games. I have made quite a few friends actually playing online on some. (Not WoW though) I dont regret having spent my life playing games, because they have some pretty good memories.

When I was younger, people were blaming television for the moral decay of society. I remember vaguely radio was being blamed for "lack of communication."

Spending hours/days composing a letter? What a load of shit -- these aren't your real friends!

Before that, during the time of my parents, it was newspapers. Newspapers were a Bad Thing, because they spread heretical ideas and were generally a waste of time. Heck, my mother thinks computers are nothing but toys. We do research (I don't play games on the PC) she gets all riled up about me "doing nothing but play with the computer".

Before that, during the time of my grandparents, if you weren't feeding the chickens or plowing the field, you'll likely burn in hell. Sports? WTF? Only the indolent mega rich should play sports.

In other words, this is a pretentious piece of trash. Seeing the middle part of this flash, I wonder if CDs burn at 411 farenheit.

I understand the first part of your post, and admit that it is true that people often try to blame things for no reason, but saying that this video is pretentious and trash is going too far. It is a fact that a lot of people value entertainment over relationships with other people. I've heard a ton of people say that they played WoW for a long fucking time and regret it now, because it was basically a waste of time. While the maker of the video didn't approach it in the best way, I do think he made a valuable point that people should consider.

It's not just video games, it's entertainment itself; it can be abused, and it often is. A lot of people use it not as a temporary escape but as a way of completely escaping from their lives. Isn't that wrong? Isn't it wrong that a person will go through the trouble of creating high-level characters in an MMO yet avoid any type of college class?

Gaming has influence on my life, yeah thats true, but im employeed since i was a trainee, and work hard for my money, got my own car, have good friends(and yes i do meet up with them xD)
I think if viedogames arent your number one priority, you dont have to worry, but thats just my opinion.

Schmoyer has a fair point in the video. I've been in the darkest, deepest parts of social degeneration (World of Warcraft), and I've also gained many valuable things by playing certain games. Games will only take over your life if you let it. If you have other things to do and other concerns and obligations, and assuming that you are a responsible, reasonable person, then you will see to those responsibilities instead of playing games.

However, many people aren't responsible nor reasonable, which leads to the problem that Schmoyer addresses.

I used to play WoW for hours on end, forgoing sleep, exercise, food, and social obligations in favor of running an instance. In retrospect, it is something that I woefully regret and wish I had never done. I used to play hours upon hours of Counter-Strike, waking up at 9am and leaving the net cafe at midnight, and repeating this for three months straight.

But that was when I was in grade school and high school. Now I have other things to worry about like bills, going to class, and running a school club. I don't play nearly as much games as I used to, but given the opportunity, I can easily lose my self-control and start playing the same amount of games I used to and likely come to regret it in the future.

IMO, it's a matter of finding other things to do. Go outside.

yea. this just makes me sad. sure i occasionally spend a 8 hour shift in a alliance patrol in eve or gate camp ext ext but i don't do it every day. in the end i think it depends on what your true values are in your heart i mean some of us are okay with completely wasting away our lives in-front of a screen wich i admit is a bit sad but i think there's nothing wrong with gaming as long as you dont lose the meaning of VIRTUAL reality with real reality i mean sure. there are going to be bigots out there who think playing a few games a couple hours a day is blasphemy or getting obsessed with a release and playing it constantly for a few days but still. i say again as long as you don't loose your soul to the things it dont matter, and sure the fact is i could play games a lot less and be on the computer a lot less but i really don't have anything to fill up the time. i don't have many freinds. but don't think its because i play video games or watch amine, its because of the way i am ive been a uniqe individual long before i played games and the way i see it if people cant accept that and be your friend then they aren't a true freind. i mean the three friends i do have are the friends for life kinda. the ones whom you might not talk to for a month or a year but if you run into a crisis probably and need someone to talk to or help they would be by my side in a heartbeat. its just now that im going into college and they still have high school our schedules don't allow for us to hang out as much, hell my best friend Andrew whom ive known sense i was in kindergarten lives in Oregon halfway across the country from me but we still see each other every summer not because he comes into town or close to town every summer because he has to but for the sake of hanging with me i go there one year and the next he coems here. so im perfectley content with my life im not overweight im going to college working twards my dream of being a game designer wich ive had sence i was 7 sure it may seem like i dont have much of a real "life" sometimes but the truth is i do im doing what ive been dreaming to do i have enough friends to keep me happy my freind travis even waited with me on black friday to get rediculisley low priced ps3's. so i ges what im trying to say its not the games themselves that are the problem its how YOU let them effect YOUR life.

This vid merely states that we should be careful of our addiction towards Video games. Honestly, I'm a proud addict of it. But I'm no moron as to waste my youth away just like that. I guess this message only applies to some people.

True, true... But I'd say that this message actually goes deeper than that. What I'm about to write will not apply to all of you, it applies to me and a bunch of people I know though, so maybe for some of you too.

A lot of people have stated that this is only in extreme cases, but is it really? I can honestly say that I have put away time I could have spent with family and friends to play video-games or watch anime. The thing is that most people tend to think that the time with friends and loved ones that this guy pushed away were the times where they tried to reach out to him. But isn't it as much the other way around?
While I would never say no to a friend calling and ask me to do something and play video-games instead, there has been a lot of times where I have been playing games/watching anime instead of calling them to see what's happening. This is the time I've lost to the games. And it is a lot of time. There has been countless weekends that I've spent at home alone, watching anime instead of calling a friend and go hang out with the excuse that i'm exhausted from school and work and that I just need to relax a little. But wouldn't chilling out with a bunch of pals be more relaxing? (Not physically maybe, but it's definitely more stress-relieving.)

All boils down to personal responsibility and choice.

You waste your youth playing games that have no constructive influence on your life then you have nobody to blame except yourself when you get older.

There is nothing wrong with enjoying a game (or do any other idle activity) unless it's affecting your or your life in a negative fashion (ignoring health, friends,etc). The line between being positive (stress killer, mood enhancing) or negative is razor thin for most people. Take call of duty for instance, it won't improve the world by any definition but, if you are interacting with friends, family or co-workers then you're improving your social life by building on your relationships with out people. So it's kind of personally constructive.

To go a little further I'll use reading a book as another example. You are not improving the world by reading a random book but, if that book makes some impact on you by either giving you a creative spark or making you use that gray thing between your ears then it's being constructive. I may have not gained anything practical from reading "Napalm & Silly Putty" by George Carlin, it did give me some ideas and notions to think about.

If the video games make you feel good, then that is good. In life you only get a limited time being happy or content, so you should treasure it when you are, no matter if the cause is a real person willing be your friend, or it is a fictive friend.
Now a days most games are made to be played by more than one any way, so the lone gamer does not really exist any more, since you can't really succeed in games like WoW with out being part of a guild.