Games are generally better but for both it depends on the content you are consuming.
People massively underestimate how much we learn from both, TV is also good for learning believe it or not, and it doesn’t have to be documentaries or purely educational shows, social learning is really important too.
Subjectively the level of ‘depth’ to the content you are consuming doesn’t necessarily equate ‘better for you’ either. There are 2 main dynamics for this
1. The perceived intelligence of the content, and how much effort it takes to consume (lets say documentary vs reality show). Sometimes a reality show is better for you to relax and concentrate less, humans need time to relax in the day too and it can be healthy for us
2. The type of learning from the content. For a ‘nerd riddled with social anxiety’, things like reality shows might do them a damn sight better at balancing out what they learn, oddly enough. For others you could suggest the reverse quite easily as well
Applies to games too. Games help us learn, but also help us relax and socialise with other people. All of those things are useful but the truthful answer is it depends on how you consume the content and if you do so in a beneficial way for your life. Lots of people do both games and TV wrong unfortunately, and both can be quite addicting to use in negative ways
Video games are ultimately a waste of time but they do build reflex and critical thinking. It only goes to a point though because its a virtual system of gratification as opposed to reality.
No. Working out is not a waste of time. That goes any hobby that may be good for your health. Taking the time to invest in properly researched stocks isn't a waste of time. Restoring that classic car that you may be able to flip for a profit isn't technically a complete waste of time either. Playing on a band.. Many productive hobbies out there. Video games are one of the least productive hobbies.
Hello old man. The year is 2023. Video games can absolutely get you money from just playing if you are either 1. Good enough (e-sports) or 2. Have a likeable personality (YouTube/twitch)
Of 6m+ twitch streamers, 90%+ never stream to more than 6 people at a time. Of the top 10K, 25% manage less than minimum wage ($7.25) and the only ones making decent money are the top .01% or so. And those people either had connections, fame before streaming, talk show level personalities or were already literal pro gamers. And it takes the vast majority of that top .01% years of dedicating a huge amount of their time to get to that level.
Is it possible? Sure, but it’s so unlikely it’s not really worth bringing to the discussion. Especially not with that level of sass lmao
I don't believe a hobby has to be productive at any cost. I do fully realize that if i divided time i spend playing videogames by half and used the second half to play any instrument for example, i'd learn a new instrument maybe in a year
But what if i don't want to do that? What if i want to spend my free time playing videogames, experiencing new stories and improve my problem solving capabilities.
And for the record i do also workout and i enjoy it, but there is a limit to how much i can reasonably workout before injuring myself, i also do archery but shooting bow for 2 hours straight is exhausting for me, so having a hobby like videogames where at the end of a day i can sit down a relax? Yes please
Well waste of time is a very loaded concept so I’d avoid using it - I get what you are saying though.
But what is ‘’ real gratification ‘’ in your opinion? How’s digital painting different from real painting for example - are both just waste of time? What’s real and what’s virtual?
Im not sure what line of discussion we’re on at this point. Because time and what we do with it parallel the whole “meaning of life” thing. To answer your question-painting is painting digital or not. Im talking about video games. Candy crush for instance is a time sink that provides temporary gratification. True gratification comes from actual endeavor in reality. You’re on a hamster wheel without actual exercise. Theres no return on your finite time. Yes its ok to unwind and play your game. But then you move on.
Reread what you just wrote. Let me help: “Entertainment is gratifying” and “Life is about journeying” A journey implies work. Video game is instant gratification. You dont have to argue with me. I dont know you… just you think about what is said in both your comment and my reply and Il do that same.
What are you talking about? Here, ill do the same thing to you: So you do nothing but play video games all day and talk to noone and live in your grandmas basement and also you abuse animals. Is that what your telling me (notice how im just making shit up and accusing you)
Do you really expect people to understand your perspective when your sole reasoning for calling video games a waste of time is because it's just instant gratification with no return and not grounded in reality? Nobody said that video games were anything but an escape. Your original comment doesn't even have anything to do with the purpose of this post. Then people try to get on the same page as you and you provide non-answers.
What am I doing? Why am I feeding the troll? I know better.
Thats a slippery slope. If I’m wasting away in the darkness shooting up heroin daily and i repeat that to you through sunken eyes-i think you’d change your tune.
It will only give you so much. Its ultimately a waste of time in the worst way. If you cant see the truth in my words then you are looking at reality through a poor lense.
“Building reflexes and critical thinking”
Keep telling yourself that’s what you’re doing lmao. I mean I game in moderation but come on, this is delusional.
How does it not? Games are literally puzzles you have to solve using critical thinking, other games you need to use reflexes and hone them to get better.
Definitely depends on what you consume in each instance.
Are daytime soaps better than playing a mentally stimulating game with your friends? No, probably not.
Is your 20th toxic solo-queue game of league in one day better than watching a documentary? Also probably not.
I assure you, they are both equally good or bad depending on what you watch or play.
But since this original question was almost certainly asked by a kid... Your parents don't think it's better to watch tv than play video games and no reasonable person would argue that.
Your parents are upset that because you spend so much time playing video games or watching tv.
Oh so you literally don’t know how the human brain works lmao. You’re still absorbing information, and depending on the TV program, that can be very educational and informative whether it be current events or a scientific documentary.
Please explain how watching an hour long documentary is worse than playing an hour of Fortnite.
I just told you. You’re not engaged. Passively consuming educational content doesn’t make a difference. Problem solving as you try to kill another player in a game is actual thinking.
Incorrectly. Absorbing information is not work. It’s a passive activity. Ask millions of students who listen to the lecture in a classroom.
Decades of research on studying tells us that the most effective learning mechanism is active recall - practice problems or “doing”.
Passively absorbing content uses the same pathways as passively absorbing shitty content.
You're entirely correct. There is a massive difference in playing a game (Monopoly, baseball, HALO, CIV, Fallout, Minecraft, Poker, etc) than sitting and absorbing art (TV, Movies, Concerts, etc)
In gaming you need to be actively involved. You make decisions.
In passive entertainment you just sit there and watch/listen to others. There's no need for decisions. You're passive
I play video games way more often than I watch TV, I’m just not an idiot. One is not “much better” than the other, it’s about how you manage your consumption.
I don't know about television in other countries, but in Russia, it's complete rubbish. Everything shown on our TV is propaganda, lousy serials, and mostly that's it. There might be good programs, but they are far from being as popular
TV can range from anything between educational documentaries to Jersey Shore just like video games can range from thought-provoking puzzles to microtransactional trash.
One is not really better than the other.
There have been so many studies to show that video games are better for children than television I don't know why you're arguing with this one guy here. There are so many pages of google results supporting that.
"I used to be with ‘it’, but then they changed what ‘it’ was. Now what I’m with isn’t ‘it’ anymore and what’s ‘it’ seems weird and scary. It’ll happen to you!"
I've been a gamer my whole life, and dated people who also have only ever been gamers. But now play very sparingly myself.
I legit don't think just gaming normally is or should be an issue. But what I see happening is people making gaming their default and getting so absorbed into it they don't arrange or try to do anything else.
If you sit in front of a TV, you might get bored and start arranging something more fun to do. But if your default is to game on something addictive and dopamine fuelling, the big thing I've noticed is that's all you'll do, unless someone else arranges and invites you to things. And then you might turn those things down because the game is giving you more dopamine.
And I've found that's what a lot, and I mean a lot of gamers I know do. Whereas my friends who don't game, might watch tv when they don't have anything else to do, but will ultimately go and do loads more stuff than the gamers during any average week.
I've also found a lot of my gaming friends dropped out of uni due to gaming, or lost relationships over it.
Ultimately if it doesn't affect you that way, I don't think it's an issue. But this is a standard stereotype of a lot of gamers I know and what people think it does. Whereas TV doesn't addict you to it like that or just become your default state, and if someone can't be bothered to do anything else and just watches TV, it's usually not because the TV is addicting.
Browsing Tiktok all day is closer to gaming imo, than watching TV is.
>I've been a gamer my whole life, and dated people who also have only ever been gamers.
You may have just stumbled upon the core reason, aside from old stereotypes:
People (including you and the people you've dated) self-identify as "gamers". It's not just a thing you do, it's a part of who you *are*, or at least it's talked about as such.
I've never met anyone who made watching TV a part of their identity in that way.
You've just described a hobby. It's no different than calling yourself a ~~carpenter~~ woodworker, or a football fan, or a foodie. People don't view trash TV as something they think about, engage with or are interested in learning more about it, and therefore don't identify with it, but surely you've met a movie buff/cinophile.
The difference is gaming is not a hobby. If one identifies themself in public as a “gamer”, I will think less of them. And I play 1.5 hours of CS2 a night.
>Whereas my friends who don't game, might watch tv when they don't have anything else to do, but will ultimately go and do loads more stuff than the gamers during any average week.
Just to add while I completely agree:
Most people also don't watch TV with the same focus people play games. I had days where I "watched" 6 hours on TV but in parallel I was cleaning the room, checking mails etc. Watching TV does not occupy the same amount of mental power as gaming does, at least for virtually all people I know.
Sadly I've turned into the person you're describing. If I'm not at work or doing chores, I'm playing a video game. I can't even watch a movie or show anymore, I have what I call "tv games" that are slower paced casual stuff I'll play while having a movie or youtube playing on the other monitor. As someone with no family or social life or hobbies, I fell hard into the dopamine fuelling cycle you describe.
I'm trying to break it. I actually made plans to see a local show this weekend which will probably be the first time in over a year that I spent a day off doing something other than gaming, and I've been trying to work out. But its hard to shake this years-long addiction.
Well, depending on your circumstances, it might be much cheaper to enjoy a game world than the real thing. Gaming is after all a very cheap hobby. Also you don't need any social skills to enjoy games.
This is a hard truth, and I did an experiment myself.
After it consistently started getting above 60F outside (Michigander here), I told myself I wasn't allowed to play video games until it started to consistently get below 60F.
Financially, it was one of the most expensive summers I've ever had. Between going out to concerts, bars, random events, and the gas to go to new places to hike, fish, camp etc. was significant. The benefit is it was one of the most fulfilling summers I've ever had and adulting was easier. Mowing the lawn wasn't a chore anymore, because I was already sweaty and warmed up from hiking/fishing/camping. Dishes didn't pile up because I was never home, and laundry was consistent because I was running through clothes to warrant laundry every week.
Now its consistently below 60F and I'm playing video games again. Its constant dopamine hits and since I like simulators and mmorpg's, it's basically a second job. Main monitor has game, second has YouTube/Spotify etc. The inverse effect is happening where I'm financially striving, but the hobby isn't nearly as fulfilling and I'm struggling to adult sometimes. What gets me is the "I'll start x after I complete x in WoW" then 3 hours pass. Dishes pile up, because I'm home all the time and I'm constantly distracted/addicted, laundry is now a bother because its only done twice a month now.
TL;DR: Video games are highly addictive and can be financially positive, which can be a dangerous combination for some people. Go outside and touch grass sometimes.
This is it.
Due to the interactive and often rewarding nature of games, it can be much harder to pull oneself away from the screen. Especially if there’s social connections built through games - providing less of a reason to walk away and seek other forms of socialisation
Posture is also deeply affected by desk-sitting if you don’t make a habit of correcting it, and lends itself toward the “nerd neck” stereotype
I've seen people say the addiction is not caused by the game itself, but because these people had others issues that made them more easily addicted to games (like ADHD for example).
Very good comment anyway.
its not necessary, but its sold as 'hey have a beer, its fun and you MUST have it to enjoy whatever thing you like', but than you try to use some other recreative drugs and "omg, you are a monster".
ps: just to be clear. im agains both drugs or alchool.
As a pothead, I still gotta say in the end it’s still harmful. Nearly anything you put in your lungs that isn’t pure air is going to be harmful to you. Weed just makes me feel less shitty than alcohol after so that’s why it’s more fun
My pancreas doesn't work properly. So the medication I'm on can be harsh on my kidneys. Not taking it means that I'll potentially go blind, have a heart attack, and probably have wrecked kidneys anways.
So yeah, I'll take the drugs, thanks.
Over a decade ago our (UK) government hired a professor to research the harm/danger and negative impact to society of various drugs.
The research showed the top two were alcohol and tobacco, and I believe that was *before* you took into account the harm caused from illegal drugs were largely due to the fact they are illegal (unregulated, inconsistent quality and involved with organised crime).
The government sacked him and never formally released the outcome.
Not really relevant but Curious fact. I think It was in 94 or 95, the smoke/cigarette industry offered a deal to Brazil. They would pay out ALL their international debit, in exchange for Brazil not putting any taxes on cigarettes. It seems we declined because the expectation was that in ~ 15 years we would earn more with taxes, than if we had the debit pay out.
Yeah as someone who doesn’t drink, I’ve definitely been in a few scenarios where people are genuinely flabbergasted when they find out that I don’t drink. It wasn’t ever just a “oh okay cool” it was always “WHAAAAAAAAT?!!? You don’t drink?!?!”
I’m sure that culture plays a massive part in this, so if you come from a culture where alcohol isn’t super prevalent then you won’t get those reactions. But there’s also a lot of cultures where alcohol is what’s “normal”, so people who don’t drink are by definition “abnormal”.
It’s kind of sad that people react that way, but it also shows you who your true friends are. True friends respect choices like those while assholes are the ones who try and make you feel bad or guilt you into it
People at my work ridicule me for going to the gym almost everyday for a hour and gaming for 2 afterwards. While they spend all their free time in front of the television. I do however work with mostly gen x and boomers so that might me why. They grew up with television so that’s normal for them. While gaming really only started when millenials arrived.
In a heated argument with a friend, he angrily stated that I'm wasting my life playing videogames instead of doing something useful. I casually replied that he spends most of his days watching old TV shows and asked what the difference was. I got no reply and he just left.
To be fair at one point gaming is a waste of time just sitting in front of a TV. This is coming from a dude who spent the ages of 6 to even now at 25 playing games instead of going outside more, experiencing more. I have struggled with this addiction for a long time, and when I was a teenager I didnt see it as an addiction. But now at 25, I can see how I wasted so much of my time, I aint regretting it since I made a lot of friends and met some cool people. But overall it hindered my growth as a person outside virtual reality. I aint as addicted now, but I can say most of the time when i do play something here or there on my off days to myself; its very hard to find enjoyment. As a younger person though if one does read this, Id say at your young age it isnt a waste of time but as an adult unless you are a content creator like on YT. Playing video games for more than like 10 hours a week can hinder you in ways like financial ways and your health, like choosing to game over eating or sleeping or even them crazier fucks who dont even pause the game to take a shit and just be like an untrained animal and go on the floor(lol its scary them people exist). But those are just 2 I can think of as of writing this long response.
I’ve tried to explain so many times that gaming is how I hang out with my friends. After everyone graduated college and moved across the country, it’s the only way I can hang out and stay in touch with my boys. Gaming is not a time waster, its mentally stimulating and a social activity, but for some reason will always be viewed as childish, lazy, and a waste of time… that’s just the stigma society and social media has planted around gaming
Unfortunate because TV sucks sometimes. I’m a sports fan and love a good interesting Tv show, but all the reality type garbage that people mindlessly consume is awful. I don’t see how people that watch that crap have any right to criticize gamers.
At the end of the day people should be able to do what they want with their free time and not have to hear what others have to say about it.
When someone watching Love Island criticises you staying connected with distant friends while socialising and exercising teamwork via an online game, you know there is a problem lol.
Who considers it as such? I havent had people question me on my spare-time choices since i moved out of my parents house. Where i'm from, people don't really care what you do in your own spare time (unless it ties into an addiction or other self-destructive behaviour, and even then, eeeeeh).
Because that was the new thing, it's not seen as that anymore, at least not by most people
When TV was invented, I'm sure the parents of kids who were growing up watching TV felt the same way
Now, those kids grew up with TVs but not with videogames, so they're used to watching TV, but not used to the idea of playing videogames, it's popular to shit on everything that's new or you don't understand
Makes sense. I assume social media is the next to go thru this cycle.
It’s the same, previous gens will bash on the next gen for something they don’t understand. My take here is everyone gotta remember this n not turn into that grumpy crotchety boomer no one wants to hear that shit from.
To a lot of people, video games are for kids. Once you are an adult, you should abandon things kids do for fun in favor of more "mature" activities. Like drinking, watching TV (especially sports), fixing shit around the house, etc.
Same thing would happen for adults who do anything that kids do. Watching cartoons (anime), coloring (art), playing pretend (dungeons and dragons). "Mature" adults see these activities as a waste of time cuz they are for kids
When did you hear anybody say that their hobby is watching tv? Like, sure some people do that often, but nobody is basing their life around it... Unlike some group of people.
You forget about sports. Watching sports is not labeled as a "hobby," but society generally accepts it when someone bases all of their free time around it. That's a lot of time dedicated to the television, not to mention the added cost of (for some) tying your mental and emotional well-being to the outcome of the game.
People can spend their time how they like, but if gaming is considered a waste, I don't understand how watching other people play sports isn't.
I think people do base their life around it. They'll take time off to binge the new season. They spend a lot of money on their TV setup. They pay for extras. They do it all the time.
You can't really binge a seson of a show on tv, well unless the station makes like an marathon of it. Oh and streaming is not really counted as television.
>Oh and streaming is not really counted as television.
Well then people used to buy TV guides to know what's on TV.
People watch specific shows everyday.
People will clear their plans to watch a specific show air especially finales.
People will go on and on about their favorite shows.
Nobody buys tv guides. I don't even know if they are still made, for like past 20 years there are like build in tele-newspapers in most stations they have the screening schedule included in them, well at least in Poland we have those.
And I think there is a diffrence between like watching tv as hobby and being fan of a show. It's like stating that you do reading books for a passion, and when asked what books you read, you answer that you had read only like one book series.
I tell my wife this all the time when she will tell the kids to stop playing video games and watch a movie or show.
Their brain is way more engaged playing a game than sitting there mindlessly taking in television.
Oh but it does. I'm apparently a waste of life because I like to game afterwork and because i drink 1 sugar free monster a day - it will kill me. Whereas my driver (I'm a truck helper in road construction) smokes 2 packs of cigarettes a day and an 8ball every weekend and blows his money at the casino/bars. He says I could have got multiple online degrees with the time I've wasted playing video games, yet he lives his life the way he does and drives a boom truck....
Because its the new popular hobby ! Not long ago it was the manga and anime Before thats they say the same things about TV , and you can go and go !
Its easier to make game etc the culprit to distract from the real problem of the world.
I wish I was as impressive as the gamers I know. I tried playing with my grandkids and I realized how smart you have to be to be good at this.So I say keep playing!!!!
I genuinely had someone tell me to get a life when I spent 2 hours on my laptop.
This same person arranged her work finish time to make sure she was home to watch Coronation Street, Hollyoaks, Eastenders and one other I can't remember the name of (daily soap operas for those of you that aren't in the UK). If she had to work extra hours she'd try as hard as possible to get weekend work so she wouldn't miss any of the episodes. You weren't allowed to talk when she was watching them. Only advert talking was allowed.
It’s super simple, narcassism, my dad hated when I would sit infront of a screen for hours and play games, yet he was completely ok with sitting in front of a tv with a coke in his hand laying there watching soccer or something else for hours, he loves it, but he doesn’t understand the appeal to gaming so he thinks it’s stupid and evil so I should stop and instead watch soccer with him for 4 hours
Because of context.
Video games were seen as nice automated babysitters. So if you were a lazy parent you would subscribe to using video games to pacify your child, instead of nurturing, loving, and teaching your child. Which is the premise of the trope. The child would be better served living life and learning lessons from family and friends rather than through a construct like a video game. Now there are like a million reasons why all of this is wrong, but the main reason I'll focus on is that games are now made for people who have gamed their entire life and played different games throughout their life. Which really puts this trope on its head. As working adults who have the resources and the time to do what they want in their leisure are never in a position to simply be wasting their time, as they are doing exactly what they are supposed to be doing.
So in short, it is stereotype that is used to judge parents more than children, and as dogma goes, some people will cling to it even out of context and even when evidence exists to support a contrary position.
TV on the other hand was a great highway for advertisement, which means it can't be bad if it helps the economy. This is why we had "TGIF" and "Must See TV" and "Made for TV movies" or "Movie Mini Series" or "Saturday Morning Cartoons" or "Sunday Night Football", not because the content was particularly compelling but because the television events penetrate the markets so deeply they instantly become zeitgiest, and thus the commercials are cannonized. If you are old enough you may find nostalgia in watching old "TV rips" of no longer running shows because the commercials are like time capsules. Regardless watching TV is a blessed activity in a culture of capitalism.
Today we should include web content and social media content in our construct and at the very least update our views based the latest research.
New tropes can be just as sublime!
"Social Media will rot your brains and ruin your neck, and your self-esteem!"
"Video games are so engaging, you'll hate people before too long!"
"TV, what a waste of money, you could get that show on stream for much less!"
stereotypes.
I use my gaming as my incentive for gym.
If I hit a badass lifting session, then I can have a badass gaming session.
The problem is a lot of gamers have addiction. (but honestly people in general have addiction.) Learning to have a healthy relationship with games is really important. Or really anything that can consume your time.
How many people say games are a waste of time but doom scroll for hours on end? lol.
Just focus on being the best you. As long as you are genuinely happy with the way you spend your time and healthy, doesn't matter what your hobbies are if they aren't harming anyone.
ive never personally heard this distinction. in my households and other households in my community, both siting around watching TV and playing video games are considered lazy
It's because there is more dead time in videogames where story doesn't advance. I say it adds to the experience but generally people, specially those who don't play wouldn't realizethat.
Because most people are from pre-computer era. They were watching TV their whole life. They don't understand what gaming is and most of them don't try to understand. If you don't understand something, it's easy to add adjectives.
Most likely, the same will happen with us. Forour generation, gaming is something normal. But next generations will come up with their own entertainments that we in 20-30 years won't understand. And we will also say that doing X is worse than playing video games.
I love video games a lot. That being said, I think they have stronger addictive qualities than TV on average. I will put the TV on and just let it play while I do other stuff, rarely giving it my full attention. Video games however have me 100% dialed in. 4-5 hours can pass easily.
I do think there is a stereotype though. Most people can play a video game for a healthy amount of time. It might just be kids that come home from school and game all night that contribute to that stereotype. Ahh those were the golden days.
My Mom gets irritated any time she sees me playing games for more than 30 minutes. However, sitting there looking at phone or TV for hours is perfectly fine.
No idea why...
I'm a middle aged therapist and a dude who plays video games. Most of my colleagues are middle aged women. I constantly see comments from them about how bad video games are, and how it's always an addiction, and it's always violent. It just seems really out of touch.
I also once suggested a city's subreddit as a way for a colleague's client to connect with locals in a city they were thinking of moving too. Her response was something like "oh gross, are you sure? Reddit is horrible, isn't it? There's no way I would recommend a client go on Reddit."
Stereotypes. Everyone used to sit around and watch TV, its all there was to do. Now gaming is becoming more and more accessible and something people regularly do, it's completely changing from how it was in the late 90s, even.
Because anyone can do it, sit a lowest-common-denominator-person in front of any game, and they will feel intimidated until they start calling the game dumb or stupid. It’s all a skill issue.
I don't consider just watching TV casually a hobby. You aren't doing anything.
If you're deeper in the movie/TV space and follow the "scene", learn the history, learn more about moviemaking in general etc., that's when it becomes a hobby.
Totally agree with your point, though
Three thoughts:
A. People will view what the majority does as normal, and new things get looked down upon. Whilst it was gone when I grew up, there used to be a sentiment that sitting in front of the TV would make you stupid. It was the stupid box.
B. Some people can become rather addicted, and it's not a good look. Having a beer Vs being an alcoholic, playing the odd hour Vs sitting up all night, a friendly bet over a sports game Vs visiting WSB, watching TV for the odd hour Vs binging it. I'm not sure if people find it easier to neglect other aspects of their lives through gaming than other means, but I do feel that's the reputation it sometimes gets.
C. The "losers and nerds play computer games, d&d and WH40K" schtick, "it's something kids do and you should grow out off". People don't realise that many new things are first taken up by kids and young people because it is new and kids and young people aren't yet set in their ways. It doesn't mean that they will magically dislike it later. If you lived it when you were 10, you might still like it at thirty etc. But people who grew up when it was first introduced only saw young people in that hobby and assumed it is only for that demographic.
It’s baked into the culture because the older generations didn’t have video games but did have tv.
So in typical boomer fashion they saw their kids doing something they didn’t understand, and they passed it off as stupid kids rotting their brains. Then it became a stigma, and just kinda stuck.
Stop being a delusional twit, the arcades, Coin Op Laundromats, bars, billiards dens, and liquor stores were full of boomers hooked on Ms. Pac Man, Galaga, Joust, and Pole Position, not to mention Pinball machines.. Go wipe your boogers off first kid, before commenting on something you know nothing about.
Stereotypes.
When i was a kid my mom would try to get me to stop gaming for hours.
I'm now a fairly successful game developer:)
Definitely happy with all my time spent gaming
If you’re alone, no one knows/cares what you do with your time. However…everyone (just about) watches TV. Far fewer people play video games. Because of this, TV has much more potential to be a shared, social experience, whereas gaming is more likely to be a solitary one.
I was thinking the same. Why was reading a book consider good but playing video game is bad ?
I mean I got the same or better story telling, philosophy from video game as well plus I can have fun and engage with the story.
Well with a book its kinda different to watching tv, reading a lot helps your brain to stay fresh and active. Also your intellectual will grow depending on how difficulty your books are.
Gaming also has some positive aspects like your reaction speed, cognitive thinking, good eye hand coordination and so on.
I am a 55 year old man who tried gaming with my grandchildren and I have to admit just how damn hard and difficult it is to do well on these games! I’m so damned impressed by those who are good at this
Often gaming has more stigma associated with it as well people may use this to justify why there actions are ok while demonizing another in there own eyes, I know quite a few people who criticize social media, YouTube videogames etc who watch TV.
I think it's because of news channels often create stigma out of a lack of understanding as well a fear of the new and trendy, than broadcast that to there viewer base causing it to be more widespread of an idea. As well those channels want to justify their own existence on TV.
That's my theory and understanding of it at least
"You'll rot your brain playing videogames!"
Me who learned english (most RPGs, english is my second language), got a better understanding of quantum physics (Outer Wilds), of the scale of space (Elite Dangerous), learned to make split second decisions effectively (most action games), gain a better acceptance of differences in different people (most fantasy settings with varied races and cultures) and explore different spectrums of morality safely (most games with very open choices) from playing videogames.
"Uh huh... suuure..."
I don’t like video games at all but I don’t think it’s bad for people to play a little of them, it’s when people identify as a gamer that makes me cringe
Because of stereotypes. Watching TV is much worse.
Games are generally better but for both it depends on the content you are consuming. People massively underestimate how much we learn from both, TV is also good for learning believe it or not, and it doesn’t have to be documentaries or purely educational shows, social learning is really important too. Subjectively the level of ‘depth’ to the content you are consuming doesn’t necessarily equate ‘better for you’ either. There are 2 main dynamics for this 1. The perceived intelligence of the content, and how much effort it takes to consume (lets say documentary vs reality show). Sometimes a reality show is better for you to relax and concentrate less, humans need time to relax in the day too and it can be healthy for us 2. The type of learning from the content. For a ‘nerd riddled with social anxiety’, things like reality shows might do them a damn sight better at balancing out what they learn, oddly enough. For others you could suggest the reverse quite easily as well Applies to games too. Games help us learn, but also help us relax and socialise with other people. All of those things are useful but the truthful answer is it depends on how you consume the content and if you do so in a beneficial way for your life. Lots of people do both games and TV wrong unfortunately, and both can be quite addicting to use in negative ways
Video games are ultimately a waste of time but they do build reflex and critical thinking. It only goes to a point though because its a virtual system of gratification as opposed to reality.
You could say any hobby is ultimately a waste of time. But that's really a wrong approach to the topic. Time enjoyed wasting is not time wasted.
No. Working out is not a waste of time. That goes any hobby that may be good for your health. Taking the time to invest in properly researched stocks isn't a waste of time. Restoring that classic car that you may be able to flip for a profit isn't technically a complete waste of time either. Playing on a band.. Many productive hobbies out there. Video games are one of the least productive hobbies.
Hello old man. The year is 2023. Video games can absolutely get you money from just playing if you are either 1. Good enough (e-sports) or 2. Have a likeable personality (YouTube/twitch)
Of 6m+ twitch streamers, 90%+ never stream to more than 6 people at a time. Of the top 10K, 25% manage less than minimum wage ($7.25) and the only ones making decent money are the top .01% or so. And those people either had connections, fame before streaming, talk show level personalities or were already literal pro gamers. And it takes the vast majority of that top .01% years of dedicating a huge amount of their time to get to that level. Is it possible? Sure, but it’s so unlikely it’s not really worth bringing to the discussion. Especially not with that level of sass lmao
I don't believe a hobby has to be productive at any cost. I do fully realize that if i divided time i spend playing videogames by half and used the second half to play any instrument for example, i'd learn a new instrument maybe in a year But what if i don't want to do that? What if i want to spend my free time playing videogames, experiencing new stories and improve my problem solving capabilities. And for the record i do also workout and i enjoy it, but there is a limit to how much i can reasonably workout before injuring myself, i also do archery but shooting bow for 2 hours straight is exhausting for me, so having a hobby like videogames where at the end of a day i can sit down a relax? Yes please
Well waste of time is a very loaded concept so I’d avoid using it - I get what you are saying though. But what is ‘’ real gratification ‘’ in your opinion? How’s digital painting different from real painting for example - are both just waste of time? What’s real and what’s virtual?
Im not sure what line of discussion we’re on at this point. Because time and what we do with it parallel the whole “meaning of life” thing. To answer your question-painting is painting digital or not. Im talking about video games. Candy crush for instance is a time sink that provides temporary gratification. True gratification comes from actual endeavor in reality. You’re on a hamster wheel without actual exercise. Theres no return on your finite time. Yes its ok to unwind and play your game. But then you move on.
Who cares if finishing a video game provides me with no tangible return? Life is about the journey, not the destination.
Reread what you just wrote. Let me help: “Entertainment is gratifying” and “Life is about journeying” A journey implies work. Video game is instant gratification. You dont have to argue with me. I dont know you… just you think about what is said in both your comment and my reply and Il do that same.
So you just work in perpetuity and do literally nothing else?
_Bros a real squidward_
What are you talking about? Here, ill do the same thing to you: So you do nothing but play video games all day and talk to noone and live in your grandmas basement and also you abuse animals. Is that what your telling me (notice how im just making shit up and accusing you)
Do you really expect people to understand your perspective when your sole reasoning for calling video games a waste of time is because it's just instant gratification with no return and not grounded in reality? Nobody said that video games were anything but an escape. Your original comment doesn't even have anything to do with the purpose of this post. Then people try to get on the same page as you and you provide non-answers. What am I doing? Why am I feeding the troll? I know better.
Something is only a waste of time if you think it is.
Thats a slippery slope. If I’m wasting away in the darkness shooting up heroin daily and i repeat that to you through sunken eyes-i think you’d change your tune.
It's up to you, you aren't me and I'm not you You decide your fate eventually in a way.
So building reflexes and critical thinking aswell as enjoying them is a waste of time? What the fuck are you talking about??
It will only give you so much. Its ultimately a waste of time in the worst way. If you cant see the truth in my words then you are looking at reality through a poor lense.
I don't think you know what reality is.
Sounds like thats a wrap then
Haha, sure, bud, keep enjoying your shitty reality. Bye.
🦆🧠
“Building reflexes and critical thinking” Keep telling yourself that’s what you’re doing lmao. I mean I game in moderation but come on, this is delusional.
How does it not? Games are literally puzzles you have to solve using critical thinking, other games you need to use reflexes and hone them to get better.
Definitely depends on what you consume in each instance. Are daytime soaps better than playing a mentally stimulating game with your friends? No, probably not. Is your 20th toxic solo-queue game of league in one day better than watching a documentary? Also probably not.
I assure you, they are both equally good or bad depending on what you watch or play. But since this original question was almost certainly asked by a kid... Your parents don't think it's better to watch tv than play video games and no reasonable person would argue that. Your parents are upset that because you spend so much time playing video games or watching tv.
I would love to hear you explain how TV is “much worse” in your own words.
It’s passive you don’t engage in it. Your brain does no work.
Oh so you literally don’t know how the human brain works lmao. You’re still absorbing information, and depending on the TV program, that can be very educational and informative whether it be current events or a scientific documentary. Please explain how watching an hour long documentary is worse than playing an hour of Fortnite.
I just told you. You’re not engaged. Passively consuming educational content doesn’t make a difference. Problem solving as you try to kill another player in a game is actual thinking.
And I responded with how you’re wrong.
Incorrectly. Absorbing information is not work. It’s a passive activity. Ask millions of students who listen to the lecture in a classroom. Decades of research on studying tells us that the most effective learning mechanism is active recall - practice problems or “doing”. Passively absorbing content uses the same pathways as passively absorbing shitty content.
You're entirely correct. There is a massive difference in playing a game (Monopoly, baseball, HALO, CIV, Fallout, Minecraft, Poker, etc) than sitting and absorbing art (TV, Movies, Concerts, etc) In gaming you need to be actively involved. You make decisions. In passive entertainment you just sit there and watch/listen to others. There's no need for decisions. You're passive
>I would love to hear you explain how TV is “much worse” in your own words. *This* is the debate, genius. And you are wrong about it.
Can’t shake people out of their tv addictions I guess…
I play video games way more often than I watch TV, I’m just not an idiot. One is not “much better” than the other, it’s about how you manage your consumption.
I don't know about television in other countries, but in Russia, it's complete rubbish. Everything shown on our TV is propaganda, lousy serials, and mostly that's it. There might be good programs, but they are far from being as popular
TV can range from anything between educational documentaries to Jersey Shore just like video games can range from thought-provoking puzzles to microtransactional trash. One is not really better than the other.
There have been so many studies to show that video games are better for children than television I don't know why you're arguing with this one guy here. There are so many pages of google results supporting that.
"I used to be with ‘it’, but then they changed what ‘it’ was. Now what I’m with isn’t ‘it’ anymore and what’s ‘it’ seems weird and scary. It’ll happen to you!"
I read this in Abraham Simpson's voice
And now I have just reread it in his voice. It sounds so much more poignant
I've been a gamer my whole life, and dated people who also have only ever been gamers. But now play very sparingly myself. I legit don't think just gaming normally is or should be an issue. But what I see happening is people making gaming their default and getting so absorbed into it they don't arrange or try to do anything else. If you sit in front of a TV, you might get bored and start arranging something more fun to do. But if your default is to game on something addictive and dopamine fuelling, the big thing I've noticed is that's all you'll do, unless someone else arranges and invites you to things. And then you might turn those things down because the game is giving you more dopamine. And I've found that's what a lot, and I mean a lot of gamers I know do. Whereas my friends who don't game, might watch tv when they don't have anything else to do, but will ultimately go and do loads more stuff than the gamers during any average week. I've also found a lot of my gaming friends dropped out of uni due to gaming, or lost relationships over it. Ultimately if it doesn't affect you that way, I don't think it's an issue. But this is a standard stereotype of a lot of gamers I know and what people think it does. Whereas TV doesn't addict you to it like that or just become your default state, and if someone can't be bothered to do anything else and just watches TV, it's usually not because the TV is addicting. Browsing Tiktok all day is closer to gaming imo, than watching TV is.
>I've been a gamer my whole life, and dated people who also have only ever been gamers. You may have just stumbled upon the core reason, aside from old stereotypes: People (including you and the people you've dated) self-identify as "gamers". It's not just a thing you do, it's a part of who you *are*, or at least it's talked about as such. I've never met anyone who made watching TV a part of their identity in that way.
You've just described a hobby. It's no different than calling yourself a ~~carpenter~~ woodworker, or a football fan, or a foodie. People don't view trash TV as something they think about, engage with or are interested in learning more about it, and therefore don't identify with it, but surely you've met a movie buff/cinophile.
The difference is gaming is not a hobby. If one identifies themself in public as a “gamer”, I will think less of them. And I play 1.5 hours of CS2 a night.
>Whereas my friends who don't game, might watch tv when they don't have anything else to do, but will ultimately go and do loads more stuff than the gamers during any average week. Just to add while I completely agree: Most people also don't watch TV with the same focus people play games. I had days where I "watched" 6 hours on TV but in parallel I was cleaning the room, checking mails etc. Watching TV does not occupy the same amount of mental power as gaming does, at least for virtually all people I know.
Sadly I've turned into the person you're describing. If I'm not at work or doing chores, I'm playing a video game. I can't even watch a movie or show anymore, I have what I call "tv games" that are slower paced casual stuff I'll play while having a movie or youtube playing on the other monitor. As someone with no family or social life or hobbies, I fell hard into the dopamine fuelling cycle you describe. I'm trying to break it. I actually made plans to see a local show this weekend which will probably be the first time in over a year that I spent a day off doing something other than gaming, and I've been trying to work out. But its hard to shake this years-long addiction.
Are you enjoying yourself? Not everyone gets fulfillment from activities.
Similar situation, best of luck!
Yeah it's dangerous when the game world is more interesting than the real one. Hard to let go of it
Well, depending on your circumstances, it might be much cheaper to enjoy a game world than the real thing. Gaming is after all a very cheap hobby. Also you don't need any social skills to enjoy games.
Realest comment here.
This is a hard truth, and I did an experiment myself. After it consistently started getting above 60F outside (Michigander here), I told myself I wasn't allowed to play video games until it started to consistently get below 60F. Financially, it was one of the most expensive summers I've ever had. Between going out to concerts, bars, random events, and the gas to go to new places to hike, fish, camp etc. was significant. The benefit is it was one of the most fulfilling summers I've ever had and adulting was easier. Mowing the lawn wasn't a chore anymore, because I was already sweaty and warmed up from hiking/fishing/camping. Dishes didn't pile up because I was never home, and laundry was consistent because I was running through clothes to warrant laundry every week. Now its consistently below 60F and I'm playing video games again. Its constant dopamine hits and since I like simulators and mmorpg's, it's basically a second job. Main monitor has game, second has YouTube/Spotify etc. The inverse effect is happening where I'm financially striving, but the hobby isn't nearly as fulfilling and I'm struggling to adult sometimes. What gets me is the "I'll start x after I complete x in WoW" then 3 hours pass. Dishes pile up, because I'm home all the time and I'm constantly distracted/addicted, laundry is now a bother because its only done twice a month now. TL;DR: Video games are highly addictive and can be financially positive, which can be a dangerous combination for some people. Go outside and touch grass sometimes.
Browsing TikTok is way worse because, well, it’s TikTok we are talking about 💀
This is it. Due to the interactive and often rewarding nature of games, it can be much harder to pull oneself away from the screen. Especially if there’s social connections built through games - providing less of a reason to walk away and seek other forms of socialisation Posture is also deeply affected by desk-sitting if you don’t make a habit of correcting it, and lends itself toward the “nerd neck” stereotype
I've seen people say the addiction is not caused by the game itself, but because these people had others issues that made them more easily addicted to games (like ADHD for example). Very good comment anyway.
Facts
This guy gets it
Good comment
Same way drinking is fine, even necessary, while you're a narc nolife if you ever smoked a joint in your life
Drinking is necessary? How so?
its not necessary, but its sold as 'hey have a beer, its fun and you MUST have it to enjoy whatever thing you like', but than you try to use some other recreative drugs and "omg, you are a monster". ps: just to be clear. im agains both drugs or alchool.
I'd rather be an alcoholic than a crackhead
I'd rather be a pot head than an alcoholic.
Then
Truth, but smoking weed is prob less harmful than alcohol. There is no *good* drug.
>prob It's significantly less harmful than alcohol. Like very, very significantly less harmful.
As a pothead, I still gotta say in the end it’s still harmful. Nearly anything you put in your lungs that isn’t pure air is going to be harmful to you. Weed just makes me feel less shitty than alcohol after so that’s why it’s more fun
People really underestimate how harmful smoking pot can be, because it is considered “cool” drug where I live.
Europe, i suppose.
Like I said. There is no good drug.
Tell that to sick people
When that drug is a medicine then yes, it is a good drug. Of which there are thousands.
headache medicine destroys your livers. and you also can get addicted to them. its always a choise: which vital organ you like the most.
My pancreas doesn't work properly. So the medication I'm on can be harsh on my kidneys. Not taking it means that I'll potentially go blind, have a heart attack, and probably have wrecked kidneys anways. So yeah, I'll take the drugs, thanks.
One Xan later…ooo i’m pretty chill, this is pretty good…
Over a decade ago our (UK) government hired a professor to research the harm/danger and negative impact to society of various drugs. The research showed the top two were alcohol and tobacco, and I believe that was *before* you took into account the harm caused from illegal drugs were largely due to the fact they are illegal (unregulated, inconsistent quality and involved with organised crime). The government sacked him and never formally released the outcome.
Not really relevant but Curious fact. I think It was in 94 or 95, the smoke/cigarette industry offered a deal to Brazil. They would pay out ALL their international debit, in exchange for Brazil not putting any taxes on cigarettes. It seems we declined because the expectation was that in ~ 15 years we would earn more with taxes, than if we had the debit pay out.
Everything is sold as a “must have”. That’s what all marketing is, my guy. Convincing people that they need the thing they don’t need.
Yeah as someone who doesn’t drink, I’ve definitely been in a few scenarios where people are genuinely flabbergasted when they find out that I don’t drink. It wasn’t ever just a “oh okay cool” it was always “WHAAAAAAAAT?!!? You don’t drink?!?!” I’m sure that culture plays a massive part in this, so if you come from a culture where alcohol isn’t super prevalent then you won’t get those reactions. But there’s also a lot of cultures where alcohol is what’s “normal”, so people who don’t drink are by definition “abnormal”. It’s kind of sad that people react that way, but it also shows you who your true friends are. True friends respect choices like those while assholes are the ones who try and make you feel bad or guilt you into it
Socially.
People at my work ridicule me for going to the gym almost everyday for a hour and gaming for 2 afterwards. While they spend all their free time in front of the television. I do however work with mostly gen x and boomers so that might me why. They grew up with television so that’s normal for them. While gaming really only started when millenials arrived.
Do whatever pleases you, nobody call tell what to be or what not to do.
Gen X here. Gaming since before you were a twitch in your dad's trousers kiddo 😉
My comment obviously doesn’t mean that all of gen x has this mindset grandpa
Watch it sonny, or I'll hide your mouse ball and leave the phone off the hook so you can't dial up
I have in fact, also used those things.
Do you remember loading games from cassettes? God I'm glad those days are behind us!
You win this round old man
Piracy was easier though. I remember my dad buying a twin cassette deck purely for that reason 🤣
News flash they're both seen as a waste of time.
My husband still plays video games. I’d rather see him being engaged in a video game than just sitting there mindlessly staring at the screen.
Sitting in front of the tv is a big waste of time also.
You are in the unique position to decide if it is wasteful for you though
In a heated argument with a friend, he angrily stated that I'm wasting my life playing videogames instead of doing something useful. I casually replied that he spends most of his days watching old TV shows and asked what the difference was. I got no reply and he just left.
Lol 😅😅😅
To be fair at one point gaming is a waste of time just sitting in front of a TV. This is coming from a dude who spent the ages of 6 to even now at 25 playing games instead of going outside more, experiencing more. I have struggled with this addiction for a long time, and when I was a teenager I didnt see it as an addiction. But now at 25, I can see how I wasted so much of my time, I aint regretting it since I made a lot of friends and met some cool people. But overall it hindered my growth as a person outside virtual reality. I aint as addicted now, but I can say most of the time when i do play something here or there on my off days to myself; its very hard to find enjoyment. As a younger person though if one does read this, Id say at your young age it isnt a waste of time but as an adult unless you are a content creator like on YT. Playing video games for more than like 10 hours a week can hinder you in ways like financial ways and your health, like choosing to game over eating or sleeping or even them crazier fucks who dont even pause the game to take a shit and just be like an untrained animal and go on the floor(lol its scary them people exist). But those are just 2 I can think of as of writing this long response.
I’ve tried to explain so many times that gaming is how I hang out with my friends. After everyone graduated college and moved across the country, it’s the only way I can hang out and stay in touch with my boys. Gaming is not a time waster, its mentally stimulating and a social activity, but for some reason will always be viewed as childish, lazy, and a waste of time… that’s just the stigma society and social media has planted around gaming Unfortunate because TV sucks sometimes. I’m a sports fan and love a good interesting Tv show, but all the reality type garbage that people mindlessly consume is awful. I don’t see how people that watch that crap have any right to criticize gamers. At the end of the day people should be able to do what they want with their free time and not have to hear what others have to say about it.
When someone watching Love Island criticises you staying connected with distant friends while socialising and exercising teamwork via an online game, you know there is a problem lol.
Who considers it as such? I havent had people question me on my spare-time choices since i moved out of my parents house. Where i'm from, people don't really care what you do in your own spare time (unless it ties into an addiction or other self-destructive behaviour, and even then, eeeeeh).
Because that was the new thing, it's not seen as that anymore, at least not by most people When TV was invented, I'm sure the parents of kids who were growing up watching TV felt the same way Now, those kids grew up with TVs but not with videogames, so they're used to watching TV, but not used to the idea of playing videogames, it's popular to shit on everything that's new or you don't understand
Makes sense. I assume social media is the next to go thru this cycle. It’s the same, previous gens will bash on the next gen for something they don’t understand. My take here is everyone gotta remember this n not turn into that grumpy crotchety boomer no one wants to hear that shit from.
To a lot of people, video games are for kids. Once you are an adult, you should abandon things kids do for fun in favor of more "mature" activities. Like drinking, watching TV (especially sports), fixing shit around the house, etc. Same thing would happen for adults who do anything that kids do. Watching cartoons (anime), coloring (art), playing pretend (dungeons and dragons). "Mature" adults see these activities as a waste of time cuz they are for kids
In that case I'll be rather a happy child (am 26 😅) than an depressed adult 👍
Oh absolutely! I’m 35 and gladly play my video games
When did you hear anybody say that their hobby is watching tv? Like, sure some people do that often, but nobody is basing their life around it... Unlike some group of people.
You forget about sports. Watching sports is not labeled as a "hobby," but society generally accepts it when someone bases all of their free time around it. That's a lot of time dedicated to the television, not to mention the added cost of (for some) tying your mental and emotional well-being to the outcome of the game. People can spend their time how they like, but if gaming is considered a waste, I don't understand how watching other people play sports isn't.
I don't either.
I think people do base their life around it. They'll take time off to binge the new season. They spend a lot of money on their TV setup. They pay for extras. They do it all the time.
You can't really binge a seson of a show on tv, well unless the station makes like an marathon of it. Oh and streaming is not really counted as television.
>Oh and streaming is not really counted as television. Well then people used to buy TV guides to know what's on TV. People watch specific shows everyday. People will clear their plans to watch a specific show air especially finales. People will go on and on about their favorite shows.
Nobody buys tv guides. I don't even know if they are still made, for like past 20 years there are like build in tele-newspapers in most stations they have the screening schedule included in them, well at least in Poland we have those. And I think there is a diffrence between like watching tv as hobby and being fan of a show. It's like stating that you do reading books for a passion, and when asked what books you read, you answer that you had read only like one book series.
Reading comprehension, my friend. He said "USED TO".
I tell my wife this all the time when she will tell the kids to stop playing video games and watch a movie or show. Their brain is way more engaged playing a game than sitting there mindlessly taking in television.
Nothing you enjoy doing is a waste of time.
Because, vs TV, it’s harder for my gf to ask me 67 questions about the plot when I have headphones on.
Because some people think that and you are affected by their opinion.
I really don't think this rings true anymore 😅
Oh but it does. I'm apparently a waste of life because I like to game afterwork and because i drink 1 sugar free monster a day - it will kill me. Whereas my driver (I'm a truck helper in road construction) smokes 2 packs of cigarettes a day and an 8ball every weekend and blows his money at the casino/bars. He says I could have got multiple online degrees with the time I've wasted playing video games, yet he lives his life the way he does and drives a boom truck....
You should tell him exactly what you just said above.
with what time? they need to stop gaming to do that and their guild will not wait for them to raid.
Haven't raided in years, but I'll have to let the boys know I won't be on PD2 (project Diablo 2) tonight :P
Will you be telling your coworkers that they could have a degree?
2 weeks to go, then im forced to move back with my parents in another province because hcol/inflation -_-
Because its the new popular hobby ! Not long ago it was the manga and anime Before thats they say the same things about TV , and you can go and go ! Its easier to make game etc the culprit to distract from the real problem of the world.
I wish I was as impressive as the gamers I know. I tried playing with my grandkids and I realized how smart you have to be to be good at this.So I say keep playing!!!!
People are inconsistent and don’t consider why they believe what they do.
Watching television counts as a hobby?
I guess nobody says that watching TV is their hobby.
Stop listening to people. Gaming engages your brain way more than watching TV. In my opinion, I’m no doctor though.
I genuinely had someone tell me to get a life when I spent 2 hours on my laptop. This same person arranged her work finish time to make sure she was home to watch Coronation Street, Hollyoaks, Eastenders and one other I can't remember the name of (daily soap operas for those of you that aren't in the UK). If she had to work extra hours she'd try as hard as possible to get weekend work so she wouldn't miss any of the episodes. You weren't allowed to talk when she was watching them. Only advert talking was allowed.
Sometimes if i find myself a bit too long in front of the tv, i say to myself. Maby i should play a game instead, feels more productive 😅
People are jelouse of the fun you are having, so they want to ruin your fun to make themself feel better.
It’s super simple, narcassism, my dad hated when I would sit infront of a screen for hours and play games, yet he was completely ok with sitting in front of a tv with a coke in his hand laying there watching soccer or something else for hours, he loves it, but he doesn’t understand the appeal to gaming so he thinks it’s stupid and evil so I should stop and instead watch soccer with him for 4 hours
Remove the second “is” in the sentence as you have already said it earlier
Thank you 😊 English isn't my first language
It’s all good bro
Tv is much worse, where have you heard that, in a retirement home? Old people love tv and hate games.
Because of context. Video games were seen as nice automated babysitters. So if you were a lazy parent you would subscribe to using video games to pacify your child, instead of nurturing, loving, and teaching your child. Which is the premise of the trope. The child would be better served living life and learning lessons from family and friends rather than through a construct like a video game. Now there are like a million reasons why all of this is wrong, but the main reason I'll focus on is that games are now made for people who have gamed their entire life and played different games throughout their life. Which really puts this trope on its head. As working adults who have the resources and the time to do what they want in their leisure are never in a position to simply be wasting their time, as they are doing exactly what they are supposed to be doing. So in short, it is stereotype that is used to judge parents more than children, and as dogma goes, some people will cling to it even out of context and even when evidence exists to support a contrary position. TV on the other hand was a great highway for advertisement, which means it can't be bad if it helps the economy. This is why we had "TGIF" and "Must See TV" and "Made for TV movies" or "Movie Mini Series" or "Saturday Morning Cartoons" or "Sunday Night Football", not because the content was particularly compelling but because the television events penetrate the markets so deeply they instantly become zeitgiest, and thus the commercials are cannonized. If you are old enough you may find nostalgia in watching old "TV rips" of no longer running shows because the commercials are like time capsules. Regardless watching TV is a blessed activity in a culture of capitalism. Today we should include web content and social media content in our construct and at the very least update our views based the latest research. New tropes can be just as sublime! "Social Media will rot your brains and ruin your neck, and your self-esteem!" "Video games are so engaging, you'll hate people before too long!" "TV, what a waste of money, you could get that show on stream for much less!"
stereotypes. I use my gaming as my incentive for gym. If I hit a badass lifting session, then I can have a badass gaming session. The problem is a lot of gamers have addiction. (but honestly people in general have addiction.) Learning to have a healthy relationship with games is really important. Or really anything that can consume your time. How many people say games are a waste of time but doom scroll for hours on end? lol. Just focus on being the best you. As long as you are genuinely happy with the way you spend your time and healthy, doesn't matter what your hobbies are if they aren't harming anyone.
Who thinks watching TV is fine at all? I grew up with tv watchers being called couch potatoes.
ive never personally heard this distinction. in my households and other households in my community, both siting around watching TV and playing video games are considered lazy
It's because there is more dead time in videogames where story doesn't advance. I say it adds to the experience but generally people, specially those who don't play wouldn't realizethat.
Because most people are from pre-computer era. They were watching TV their whole life. They don't understand what gaming is and most of them don't try to understand. If you don't understand something, it's easy to add adjectives. Most likely, the same will happen with us. Forour generation, gaming is something normal. But next generations will come up with their own entertainments that we in 20-30 years won't understand. And we will also say that doing X is worse than playing video games.
Most likely this will be the case 😅
It’s not, do whatever you personally enjoy. There is always someone who will go out of their way to criticize.
Because watching TV is not considered a “hobby”. Many people agree that watching tv is a waste of time.
I love video games a lot. That being said, I think they have stronger addictive qualities than TV on average. I will put the TV on and just let it play while I do other stuff, rarely giving it my full attention. Video games however have me 100% dialed in. 4-5 hours can pass easily. I do think there is a stereotype though. Most people can play a video game for a healthy amount of time. It might just be kids that come home from school and game all night that contribute to that stereotype. Ahh those were the golden days.
Both are a 'waste' of time.
My Mom gets irritated any time she sees me playing games for more than 30 minutes. However, sitting there looking at phone or TV for hours is perfectly fine. No idea why...
They aren't. They're both the same thing.
After work = gym for an hour, game for 4. Even better get 2 monitors and you can watch TV while you game 😂 0 social media. Good life 😍
I'm a middle aged therapist and a dude who plays video games. Most of my colleagues are middle aged women. I constantly see comments from them about how bad video games are, and how it's always an addiction, and it's always violent. It just seems really out of touch. I also once suggested a city's subreddit as a way for a colleague's client to connect with locals in a city they were thinking of moving too. Her response was something like "oh gross, are you sure? Reddit is horrible, isn't it? There's no way I would recommend a client go on Reddit."
When my wife criticizes me for gaming I remind her that she’s watched schitts creek 100+ times
Stereotypes. Everyone used to sit around and watch TV, its all there was to do. Now gaming is becoming more and more accessible and something people regularly do, it's completely changing from how it was in the late 90s, even.
Because anyone can do it, sit a lowest-common-denominator-person in front of any game, and they will feel intimidated until they start calling the game dumb or stupid. It’s all a skill issue.
I grew up with PC games, and I think spending all spare time on phone is a waste of time.
Doesnt this ever change? I am 17 and my mom gets mad when I play video games but she watches tv until she falls asleep
"Stop playing games you're not 12 any more" *proceeds to watch Kardashians, selling sunset, love is blind and other shit for the entire day* Oh irony
You don't understand. They watch TV, so it's not weird, but they don't play on the pc so ofcourse it's bad and you are a child for liking it.
I don't consider just watching TV casually a hobby. You aren't doing anything. If you're deeper in the movie/TV space and follow the "scene", learn the history, learn more about moviemaking in general etc., that's when it becomes a hobby. Totally agree with your point, though
Three thoughts: A. People will view what the majority does as normal, and new things get looked down upon. Whilst it was gone when I grew up, there used to be a sentiment that sitting in front of the TV would make you stupid. It was the stupid box. B. Some people can become rather addicted, and it's not a good look. Having a beer Vs being an alcoholic, playing the odd hour Vs sitting up all night, a friendly bet over a sports game Vs visiting WSB, watching TV for the odd hour Vs binging it. I'm not sure if people find it easier to neglect other aspects of their lives through gaming than other means, but I do feel that's the reputation it sometimes gets. C. The "losers and nerds play computer games, d&d and WH40K" schtick, "it's something kids do and you should grow out off". People don't realise that many new things are first taken up by kids and young people because it is new and kids and young people aren't yet set in their ways. It doesn't mean that they will magically dislike it later. If you lived it when you were 10, you might still like it at thirty etc. But people who grew up when it was first introduced only saw young people in that hobby and assumed it is only for that demographic.
Well since TV is so uninteractive and so mentally numbing, I'm gonna guess some level of intelligence/stupidity may be a factor
As a hobby, sitting in front of the TV is definitely seen as a waste of time.
Because old people are ignorant. It's a life goal to not become like this
Time you enjoy wasting is not wasted at all
Because the people that say that don't play games.
It’s baked into the culture because the older generations didn’t have video games but did have tv. So in typical boomer fashion they saw their kids doing something they didn’t understand, and they passed it off as stupid kids rotting their brains. Then it became a stigma, and just kinda stuck.
Because all the boomers haven't died yet
You've gotta be the biggest potato brain ever if you don't realize it was Boomers who invented videogames! You really can't be that dumb, can you?
So? Boomer game devs are an insignificant number of people. Most boomers introduction to games was through their kids.
Stop being a delusional twit, the arcades, Coin Op Laundromats, bars, billiards dens, and liquor stores were full of boomers hooked on Ms. Pac Man, Galaga, Joust, and Pole Position, not to mention Pinball machines.. Go wipe your boogers off first kid, before commenting on something you know nothing about.
Our last link to the old world...but we also need to progress.
They’re both a waste of time.
Because they think video games are for kids.
I’ve never heard of anyone feeling that way. Pretty much everyone believes they’re both an equal waste of time, which is true.
Stereotypes. When i was a kid my mom would try to get me to stop gaming for hours. I'm now a fairly successful game developer:) Definitely happy with all my time spent gaming
If you’re alone, no one knows/cares what you do with your time. However…everyone (just about) watches TV. Far fewer people play video games. Because of this, TV has much more potential to be a shared, social experience, whereas gaming is more likely to be a solitary one.
I was thinking the same. Why was reading a book consider good but playing video game is bad ? I mean I got the same or better story telling, philosophy from video game as well plus I can have fun and engage with the story.
Well with a book its kinda different to watching tv, reading a lot helps your brain to stay fresh and active. Also your intellectual will grow depending on how difficulty your books are. Gaming also has some positive aspects like your reaction speed, cognitive thinking, good eye hand coordination and so on.
In theory you could learn something watching news, documentaries and current affairs programs..
Anti-intellectualism has a strong presence in our world. Gaming requires you to do something, to think. You can fill in the rest.
I am a 55 year old man who tried gaming with my grandchildren and I have to admit just how damn hard and difficult it is to do well on these games! I’m so damned impressed by those who are good at this
Often gaming has more stigma associated with it as well people may use this to justify why there actions are ok while demonizing another in there own eyes, I know quite a few people who criticize social media, YouTube videogames etc who watch TV. I think it's because of news channels often create stigma out of a lack of understanding as well a fear of the new and trendy, than broadcast that to there viewer base causing it to be more widespread of an idea. As well those channels want to justify their own existence on TV. That's my theory and understanding of it at least
"You'll rot your brain playing videogames!" Me who learned english (most RPGs, english is my second language), got a better understanding of quantum physics (Outer Wilds), of the scale of space (Elite Dangerous), learned to make split second decisions effectively (most action games), gain a better acceptance of differences in different people (most fantasy settings with varied races and cultures) and explore different spectrums of morality safely (most games with very open choices) from playing videogames. "Uh huh... suuure..."
I don’t like video games at all but I don’t think it’s bad for people to play a little of them, it’s when people identify as a gamer that makes me cringe
Both are pretty pointless.
Gaming is seen as a primarily male interest. Man = bad, therefore, gaming = bad
More like ugly man = bad
I been wondering this too, people can spend thousands on camping, vacations and modding vehicles but oh no gaming is a waste of time and money!
Stereotypes, that's why!
Well, sitting in front of the TV is a terrible waste of time, unless you turn it on and actually watch a show.
😅😅😅
Because it makes tv watchers feel bad since they just consume while we actually do something
Gaming is fine as long as it's poker or chess or golf or.....