The Unintended Evils of Gaming

[Underscore]

I had a thought about gaming just recently, owing in part to one of the comments in the Starcraft 2 thread on this forum. I thought I would expand on the idea and see if anybody has anything to say about it.

I'll use Starcraft as an example throughout the post, but really any complicated game would work in it's place. The specific game is really irrelevant.

A video game like Starcraft is extremely complex. There is so much to learn in order to become even a mediocre player, partially because it is so competitive, and partially because the game operates like a fast paced chess game. You constantly need to out think your opponent using the rules and timings within the given system. And the rules are many. Different unit combinations counter others, you need to know when and how to expand, you need to constantly be making judgments about the current tempo and flow of the game in order to effectively beat your opponent.

These are just a few examples. Really scores of other things need to be considered. Pages have been written about different strategies and tactics employed in the game in an effort to achieve perfect play.

The name for such a line of reasoning with a game like this is called "theory crafting". Basically you logically analyze a game in order to gain an advantage and divine the best possible strategy in any given situation.

Now it seems to me as though such a game would attract a more intelligent and active mind, simply because becoming adept at that game is no mundane task.

So a game like Starcraft may attract a more intelligent person. It takes their mind in and makes the rest of the world less appealing. When you get right down to it, logical analysis of a video game is not all that much different than the logical analysis of a math or science problem. This area may be open for dispute, but I really think there are many connections between the two.

If a system like a video game becomes more appealing than say scientific research, or some other complex aspect of the real world, then a person may play more than focus on real world problems, but still maintain the same satisfaction that they are achieving something worthwhile, creating a sort of quagmire for motivation and drive to focus on what is real.

Perhaps this is little more than a convoluted analysis of gaming addiction, but it is my argument that this is an (unintended) evil of modern video games.

 

[Hadoblado]

^
exactly my plight...

I just uninstalled Civ5, LoL, SCII, and NWNII in the hope that I'll now be able to achieve real world goals.

 

[Words]

True, but who's to say that the meaning of videogame achievement is > the meaning of scientific achievement. Actually, perhaps there is an innate standard here. Have you ever felt something strange when you reach a certain point of extreme gaming activity? It's a very discomforting motivation-related feeling.

And I don't think the complexity of a game is anywhere comparable to reality.

 

[Moocow]

I've suspected for several years now that video games aren't unlike some drugs in their effects on the brain. They are made to overstimulate and provoke feelings of reward relatively easy by comparison to real life achievement.

Another thing to note is that when you are playing chess, the pieces are generic. It's easy to look at choices made in a game of chess and relate them to real world problems and principles. In a video game, you're not really supposed to think about the real world- that's what all the intense visual design is for. The experience is supposed to be "immersive" or self-contained for greater intensity and escape.



By the way, I have an experiment for you. Sit down in a quiet place with your eyes closed and take a few minutes to relax and notice the movement of your eyeballs and eyelids. Notice also the length of your concentration on any particular thing.

Now play a first-person action shooter like team fortress 2, counterstrike, halo, whatever really does it for you... and following that, try the same thing.

In my experience, my eyes will continue to dart around, eyelids twitch, and overall attention just kind of skips around frantically as if I were still playing a match. It may take 20-30 minutes to return to normal if I continue to sit there. Even going about my day after an intensely competitive session can be hazardous, as my movements will be jerky, impatient, and irate.


Of course, the kind of state you are in would depend on the kind of game.

 

[warryer]

I also uninstalled my games to focus on real world stuff. The first couple days I was going through some nasty withdrawal just like quitting damn cigarettes. It definitely got to the point of where I would skip out on doing real world stuff for the video game world.

 

[The Gopher]

Justt of curiousity what real life goals are you going to do?

 

[Underscore]

Currently in college. Considering between two very different fields. Either writing of some sort, though I haven't looked into anything more specific in that field that I'd like to do, or civil engineering, more specifically, structural engineering. The problem with engineering is that I'm struggling to maintain my gpa because of motivation problems that I believe stem, at least in part, from my video game hobbies. Hence this thread.

 

[ProxyAmenRa]

If a system like a video game becomes more appealing than say scientific research, or some other complex aspect of the real world, then a person may play more than focus on real world problems, but still maintain the same satisfaction that they are achieving something worthwhile, creating a sort of quagmire for motivation and drive to focus on what is real.

Perhaps this is little more than a convoluted analysis of gaming addiction, but it is my argument that this is an (unintended) evil of modern video games.

I don't see why a person can't simply do both. I work 5 days a week dealing with real world complex problems and then I go home and focus things I find enjoyable. Be them computer games, sport or reading.

 

[ProxyAmenRa]

Currently in college. Considering between two very different fields. Either writing of some sort, though I haven't looked into anything more specific in that field that I'd like to do, or civil engineering, more specifically, structural engineering. The problem with engineering is that I'm struggling to maintain my gpa because of motivation problems that I believe stem, at least in part, from my video game hobbies. Hence this thread.

Have you consider doing something more hands on and still technically based?

 

[EyeSeeCold]

...I'm struggling to maintain my gpa because of motivation problems that I believe stem, at least in part, from my video game hobbies. Hence this thread.

If you think you have motivation problems, then it's not the video games themselves but your susceptibility to (chronic) escapism. You have to treat it at the source(genetics, chemicals, psychology), and if you want to stay in college, I'd recommend seeking professional counseling if it's seriously affecting your work.

Also:
[bIMGx=300]http://i.imgur.com/xfiFK.gif[/bIMGx]

Spoiler

There already exists a reward system in place, national currency, though I'd support receiving redeemable points for completing direct & explicit objectives. 'Why I would' is interesting, fulfilling clear and urgent objectives takes away the worrying and slacking I do in figuring out what needs to be done and what's important.

 

[SandMizzle]

I don't see why a person can't simply do both. I work 5 days a week dealing with real world complex problems and then I go home and focus things I find enjoyable. Be them computer games, sport or reading.

Thank you! Like there would only be 2 options. If I feel like playing video games I do so. That doesn't mean that I miss any of my real life goals. It's like reading a book or watching a movie.

 

[The Gopher]

Thank you! Like there would only be 2 options. If I feel like playing video games I do so. That doesn't mean that I miss any of my real life goals. It's like reading a book or watching a movie.

Yeah I stopped playing video games for 1 hour and I learnt how to dance and ran in a marathon then helped the poor for 2 hours ... (well the dancing part is true)

 

[SandMizzle]

Yeah I stopped playing video games for 1 hour and I learnt how to dance and ran in a marathon then helped the poor for 2 hours ... (well the dancing part is true)

You see, there is nothing more important than playing video games. It keeps you from learning to dance!

 

[Puffy]

I would classify myself as a former video-game addict. I started playing when I was 3 years old and would've played most days until I quit when I was 19. At its worst (around 12-19 with the advent of online gaming) I was playing 8+ hours a day in the week and more on weekends every day.

By the time I got to University I had almost ADHD like symptoms from my gaming. I couldn't hold my attention on a book long enough to get through a couple of pages. My sleep cycle was completely messed up (up until 3-4am+) and I'd never learned to cook as I was eating micro-wave meals to minimise my time away from gaming.

One day I just decided I'd had enough and went cold turkey and it was done like that, almost miraculously. This forum actually played a big role in that. I remember for the first time meeting people here (and people at University) who seemed so far ahead of me academically & creatively and realising that this addiction was holding me back from reaching my potential. Ironically I ended up filling the time from my gaming addiction afterwards with study to an obsessive (addictive?) level (though it did pay off).

For years afterwards when I'd sleep at night I'd literally dream of video-games almost every night, they were completely infused into my psyche having been with me since such a young age. It was what I was referring to in these posts: https://www.intpforum.com/threads/eyes-without-a-face.15923/#post-354955

I agree with ESC that it's partly an individual thing. There's clearly an underlying 'why' as to why I got addicted -- family & social issues, etc -- which is the most important question for the addict to answer and be personally accountable for (with the support of their family & community).

And of course there are people who can place healthy boundaries around their hobbies and then it's not an issue. So why not just do learn to do that?

The problem with gaming is that (as Moocow was hinting) there are intrinsic aspects to it which encourage addict-forming behaviours, which the most vulnerable are going to be most susceptible to. And it's likely designed that way to keep you sucked in and paying out (same with social media, youtube, netflix -- pick your poison). It is for the most part a privately owned industry and it's in the interests of that industry to keep you playing. If children want to play outside in a park together, as they have done for many generations before, who stands to profit from that? Gaming is fun, yes, but is there any evidence to suggest that it is more rewarding for the development of a human being over other forms of play?

I do also feel there are a lot of (not all) people into gaming who could be addicted but aren't willing to admit they have a problem, calling themselves enthusiasts or something instead.

The last week I've been home-sitting for my sister while she's away. They have an xbox so I thought 'why not, let's play' one evening. I was amazed how quickly I got sucked back in. I quit over 10+ years ago. Despite this, I've literally spent the whole week here playing video-games for 12+ hours a day.

I've de-plugged today, sitting through the withdrawal symptoms. It's taught me that after all this time I'm not actually more disciplined. I simply removed the addictive stimulant from my life. If I keep the stimulant out, staying free of it is quite easy. That's what discipline is to me. I think I want to start placing more boundaries around time I spend at a computer or on my phone in general in the weeks to come as an insight from this.

If I come across as technophobic sometimes it's mostly because of these kinds of experiences. It's not difficult to understand why I see a lot of (not all) video-games as junk food for the brain: fine in small quantities. Things like virtual and augmented reality terrify me because I can't help but see it in terms of how much worse off a younger version of me would be as a result of it.

 

[ZenRaiden]

Played a lot and do not play anymore. Yes game are fun. They are however no more than fun. I loved strategy games and they can teach a person a thing or two. Its not complete waste of time.
However games are ever more demanding and require lot more attention which is unreal if you want to live a life and have hobbies outside of gaming, hold down a job and actually do something productive with your life.

 

[PiedPiper]

How you view the topic of Gaming depends on your own personal experience and bias. I.E. Are you a current gamer? Did you grow up religious? How did your mother/father view gaming? Was it encouraged or noted as a "waste of time".
Society doesn't look kindly upon those who don't fit the system. The system is a routine of course, but what do we care? Society reminds us every day what a waste of space we are if we aren't doing this this and...etc. Or on the other hand, what we are doing that it despises.
From the moment we were born, a screaming mess of human, we were statistics. No more, no less. That is unless you were privileged to begin with.

Having said that I'll go right into what I think the issue with gaming is.
The problem arises when your entire reality crumbles in favor of escape. When I say entire I mean that it is your only and whole life, e v e r y s i n g l e d a y.

I am unfortunately no stranger to this kind of mindset. You see when reality becomes "inaccessible" the only way to access it is through simulation. It's the next best thing. Or in some cases the best thing,period.
I am a gamer myself but recently backed off. It was becoming so mundane as to link it to a career. I had to get that certain level, all else was just a distraction. Problem is is after you've spent hundreds of hours on a simulated reality it starts to become not only "reality" but the mundaneness and sameness that you see in life is mimicked. You start to think "what if life is completely simulated"/ "why can't I play this all day long, if I worked all day long no one would bat an eye" "if gaming is so bad but it keeps me from doing something worse, why not?" This is where you could get into a whole heap of questions and more debate.

 

[onesteptwostep]

Yeah gaming should be done in moderation. I wouldnt recommend it while you're schooling though, only when you know you've got nothing to do. Nothing wrong with it if it's truly a leisure thing, or just to compress/decompress.

Lately the more I game the more I realize kids come to it to escape something.. it makes me want to be on more so I can help them snap out of it and be normal again. It's a double hobby I guess, personally, if I think about it.

 

[Puffy]

Sure, I think the experiences and context that have led to my current view on gaming are in my post though. My parents were both fine with it and never expressed any strong opinions about it. All of my friends were into gaming so there wasn't any peer pressure to quit. I wasn't religious growing up, and became more spiritually leaning later in life after quitting gaming so that didn't impact my views on it. My views derive from my direct experience of having been a gaming addict.

I can feel the withdrawal symptoms in me now as I'm coming out of a week long intensive period of gaming. Going from a period of not gaming to gaming intensively, I can feel the difference. Some things that stand out:

* My quality of sleep has been a lot worse due to gaming late so I'm feeling more fatigued.
* In order to compensate I've had to drink coffee (I don't normally). I have acid reflux (GERD) so this is triggering some of its symptoms.
* My mind is really frenetic and craving, and it's difficult to focus on other things.
* My physical condition isn't as good as a week ago due to neglect. My eyes and wrists are more strained for obvious reasons.
* My phone has a backlog of messages from people who've tried to contact me but haven't been able to reach me as I've been too busy gaming. Some of these are clients who could potentially choose to not work with me again. This is doable for a week long period, but it's not difficult to imagine how some of my relationships could suffer if this became a long-term habit.
* The kittens I'm meant to be looking after for my sister are more distressed than a few days ago as I haven't been spending enough time with them (I've spent a lot of time with them today.) So, again, addiction can cause you to neglect other responsibilities and areas.

These are tangible, concrete effects directly attributable to gaming addiction, not rooted in opinion or ideology. They're also effects which aren't much unlike other forms of addiction.

I do personally feel most gaming is a waste of time in the same breath that I feel most netflix or youtube viewing is a waste of time. That's just my opinion that I don't impose on others. It's not difficult to understand why I might feel that way though. I poured 19 years worth of energy into something that will never come back to me in any way. I didn't develop any special skills from my gaming that I can use in other ways. And on account of the amount of time I spent gaming I offset my development in other important skills, intellectual, creative, and social, that I've had to make up for in the time afterwards. These are all choices I made but again it should be easy to understand why I regret them and think my decision to quit was a wise one.

As mentioned, I caveat all of the above by repeating that I believe it's likely there are many people who have a healthy relationship to gaming and I have nothing against someone choosing to do that.

I highly doubt I am the only person to ever fall under the category of having an unhealthy relationship to it though. And I do think there are intrinsic aspects of gaming that encourages unhealthy behaviours and contributes to addiction, so while of course addicts have to be responsible for their own lives I don't think we can only point the finger at them for the "evils of gaming" as this thread labels it.

 

[PiedPiper]

* My quality of sleep has been a lot worse due to gaming late so I'm feeling more fatigued.
* In order to compensate I've had to drink coffee (I don't normally). I have acid reflux (GERD) so this is triggering some of its symptoms.
* My mind is really frenetic and craving, and it's difficult to focus on other things.
* My physical condition isn't as good as a week ago due to neglect. My eyes and wrists are more strained for obvious reasons.
* My phone has a backlog of messages from people who've tried to contact me but haven't been able to reach me as I've been too busy gaming. Some of these are clients who could potentially choose to not work with me again. This is doable for a week long period, but it's not difficult to imagine how some of my relationships could suffer if this became a long-term habit.
* The kittens I'm meant to be looking after for my sister are more distressed than a few days ago as I haven't been spending enough time with them (I've spent a lot of time with them today.) So, again, addiction can cause you to neglect other responsibilities and areas.

All tangible consequences from a gaming addiction.
(made a huge mistake, it was you @Words< mentioned something in your post about the characteristic feeling you get after
playing for so many hours. Maybe I'm out of my league here, but it simply sounds like the brains self-protection system kicking in. Basically; "stop whatever you're focusing on and do something else for a while, this is killing you" If that's not enough then usually you start to, over time) lose interest, which is the minds second warning. If we however, ignore this 'AGAIN', and continue despite the feeling being present constantly(as it likely would by now) I think this is where you enter into a sort of idiosyncratic reality, guided by your fascination...no, obsession, a chilling realization. And of course, obsession never feels great. But neither does the reality.