Gaming Is Not ‘Wasted Time’

Gamers who spend their free time, even what most consider excessive, are not wasting time.

This is not some post about how gamers still have social connections, or are finding a healthy way to escape other stresses. Those are true but I don’t want to make that argument as everyone is familiar with them.

I’m making a large case for gaming, the value of which is taken for granted.

Today’s games are the peak of technological entertainment. A ‘aaa’ company spends hundreds of millions of dollars into a game and you receive the entire product of that investment. Where else can you, as an average person, employ hundreds of high level talent for years to produce something for you to use for simple entertainment? The things games can do today were unthinkable 20 years ago. Consuming the highest tech entertainment is somehow bad? How?

Additionally, the amount of content you get from a game, particularly the ‘addictive’ mmorpg’s, is possibly the least expensive entertainment available. Where else can you get dozens of hours, even 100+, for $15 per month? Some are’ free to play’ even. (Though micro transactions are almost always utilized).

Gaming offers a sense of accomplishment. It’s derided by the ‘normies’, but everything is. People love to attack anyone for not doing and being what they do and are. That pathetic narcissism should be ignored.

Also, The rise of eSports is evidence that more people than ever are recognizing the accomplishment and value of becoming good at playing these games. The rise of streaming in particular is evidence of the economic value of gaming.

BUT, this is the real point, people who have contempt for gaming as a ‘waste of time’ because you aren’t earning money are the height of arrogance and elitism. How is it for them to judge your economic condition? Do they hate the average man with average lifestyle? Most of them are in the same financial bracket spending 60 hours per week on Netflix or drinking in some bar - or else spending even hundreds of dollars per week in restaurants.

Further, this hypocritical judgmental nature tends to come from older people. In EVERY generation the older generation is critical of the things the younger generations like. Plus, boomers are probably the most privileged and narcissistic generation ever created and are especially worthy of being ignored. (I’m gen x by the way, by no means ‘young’ like most gamers).

Go play world of Warcraft without guilt or shame. You are not wasting your time and the memories you are creating are no less ‘real’ than any other activity. In fact, playing the game is still ‘real world’. The separation of gaming from the ‘real world’ is stupid and derogatory. You ARE in the real world, having real fun, and doing a real thing. Don’t accept that criticism - it misunderstand what ‘real’ even means.