Escape vs. responsibility (Gaming)

by Kermit , Raleigh, NC, Monday, March 27, 2017, 19:17 (2589 days ago) @ EffortlessFury

I feel like maybe the author might be of the mindset (that they themselves mention) that looks down at gaming as a less worthy use of time. Perhaps the author is struggling to see the other point of view. Would explain the bias, and if that's the case it's commendable that they are able to accept the possibility that they are wrong.

I've been thinking about this thread for a while now, and I think you're on to something, except I don't think the author is of the mindset you describe. I do think that he's aware that that is likely the mindset of the majority of his audience (this is The Economist, not Polygon), many of which probably have a standard outsider bias against gaming. So is his name-checking of the usual prejudices a way of acknowledging his audience before leading them to a different perspective or does it only reinforce those prejudices? I wouldn’t presume the latter. Let’s face it, we’re inside the gaming bubble, and when we read his description of the Dads of Destiny anecdote, his praise might seem sarcastic for a story so common or mundane to us, but for non-gamers, hearing of such bonds formed through gaming is probably revelatory.

He’s woven several ideas together—most of which I’ve seen elsewhere but not put together in this way: namely, the economics, and the discussion of the recession’s disparate impact on different populations, and viewing the economic challenges faced by young people through the prism of good game design. The more I think about the article, the more I think it’s rather brilliant. It repeats harsh criticisms of gaming, but never without a counter. The trends he mentions are backed up by scholarship, and he takes great pains never to lay blame on gamers or games. That would be beside his point, which is that society may not be providing opportunities for young people to have rewarding, challenging careers.

I don’t blame anyone for having a reaction to my post and what they think I think about this, but their version of what I think might be inaccurate. I posted this on heels of Mid7night’s “goodbye for now” post, and I saw a lot of myself in the stories recounted in the piece. Escape vs. responsibility is a choice I wrestle with often—gaming has brought me great joy (a lot of it through this community), but I feel constantly frustrated by my lack of time for it vs. the time I’d like to spend on it. (It's gotten worse as the games have gotten more expansive--another central idea of the article.) If I’m honest I know there have been periods when gaming has not been the healthiest choice for how I spend my time. I didn’t expect everyone here to wax on about their similar struggles, but I guess over all the response to the article was more negative than I hoped it would be.