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Are video games a waste of time?

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Total Posts
55
Sylveon
321 posts
Joined April 2014
Topic Starter
Sylveon
[inb4 wrong thread]

Ok, so my parents have always told me to stop playing computer games, osu included, as it is seen as a waste of time. But my question is, why is playing video games any different from a hobby like gardening, painting, cooking, or advancing my education. All of Which I'm sure my parents would be happy for me to partake in instead of video games.

Am I right in saying that, whatever hobby you do, eventually your progress in that hobby will disappear.
What I mean by this is that, I always have the worry that whilst I love playing video games like osu and runescape, eventually the games will be gone, and what will I have achieved? However arguably this is still the same for more 'acceptable' hobbies. Gardening (you move house), reading= you forget eventually what you have read. Sports=eventually you will stop partaking in them (and take it from someone who swam competitively for 10 years of my life, you do stop and lose all progress that you have made). Whilst Educational Hobbies also have more merit, unless you end up using this information you generally forget it, I mean I can't remember anything about maths from my GCSE days, even though I got an A.

What I'm trying to say is why are other hobbies valued above video games, when arguably all hobbies end in the same result: Nothing.

The only thing I can think of regarding why other hobbies have merit is the simple fact that you learn another skill in life, whether or not you use however....
Even so, its rare for people to work incorporating their hobbies into their everyday life. But still, I can see why my parents value any other Hobby above video gaming, but my point remains the same.

What are your guys thoughts?
Mahogany
2,684 posts
Joined August 2014
Mahogany
If you have fun playing games, then your time was anything but wasted.
Dilectus
1,727 posts
Joined April 2014
Dilectus
If we didn't live life the way we wanted it to be, and lived by someone else's standards. That'd be a waste of time.
Stefan
Global Moderator
10,407 posts
Joined January 2011
Stefan
No, just do whatever you want and be happy doing it.
Myxo
osu! Alumni
3,103 posts
Joined December 2012
Myxo
You have to decide for yourself. If you are having fun, it's definitely not a waste of time though.

Your parents value other hobbies above videogames because of these things, most likely:

a) They haven't grown up with video games and they might somehow trust the media that makes them appear like incredibly unhealthy, addicting, nonsensical things.

b) Social contact is less than with other hobbies, for example if you do sport with others etc. Of course you have chats in osu for example but it's not the same as nobody will deny (if you don't believe me, just look at the community: there are so many people being active in the forums and in chat and causing drama and shitstorm over things, and in real life they are afraid to talk to foreign people).
Emayecue
134 posts
Joined November 2014
Emayecue
I think you are over analyzing this issue.

But to be honest, I do understand your parent a bit, and even tho I also grew up with video games, and that I play still play them regularly, I still encourage my kids to do what would be "healthier" hobbies for the following reasons.

1. Socialization: For example, allows kids to connect with friends and such, playing on online video game will make you gain some acquaintances but that's about it. I do still believe that human's require a certain amount of socialization to be healty.

2. Health: Of course, doing sports is healthy for you, keeps your body in check, gardening puts you outside, makes you in contact with the sun, both of these arguments are clearly healthier than sitting in a semi dark room with headphones on pressing keys.

3. Education: Reading, yes you may not remember your book, but reading is a key tool to increase your vocabulary. Wheter or not you believe that you are learning something or not, subconciously you are improving your skill at reading, and writing, by practicing it.

----

That being said, am I against video game, and do I tell my kids they can't play them because other hobbies are better?

Or course not.

But I do advise them to keep a balance between educative and healthy hobbies, vs hobbies purely for entertainment.
Railey2
515 posts
Joined February 2015
Railey2

Sylveon wrote:

[inb4 wrong thread]What I'm trying to say is why are other hobbies valued above video games, when arguably all hobbies end in the same result: Nothing.
no, this is completely wrong.

Most of the spoilerbox has been brought up my Emayecue already, I hand it to him. We even made the same main categories, which is remarkable. Still think he should have come to the conclusion that some hobbies are in fact better than others, objectively, in terms of beneficialness.
SPOILER
Reading: Permanently increases your literacy and vocabulary

Cooking: Arguably one of the most useful skills. You have to eat your whole life. You will be better of knowing how to make a decent meal. As someone who has lived on ramen and bread, I can tell you that this is arguably the most valuable skill of them all. At least it felt like that to me at the time *shivers*

Social Hobbies: This is a very broad category, but includes everything that entails going out and meeting people. I would count hanging out with people on a teamspeak server as "half-social", since it isn't as interactive as RL conversations and doesn't yield quite as many possibilities because you are stuck with a very limited medium.

Physical Hobbies: Broad category again, essentially all about sports, but I'd count gardening in here as well. Increases your physical strength, toughness, agility, stamina, keeps you fit and healthy. Vastly underestimated by many, yet so very important.

Educational Hobbies: Count reading in here if you like. This category is all about studying, learning, educating yourself. And don't pretend like you forget everything you ever studied, just because you forgot about your math class. You mostly forgot about your math lessons because you don't care about them and because you never got to apply what you learned. However, this is often different with material that you choose to learn yourself. One very good example would be learning a language. That certainly sticks to some degree if you do it with the right mindset.

There are more useful and less useful hobbies in terms of how great the benefits are that they yield for your future. If that is the sole thing you look at, then your parents are certainly correct: Gaming, in this regard, is one of the most useless hobbies and should be abandoned.
Additionally to that, gaming as a hobby is often pursued in a fashion that isolates the gamer. Like it or not, it is more often than not a solitary activity, if taken to excess.
As a matter of fact, excessive online gaming is a strong predicator for social anxiety and depression, which supports my point.


If you want to make a argument for gaming as a hobby, you'll have to argue otherwise.


Stefan wrote:

No, just do whatever you want and be happy doing it.
Thats shitty advice and you know better.
Emayecue
134 posts
Joined November 2014
Emayecue

Railey2 wrote:

Most of the spoilerbox has been brought up my Emayecue already, I hand it to him. We even made the same main categories, which is remarkable. Still think he should have come to the conclusion that some hobbies are in fact better than others, objectively, in terms of beneficialness.
Thumbs up to you, I did tho forget about the cooking, that's one hell of a good point :)

Perhaps I could have been more clearer about my statements like you suggested, in fact I do agree that clearly some hobbies are better than not, but I wanted to make sure to not diss completely other hobbies that arn't as good.

It's kind of the same thing as saying that a greasy burger is not as good for you as an homemade salad. Certainly one is better, but when consumed with moderation, I have no problem with the greasy burger.

To me, it's all a question of balance, put the "great" and the "bad" together, and you got something "good" going.
deletemyaccount
730 posts
Joined May 2013
deletemyaccount
Are video games a waste of time? yes

Am I personally going to stop playing them? no
dung eater
2,440 posts
Joined December 2013
dung eater
life is wasted on the living

-some dead guy in a book
carljcdc
32 posts
Joined September 2014
carljcdc
If you enjoy playing video games, then it is not. Enjoying good sht is not time wasted.
A Medic
460 posts
Joined May 2013
A Medic
It's only a waste of time if you think it's a waste of time.
Pituophis
859 posts
Joined January 2015
Pituophis
.
Last edited by Pituophis , edited 1 time in total.
Railey2
515 posts
Joined February 2015
Railey2

Pituophis wrote:

In the end, everything is a waste of time. Waste it how you want.
if everything is a waste of time, this attribute loses its meaning does it not? Might as well define it in a way that makes sense by giving sense. Not to say that you aren't making a point here, but at the same time you make the phrase, 'waste of time', really useless.
have-an-offday
1 post
Joined October 2015
have-an-offday
"You don't forget how to ride a bicycle, no matter how long you last rode." and
"You don't go to school to memorize, you go to learn how you think."

You know that eventually you will stop but the things that remain after a hobby is your mindset and your understanding.

I think of video gaming as a bad lifestyle.
But if I didn't discover gaming as a hobby I wouldn't have a reason to start improving myself. Discovering my weaknesses in gaming, I started to exercise and to practice mindfulness to improve my concentration to use in gaming and in general life.

This is what I think anyway :)
Sayorie
975 posts
Joined December 2014
Sayorie
If you die and regret that you did not play osu!, then it means that it's not a waste of time, and that it's worth spending part of your life playing that game.

Then again, I'm just an edgy college student. You don't have to listen to me.
Kawakami Mai
Kawakami Mai
Well. i am playing if i have free time. But everyday i have around 30 minutes - 60 minutes free time, i make it with Play osu! :D
Hula
581 posts
Joined January 2013
Hula
The problem with videogames is that it is like crack cocaine. It's brilliant the first couple of times, but then it just becomes a means to an end. Careful, they're probably telling you that you're addicted.
Yolshka
669 posts
Joined April 2014
Yolshka
Yes absolutely, but I don't mind wasting my time.
Pituophis
859 posts
Joined January 2015
Pituophis

Railey2 wrote:

Pituophis wrote:

In the end, everything is a waste of time. Waste it how you want.
if everything is a waste of time, this attribute loses its meaning does it not? Might as well define it in a way that makes sense by giving sense. Not to say that you aren't making a point here, but at the same time you make the phrase, 'waste of time', really useless.
Idk what I was thinking when I was typing it. I don't really agree with what I said. My mindset seems to change a lot.
Rilene
2,105 posts
Joined April 2014
Rilene

Pituophis wrote:

In the end, everything is a waste of time. Waste it how you want.
Technically, that's correct.
But the value of our time we wasted into varies on what we done.
digitaku
5 posts
Joined July 2013
digitaku
well, actually video games are not waste of time because you know, in video game our brain is become more active and more sensitive.

Osu! is a game which IRL you could track movement faster

In general benefits of video games are:
1. problem solving
2. good reflexes
3. good eye coordination
4. make your eye sensitive when in the dark room
5. and many more, just search it!!

eventhough it's, good doesn't mean it's not bad, if you over-playing video game, it can break ur body, social life, and emotional
so, go ahead and play some games!! *cheers*
Railey2
515 posts
Joined February 2015
Railey2

digitaku wrote:

well, actually video games are not waste of time because you know, in video game our brain is become more active and more sensitive.

Osu! is a game which IRL you could track movement faster

In general benefits of video games are:
1. problem solving
2. good reflexes
3. good eye coordination
4. make your eye sensitive when in the dark room
5. and many more, just search it!!

eventhough it's, good doesn't mean it's not bad, if you over-playing video game, it can break ur body, social life, and emotional
so, go ahead and play some games!! *cheers*
2-4 are very underwhelming advantages and 1 doesn't really apply to osu. To other games possibly, but even there I would argue that there are many hobbies out there that do better at teaching you techniques of problem solving.
sottovoce
sottovoce

digitaku wrote:

well, actually video games are not waste of time because you know, in video game our brain is become more active and more sensitive.

Osu! is a game which IRL you could track movement faster

In general benefits of video games are:
1. problem solving
2. good reflexes
3. good eye coordination
4. make your eye sensitive when in the dark room
5. and many more, just search it!!

eventhough it's, good doesn't mean it's not bad, if you over-playing video game, it can break ur body, social life, and emotional
so, go ahead and play some games!! *cheers*
Clutching at straws there, my friend 8-)
Voli
813 posts
Joined April 2013
Voli
Who cares whether it's a waste of time or not?
School is a waste of time because many of the things learned there could be obtained in a faster manner at home, on your own. The internet contains more than enough information to educate yourself with.

As mentioned before, by this logic, ultimately everything is a waste of time.
Just enjoy yourself and balance things out for your own sake.
deletemyaccount
730 posts
Joined May 2013
deletemyaccount

Voli wrote:

Who cares whether it's a waste of time or not?
School is a waste of time because many of the things learned there could be obtained in a faster manner at home, on your own. The internet contains more than enough information to educate yourself with.

As mentioned before, by this logic, ultimately everything is a waste of time.
Just enjoy yourself and balance things out for your own sake.
Can't stress this enough. Nothing and everything can become a waste of time. You need to recognise the opportunity cost of all decisions in your life.

Can I spend the time I currently use playing games to do more productive things? Do I get satisfaction and enjoyment in my life by playing games? It really is up to you how you spend your time; this question ultimately having no definite answer as the definition of a 'waste of time' is absolutely subjective.

Since all people have their own unique perspectives and hobbies, what each person defines as being a waste of time (in this case, gaming) will vary.

tl;dr if you enjoy video games then they aren't a waste of time, don't let other people tell you otherwise. Just don't play them too much to the point that it impacts your life; balance is key.
Sylveon
321 posts
Joined April 2014
Topic Starter
Sylveon
thank you everyone. I continue to read all your comments :)
Eiuh
184 posts
Joined July 2014
Eiuh

Pituophis wrote:

In the end, everything is a waste of time. Waste it how you want.
Remyria
361 posts
Joined June 2012
Remyria
What I gained from videogames: better reflexes, better handling of stress, better body coordination and how to speak english, within others :D (Oh and games like osu/beatmania are a great way to impress people ;p) ...I lost a bit of eyesight, but not significantly... I would wear glass even not knowing what are videogames
Roxy Lalonde
100 posts
Joined June 2014
Roxy Lalonde
i can't respond to this from a gamer's point of view

if I plan on making a living out of making games

there's really not a way i can say this in the gamer's perspective

it's what i want to do for a living

and I'll do it, as a developer

that's all there is to it for me
indubitablement
5 posts
Joined October 2015
indubitablement
Do I think playing video game is a waste of time? Yeah.
But, here's the thing. We're all gonna die and how you decide wasting that time is up to you. No one will give a fuck. At least eventually no one will. You're not that special, once you're dead, the few people that knew you will either forget about you or die, so whatever.

inb4 "But I wanna make the world a better place and people will remember me."
Even if you were to be the first person to never be forgotten by humanity. We're still just a primitive life form on a tiny rock in a tiny corner of space. Plus, once you're dead, you won't be able to care less.

Re-reading this, I seem very negative, but what I wanted to say is just that you have a limited amount of time and that you should try enjoying it. Whatever that mean to you.

Have a nice day.

-Indu
Kei
1,797 posts
Joined May 2010
Kei

Philantropist wrote:

if you enjoy video games then they aren't a waste of time, don't let other people tell you otherwise. Just don't play them too much to the point that it impacts your life; balance is key.
This. I think games are good as long as they don't affect you to the point that you let them consume all your time.
My AngeI Amogus
40 posts
Joined December 2014
My AngeI Amogus
.
Last edited by My AngeI Amogus , edited 1 time in total.
kapii
5 posts
Joined May 2015
kapii
there's a magical thing called "NOPE"
Daichi Shinku
456 posts
Joined May 2013
Daichi Shinku
Yes

and right now I'm wasting my life at it...
theowest
osu! Alumni
6,891 posts
Joined January 2009
theowest
I often feel that way. But I just don't find myself doing anything more productive most of the time.

Ended up spending 25 hours to create this giant-ass rubik's cube in Fallout 4:
warning 4k resolution

Album link
Waste? Maybe, but at least I got a lot of publicity from it. :o
Last edited by theowest , edited 1 time in total.
Railey2
515 posts
Joined February 2015
Railey2
now solve it
balldoowell
35 posts
Joined July 2014
balldoowell
Playing osu! makes me better at osu!

Weight lifting makes me better at weight lifting AND anything else that requires strength.

So yeah games are pretty useless
theowest
osu! Alumni
6,891 posts
Joined January 2009
theowest

Railey2 wrote:

now solve it
done
Karuta-_old_1
947 posts
Joined November 2009
Karuta-_old_1
people already spent ages discussing about pointless stuff, so why is game a waste of time again
Railey2
515 posts
Joined February 2015
Railey2

theowest wrote:

Railey2 wrote:

now solve it
done
10/10
chaee
chaee
Yes, now keep wasting your time doing what you love.
leepdesu
675 posts
Joined October 2011
leepdesu
I leik kliking sircurls
Endie-
784 posts
Joined March 2015
Endie-

-LeeP- wrote:

I leik kliking sircurls
Witch Mercy
474 posts
Joined August 2011
Witch Mercy
technically anything can be a waste of time if you don't enjoy it imo
Julia_1439
82 posts
Joined January 2014
Julia_1439
I agree with you on the "all hobbies are a waste of time" thing. We all need an escape somehow, and what better way to do it than doing what you love?
Rilene
2,105 posts
Joined April 2014
Rilene

Sliceofpie wrote:

I agree with you on the "all hobbies are a waste of time" thing. We all need an escape somehow, and what better way to do it than doing what you love?
There's nothing we do that doesn't waste time.
Sanxu_old
62 posts
Joined November 2014
Sanxu_old
"waste - noun"
"1. an act or instance of using or expending something carelessly, extravagantly, or to no purpose."

Well OP, if you want me to answer that question, you'll first have to answer me what the purpose of life is.
kaiske
9 posts
Joined March 2014
kaiske
mom says, game cannot bring food to the dinner
Qiyana
1,590 posts
Joined April 2014
Qiyana
Tell your parents they wasted your time even telling you that.
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