I have this weird relationship with video games these days. And this is by no means a bashing of video games culture, just a way of me coming to terms with my time gaming and why I feel that it might have been harmful to me personally.
Growing up as a child, I loved video games, (especially Nintendo), to the point where I would say it was my one true hobby and passion. I was able to talk endlessly about Pokemon statistics, Metroid environments, Sonic levels, Zelda weapons, Kirby animal friends, etc. (You get the picture). I still have this knowledge deeply embedded into my brain.
But now, as an adult, I believe that video games were kind of a "useless hobby" for me, that didn't get me anywhere. This is particularly because I overindulged in them (whereas if I only spent even up to an hour a day gaming as opposed to 3-4 hours a day gaming, the effects would be less detrimental)
The 10,000 hours rule says that anything we devote 10,000 hours of our time towards will provide us with a basic mastery of that skill. Unfortunately, video games were that endeavor for me. Being a basic master of how many Pokemon there are doesn't help me in the real world- it doesn't put food on my table. Moreover, it doesn't have any practical use outside of nerdy circles (in which, the guys outweigh the girls so it's difficult to even impress girls with gaming knowledge)
Video games aren't that way for some people. There are people who are into the computer science of coding because of games, become better surgeons due to accuracy from games, or military men with good reflexes. And for those people, the benefits of playing video games are great.
But for me, a liberal arts major who struggles to find himself, I haven't really benefitted from playing games so much. At best, it improved my imagination a little bit with drawing and storytelling- that's it.
The past is the past- I cannot erase the time I spent gaming, nor would I necessarily do that even if given the choice. But I would like to know, what's an easy way to come to terms with it? Why am I filled with bitterness and anger towards the time I spent? Should I still have a fondness for games in my heart, is there a way to feel good about games even if I don't necessarily play them?
Growing up as a child, I loved video games, (especially Nintendo), to the point where I would say it was my one true hobby and passion. I was able to talk endlessly about Pokemon statistics, Metroid environments, Sonic levels, Zelda weapons, Kirby animal friends, etc. (You get the picture). I still have this knowledge deeply embedded into my brain.
But now, as an adult, I believe that video games were kind of a "useless hobby" for me, that didn't get me anywhere. This is particularly because I overindulged in them (whereas if I only spent even up to an hour a day gaming as opposed to 3-4 hours a day gaming, the effects would be less detrimental)
The 10,000 hours rule says that anything we devote 10,000 hours of our time towards will provide us with a basic mastery of that skill. Unfortunately, video games were that endeavor for me. Being a basic master of how many Pokemon there are doesn't help me in the real world- it doesn't put food on my table. Moreover, it doesn't have any practical use outside of nerdy circles (in which, the guys outweigh the girls so it's difficult to even impress girls with gaming knowledge)
Video games aren't that way for some people. There are people who are into the computer science of coding because of games, become better surgeons due to accuracy from games, or military men with good reflexes. And for those people, the benefits of playing video games are great.
But for me, a liberal arts major who struggles to find himself, I haven't really benefitted from playing games so much. At best, it improved my imagination a little bit with drawing and storytelling- that's it.
The past is the past- I cannot erase the time I spent gaming, nor would I necessarily do that even if given the choice. But I would like to know, what's an easy way to come to terms with it? Why am I filled with bitterness and anger towards the time I spent? Should I still have a fondness for games in my heart, is there a way to feel good about games even if I don't necessarily play them?