I have often thought that the computer games industry might reasonably be considered grossly unethical. It is built on getting its customers to expend as much of their brainpower as possible on activities that produce nothing of value. The creators are in a competition to destroy as much as they can of our most valuable natural resource: thinking.
That is a fair assessment. I did enjoy “Dear Esther”, and I also went to a live performance of the game with live music. I think that was the game that originated the “walking simulator” genre.
And yet… VIdeo games like Eve Online, WoW, and so on seem to have a low reward-to-investment ratio. A typical novel can be read in a few hours, but in a few hours with those games, you’re hardly even started.
But perhaps my attitude stems from being old enough that I can see how much thread is left on the reel, and it’s a lot less than what has been unwound already.
Mathematics is useful for many things. Everything, really. But apart from that, using one’s brain is good. However, as with physical fitness, one does not spend all one’s time on training the muscles: one uses them for things that are not the training.
Some computer games provide opportunities for understanding game theory. Others, reflexes and coordination. Others, working as a team. But then there’s Cow Clicker, Farmville, Sudoku, and the whole ecosystem of casual games which suck out your hours and piss them on the floor.
I’ve played my share of Space Invaders, and Kingdom of Loathing, and Sudoku, and various others, but I pretty much gave up on computer games since using the trial version of Eve Online, because I could see that getting anywhere in it would use up hundreds of hours, even thousands, for nothing. In fact, I read Kingdom of Loathing as a satire on AAA games, because it has all of the mechanics that they do, but with the bling — 4K 60fps 3D graphics and Dolby 7.1 — stripped off, to lay bare that this is all you’re doing: clicky-clicky-clicky. Popping bubble-wrap would be more attractive, and there’s even a game for that:
Bubble Wrap Pop is a fun stress relief game where you pop bubble wrap! Can you climb to the top of the leaderboard in one of the three bubble wrap popping modes? That’s right—you can be the bubble wrap popping world champion.
Just as notably, a lot of pure maths does eventually find a practical use.
Re body building, that is why, although I work out in various ways, I have no interest in body building. I want the body I live in to work as well as possible for as long as possible, but am content to let form follow function.
I certainly don’t mean to be a killjoy, I leave that to Insanity Wolf. But I do think that some forms of joy are less valuable than others, for the same reason that wireheading is the ultimately evil sort of joy.
Mathematical forms are a reduction of language in an attempt to make obvious through simplification and a more rigid form and grammar of the organization of ideas.
I have often thought that the computer games industry might reasonably be considered grossly unethical. It is built on getting its customers to expend as much of their brainpower as possible on activities that produce nothing of value. The creators are in a competition to destroy as much as they can of our most valuable natural resource: thinking.
Do you view art, literature, meditation or pet care similarly?
Those have a purpose beyond themselves. Some computer games do, but it’s not the rule.
What purpose beyond itself as a rule does art have?
That depends on the individual work. I’ll just leave this example here:
And an anti-example: the oeuvre of Thomas Kincade.
You have a problem with trash video games instead of video games as a form of art.
That is a fair assessment. I did enjoy “Dear Esther”, and I also went to a live performance of the game with live music. I think that was the game that originated the “walking simulator” genre.
And yet… VIdeo games like Eve Online, WoW, and so on seem to have a low reward-to-investment ratio. A typical novel can be read in a few hours, but in a few hours with those games, you’re hardly even started.
But perhaps my attitude stems from being old enough that I can see how much thread is left on the reel, and it’s a lot less than what has been unwound already.
Conventional sport isn’t much better. A huge amount of brainpower is spent on memorising statistics and predicting results.
I feel that way about the gross ‘gambling’ type of ‘game’.
Specifically that it’s more like...as little brainpower as possible. Like your bubblewrap video game example.
Do you feel simiarly about math? Does doing math flex the brain muscle and if it does why don’t games count as similar flexing?
Mathematics is useful for many things. Everything, really. But apart from that, using one’s brain is good. However, as with physical fitness, one does not spend all one’s time on training the muscles: one uses them for things that are not the training.
Some computer games provide opportunities for understanding game theory. Others, reflexes and coordination. Others, working as a team. But then there’s Cow Clicker, Farmville, Sudoku, and the whole ecosystem of casual games which suck out your hours and piss them on the floor.
I’ve played my share of Space Invaders, and Kingdom of Loathing, and Sudoku, and various others, but I pretty much gave up on computer games since using the trial version of Eve Online, because I could see that getting anywhere in it would use up hundreds of hours, even thousands, for nothing. In fact, I read Kingdom of Loathing as a satire on AAA games, because it has all of the mechanics that they do, but with the bling — 4K 60fps 3D graphics and Dolby 7.1 — stripped off, to lay bare that this is all you’re doing: clicky-clicky-clicky. Popping bubble-wrap would be more attractive, and there’s even a game for that:
Spare me.
Not as good as bubble wrap, I assume. (I haven’t played it, but I’ve popped bubble wrap.)
I do wonder about what you think of “pure math”. Some of the number theorists tried to be proud that their work had not yet been applied anywhere.
And in fittness you have body building where you don’t use the body for anything.
I guess the stance that things should only have instrumental value is consistent, but seems a bit weird for me.
Just as notably, a lot of pure maths does eventually find a practical use.
Re body building, that is why, although I work out in various ways, I have no interest in body building. I want the body I live in to work as well as possible for as long as possible, but am content to let form follow function.
I certainly don’t mean to be a killjoy, I leave that to Insanity Wolf. But I do think that some forms of joy are less valuable than others, for the same reason that wireheading is the ultimately evil sort of joy.
Mathematical forms are a reduction of language in an attempt to make obvious through simplification and a more rigid form and grammar of the organization of ideas.