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[captain_cabbage]

He's not wrong. In the long run I don't think that playing games has improved my life in any way, but it has eventually grown on me and in a way it's a part of my personality and I'm happy about it. Just like with any other activity "gaming" can differ substantially depending on the context.
- playing different games occasionally as a hobby, learning more about it and being aware of the current state of the industry - OK
- playing co-op with your friends/party/guild after a long day - OK
- being in a pro league, playing competitively or make living by streaming - OK
- playing an addictive online game all the time instead of doing homework, improving your life, helping your grandma - Raises a concern

 

[mcjmetroid]

Its I party every weekend, I'm never home. I'm enjoying life.

Ohhh can't wait for the inevitable crrrrash that's gonna happen to you after all that partying. Give it 3 years.

I was in my early 20s once and that's when I feel out of gaming for a while, I partied I took lots of drugs and did all that nice stuff BUT But now in my 30s I party a lot less because I physically can't do it anymore and these days I like nothing more than curling in front of a fire playing games.

When I partied I didn't ride into gaming forums on my high horse though.

 

[M1chl]

It’s like alcohol. If you like it and do it in moderation it’s fine.

Having said that, I personally make sure my time is spent on Family and career development before videogames.

Pretty bad analogy and I know thing or two about Alcohol and gaming, trust me...

 

[Geki-D]

His jiu jitsu analogy falls apart when you can just as easily apply it to E-sports or streaming. Plenty of people started out playing games, just like plenty started out jiu jitsu. Then went pro, just like juijiteiro's opened their own schools and now they're making bank (and I assume loads of pro gamers make way more that jiu jitsu professors).

...But you know what?; Most people who do jiu jitsu don't open their own schools. They either pack it in after some years or just keep it casual. Most gamers either pack it in at one point or just keep it casual.

Joe here is forgetting that most people, like the VAST majority who buy games, play games like they read books or watch movies. It's just entertainment, that's what they get out of it.

People need to stop looking at the vocal minority of extremists and look at the overall trend of how the majority act. It's the Last of Us 2 "boycott" all over again.

 

[Hudo]

Different people have different goals. No goal is "shittier" than any other, just different. There are exceptions of course: If your goal is to bother and/or hurt others, now THAT'S a waste of time, IMHO.

 

[Kev Kev]

To be honest, I don't think that Joe is missing something when he fucks a hot babe while I beat the Fume Knight in Dark Souls II.

But one could argue that Joe may have a heart attack during a quarrel with his wife, while I am happily building blocks in Minecraft.

i'm fuckin hot babes too though... you're not?

 

[hard_boiled]

Its a harsh truth but Joe does have a point. I quit gaming 8 months ago. Bought a new car, I have an amazing new girlfriend, I make a shitload of money and I'm buying a house this spring. I party every weekend, I'm never home. I'm enjoying life. Do yourselves a favor, gaf. Stop trying to make gaming a career. Its cringe as fuck.

I’m being bullied cause of this tweet. Thank God I can just hop off the internet & go for a ride in my McLaren P1 with my amazingly hot gf with big tits

 

[Nickolaidas]

i'm fuckin hot babes too though... you're not?

That's the best of two worlds you're talking about.

I'm talking about if one is fucking hot babes and the other is playing video games ... it's hard to convince the fucker that he's missing out. That's all.

 

[Spukc]

if you can't stop gaming for a week you have issues

 

[Sentenza]

I mean, it's almost out of the question that dedicating a disproportionate amount of time to gaming in a consistent way over an extended period is not going to do you any favor in life (unless you are one of the very rare guys who manage to get into professional gaming... And even then it's going to be a trade-off between a fleeting success and a lot of unhealthy habits).

 

[MatrixReloaded101]

Everything should be done in moderation...

But to say its a waste of time does not make sense because its just another form of entertainment. If you think video games are a waste of time the same can be said about binge watching netflix, watching sports on TV, etc.

 

[hard_boiled]

it's almost out of the question that dedicating a disproportionate amount of time to gaming in a consistent way over an extended period is not going to do you any favor in life

Gaming is supposed to be a hobby, like golf. In that sense it is inherently useful. No one can or should dedicate 100% of their time to working/achievement/career etc. Everyone needs time to unwind.
I think Joe is right in the sense that some people with no skills & no future whittle away what time they have slowly growing their thousands of hours in a game instead of learning something useful & more fulfilling. However, that is ultimately their decision to make & this question of young men wasting their time gaming is not a singular question, but rather a component of a superset of questions pertaining to the issues that young men face in the US (US bc that is where Joe lives).

 

[LisaMariaMartin]

Its a harsh truth but Joe does have a point. I quit gaming 8 months ago. Bought a new car, I have an amazing new girlfriend, I make a shitload of money and I'm buying a house this spring. I party every weekend, I'm never home. I'm enjoying life. Do yourselves a favor, gaf. Stop trying to make gaming a career. Its cringe as fuck.

Same here. Quit 2 days ago.

Now I can fuck my girlfriend for 3 hours without stopping, got a job at NASA as chief astronaut, developed a cure for cancer and can levitate objects with the power of my mind.

 

[OZ9000]

Everything is a waste of time - except the necessities of life.

What are the necessities? Survival. That is having a roof over your head, and dinner on your plate.

The rest is all superfluous.

 

[MR ARCADE FOREVER]

In the end he's kind of right. But who doesn't need some mindless fun right? Though better be addicted to playing videogames than to drugs and die alone of overdose...

 

[MR ARCADE FOREVER]

Same here. Quit 2 days ago.

Now I can fuck my girlfriend for 3 hours without stopping, got a job at NASA as chief astronaut, developed a cure for cancer and can levitate objects with the power of my mind.

As if people couldn't manage playing videogames and having a real life. People who can't need help just like any other kind of "addiction"

 

[OZ9000]

Same here. Quit 2 days ago.

Now I can fuck my girlfriend for 3 hours without stopping, got a job at NASA as chief astronaut, developed a cure for cancer and can levitate objects with the power of my mind.

Is that it? You loser. GET A LIFE!

 

[LisaMariaMartin]

Think in 100 years anyone is gonna care that guy X spent his time doing Y while guy Z was out catching STD's? No. You're gonna be dead. Everyone you know or ever knew is gonna be dead and no one will ever remember what you did during the short span of your existence.

If playing video games all day makes you happy, do it. Nothing you do on this planet matters in the grand scheme of things anyways.

 

[The Incarnation]

I play games to waste time. Always thought that was what they were for.

 

[Kev Kev]

That's the best of two worlds you're talking about.

I'm talking about if one is fucking hot babes and the other is playing video games ... it's hard to convince the fucker that he's missing out. That's all.

sounds like he's missing the best of two worlds then, no? isn't that the goal? to have your cake and eat it too?

like i said, it's perspective. on one hand i agree bc i have other thing i need to focus on, a n the other i disagree bc i don't want to deprive myself of something i enjoy. doesn't mean i don't also fuck hot babes, not sure where you're goin with that

i think a better way of saying what you and rogan are trying to say is this: i'm not experiencing the mega fame that joe rogan is experiencing, and part of the reason he is so successful is because he sacrificed a lot of his free time to work hard and be prepared for opportunities.

that's what is at the heart of rogan's argument. you can lay any fun, fruitless hobby over that frame: watching sports, watching movies, playing board games, reading adventure books, etc... the amount of sacrifices you make to work on your goals will directly effect the outcome of youre endeavor. so why is rogan singling out video games? bc he knows it'll get clicks/views, probably

me personally, i made the choice to not sacrifice my fruitless hobbies, such as video games, bc i really don't care about being mega successful as much as i care about enjoying everyday and living in the moment. someone else may decide they want to make those sacrifices because their perspective is that it is worth it in the end. that's great! but it depends on the person and their goals/perspectives

 

[Frito_Pendejo]

Joes the man but ya know what, do whatever the fuck makes you happy. If you want to play video games all day long then do it, who cares? You get to live one time. Don’t spend it doing shit other people tell you you should be doing. Just enjoy it as much as possible.

 

[BootsLoader]

I somehow agree with him. But if you play every Sunday for some hours it’s ok. As long as you don’t over do it. Everything in life needs to be done healthy. It’s not like alcohol is getting you somewhere but you can have a drink or two once a week just to relax.

 

[lame gag1990]

Says the guy wasting his time smoking dope and getting stoned all the time.

 

[rofif]

We are talking about meaning of life. Isn't it just to breed as much as possible so extend your genes?
So everything else should be a waste of time... At least everything that is not putting more food on my table to let me have strength to breed more

 

[rofif]

I somehow agree with him. But if you play every Sunday for some hours it’s ok. As long as you don’t over do it. Everything in life needs to be done healthy. It’s not like alcohol is getting you somewhere but you can have a drink or two once a week just to relax.

You play every Sunday but use the internet constantly. Same waste. It's a weird flawed theory

 

[BootsLoader]

You play every Sunday but use the internet constantly. Same waste. It's a weird flawed theory

Nope. It depends on why you use it. It’s not the same. Ok I come here on GAF to read and comment but I also work via internet. Also if find interacting with real people here on gaf and exchanging opinions much healthier than playing Halo infinite .

 

[ConanTheKing]

I wouldn't say that I have wasted my life. I have a degree, I've been living in Japan for several years now, I work for a well known IT company but had it of not been for video games I could have achieved all of this by 22 rather than 32 years of age.

I guess I did waste too much time playing games growing up.

 

[DunDunDunpachi]

I once bench-pressed Joe Rogan for an ATHLEAN-X video shoot while tripping on psilocybin mushrooms.

 

[hard_boiled]

I once bench-pressed Joe Rogan for an ATHLEAN-X video shoot while tripping on psilocybin mushrooms.

That's crazy, man. Have you ever done DMT?

 

[DunDunDunpachi]

That's crazy, man. Have you ever done DMT?

Funny you mention it, I was also on DMT at the time. Joe Rogan had brought some along.

 

[Killer Sakoman]

He is right. Play games but don't make it a career. Have a job, develop a hubby, have a family, travel, serve your society.
I trust most of the good friends here at GAF are maintaining a good balance.

 

[GodofWhimsy]

What if I suggested that it wasnt the video games which were the root of your social issues? Maybe you were just drawn to them due to your preference for introversion and seclusion? Very much a chicken/egg scenario but I find people tend to gravitate towards what they prefer. People who read fiction all day are the same way.

Nah, I very much so had semi-neglectful parents that droped me in front of a N64 and kinda just let that raise me. Wasn't supervised or anything. Played Ocarina of Time for ungodly amounts of hours. Wasn't really given much of a chance to socialise. I guess they just couldn't be bothered monitoring me outside or something. Always wanted friends as a kid, never knew how. So me and video games developed a love/hate relationship I guess. Would've vastly preferred a social circle as a kid.

But that's just my opinion and personal experiences on the matter. It depends on how you view life and what you value. I vastly prefer knowledge, real experiences, and meaningful interaction, over cheap entertainment. Just my opinion.

 

[Nickolaidas]

sounds like he's missing the best of two worlds then, no? isn't that the goal? to have your cake and eat it too?

like i said, it's perspective. on one hand i agree bc i have other thing i need to focus on, a n the other i disagree bc i don't want to deprive myself of something i enjoy. doesn't mean i don't also fuck hot babes, not sure where you're goin with that

i think a better way of saying what you and rogan are trying to say is this: i'm not experiencing the mega fame that joe rogan is experiencing, and part of the reason he is so successful is because he sacrificed a lot of his free time to work hard and be prepared for opportunities.

that's what is at the heart of rogan's argument. you can lay any fun, fruitless hobby over that frame: watching sports, watching movies, playing board games, reading adventure books, etc... the amount of sacrifices you make to work on your goals will directly effect the outcome of youre endeavor. so why is rogan singling out video games? bc he knows it'll get clicks/views, probably

me personally, i made the choice to not sacrifice my fruitless hobbies, such as video games, bc i really don't care about being mega successful as much as i care about enjoying everyday and living in the moment. someone else may decide they want to make those sacrifices because their perspective is that it is worth it in the end. that's great! but it depends on the person and their goals/perspectives

Maybe my English is a bit off, so I'll clarify.

I am not saying that you can't have you cake and eat it too.

I am not saying you cannot be successful without also having meaningless, dumb fun.

I am saying that someone (not you, not me, not Rogan) who enjoys a good social life (friends & sex) is hard to envy an unsocial nerd (not you, not me, not Rogan) who only has video games going for him.

Which is why I think that when Rogan (or any Rogan for that matter) is having sex, he will be all 'whatever' when you tell him 'what he's missing out on' as you (or anyone) play(s) No Man's Sky.

Rogan's priorities have video gaming on a lower scale than most gamers. If it's Fame > Personal Validation > Money > Sex > Friends > Video Games, you can't convince him he's missing out on when he has four things he considers better than video games. He may not be 100% complete, but he doesn't feel that he's failing in his way of life.

And I think I'll stop replying to this particular quote, because it's more meaningless than video gaming at this point.

 

[OutRun88]

well said

part of me agrees with him. the part that wants to get in shape, make more money, create more art, practice my other hobbies, spend more time with family, go outside more... there is a part of that in all of us (well most of us lol nothing wrong with that though to each his own), and in that sense i agree with him, and i think its important for my health that at least some of me agrees with that.

but then theres the other part of me that wants to live a second life in no mans sky vr and that guy is like, "fuck you joe you dont know what your missin in here"

An 1800s philosopher, Friedrich Nietzsche, talked about mans desire for their ideal life and how 99% never achieve that life because of fear, laziness, or both.
Video games have become a lazy mans best friend.

 

[-Plasma Reus-]

He's right.

 

[Blond]

 

[treemk]

He's said this many, many times over the years. Kind of interesting that it is gaining so much traction now.

 

[Aion002]

I find fascinating that some really like to shit on video games so aptly with the old: it's just a waste of time or you won't achieve shit.

And when people points that is just a hobby, a way of entertainment, like books, movies and sports, they came with the same excuse: " I am just saying that you should do on moderation, and enjoy other aspects of life."

Well... No shit Sherlock... Even water if you drink too much can kill you. Everything should be done in moderation....

 

[Coolwhhip]

I honestly never listen to millionaires giving advice

Me neither, I always turn to homeless people for life advice.

 

[Inuteu]

Literally describing the entertainment industry. Not just videogames.

how about sitcoms, stand up comedy and UFC?

 

[HaveButOneLife]

I'ma kick his butt

 

[rofif]

how about sitcoms, stand up comedy and UFC?

Everything that is not family and survival

 

[SF Kosmo]

I enjoy Rogan's show, but he's a meathead idiot, and if you actually let the shit he says influence your beliefs, I have some Alpha Brain to sell you.

 

[CuteFaceJay]

I pay my taxes, What else he want us to do?

 

[synchronicity]

Where is it that I am supposed to bet "getting" Joe?

 

[StormCell]

Rogan is a gamer. He's admitted it. He likes video games as much as anyone here. It's just that the avenues to gain anything tangible out of them are so few and so competitive. You can say much the same thing about reading fiction, though. There was a time when reading fictional stories was nothing but brain rot, and now we have to bribe kids to get them to read anything!!

I would say that life is a bit of a problem as not everyone wants to run a radio show or a dojo or operate any sort of business. Life is more or less about figuring out how to be happy. Seems like most people struggle with finding that.

 

[azz0r]

Just like his podcast.

Thats whats mind blowing to me, he puts out 5 hour videos of him talking shit and thats not a giant waste of everyone time?

 

[DeepBreath87]

It depends on a variety of factors and what you want in life. If you have goals that video games are interfering with, its time to put the games away. Like almost anything else, it’s about moderation and knowing yourself.

He’s right from the perspective that there are a lot of lonely, sad people who waste away staring at video games instead of pursuing things that will make their lives better. That’s not everybody, obviously.

 

[Foamy]

Games are wasted time in the sense that you're not doing anything productive. But hey so are movies.

 

[EverydayBeast]

In all seriousness yes gaming does a great job of being a distraction.