"The real world just doesn't offer up as easily the carefully designed pleasures, the thrilling challenges and the powerful social bonding afforded by virtual environments. Reality doesn't motivate us as effectively. Reality isn't engineered to maximize our potential. Reality wasn't designed form the bottom up to make us happy."The question I keep asking myself is ... but is it supposed to?
She later explains her thoughts:
"The truth is this: in today's society, computer and video games are fulfilling genuine human needs that the real world is currently unable to satisfy. Games are providing rewards that reality is not. They are teaching and inspiring and engaging us in ways that reality is not. They are bringing us together in ways that reality is not."I really do think she make a valid point here. But, that has not been my experience with computer and video games which leads me to wonder, am I not drawn to computer and video games because my reality is fulfilling?
The computer and video game component of the last 2 months has been a "fascinating" experience for me. Mostly because I don't love video games and I have probably been too vocal about that sentiment in my posts. But I have valued the experience and it has really caused me to rethink why people play video games. It has also challenged me to think about how games can be used to serve a larger meaningful purpose.
But, if reality is broken, are computer and video games a bandaid or a solution?
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