I feel slightly upset when I watch this video. Now, if I just played video games as my connection to digital-representational-devices I think I could handle, because that would just be a small portion of my time. But when I think about this video in addition to all the other instances in which I must be in a similar state, then things get to be a little scary for me. To think that I am so blank so often is not good in any way. Now, in this video though, I think I am actually more active and I have more of a real world presence than when I normally play video games, since I took the video at my friends house. By doing this, I show that there is a possible way to merge the two realities (Virtual and Physical) in some aspects, or at the very least you can bring somebody else to this world with you.
Thinking about how much difference between my two personas (Virtual and Physical) is quite interesting too. On the game, I am running around like crazy, racing off to kill somebody. This is in stark contrast to my physical self, who is just sitting down, leaning in, intently watching a screen. I think that people enjoy watching themselves on the TV, because they can do things much easier on there then in reality, like for instance running after an alien trying to kill him. I think that this is common knowledge, that people don't try to do things in the real world a lot of the time due to the simple fact that it is so much easier to do something digitally. I think that what people don't realize is the extent that this reaches to, such as simpler games including UNO or billiards. They have digital versions of these games, and they often more popular to play simply because they are easier to do and you can do them from the safety of your couch. In the case of UNO, not much is lost, but for a game like billiards, all of the skill required and time to get good is lost as the game simply accounts for your errors and you learn how to gently handle the joystick.
Ironically enough, I have a little sister and want a son one day, and the idea of them playing these games or spending so much time just watching a screen is actually a little concerning. I feel that the future generations will lose a lot of opportunities and that they will lose appreciation for the physical counterparts of these games. Of course, this fear could also extend to myself, as I might be losing appreciation for certain things without even realizing it, much as they would hypothetically.
Honestly, after watching this and thinking about the subject with a visual to see, I think that my life is too digital and that I am on the computer too much, or playing video games, and so forth. If I can just spend 30 minutes less on each a day, I will feel accomplished but I think that I don't realize my dependency on these devices, the grasp they have me in and how hard it will be to break away from the reach of the digital world.
Me playing Halo 3:ODST from Henry V on Vimeo.
OMG, it is scary; you are not moving....
ReplyDeletePlaying video games is fine if it takes only a portion of your time during the day. But if yu sit there like that for the rest of your life, that is going to be a problem. People are sticking their faces into the screens because the virtual them is in there doing amazing things. People are spending too much time on DRDs.
You have a great point when you talked about how people play video games because it takes too much energy to get up and do things yourselves. I think this brings up 2 points: people play MMORPG because their in game character can do things people in real life can't, and we are getting lazy.
I think you could have expanded on your feelings during which you were playing the game. I am actually wondering what you were thinking when you were playing. Were you thinking about the game? Or were you more conscious about the camera?
If we are playing MMORPG because it is easy for us to just sit back and control the character, how can we encourage people to get up and play UNO or billiards in real life?
My video is still in the making so... don't check yet.