After a long day at work, everyone has their own way to escape the real world. Some people read, some people watch reality television, but we play video games. On this week's Soapbox, Adam Sessler talks about how fantasy games specifically help him forget about the woes of the real world and immerse himself in another world for a few hours. Who says video games aren't good for your mental health?
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UltraViolence74
thank you for censoring the s-word. ugh...
Quagmire0793
and what a better world to lose yourself in than one created by a brand spankin new engine!!!
marriesa
I have been using video games ,RPG's in particular to take mini vacations . The past few years have been very stressful for most people but for me games
offer relief and a sense of control. I do think "DESTINEY" should not be a word only for video games.
mirthor
I found this vid pretty easy to relate to as usual. I found myself looking at some serious escapism this week as i had to quit my job of 4 years at gamestop. just finally found the policies and upper management borderline criminal in the way that they treat employees(it started a movement too, most of the other employees at my store quit too). The escape i am finding is in Assassins Creed Brotherhood and the CONAN remake. I find that all of the reviews on this film are too damn critical. I went to see this as an escape, seriously watch conan kill stuff for two hours, and thats exactly what i got. If you want to see a thinking mans film, go see The Kings Speech, not Conan. not every movie has to make you think to be good. Anyway my point is to back you up, when life gets too damn much entertainment is there for you!
ArrenKae
Doom!
I too reckoned that game sales were increasing despite the depression b/c escapism is something folks treat as a necessity. Like that movie about the Toy Factory that dictator FDR allowed to stay open when he was forcing other factories to build weapons. But game sales will take a dip after federal reserve notes are no longer used as money.
InnerRise
Oh my god. Honest to god. I fell asleep earlier at like the 2:25 mark while trying to listen to this conjumble of unorganized thoughts waiting for anything to do with games to rear its head from this sea of what the fud. Honestly just fell asleep.
Had to fast forward through all the business to finally get to the point to make it through this second time.
I've never fallen asleep before so I just thought that was amazing..
jfrost
jfrost's comment is abusive and has been removed.
Davconn62
Oh, Adam. Thank you for the image of Hobbes beating the crap out of Norquist. That has made my year. I borrowed from Stephen Colbert and now Hobbes is beating the crap out of Norquist with a copy of Atlas Shrugged. The image is soooo satisfying. Hmm.... This would be a good video game.
mattchuuu1
Its funny, Adam. You talk about the joy of a fantasy of collecting gold. In the real world, being able to afford gold in real life at today's prices is the fantasy. Which again begs the question of why anyone would want our currency based on the most inflated substance on earth... I enjoy listening to your views, as it reminds me, in this Dallas area, that I'm not alone. Cheers
silverten
Oh, Adam, Adam, Adam... Are you finally feeling what the rest of us feel, a since of dread?!? It can't be... You're a beacon for all of us -- much like what the United States used to be... Don't despair, there is always something new to gulp down... Change is now constant. There is always something new to distract -- games are like that Technology is much like that -- much of the coming generation is very much like that... I think we have done it to ourselves. But don t despair! We will rise above the nonsense, rise above the ashes
Games are an escape, but raising your head above the game is also valid. As my games Professor once posed to me Can you live the life in a game frame work? And I expand: Can you pass this along to the people around you? Can you pass this along to the people you influence?
VillarrealAndy
VillarrealAndy's comment is abusive and has been removed.
mr.brightside
amazing soapbox adam.
Jtoon
I wish he could draw a more straight line to what he was talking about. At the beginning, I felt like he kept taking right turns. I started to enjoy the video about the 4:30 minute mark. The discussion from then on was very good.
Wrathofsauron
Thumbs up if you DIDN'T have to google the word "zeitgeist"
ninenightmares
What's up with all theses double and triple posts........ scary
brudswick
Thanks , great job adam! if games did not have a real life analog they would be boring. the games we play represent real life. all creative media represents real life. what we are doing we really are doing and there certainly are psychological implications about them. maybe not to the gta theories extent but you know. games can teach and enlighten and transport us. or they can just entertain. that's the difference between hard core and casual though. any true hard core gamer has been out raged by an empty chest or heart broken by a dying companion. and we allow ourselves to become so emotionally invested because its in an environment where we know its safe ...and no question, we definetly take that out of our bedrooms and into the real world. its a great way to teach problem solving skills too.
brudswick
Thanks , great job adam! if games did not have a real life analog they would be boring. the games we play represent real life. all creative media represents real life. what we are doing we really are doing and there certainly are psychological implications about them. maybe not to the gta theories extent but you know. games can teach and enlighten and transport us. or they can just entertain. that's the difference between hard core and casual though. any true hard core gamer has been out raged by an empty chest or heart broken by a dying companion. and we allow ourselves to become so emotionally invested because its in an environment where we know its safe ...and no question, we definetly take that out of our bedrooms and into the real world. its a great way to teach problem solving skills too.
teac77
chocofro!
btyler4606
Man, taxes. Really? It's late for me. I know that the more you escape, the more you are stranded on the island of internet happiness. I've been on that island and it is fun for the most part. Till you stop getting hungry, or you stop going to the bathroom. Eventually you don't even have the need to procreate because it is not in between groups or fast like the browser window. I'm sure there are other factors that come into play, but we shouldn't ignore the problems we have, they will only grow.
gunleaded
I agree, equal imposition of taxes indeed! According to the top 400 US federal income tax returns - which control more wealth than the bottom 150 million Americans - merely paid an average of 16% income tax. Even the assistant manager at my local McDonald's pays 25%. It's time they pay thier fair share.
Besides, who said anything about taxes?
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