Seconday Skin

The documentary “Second Skin” really hit some nerves with me. MMO games really take up someone’s life and when they look back, they call it a waste of their time. I’m not saying that these games are completely horrible but those playing them need to remember the saying “everything in moderation.” Yes, these games in a way were created so that we could get our minds out of the real world. It’s ok to “leave” this world for a little bit but this is still the real world and you still live in it. Personally I read and write to forget about what’s going on in the RL to an extent. Gordon Walton said in the video that “Humans want to be more than what we are.” This is true. When I read a fantasy novel (a really good one) for a time I believe I am living that story, that I am a main character. Anthony one of the WOW gamers said that “[it] completely takes your head away from anything else.” It’s true. They do. There just has to be a reasonable line drawn.
That reasonable line is drawn from person to person. Andy another one of the WOW players was married and he and his wife were expecting twins. He worked and when he got home his wife would have his game loaded and logged on for him so he could start playing as soon as he got home. He took most of his vacation for the release of another WOW game instead of saving the majority for when his wife gave birth. I would have laid my foot down on that one. To me, if you care more about a game than me you’re out. This might also be because of my own personal experiences. I won’t go into detail but my brother was addicted to video games as well as had anger issues which my family is still trying to recover from. If someone would rather spend their time on a video game and I’m not talking one, two hours but 8 or 9 a day, then I wouldn’t be with them. Andy’s wife ended up having complications during birth and he had to go back to work soon after and leave her by herself. On top of that he still expects to have many hours a day playing his games. I’m offended by that. I could see that she was to. He was becoming a father which is a full time job and yet he wasn’t willing to cut down on his playing hours. As a female I was offended for her that he wasn’t planning on helping her the way he should.
The book Culture Jam by Kalle Lasn spoke on these matters as well, but more of the internet in general. “Internet use itself appeared to cause a decline in psychological well-being” was what one study they looked at stated, which to me makes total sense. When I’m on the computer all day or even for a few hours at a time I feel bad afterwards. I can’t explain it. I enjoy watching movies, but if I see too many in a row I feel like, a slug. Not just slow, but sticky and gooey (metaphorically) inside and out. I can’t explain it, I enjoyed those movies, but I still feel yucky. I also know my brother had the worst temper when my parents threw him off the computer. Truthfully I also see that I was most likely a little short tempered afterwards as well. Whatever specifically causes this isn’t helping our society at all. Yet everything in moderation doesn’t hurt us. So we don’t have to completely stop using the internet and our computers. We just need to limit ourselves and keep an eye on our own odd emotional swings so we stay mentally healthy.


"Do robots dream of electric sheep? I need to live my dreams, not just in my sleep" Superchick