Can gaming act as meditation?

[Eldorado]

The representation of video games throughout mainstream Western media, particularly conservative outlets, has long been negative.

Simply Googling ‘Fox News’ and ‘video games’ reveals numerous articles connecting video games to “mental health hazards” for children, with columns establishing tenuous links between violent first-person-shooters and tragic school shootings.

This negative representation extends to the so-called ‘New Media’ with figures like Joe Rogan causing controversy by suggesting that video games are addictive and serve no purpose.

“You do them, and they’re real exciting, but you don’t get anywhere,” Rogan claimed in July, to great uproar.

His essential point is true: video games lack a tangible purpose. But Rogan’s perspective is basic.

Full article at the Oxford Student: Link

Edited November 7, 2020 by Eldorado

[TigerBright19]

Games are therapeutic and release stress just like taking a long warm bath or hitting a punch bag.  Although the realism in some games can feel a little uncomfortable.  e.g.  When I play a game like Red Dead Redemption 2 and I accidentally kill a horse or civilian I feel an overwhelming urge to reload a previous saved game just to bring them back again.  I think that is why many games no longer have 1990's photogenic realistic characters like Mortal Kombat 1 and Gabriel Knight: The Beast Within.  Was there a law that forbid photogenic realism in video games because they were too realistic?

 

Gabriel Knight before and after.

 

 

[Orphalesion]

That's interesting I have noticed that if I have a anxiety attack or a negative thought spiral an hour or so of video games can be a very effective way to get out of it. A lot of games hit you with all those little objectives and you just think from one step to the next and it gets me out of all those unhelpful thoughts/feelings about the future/past.

[+Nuclear Wessel]

I think it can, depending on the game and your personality type.

For example because I am competitive I naturally gravitate towards games that are competitive in nature (CoD: Modern Warfare, PUBG, etc) so when I play them I play them to one-up the opponent, which may not be the best game to play if I need to meditate and relax. I get very competitive, so sometimes I need to step back from it even on a good day, if I start to get tilted.

In that case I will play a single player game like Elder Scrolls or Fallout.

Also, I don't agree with Joe Rogan that video games are just addictive and serve no purpose. Games can definitely foster your critical thinking abilities.

For example in CoD you have to take into account a lot of variables, and you can even get a little "meta" about it. I was playing in a 1v1 with my friend (who is also quite good at CoD) and I would do things like use flash/stun grenades and bounce them off of certain objects to make him think I threw it from a certain spot, or I would make my character run for a second to make it seem like I was running in a certain direction and then I would slow walk and come up behind him when he ran to where he thought I'd be. On top of all of that I have noticed that when I start playing CoD more frequently my reaction time and processing speed seems to increase a little bit. You are forced to take in a TON of information and be able to process it quickly in order to gain the advantage.

Edited November 9, 2020 by Nuclear Wessel

[+Liquid Gardens]

On 11/7/2020 at 10:04 AM, Eldorado said:

His essential point is true: video games lack a tangible purpose.

What's the tangible purpose of reading fiction, or watching most tv or movies, or watching and following sports (like Rogan's MMA), or listening to music, etc?  What's the diff?  

[Mirzam]

This reminds me of an experiment I did for one of my study abroad classes... Originally I took the class because of the group of people I was spending time with and we all decided it would be a fun elective. It was one of the only classes that I could transfer back to my home school. It was a Happiness / Psych class and transferred as Sociology.

My final report was an analysis of my friends reactions when they played an alotted time of video games per week. They recorded how they felt at the beginning of the experiment, before a session, during a session, after a session, and at the end of the experiment. Of course, there were a lot of variables in this. Regardless, I have seen that it affects people in both ways. Some become happy, some feel no difference, and some become immersed in another reality.

I have also played closer attention to how particular games merit different reactions. This also has to do now with how things market and advertise to particular audiences. I have done a bit of research on video game production and the teams that put games together, but not a whole lot. I have met some people that use Unity and things of that sort but I never really got big into it. The old games, like original arcade, are honestly more of a preference for me because I see that they have less bias. I can zone out and it helps me clear my mind and think less in a meditative sense. Sometimes I listen to music or use essential oils... Hahaha

 

[Scholar4Truth]

Its a great stress reliever for me, so yes in a way it can be a form of meditation cause it takes your mind off things especially after a busy day. It also may depend on the type of game your playing as well.

[XenoFish]

Stress reliever for me. A good way to safely vent the days frustrations, rip and tear until it is done.

[TigerBright19]

Can be awkward when video game servers are lagging.  What if real life was like that.  

 

 

 

 

Edited November 25, 2020 by TigerBright19

[Nosy.Matters]

All in one's perspective I guess, stress reliever sure, meditation - form of , sure why not.

 A release from the day, much like the tele and letting one's brains dribble out the ears, so relaxing.

I remember someone saying " Oh games, can't think of a better way to waste time and money needlessly."

 What I should have said is " Yeah Dad, kind of like your den with libraries of books in the back."