EPTTLDR: Humanity is expressed when we play games and it sets us apart as unique beings.
Thanks for reading
It's not just a game.
Please whack'em in the face the next time you hear someone dismissing your passion as "just a game".
We live lives in which we work jobs that we may or may not be passionate about. Gaming offers an escape. Let us use a hypothetical American, Tommy, typical lower middle class, will be our example. He work his life for the sake of survival: the ability to afford basic needs. Society dictates that he must be a productive member in order to survive, with the definition of productiveness also dictated by society. Meaning that he must work in a limited number of legit jobs offered to him; Tommy is one of many construction managers for a large chain franchise.
He may have aspirations for creative greatness, such as design a building, write a musical, or paint great artworks. But let's be honest here, he most likely won't accomplish all, if any, of his dreams. And every attempt will be at the cost and allowance of his official occupation. His true passions may be his hobbies, but only a very few of us have been gifted the opportunity to pursue a dream job. Alas, with little to no leniency in his monthly budget, he must continue to push papers and organize crews so that work gets done and everyone can put food on the table.
Due to its limitations, our daily life slowly becomes mechanical, almost
animal-like. It is a saddened realization that our identities slowly approach that of a cog in a machine that churns for the sake of churning. Yet, unless Tommy wins the lotto, not much would change. The more we dependent on our jobs for survival, the more we reinforce the existence of said dehumanizing job; a vicious cycle.
To my enlightenment, I bring forth a quote from my favorite movie. "you're not your job. You're not how much money you have in the bank. You're not the car you drive. You're not the contents of your wallet..." (Fight Club 1999). Just because we must do something to survive, that thing does not define us as human beings. They display our animal sides. Our work is to our physical needs just as a lion's hunt is to the pride's need for sustenance. I would incline to think that human beings are more than just animals.
![[image loading]](http://thegirlfromtheghetto.files.wordpress.com/2009/08/tyler-durden.jpg?w=400&h=251)
It's a long post so allow Brad Pitt to relief the tension
Karl Marx, the famous critic of Capitalism, explained the concept of objectification, the single idea that separated labor from work. Objectification is the translation of a creative thought into reality through labor. Work however, does not include the connection between our essence and the product. In work, we do as we are told. But in labor, we drive ourselves to do something for sake of non-physical satisfaction. Because we commandeer the thoughts behind our own actions, we own our products in its essence. I believe our abilities to labor is what truly defines us as human beings and further separate us from the rest of the planet.
In an alternate universe, Tommy is an architect. He owns his creative sparks and direct his own labor to bring the ideas into fruition. The purpose of his actions now does not have the end goal of provisions and survival. His job is the point of expression for his humanity; an ideal lifestyle.
However, most of us do not have this privilege. We rely on our hobbies to define us and express ourselves. Many of us delve ourselves into several games, migrating from one game to another, until we find one or few titles that are complex enough to bare the essence of our individuality. One game of StarCraft we labor to bring our ideas and thoughts into reality, not because we need it to bring food to the table, but because we choose to express our human nature through the game itself. It's not a job for the most of us, so why bother? I must say that it is simply human nature for us to find an outlet of expression. Furthermore, these expressions are what ultimately set their sources as unique and far beyond the understanding of simple viruses with the only goal of Darwinian fitness. So defend with honor when someone looks down on your passions, as embedded within these games are bits and pieces of our truthful selves.
Know that it's not just a game. It's us.
