Poll of the Day > Roger Ebert: Videogames are a waste of life

(+) Yeah! (+)

when did ebert say they are a waste of a life? I remember he said that they will never be art. Anyways the guy would be like 80 yrs old if he were still living. I don't think he'd ever played a video game in his life maybe. He was from a different era.
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notanoob74 posted...

By that logic, a drug addict who lives an entirely hedonistic life is also not wasting his time.

He isn't. Odds are, he's wasting other people's resources if he's able to sustain such a lifestyle indefinitely, but if he's enjoying himself, he's not wasting his time. To effectively use time, one should either be enjoying it, or taking steps to ensure that they can enjoy future time. If one or both of those criteria are met, time is not wasted. If neither is met, the time has been wasted.

SkynyrdRocker posted...

If you're having fun playing those games, you haven't wasted your time

This. Who cares what that old jerkoff thought. He looked like a wet paper bag with a wig and glasses.

And TBH, watching movies is arguably worse because you're not able to interact with them or socialize online through them.
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Isn't that guy dead? And who gives a shit what he thought? He sounds like he was a pompous asshat, and judging by the fact he was a critic furthered that thought
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Games are a valid form of entertainment equal to anything else

Who cares? The guy was a relic when he said that. He might have opinions worth considering as far as his area of speciality is concerned, but outside of that for all we know he's an utter moron.

*coughBenCarsoncough*

Tezlok posted...

Games are a valid form of entertainment equal to anything else

i'm just glad we are mostly past the whole "video games are for kids" BS.

though it was humorous that I had a step father who tried bitching me out for playing video games at my age and his own daughter called him on his shit because he played Majhong or whatever on his computer near daily.

then he tried giving me shit for having a couple of video game and anime related figurines (I only have like 3 or 4) and she once again called him on his shit as he has a storage shed full of comic book action figures still in their original packaging.
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i'm just glad we are mostly past the whole "video games are for kids" BS

Yeah, now we're at the stage where all the nerds who were mercilessly mocked for being into computers are dealing with everyone else suddenly wanting a piece of the pie.
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vhiran posted...

i'm just glad we are mostly past the whole "video games are for kids" BS

Yeah, now we're at the stage where all the nerds who were mercilessly mocked for being into computers are dealing with everyone else suddenly wanting a piece of the pie.

odd. never got called a nerd for playing video games, but then again most kids my age played them too. then in highschool nobody asked me if I played video games, too busy yelling freak or fa ggot at me. (was a goth so I wore a little make up like eye liner, black lipstick)
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roger ebert needs to take some viagra
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"For most gamers, video games represent a loss of those precious hours we have available to make ourselves more cultured, civilized and empathetic" - Roger Ebert, the world's most renowned film critic.

Well, first of all, he's a critic so the tone isn't surprising. Second, he likes film so has higher standards for creativity that is viewed in shorter bursts so it's not a fair comparison but it's his opinion but since it's about a medium that he's admittedly not an expert in, It's an opinion I can safely ignore.

If you're having fun playing those games, you haven't wasted your time

This.

yes, ebert also said games are not art

Most aren't, some are. Just like films-many are anywhere from terrible to ok and are merely created to generate money, many are decent and a few are great works. Just like books and paintings and any other creative medium

See, this is the kind of topic where you're not sure if it's low-tier bait or an actually-held opinion using trolling language.

This is something to consider as well-it's borderline clickbait but also raises an interesting discussion and I don;t entirely disagree with the idea that if you'd spend that 400+hrs in DOTA learning how to play an instrument or learn a language that you'd be left with mor to show for it or even a marketable skill, but on the other hand, you have a good time so who's to say what has better value?
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notanoob74 posted...

Go ahead, rationalize away fellas.

You don't need to rationalize opinions. Also, being an expert or being really respected in one thing doesn't mean you instantly are a credible expert on everything.

I don't think most games are profound, but they are no worse than a lot films out there.

ebert was a troll
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Movies weren't taken seriously initially either. And anyone who says games can't be art obviously haven't played the best of games.
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notanoob74 posted...

Judgmenl posted...

notanoob74 posted...

"For most film critics, film games represent a loss of those precious hours we have available to make ourselves more cultured, civilized and empathetic" - Roger Ebert, the world's most renowned film critic.

I can't help but to agree. Especially for films that you can sink hours into with no actual meaning such Transformers and Marvel. (I have over 4000 hours in just watching Marvel movies from 2010-2015), Star Wars, etc. You have basically sunk thousands of hours into a worthless skill and have looked at the same plot, the same characters, the same repetitive task to the point where you've been basically working a job for free without producing anything for society. And what do you gain from it? If I had spent those hours instead playing 200 video games or 500 books, I would have become more cultured and way more interesting and nuanced of a person to talk to.

Go ahead, rationalize away fellas.

Who has more to talk about, someone who has played 4000 hours of DotA or someone who has watched 2000 films? I'm sure showing a girl your invoker stats will get her soaking wet.

Congratulations, you completely missed the point of my post. Not so smart after all eh? It is clear you are strawmaning low quality games with no substance. Arguing with such levels of trolling is pointless.
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Eh TC's just trolling. All he barks for games is DOTA DOTA DOTA DOTA
Video games = DOTA

This actually reminds me, world's top dota players have hotter girlfriends then you'll ever have in your lifetime. So those 10,000 hrs of dota will actually make a woman's pussy wet. 10,000 hrs of watching your average superhero marvel movie will just not get you any pussy.
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Syntheticon posted...

Most aren't, some are. Just like films-many are anywhere from terrible to ok and are merely created to generate money, many are decent and a few are great works. Just like books and paintings and any other creative medium

That doesn't mean they aren't art. Just that they aren't good art. Art is simply an expression of creativity. Nothing about the work's quality is indicated by calling it art.
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notanoob74 posted...

Judgmenl posted...

notanoob74 posted...

"For most film critics, film games represent a loss of those precious hours we have available to make ourselves more cultured, civilized and empathetic" - Roger Ebert, the world's most renowned film critic.

I can't help but to agree. Especially for films that you can sink hours into with no actual meaning such Transformers and Marvel. (I have over 4000 hours in just watching Marvel movies from 2010-2015), Star Wars, etc. You have basically sunk thousands of hours into a worthless skill and have looked at the same plot, the same characters, the same repetitive task to the point where you've been basically working a job for free without producing anything for society. And what do you gain from it? If I had spent those hours instead playing 200 video games or 500 books, I would have become more cultured and way more interesting and nuanced of a person to talk to.

Go ahead, rationalize away fellas.

Who has more to talk about, someone who has played 4000 hours of DotA or someone who has watched 2000 films? I'm sure showing a girl your invoker stats will get her soaking wet.

Probably the person who watched 2000 films.

Now, how about a more apt analogy? Who has more to talk about, someone who watched 2000 films or someone who played 2000 games?
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Maybe he has a point with simplistic games like pong or marketing focus group games like cellphone games which are designed to rob you.

Roger Ebert: "I've been dead for years now. Maybe you should get over it already, ok?"
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Tropic_Sunset posted...

notanoob74 posted...

Judgmenl posted...

notanoob74 posted...

"For most film critics, film games represent a loss of those precious hours we have available to make ourselves more cultured, civilized and empathetic" - Roger Ebert, the world's most renowned film critic.

I can't help but to agree. Especially for films that you can sink hours into with no actual meaning such Transformers and Marvel. (I have over 4000 hours in just watching Marvel movies from 2010-2015), Star Wars, etc. You have basically sunk thousands of hours into a worthless skill and have looked at the same plot, the same characters, the same repetitive task to the point where you've been basically working a job for free without producing anything for society. And what do you gain from it? If I had spent those hours instead playing 200 video games or 500 books, I would have become more cultured and way more interesting and nuanced of a person to talk to.

Go ahead, rationalize away fellas.

Who has more to talk about, someone who has played 4000 hours of DotA or someone who has watched 2000 films? I'm sure showing a girl your invoker stats will get her soaking wet.

Probably the person who watched 2000 films.

Now, how about a more apt analogy? Who has more to talk about, someone who watched 2000 films or someone who played 2000 games?

I see no diference between playing 2000 games or watching 2000....and for what previous poster said, that is what the gym is for if you want to become atactive to women

You heard the man. All hobbies are banned. Any and all activities that do not contribute to society somehow are banned.

TV, sports, movies, etc. All of them. Gone.

If your responsibilities as an adult still leave you with some time left in the day to do something you enjoy, you're doing it wrong.

You know what would be a much better way to spend your time? Arguing with people on a message board! :D
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Basically what he's saying is that having gun with no endgame is pointless. Maybe so... but the whole point of working your ass off is so you can do just that for the most part. If you spend the entirety of your life trying to better yourself you're wasting it imo

Can you really say that every single thing you do contributes to society or makes you a better person? Or did you only want to apply this logic to hobbies you look down on?

Oh, you enjoy collecting stamps? What skill could you possibly learn from that? Get rid of them all.
Oh, you want to put together a model airplane? That's not the same as building a real plane. No one's going to be flying in that.
Oh, you want to watch a movie? Well, make sure there's a good message behind it or that it at least expands your vocabulary. No action or comedy movies.

What do you mean you want to do something just because you enjoy it? What are you, 12?
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notanoob74 posted...

SkynyrdRocker posted...

If you're having fun playing those games, you haven't wasted your time

So if you spend every single hour of your life "having fun" while only being a drain on society, you aren't wasting your time. By that logic, a drug addict who lives an entirely hedonistic life is also not wasting his time.

ITT: Playing video games at all = Playing video games 24/7
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...Something about this argument always makes me go off like this. Just the idea of them saying video games only rot your brain, and then not batting an eye at TV.
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DrChocolate posted...

I see no diference between playing 2000 games or watching 2000

I would say "depends on the games and films", but broadly speaking, I agree.
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Haha, what did I expect from the same board that unanimously agrees Bruce Lee would beat Mike Tyson in a fight?
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That quote is hilariously ironic considering the same thing could be said about the films he critiqued.
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"your favorite thing is awful"

i never seen a movie that was better than reading the book. (except for Phillip K Dick novels that were turn into movies, because his short story/novel are pretty bad, but he has some fantasic ideas)

I just can't say games like Planetside: Torment is better if it was turned into a movie. I think the choices and consequences of your action is better than watching any movie.

Yes playing Dota might be a waste of time, but not all videogames are like Dota. As long as youre having fun who cares. If you want to be enlighten i don't think you will find that in a summer blockbuster movies either.
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notanoob74 posted...

Haha, what did I expect from the same board that unanimously agrees Bruce Lee would beat Mike Tyson in a fight?

Bruce Lee is dead and Mike Tyson has CTE, so that'd be a tough one to organize.

Also did some motherfucker just throw shade at PKD!?! We're beefing forever! FOREVER! (this is sarcasm)

The Watchmen movie is better than the graphic novel because of the ending.
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notanoob74 posted...

Haha, what did I expect from the same board that unanimously agrees Bruce Lee would beat Mike Tyson in a fight?

What? Who cares about two actors that are either dying or dead. That's as boring as Goku vs Superman.
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wah_wah_wah posted...

Broken_Zeus posted...

Ebert is generally skeptical of video games, which is ironic because book critics once scoffed at film as a form of art.

I'm aware of that and I know he was saying it for years before he passed. I used to just fault it for ignorance but as he went on about it (recently as 2010) he was becoming stupid about it.

I keep forgetting that he's dead.

notanoob74 posted...

ok so say you're right that in many games you gain culture. What about people who spend thousands of hours in League, DotA, CS:GO, and similar games? After they learn all of the characters, all of the moves, what else is there to gain?

Which is like arguing that you shouldn't see a film more than once >_> However, more practically, no two games play out exactly the same and an entire subculture forms around the evolving playstyle which you might know as the metagame.

And, if you're arguing that the benefit of culture is to enrich human communication, that's certainly true for players of those kinds of games because it becomes almost comparable to being a sports fan where you have a niche community built around something that the average person outside that community doesn't care about. (And, to some extent, watching a lot of films, tv shows, etc, also doesn't help unless you're communicating with others who have watched or have interest in the same thing.)

mooreandrew58 posted...

Blightzkrieg posted...

I've basically stopped playing videogames, gives me more time to watch fanservice anime and toy reviews on YouTube.

my niece watches some youtuber who just plays with toys. it kills me to think grown ass people get paid to play with toys on youtube. (she has enough subscribers i'm sure shes making something)

Which, ironically enough, could be described as a productive use of time for the youtuber. And it's no more ridiculous a thing to get paid for than prank videos or anything else.
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Broken_Zeus posted...

wah_wah_wah posted...

Broken_Zeus posted...

Ebert is generally skeptical of video games, which is ironic because book critics once scoffed at film as a form of art.

I'm aware of that and I know he was saying it for years before he passed. I used to just fault it for ignorance but as he went on about it (recently as 2010) he was becoming stupid about it.

I keep forgetting that he's dead.

notanoob74 posted...

ok so say you're right that in many games you gain culture. What about people who spend thousands of hours in League, DotA, CS:GO, and similar games? After they learn all of the characters, all of the moves, what else is there to gain?

Which is like arguing that you shouldn't see a film more than once >_> However, more practically, no two games play out exactly the same and an entire subculture forms around the evolving playstyle which you might know as the metagame.

And, if you're arguing that the benefit of culture is to enrich human communication, that's certainly true for players of those kinds of games because it becomes almost comparable to being a sports fan where you have a niche community built around something that the average person outside that community doesn't care about. (And, to some extent, watching a lot of films, tv shows, etc, also doesn't help unless you're communicating with others who have watched or have interest in the same thing.)

mooreandrew58 posted...

Blightzkrieg posted...

I've basically stopped playing videogames, gives me more time to watch fanservice anime and toy reviews on YouTube.

my niece watches some youtuber who just plays with toys. it kills me to think grown ass people get paid to play with toys on youtube. (she has enough subscribers i'm sure shes making something)

Which, ironically enough, could be described as a productive use of time for the youtuber. And it's no more ridiculous a thing to get paid for than prank videos or anything else.

oh trust me I don't judge the woman, its just one of those things that pisses ya off cause either you or alot of people you know struggle to make ends meet, and then you see this shit lol

I don't judge anyone who makes easy money provided its legal or at least not immoral
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PotD poster has controversial opinion expressed in a condescending manner, more at 11.

EightySeven posted...

PotD poster has controversial opinion expressed in a condescending manner, more at 11.

Don't forget "has nothing but snark"
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