The Child-Man.
Link.
While pondering why the child-man has become so widespread, the author never really makes the connection that they no longer need to grow up to get what they want from a woman. Of course, we can rely on John C. Wright to do that.
Should I be concerned that so many of my interests (Simpsons, Futurama, Family Guy, video games, even The Best Page in the Universe) show up as diversions of the child-man?
My reason tells me 'no'. Story-driven video games, as a source of light entertainment and diversion, are no different than light reading or for-fun novels. Just because adolescent child-men choose to avoid responsibility with the same fair I use for entertainment does not diminish the value of the medium. I find it a little misleading to group video games in with South Park and Maxim as symptoms of gross immaturity. Is Manhunt in that category? Definitely. Halo 3? Probably not. Grim Fandango? Definitely not.
Also, one of the major reasons I have so much idle time lying on my hands is because someone, and I am not naming names here, has yet to provide me with the Responsibility that would take it up. Ergo, I use it for my amusement.
Of course, you COULD always go for your M.S./M.B.A
ReplyDelete- the nag
You could use some of your copious free time to do grown-up things -- something that actually requires self-sacrifice, like volunteering at church (for example, CCD programs almost always need volunteers) or with some charitable organization. Is there a St. Vincent de Paul group in your parish?
ReplyDeleteYou could also use some of that time to further improve your mind and expand your world by reading great literature. Especially if you might ever consider becoming part of the Resistance by homeschooling.
Just a thought.
I have thought about doing charitable works, or joining some social organization (like the Knights of Columbus, which are forming at St. John's) but, for the most part, my extreme social inhibitions prevent me from doing that (it's hard to join a social order when you can't even buck up the courage to pick up the phone and call).
ReplyDeleteConcerning reading, I have been occupying more of my time with that, but my main issue is I can only read a few pages before I become too distracted to continue. And since The Murloc has nixed homeschooling as an educational alternative, I don't really have to prepare for that. (I think her words were "over my dead body" or something like that.)
UGH! I can't STAND child-men! I dated one in college for two years and eventually broke up with him because he liked watching Saturday morning cartoons instead of job-searching. I just wish men would GROW UP! One of the things I love about my husband is that he is a REAL man, and has always wanted a wife and children, and has been willing to do everything in his power to support us. But I guess we women can't really blame men all that much...recently, women have started not wanting to settle down, so why do we expect men to? (I say "we," but I really mean feminazis. I am NOT a feminazi.) It's just so aggravating that there are all these boyz that need to grow up, and probably could grow to be good MEN and FATHERS, but instead they sit on their butts and play video games and sleep around. (I am not criticizing married gamers...you are a whole breed unto yourselves, and I happen to like you.) And then there are the ones who create single-parent homes, and have nothing to do with their children's lives, so the children grow up without a male role model and the cycle is self-fulfilling! I blame the feminist movement for this. Nothing good came of it. Sheesh.
ReplyDeleteOne of the effects of spending a lot of time watching TV (or in my case, listening to talk radio) is that it shortens one's attention span and leads to a kind of perpetual distractedness. I'd guess that computer gaming - or web surfing, for that matter - has the same effect.
ReplyDeleteI know that in my own case, I have become much more distracted and find it harder to concentrate on a substantial book or magazine article. (Good mysteries are another matter!) I think fatigue plays a part, too. A lot of us rarely get enough sleep.
It helps to try to cultivate a certain amount of exterior silence, so that one can grow in the interior silence necessary to concentate on something like reading or prayer.
In other words, limit the time with noisy media. We are all distracted and need to re-learn how to focus. And we need to get to bed earlier!
There's always Daily Lit, which can email a book in 5-minute (or so) increments for those of us with short attention spans. So far I've read 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, A Christmas Carol, and Bartleby The Scrivener. They have these and some classics available for free, and newer titles for a fee.
ReplyDeleteThere's also Classic Bookshelf, where you read from their java-based viewer which lets you customize display options to whatever is easy on your eyes. When you're done reading, the service can email you a "bookmark", a link to where you left off.
Wow. Lot's to say after reading that article, but I'll stick to just a few things since this isn't my blog.
ReplyDeleteI also think it's misleading to lump so many things together without considering, but thought and careful consideration takes a back seat to deadline, article space, and story angle. I think you could also argue that some games are a work of art. With the ever-increasing graphic realism developers are also setting out to create a mood and tone for the game's story. I think one example of gaming art is Half-Life 2--at least given the reviews I've read from you and others.
I think the article is also drawing attention to the sheer volume of what's consumed. For example, the average gamer time is ~3 hours/day--which is about 12.5% of one's daily life. That's a tremendous amount of time spent on--for most men--not much else besides themselves. Take a look at how much time you spend doing different activities during the day. Budget your time like you would (or at least should) your money, and look at how much free time you possess during a day. How much of that time is spent on amusement?
I don't think it's fair to compare story-driven games to novels. The mediums are completely different. Books at least force you to use your imagination, and you also must read and comprehend a story. In a game, the imaginative element is removed. In a book I think the brain is involved on a deeper level.
I can attest to what Ma' B says about concentration. I've gone from playing almost no video games to playing lots and now back to 0-3hours a week. Let's just say that I was happier and a better person when I played less, and my concentration level was much better. This pattern has ocurred multiple times over my life when I've gone from playing more to less video games. Of our local friends with children who play video games, they all attest to how different their childrens' behavior is when they play lots of video games. It isn't a random sample, but I think the unanimous opinion is telling.
I can also speak from experience regarding how video games can almost become a defense mechanism against social interaction, but I think that can also exist with books and movies.
Some games are great, and some games are OK. The rare games are works of art almost deserving of some time and attention for some people. Ultimately, games are a diversion. If you play, then it's important to reflect on why you play, and who or what is served by the time you spend with them. I think it would be an unfulfilling life to spend 50% of my free time on nothing more than a diversion.
And Joe, as to reading the classics to educate your children, I think you should do it regardless of your decision to home school. Who would you rather have to introduce your children to Plato: you, or the transgender studies professor who teaches for the required course credit?