[MD] Food for Thought

[Dan Glover]

Hello everyone

>From: "Case" <Case at iSpots.com>
>Reply-To: moq_discuss at moqtalk.org
>To: <moq_discuss at moqtalk.org>
>Subject: Re: [MD] Food for Thought
>Date: Sat, 6 Jan 2007 17:15:26 -0500
>
>[Dan]
>Like I said, it all sounds like great fun. I'm curious... you say you "met"
>these people. In person? And how do you know they are who they say they 
>are?
>
>[Case]
>The degree and kind of communication players have depends a lot on the type
>of game. First Person Shooters generally involve teams of five or so 
>players
>running around on a map shooting each other. I once watch a really good 
>team
>of Halo players compete. They had names for different portions of the map
>like "Salt and Pepper" and "Blue Mountain" to identify where opponents were
>hiding and sniping from. Communication in this context tends to be fast, 
>the
>barking of short orders, cries of alarm... After a match more detailed
>discussions of strategy take place.
>
>[Dan]
>I beg to disagee on that. Practice does not make perfect, only perfect
>practice. And if you know what perfect practice is, I doubt you'll be
>playing games.
>
>[Case]
>Good players to tend to be very skilled.

[Dan]
That's why they're good! Wow! Great observation!

>The same principles of Zen that you
>find applied to Golf and Tennis apply to computer games as well. But I 
>guess
>you do not find aficionados of "perfect practice" playing those sorts of
>games either.

[Dan]
I don't know.

>
>[Dan]
>I think many people find themselves in unfulfilling positions so they do
>what people in that situation do: they indulge... be it alcohol, drugs, tv,
>games, whatever they can do to take away the sense of hopelessness that
>tends to creep in. Myself, I indulge too, in reading and writing. I see
>Quality in those endeavors.
>
>[Case]
>I agree and so I have long since stopped passing judgment on the Quality of
>the pursuits of others.

[Dan]
Right. I forgot you're Mr. Perfect. Sorry.

>
>[Dan]
>My son is addicted to RPG's as are his sons. The boys would rather play
>those games than do anything else. Literally. My oldest grandson asked me
>what games I play online. I told him none. He said, well what do you do
>then? And he was serious! To be honest, I don't think it is a good thing 
>but
>
>they aren't my children.
>
>[Case]
>It sounds to be like your grandson was inviting you into his world and you
>use Quality as an excuse to turn him away.

[Dan]
Uh oh. There you go judging. So you're not Mr. Perfect after all. Huh. Maybe 
you're right. My grandkids also love to go to Mcdonalds and fill up on 
garbage and I use Quality as an excuse just to have unsweetened tea.

I think you are so wrapped up in gaming yourself that anyone who is not 
"into it" is perceived as  snobbish and judgemental. I used to know some 
coke-heads just like that.

Listen to me: IT IS AN ADDICTION. No matter how you spin it.

>
>[Dan]
>My granddaughter on the other hand will have nothing to do with games. She
>is a writer. We exchange emails all the time. I never hear from the boys
>though. They are too busy playing games.
>
>[Case]
>So your granddaughter offers a shared reality that does not cause you to
>stretch and suspend judgment and she is cool? The boys are busy creating a
>new kind of shared reality and you feel neglected because you won't share?

[Dan]
In a hundred years, where will that new shared reality be? Can you honestly 
say that anyone alive then will give a shit one way or another about the 
games you are playing? You may as well be sitting in front of a tv set.

On the other hand, I read authors from hundreds of years ago. Their writings 
live on long after the writers have turned back into dust. Don't you see 
that? You really cannot be so blind, can you?

>
>I am not trying to be harsh here, Dan. I am just saying reality is how you
>spin it. You can't see through the illusion if you won't make Gestalt
>shifts.

You are under some type of illusion that gaming matters. It doesn't. And 
aren't you the one who argued up one side and down the other with me that 
you are a "real" person? Spin it how you will but you are simply full of it.