I’ve been thinking. I spend a lot of time on the screen, at work, at home, wherever. The reason I may not be working on digital art could have something to do with a screen dependent depression. I took a break last night and made a little line art. So I’m thinking about only working on comics when I have the day off. Spend maybe 1-2 hours on social media, and trying to steal back the time I’m losing.
There is research out there about screen time changing not only your brain, but also its shape. There’s so much suppressed research about videogames and the mental health of the players. However, because gaming companies (and their affiliates) are so powerful, we won’t see this research until much later.
So, gaming. I can tell you from personal experience that I played it way too much as a kid. While it didn’t cause my illness, it certainly made it manifest more quickly. The effects of videogames on the mind are especially severe when you game more and sleep less. M. got me a Nintendo Entertainment System when I was two years old. We now know that children shouldn’t have any screen time until they are about five years old.
The thing is, I was an only child, and Mom often worked two or three jobs to support us (that was in the 90s, ya’ll, it’s extremely difficult today), So, the NES was a good way to keep me entertained. The cell phone keeps the child distracted in the grocery store. Whenever parents want their child to sit still and be good, they pass them their phones. It’s easy, but not healthy. I’m not pointing fingers. Most parents do this, but it’s not without a cost. Children’s social skills are worse than they have been. They’re more likely to act out, and some respond violently when deprived of electronics.
But even if we ignore all this. What about the time lost? If I play 3 hours a day (and some people do 8 or 9), for a month, that’s roughly 90 hours. So, four weeks at 360 hours. 12 months at 4320. Let’s say I find other hobbies in ten years, like running or biking (it doesn’t matter). In 10 years of consistent play time, I’ve spent 43,200 hours. How much time is that? With a bit more math, it’s 120 days (DAYS!) Not hours. And what do you get from playing videogames that you take with you? Being better at videogames. That’s it. You’re isolated from physical contact, you’re out of touch with your real life friends, you’re always needing money for more games or micro-transactions.
Let me summarize: Gaming eats your time and money, and gives you nothing in return except a pleasant illusion that only lasts while you are playing.
Finally, the rest of my gaming story. So, our family rescue three puppies and the mother. When I game? They don’t get nearly enough attention. All they want is to spend time with me. So, at 32, I began the process of weaning myself off games. It took two or three years with several slip ups.
But what about other people? The husband who ignores his wife. The father who won’t acknowledge his children unless they’re misbehaving. Now I am pointing the finger. How you spend your resources, time and money, tell what you value. You could even stretch it a bit and say, “What do I worship?”
Well, I’m tired of worshipping at the altar of gaming. when I gamed, I didn’t write or draw. I was functional, but I was not living an abundant life. For some people gaming is like the occasional glass of wine. If you’re playing it, and getting everything done, including putting friends and family higher up on the list and gaming is something you do when nothing else is going on? That’s fine.
You don’t have to agree, you don’t have to really let this sink in. But time will prove me right. Just like it will prove the harmful nature of vaping on teenagers with developing lungs. No one who vapes believes it now, but trust me, that day is approaching speedily.
Tremillian