Gamer Philosophy pt. 4: The Gamer as Rebel

Every once in a while a gamer has to step back and look at his life: take account of what he has, what’s important to him, where he should go from here, etc.  It is at this point that the gamer realizes that there really isn’t much to do that is GOOD, and that spending hours upon hours playing video games is quite possibly a better course of action than spending his time making a lot of money, or getting interested in politics and talking about it on a blog or with other human beings.  Knowing what goes into making large quantities of money, as a constant hoodwinking of those who don’t know any better, or outright thievery, or even more a waste of time, getting interested in politics: the right-wing left wing delusion, watching all the speeches, propaganda, mudslinging, and trying to get some semblances of truth from either of the candidates which is next to impossible, being that these people LIE for a LIVING, and in the end seeing the same agenda go forward no matter who is elected.  Complete and utter waste of time, and if you’re not having any fun, there’s not much point in doing any of it.  And even if you do have fun, the only way you will have fun is if you keep yourself in a constant state of denial, believing you’re actually making a difference by volunteering for the next political savior, or believing that you’re well informed and in the know while others’ sad souls lie in a state of darkness.

It is a sad state of affairs, and it is no wonder that many a gamer will do what he does.  Now how different this is from a heroin junkie or smoker of the holy weed (marijuana) is up for debate, but that’s not the issue here.  Some would say that they are trying to “escape from reality,” but the people who say this are in far worse state of denial themselves while they wait for their pensions or social security.  After living a life of voluntary slavery, they give away all their freedom, everything that is spontaneous in life, only to die 5 years after they achieve it, or to give everything back to the thieves and liars who gave it to them.  Fifty weeks of work for two weeks of vacation.  Five good years, then fifty years of school and work for five years of retirement.  And we’re the ones who need to wake up?  Good Lord.  Good Lord.

There’s no doubt that games can have the same addictive quality that drugs have.  And there’s no doubt that some games are created in an attempt in completely debase the captive audience, not much different from the gladiator games in Rome (one game that gives you the freedom to do any disgusting act you wish comes to mind).  The corruption runs deep.  But luckily the gamer has a mind of his own, and takes what nutritious from the games while getting rid of what he doesn’t need.  It’s this mechanism that keeps the gamer’s soul alive in a dark world.

Even good game companies aren’t immune to the corruption of greed.  A game that started great and got a horde of subscribers at ten dollars a month suddenly gets a stale update while the price goes up and up.  The problem with a system of profit, or businessmen leading the way.  Take and take more, and give less and less, and laugh all the way to the bank.  It doesn’t really matter though because we’re all addicted anyway.  It’s hard for a gamer to survive, just like anyone.  But to survive we have to fight the corruption.  It is almost impossible, but there is a way, there always is.

In this world it is almost impossible to survive with your soul intact.  There are so many factions at war for your mind and body, because your mind and body are the most valuable commodity in existence.  All the “great” nations were built on slavery.  Every skyscraper and pyramid is built on the backs of the poor.  Even the gamer has his body and mind in bondage to a slave master.  The only thing the gamer has intact is his soul, his spirit.  Now there are factions warring for even this part of his being.  If you lose it, you are dead.  You are the walking dead.  Your body and mind function, but you are dead.  For a gamer to survive, this part of his being has to survive.  And he has to fight against the increasing subscription costs, the rising focus on profits rather than artistic freedom, the greed and lust for power.  For the gamer to survive, the gamer must find a new path.

And the true gamer will survive, because at heart, the true gamer is a rebel.