phauna.org

An interesting conversation with a friend in which I find myself defending the position of video-games-are-ok has prompted me to reflect on the question of what video games have done for me.

• lesson 1: practice makes perfect. This is a lesson I’ve learned/had reinforced doing lots of things, among them playing video games. For certain types of games, I can really see a difference from day to day in how well I do. One example is Ikaruga, a space shooter that’s both super awesome and super hard. I’ve also learned that sometimes it takes a while for the learning to sink in. Play for an hour, then stop, get a good night’s sleep and come back the next day and I’m better at it, guaranteed. This is true for many things in my life.
• lesson 2: persistence pays off. This is a bit of a variation on lesson 1. If I make a goal, say, finishing a game, or beating it on hard, or whatever; if I persist I will attain my goal. Depending on how far I am from the goal, it make take more or less time. Persistence works, and works well, in many areas of life; it works better, I think, than most people realize!
• lesson 3: A is A. More specifically, games are programmed to operate according to rules, and their programming is what it is. There’s no point in arguing about whether it should or should not operate the way it does (except maybe for game designers!). And the computer can’t “cheat”, it’s just doing what it was programmed to do! A is A, take it or leave it! I find this especially valuable to remember when I’m faced with a truth that’s difficult to face.
• lesson 4: fun is only fun when it’s fun! When I find myself beating my head against the wall trying to get past a certain level, or just go a little further, it’s time to stop. Usually there’s a limit to how much progress I can make or how long I can enjoy a given game. This is true of many things I do for pleasure (i.e. just about everything!).
• lesson 5: participation is more fun than just watching. Watching video games is ok, but playing is more fun! Watching sports is ok, but playing sports is more fun! Watching TV is ok, but living my own life is more fun! Participation is harder, but I get more out of it. There’s a limit to how far this goes, but the relative value generally holds for me.

That’s just a few, and there are other ways to learn all of these. I just happened to experience these lessons playing video games.

What’s that shiny thing in the street?

Could it be an iPod?

Indeed I think it is!

Prescience or just common sense?:

breathe in
air streaming through
nose, throat, lungs, bloodstream, cells, energy
when does it become me?
can you point to the spot?

take a bite
food slowly squishing through
mouth, throat, stomach, intestines, bloodstream, cells, energy
when does it become me?
can you point to the spot?

birth
energy concentrating
sex, sperm, egg, embryo, womb, birth
when do I start being me?
can you point to the spot?

death
energy dissolving
aging, dying, body stops, decomposing, earth, grass
when do I stop being me?
can you point to the spot?

everything familiar is temporary

possessions
garden
friends
family
body
mind

all the forms, sounds, feelings, smells, and tastes of this world.

[Siddartha] felt that he now regarded Vasudeva as the people regarded the gods and that this could not last. Inwardly, he began to take leave of Vasudeva.

everything familiar is temporary.

so

is it time to start taking leave of everything familiar?
detaching, inwardly
saying goodbye?

or

is it time
to say
hello?

it’s best when you
connect and flow
effortlessly
letting go of the results
connecting directly to the game
arrows
music
body
until the distinctions melt away
leaving pure energy

sometimes patterns lull you to sleep
and then
suddenly!
you are jolted awake
because the pattern has changed
and will never return to the previous pattern

sometimes you screw up
the faster you let go of your mistakes
the more you can focus on the present
and the immediate future

and the song goes on
it never waits for you
you can’t stop the waves
but you can learn to surf!

the song ends
and there’s nothing
only a vague echo

When will a major movie producer take the plunge, and release a blockbuster movie completely free on the internet, using product placement alone to pay all the bills?

With file sharing such a perceived problem by the industry, it seems an obvious approach. Share all you want–the more people that see the movie, the happier your advertisers.

we’re out on the town
playing around
having the most wonderful time

it’s almost midnight
on saturday night
and we are all feeling so fine

with a bunch of friends
the fun never ends
this night will go on for ever!

we’re all here and now
there is no past or future

singing!
dancing!
playing!
loving!

having an experience to remember.

but hang on a sec!
this is my bank
and there’s an ATM
you see
I don’t mean to disturb the mood

but

interest rates are high
and that is why
I’m asking a quick favor:

hang on a sec!
while I deposit a check.

It’s all I could think of. I hope you like it!

Yum!

We sick an’ tired of-a your ism-skism game -
Dyin’ ‘n’ goin’ to heaven in-a Jesus’ name, Lord.
We know when we understand:
Almighty God is a living man.
You can fool some people sometimes,
But you can’t fool all the people all the time.
So now we see the light
We gonna stand up for our rights!

– Bob Marley