Regarding Video Games (How much time, when to stop, etc.)

  • Thread starter Thread starter ClassicWaeve
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
C

ClassicWaeve

Guest
So, I have been struggling on how much time should a person exactly spend on video games. Now, I am in Grade 12 and the games I usually play are mostly Call of Duty mobile and Roblox. Throughout a week I would play these games for about 4-8 hours. Also, when I do plan to play at a certain time I feel as if I get too eager to play them and nowadays I feel like I am prioritizing videogames more than God. So, should I stop or reduce my time?

Also, during lent this year I did give up playing videogames and over that period of time I was able to find peace and joy in simply things such as reading books (which I try to continue) and doing chores. I learned a lot during that time and even grow closer to God. Although, ever since then, when I had more freedom on games, I started feeling as if I am going back to my old habits where I spend a lot of my time on video games instead of tasks I am suppose to do such as studying, etc. Also, I did try for about a month and a half to only play 1 hour of video games a week, just like what Blessed Carlo Acutis did. So, with that being said any suggestions?
 
ClassicWaeve said:
So, I have been struggling on how much time should a person exactly spend on video games.
Click to expand...
Zero. Zero time. It has no redeeming value whatsoever. Video games are the main reason boys don’t have any life skills. Put down the controller and never pick it back up. Put the console in the trash where it belongs.
 
1Lord1Faith said:
Zero. Zero time. It has no redeeming value whatsoever. Video games are the main reason boys don’t have any life skills. Put down the controller and never pick it back up. Put the console in the trash where it belongs.
Click to expand...
I’m also not a video gamer, but how do you square what you just said with the Blessed Carlo Acutis?

Personally, considering how much time I’ve spent on CAF (often counter-productive time – not just wasting time but subjecting myself to spiritual damage), I don’t consider myself in a position to say that video gaming, inherently, is a vice.

Some people like playing board games. Why shouldn’t others enjoy playing video games?

Personally, @ClassicWaeve, I have no specific answer for you (again, not a gamer) – but a couple thoughts.
  1. If you’re unable to partake only a little (that is, if you allow yourself even an hour of gaming, you can’t resist spending two hours, four hours, 10 hours) – stop. Go cold turkey, you’ve already mentioned that worked out well for you during Lent 🙂
  2. If you think you can learn to partake in moderation, then I think Blessed Carlo Acutis sounds like a good starting point. Maybe set aside one day per week where you enjoy one hour of video game time (or depending on the game, something realistic – while still minimal; e.g. if you’re part of a video game group and the other players want you to participate in a type of game that fundamentally requires 2-hours to complete, I can see room for some flexibility in setting your time-window. But I’d be wary of committing to any game that fundamentally requires more than two hours at a time, once per week). And really stick to it.
  3. Side point: Practice regular fasting/abstinence (e.g. do you already abstain from meat every friday?) While this discipline has been relaxed in recent history, my experience is that when I practice serious fasting/abstinence in one area of my life, my ability to practice moderation spreads into other areas of life. Addictive/attachment tendencies can be acted against in general, with positive effects in specific areas. Does that make sense?
 
Last edited:
1Lord1Faith said:
Zero. Zero time. It has no redeeming value whatsoever. Video games are the main reason boys don’t have any life skills. Put down the controller and never pick it back up. Put the console in the trash where it belongs.
Click to expand...
You aren’t wrong in principle. The real problem is not video games themselves, but the responsibility of the person playing them. They’re fine from time to time (i.e. on weekends when one has no work, homework, or other major responsibilities) or in group settings for the occasional get together amongst friends.

Where they become problematic is when people don’t have the discipline to limit how much time they spend on them. Some gamers are surprisingly disciplined in that regard and are capable of not allowing video gaming to interfere with their life.

When it eats up countless hours of a person’s life, however, or makes them lazy or negligent of their responsibilities and/or prayer life, that is when they become an issue.

It wouldn’t hurt to suggest avoiding them altogether since an unfortunately high number of people fall in the latter category, but they are not intrinsically evil either.
 
Last edited:
MNathaniel said:
but how do you square what you just said with the Blessed Carlo Acutis?
Click to expand...
I don’t know who this is. And I honestly don’t care what they have to say about video games.
MNathaniel said:
I don’t consider myself in a position to say that video gaming, inherently, is a vice.
Click to expand...
I didn’t say it was a vice either. I said it was a complete waste of time. Time that should be spent doing things that contribute to one’s future.
MNathaniel said:
Why shouldn’t others enjoy playing video games?
Click to expand...
Board games are not known to be addictive. They don’t cause anti social behavior.

I have enough experience in life to say unequivocally that video games are the single biggest contributor to the decline of skill sets in boys. There is no doubt about it. None at all. The OP has realized it on his own. That’s how obvious it is.
 
PrayForMe said:
It wouldn’t hurt to suggest avoiding them altogether since an unfortunately high number of people fall in the latter category,
Click to expand...
Yes, an unfortunately high number. High enough to sound warnings.
PrayForMe said:
but they are not intrinsically evil either.
Click to expand...
Neither is alcohol or marijuana. But society knows how harmful they can be. Video games need to be put in that category. And there are probably other things that are newer than video games which should also be put in the “Danger” category. Social media comes to mind.
 
1Lord1Faith said:
I don’t know who this is. And I honestly don’t care what they have to say about video games.
Click to expand...
(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)

Blessed Carlo Acutis is a beatified faithful Catholic who died of Leukemia at the age of 15 (in 2006). He was designated ‘Venerable’ in 2018, and was beatified this October 2020. And while he voluntarily restricted the time he spent on them, he loved playing video games.

 
1Lord1Faith said:
Neither is alcohol or marijuana. But society knows how harmful they can be. Video games need to be put in that category. And there are probably other things that are newer than video games which should also be put in the “Danger” category. Social media comes to mind.
Click to expand...
I mostly agree with this comparison. My only comment would be in reference to your first post in this thread. You basically said that no one should spend any time playing video games since they have “no redeeming value whatsoever”, but then proceeded to place them in the same category as alcohol. So should no one ever drink alcohol, either, even though St. Thomas Aquinas states it is not sinful to drink it so long as it is not done to excess or with the intention of becoming drunk? Jesus did turn water into wine, so it’s not like alcohol is devoid of any use in society.

I also would not necessarily put alcohol and marijuana in the same class. Marijuana, aside from potential medical benefits that are debatable, really has no value. I consider it far more harmful than alcohol, even though alcohol abuse is probably more common.
 
Thank you for your insight I really appreciate it. I think I will stick with just restricting myself for an hour per week and sticking to it :grinning_face_with_smiling_eyes:. Regarding your side point… Yes I am aware of that practice and instead of abstaining from meat every Friday, I would abstain from activities such as using social media, candies, and TV. Also, I see your point with stating that addictive tendencies can be resolved with other positive activities. Thanks!
 
I don’t exactly know what you mean by saying that video games are the main reason that boys do not learn life skills. It would be nice if you could give an example to this. Also, I see your point why I should put down this activity as this can be replaced with other activities such as sports, family time, etc. Thanks for the insight!
 
1Lord1Faith said:
What sort of value do video games have? Medical value?
Click to expand...
I didn’t say they had any value (though if someone really wanted to, they could stretch things by saying they can have educational value, can be good for hand-eye coordination, etc.,). But whatever value video games may have is largely subjective and based on each person’s opinion, I would say.

My point was by lumping video games in with alcohol, you seemed to be implying that alcohol also had no value or should be entirely avoided. I was saying that I did not fully agree with the analogy or insinuation.
 
Last edited:
1Lord1Faith said:
I didn’t say it was a vice either. I said it was a complete waste of time. Time that should be spent doing things that contribute to one’s future
Click to expand...
It seems excessive to say that someone has to spend every waking moment in some kind of utilitarian analysis about the future. If someone plays a video game and gets relaxation and enjoyment out of it, what’s wrong with that? How is it any more of a waste of time than someone who enjoys reading a novel or watching a movie?

Obviously, like any other pastime, it can become excessive. But time spent relaxing is not necessarily “wasted.”
 
What is sad though is that games like the Legend of Zelda, which I have heard a great story game, takes more than 1 hour to complete 🤣
 
ClassicWaeve said:
What is sad though is that games like the Legend of Zelda, which I have heard a great story game, takes more than 1 hour to complete 🤣
Click to expand...
That’s not really my style of game, so I can’t say much about it, but what’s wrong with that? Don’t rush it.
 
It is not my style of games either but I see your point no rush. Have not really watched or played RD2 but when it released some of my friends were really excited to actually being able to see the gameplay.
 
Also, I think I can see myself totally giving this up in the future… maybe 😅 because during lent I was able to appreciate having a little bit of more time to doing somethings I wasn’t able to do previously such as thoroughly cleaning my room, the living room, etc. Though, if in the future, if my vocation allows, I think I would still be playing video games but not as competitive now or as seriously.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top