Why is it video games are often viewed as a "waste of time" but watching sports isn't?

Azureth

Azureth

Supreme [H]ardness
Joined
Feb 29, 2008
Messages
5,323
Really, unless you are actively on a team making money, isn't watching sports really just as inherently a "waste of time" as playing video games are? While it's not as bad as it used to be, there are still those that view it as such, many I am sure make sure to watch just about every football/basketball/baseball etc. game that's on.

Seems a bit hypocritical to me.
 
Because it's not really physical unless you are esports maniac if the whole world evolved around being a couch potatoe everyone would try to be the best at it.
 
Haha :) Just find people who also enjoy video games and forget about coach potatoes who advice you to "grow up"

I am 40 and I am actively playing twitch shooters in cland of 20+ youngsters and it feels great :)
 
I'll have to keep this in mind when my uncle who is an avid sports fan, and is about 60-65 asks me when I'm going to stop playing video games and hosting LAN parties. (I'm 37, and like almalino - I host and attend gaming LAN parties a half dozen times a year, and enjoy gaming daily when I can find the time.) Though I participated in high school and collegiate sports - I find watching sports on TV quite boring in comparison to gaming.
 
Last edited:
It's the same reason why a lot of people on here will think mobile games or social networking (eg. Facebook, Twitter) is a waste of time.
 
Because sports is already established as a social norm. Sitting watching a sports game on tv is no different then sitting playing a video game, however it is "normal" to sit and watch NFL football on Sundays. It has become traditional.

The fact is a percent point of sports fans actively play or even ever played the sport they are fanatics for.
 
Depends on people around you. Most of my friends I hang out with nowadays dislike sports and say it is a waste of money. Maybe respond next time with "In video games, I control the outcome more than you watching and cheering on their team".
 
I'm with ya OP, but I think the perception is better now.

To take it even further, how is it that binge watching Keeping Up With The Kardashian's is somehow OK? That's our society for ya.

The average American watches 4+ hours of TV a day, I'd rather play my games instead.
 
Watching TV/gaming is not necessarily a waste of ones time; depends entirely on what you do when you're not infront of the television.
 
I think that video games are considered by society as a thing for children or young adults to do. While sports have been around for millennia and as a consequence are integrated into the human condition.
 
mcravenufo said:
I think that video games are considered by society as a thing for children or young adults to do. While sports have been around for millennia and as a consequence are integrated into the human condition.
Click to expand...
Perception is everything. Never mind that the ESA survey now shows the average age of gamers to be 34 and it continues to grow older.
 
most of the people that say this watch 4 hours of tv every night
 
zamardii12 said:
I play games as well, but things like ESports make me cringe. It's a hobby pressing buttons that I would not qualify as a sport.
Click to expand...

I've been curious about this statement, as it's been made often, but similar statements can be made about the traditional sports too.

Golf is just swinging a club. Swimming is just flapping your arms and legs. Football is just running and slamming into other people, with the exception of two people per play who throw and catch the ball.

At the end of the day;

People often like watching sports because interesting things can happen, there is the unknown, and you can become invested in what you are viewing. - This applies to both Sport and E-Sports

People like being competitive both in person and by proxy. - This applies to both Sport and E-Sports

People like being part of a team. - This applies to both Sport and E-Sports

...

And this extends beyond just these two things as an example. Anything anyone decides to do as a hobby, is just that, a hobby. Why do you need an excuse to enjoy it?
 
Shantarr said:
I've been curious about this statement, as it's been made often, but similar statements can be made about the traditional sports too.

Golf is just swinging a club. Swimming is just flapping your arms and legs. Football is just running and slamming into other people, with the exception of two people per play who throw and catch the ball.

At the end of the day;

People often like watching sports because interesting things can happen, there is the unknown, and you can become invested in what you are viewing. - This applies to both Sport and E-Sports

People like being competitive both in person and by proxy. - This applies to both Sport and E-Sports

People like being part of a team. - This applies to both Sport and E-Sports

...

And this extends beyond just these two things as an example. Anything anyone decides to do as a hobby, is just that, a hobby. Why do you need an excuse to enjoy it?
Click to expand...


I am not about to argue this point with you, so I just googled it for you instead;

SyOJh79.jpg
 
$10 Azureth's dad was being a douche and kicked poor Azureth off the computer. Probably told him to stop 'wasting your time playing your video games'; then proceeded to open a cold beer, while sitting on his favourite recliner to watch the Vikings play.
 
Everything non-productive is a waste of time, but hey, we're only human.
zamardii12 said:
I am not about to argue this point with you, so I just googled it for you instead;

SyOJh79.jpg
Click to expand...

So what you're saying is, VR gaming and anything involving motion controls is a sport.
 
The term e-sport, has that "e-" in front.

Additionally, if anyone tells you that playing video games is a waste of time, ask them what they're doing that they consider NOT a waste of time. I bet they'll hesitate and grasp at straws to try to find something profound that they're probably not even really doing to overexert themselves over you. Once this happens, jab them right in the throat when they least expect it.
 
Different priorities, and overall society has a generalized acceptance, but that's changing. The people who I know who still think video games are a waste of time are people who didn't grow up with video games in their household.
 
Whats great is that being a couch potato staring at the TV all day has long been proven to be bad for you in almost every measurable way, while a moderate amount of video games can actually improve your vision under certain circumstances as well as improving your reaction times and ability to process data effectively.

One of the most interesting things I learned about was that people who competitively play games like CS or other fast moving FPS have a demonstrably better ability to distinguish grayscale items - this translates into the real world with things like driving a car in heavy fog - and can track more moving objects than a non-gamer by a factor of about 6.

Obviously being sedentary all the time no matter the reason is bad for your health though.
 
I think a large part of it comes from the perception that watching sports on a TV is a group activity. Everybody calls off of their buddies to come over and watch the game, eat some snacks and drink a couple of beers. And they do do that every game. Right? You've seen the commercials.

Meanwhile, gaming is largely viewed as being a solitary activity. You don't call your friends over, because nobody wants to hang our in your mom's basement where you live. That's what the TV shows portray, so it must be the way things are.
 
hobbies aren't a waste of time...some people may not enjoy the same things as others but that doesn't make it a waste of time
 
If you have played sports, at a highly competitive level, you know why.
 
I think its in the same class as listening to music or watching TV/movies at home. In fact, its a combination of both - both your eyes and ears gets entertained, and at least you're also fiddling with your keyboard and swiping your mouse lol. Neither of them can be considered as sports, not in the physical sense but in a competitive way. At least when you game, you're INTERACTING with the media you're enjoying and Its not something we do while munching on Doritos and downing booze. Of course there is a time to exercise and there is a time to relax/snack/booze so I don't see it as a waste of time. It's as normal as watching TV or listening to music.
 
Very interesting responses. In a similar vein and as to not start up a new topic, what would your opinion be regarding women that views any man that plays video games as childish and views video games as juvenile? I was reading a topic on another forum where a woman said:

"For me, real men don't play video games. Totally a turn off."

And

"To me, video games are juvenile and I would never date a guy who was into them. I want someone engaged in the real world, not an imaginary one."

And also

"So many people that play video games are totally into that, it borders on addiction. I've known people spend any free time they have playing video games. My brother in law would be a good example.

I would rather travel, go to concerts, go kayaking, skiing, hiking, camping, boating, zip lining and have actual experiences instead of sitting on the couch watching someone play a video game. It's just not compatible with my lifestyle."
 
Depends on the game.

Buffalo Wild Wings recently started showing games and honestly it pisses me off.

I'm an avid gamer myself, but they were showing random CS:GO matches where kids were screaming at each other about shit that wasn't that impressive.

Most professional sports are fun to watch. A lot of games aren't because the skill level of a lot of these players in broadcasts isn't that great and what is shown isn't even all that impressive/fun to watch.
 
I
Azureth said:
Very interesting responses. In a similar vein and as to not start up a new topic, what would your opinion be regarding women that views any man that plays video games as childish and views video games as juvenile? I was reading a topic on another forum where a woman said:

"For me, real men don't play video games. Totally a turn off."

And

"To me, video games are juvenile and I would never date a guy who was into them. I want someone engaged in the real world, not an imaginary one."

And also

"So many people that play video games are totally into that, it borders on addiction. I've known people spend any free time they have playing video games. My brother in law would be a good example.

I would rather travel, go to concerts, go kayaking, skiing, hiking, camping, boating, zip lining and have actual experiences instead of sitting on the couch watching someone play a video game. It's just not compatible with my lifestyle."
Click to expand...

Interesting for sure. My first though is, I like all of those outdoors things, such as hiking, zip lining, kayaking, etc., but if someone is not going to share and accept that I like things like video games, there's nothing more there to work on. It's really as simple as that. There have to be shared interests or at least an acceptance of those interests that aren't mutual.

On the other hand, that "real men don't play video games" bullshit is so unbelievably hilarious it's almost sad. What is a "real man" any way? By that logic, if a woman gets a job and doesn't stay at home to watch my kids, she's not a real woman to me? For fucks sake.
 
Azureth said:
Very interesting responses. In a similar vein and as to not start up a new topic, what would your opinion be regarding women that views any man that plays video games as childish and views video games as juvenile? I was reading a topic on another forum where a woman said:

"For me, real men don't play video games. Totally a turn off."

And

"To me, video games are juvenile and I would never date a guy who was into them. I want someone engaged in the real world, not an imaginary one."
Click to expand...

I was at a dinner with some friends. One of the women there, who was with her husband said something along the lines of, "If my husband sat around playing video games all day, I'd kick his ass until he went outside."
 
Azureth said:
In a similar vein and as to not start up a new topic, what would your opinion be regarding women
Click to expand...
cff.png


Op does not disappoint. He can't resist. For those of you that never visit GenMay, just a heads up...

Azureth is a spiteful troll. He got teased on the forum and instead of rolling with the punches he now trolls this SJW stuff as bait.

cageymaru said:
I like watching games live streams on Twitch and Youtube.

Here is a jump scare stream featuring Resident Evil.
Click to expand...


LMAO. This guy knows what's actually going on here. I tip my hat to you good sir.
 
Totally agree with OP.

Sports have always been soap operas for men to me.
 
Playing games is more active than watching tv. At least you are using your brain, when you watch an NFL game you do nothing but yell at a team for doing something you had no control over, and then proceed to get butthurt and go on FB and cry about it. When somebody tells me playing games is a waste of time i ask them "Oh i guess you dont watch TV or movies then?"
 
Guys playing games is no different from women watching Oprah or Dr Oz.. or doing online shopping, as if those activities are less sedentary than gaming. If any man is told to get his butt off gaming and get outside, he should tell her "Would you rather I go shoot some rabbits or booze at the nearest waterhole dear?". I have women friends who tell me it's as normal for men to game as women reading or knitting by the fireplace. There are a hell lots of male vices, particularly outdoors, so it's just plain silly for a woman to prefer their men to be outside rather than gaming at home. As if gamers don't do sports or have other healthy hobbies for leisure.
 
mcravenufo said:
I think that video games are considered by society as a thing for children or young adults to do. While sports have been around for millennia and as a consequence are integrated into the human condition.
Click to expand...


Basically yes, this is what's behind it. That being said, like others before me, I am and always have been a gamer. I started when I was 14, but there weren't any consoles or PCs then, so the games were board games, mostly by Avalon Hill.

I'll be 57 in March, and there is a guy who is only a couple years older than me who has never really been a gamer. He's an old man, I am not, according to others I work with who are still in their 30s. Gaming keeps me young, and in touch, and I love kicking young boy booty.

When that old fucker asks me "What is best in life?"

I'll say ...... "To crush your enemies, to see them rage quit before you, and to hear the whining and crying of the noobies."
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top