Ben Stein vs. Everquest

[fischsemmel]

Originally Posted by nalkin [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

EQ taught me how to type on a keyboard like a pro. So while everyone in middle school was learning 'asdf jkl;', I was like 'lol u guys suck, Hail, an orc centurion'.

Hah. Laughed out loud pretty good at this. I'm not sure why, but I find the 'lol u guys suck, Hail, an orc centurion' to be hilarious.

[fugazi]

Fuck the Protestant ethic that we live to work. I live to live, working is something that has to be done at times to support my lifestyle.

[Tippett]

Originally Posted by fugazi [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Fuck the Protestant ethic that we live to work. I live to live, working is something that has to be done at times to support my lifestyle.

This [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

[Toehammer]

I have mixed feelings about the idea that addictive video games waste time or not. I think one is in denial if they say they are not a waste of time. However lots of things are a waste of time.

Stein's opinion was just the same as my Dad's back in 1999. He would see me and my friend playing this game so much and want to rip the computer out of the wall. It was just because he didn't relate to it. When my brother and I were young we would sneak downstairs to play video games when we weren't supposed to at like 5am. He would catch us and say, "no tv/video games for a year" then two days later he would say, "hey do you wanna play me in tetris/duck hunt?" or "hey check out this cool show on the discovery channel". I feel the same way about facebook that my Dad felt about EQ. I see my sister-in-law on facebook 24/7, sending people cuddly bears, animals on a farm... I have no friggin idea... just really dumb and, IN MY OPINION (that is key), wasting her time. Then I make fun of her and she is like, "well at least it is not stupid video games." I have no grounds to defend myself.

But the thing is you waste time when you are young, and you learn what dumb shit not to do. In high school I was intense with sports, school was easy, and I had nothing else to do. I could have read more, sure, I wish I did that. I could have chased girls, but I knew that was retarded in high school. What are you gonna do, continue to date them through college, haha noobs? I could have smoked weed with some of my toolbag friends, but let's be honest, losers smoke weed, real men do coke (I kid)! Or I could have gotten a shit job, bought a shit car, and bought shitty CDs or other dumb high school crap. Although I loved high school (read: sports and the sciences) I didn't see eye to eye with many.

EQ for sure is a waste of time, but it is fun. I still always rank sports/outdoor stuff > books > video games. When in school though, I did enough of the first two, and needed time to decompress while slaying some mobs.

[mitic]

so if i meet a woman, marry her, start a family and divorce some years later with debts and child support... would that have been more productive than playing eq ?

[Hasbinbad]

I think it's funny when people (not Mr. Stein, but in general) cite that the US falls behind China in education while simultaneously saying that video games are the reason.

[maegi]

everything is a waste of time depending on who you ask. Example, some people collect stamps. To me that is a complete waste of fucking time and boring as all get out. However, that said, if you want to do that in your free time, more power to you. Playing EQ or xbox or any other game is the same thing depending on whose opinion you seek. I do feel that kids should be limited to how much they can play anything, whether thats outside playing sports, video games, watching tv , whatever. Parents need to be parents and stop blaming their children's shortfalls on the music they listen to, the games they play or the television they are watching. Who is the adult and who is the child?? Act like it and stop being a fucking victim.

Now, with all that said, how an adult chooses to spend their time is up to said adult. If it's playing EQ, being a redneck nascar fan who rabidly follows Jeff Gordon or (insert driver name here) or racing miniature cars, doesn't really matter. the point is they are fun to that person or they wouldn't spend the time and effort and money to do it. So who is Ben Stein, or anyone else for that matter to judge what the fuck you or I or anyone else does to enjoy their lives a little more? Fuck Ben Stein, fuck the moral majority. Down with oppression!

[fastboy21]

Originally Posted by Ihealyou [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

How is doing something you enjoy not productive? I'd say that my happiness is more important than working, studying, or improving my mind. I could have a successful career, be in peak physical condition, and do all the other "productive" stuff he talks about, but at the end of the day, if I'm not happy it doesn't matter. I'd rather enjoy life than do what I'm supposed to do because it looks good.

and this is the EXACT issue with an entire generation plus of americans (and arguably some other Western European countries) right now.

How is doing something you enjoy not productive? The answer to this should be obvious. That it requires any explanation at all to some gives an idea about how culturally deep the notion is.

Your happiness is more important than working, studying, improving your mind, having a successful career, being in good physical condition? Again, a good synopsis of a very dangerous cultural norm in our society.

You'd rather enjoy life than do what you're supposed to do? Again, a dangerous cultural attitude that leads to mediocrity and ironically (in the end) unhappiness.

There are a generation of young american adults already entering the work place that were raised in this culture. There is a couple generations of children behind them that are being raised with the same mentality.

I'm very hesitant to get on the "young people today have no sense of responsibility" band wagon as I think most generations have looked back in disgust at the young generations in their society, and everything has turned out fine.

I'm reminded of a quote on young people in society:

"The children today now love luxury; they have bad manners, contempt for authority; they show disrespect for elders and love chatter in place of exercise. Children are now tyrants, not the servants of their households. They no longer rise when elders enter the room. They contradict their parents, chatter before company, gobble up dainties at the table, cross their legs, and tyrannize their teachers."

Socrates said this around 400BC...so there seems to maybe be a prevailing habit of the older generation to criticize the younger...

To some degree, I still have faith in our children to be of the same exact fiber of our older generations who fought in WWII and sacrificed everything for their sense of responsibility to family and nation.

On the other hand, I do think there is a real cultural shift that has gone on...and that it is a cultural shift that if left unchecked would ultimately represent a threat to our society.

[Pycoba_rng]

Originally Posted by fastboy21 [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

and this is the EXACT issue with an entire generation plus of americans (and arguably some other Western European countries) right now.

How is doing something you enjoy not productive? The answer to this should be obvious. That it requires any explanation at all to some gives an idea about how culturally deep the notion is.

Your happiness is more important than working, studying, improving your mind, having a successful career, being in good physical condition? Again, a good synopsis of a very dangerous cultural norm in our society.

You'd rather enjoy life than do what you're supposed to do? Again, a dangerous cultural attitude that leads to mediocrity and ironically (in the end) unhappiness.

There are a generation of young american adults already entering the work place that were raised in this culture. There is a couple generations of children behind them that are being raised with the same mentality.

I'm very hesitant to get on the "young people today have no sense of responsibility" band wagon as I think most generations have looked back in disgust at the young generations in their society, and everything has turned out fine.

I'm reminded of a quote on young people in society:

"The children today now love luxury; they have bad manners, contempt for authority; they show disrespect for elders and love chatter in place of exercise. Children are now tyrants, not the servants of their households. They no longer rise when elders enter the room. They contradict their parents, chatter before company, gobble up dainties at the table, cross their legs, and tyrannize their teachers."

Socrates said this around 400BC...so there seems to maybe be a prevailing habit of the older generation to criticize the younger...

To some degree, I still have faith in our children to be of the same exact fiber of our older generations who fought in WWII and sacrificed everything for their sense of responsibility to family and nation.

On the other hand, I do think there is a real cultural shift that has gone on...and that it is a cultural shift that if left unchecked would ultimately represent a threat to our society.

Though its very late and im intoxicated right now. I personally agree with a lot of the statements you have made. If we all just did what made us happy in the end. The world would be one chaotic place.
Just imagine how many more obese people would be in america? I have so many responsibilities that don't make me happy. In the end though I am much more happier with a sense of accomplishment having done them. Evolution is apparent. If you disagree with the fact that the younger generation is being brought up tremedously differntly you are a fool. It guys like Ben Stein we need. I'm no fan of Ben Stein , but comments like his have more of a positive effect then a neg one. We need people to push us into responsibilty aka productive things. We need people to encourage us and to point out time wasted. Back in the day when the diagnosis of ADD wasn't around. Parents would just discipline you harder. Instead we medicate society often way to much. As far as our education system being so low. You can thank the public school system/ polotics for this notion. Maybe if we got rid of the illegals attending these schools with no profound way on learning english maybe then we could concentrate on studies that matter for the children that are hear legally. Or maybe if parents just took the time and payed proper attention to their kids there may be more hope. Back in the day it was normal for the wife to stay home with the child. Now in days its demonized into a cultural norm that the wife has to work. The economy has now responded... double income parents.... It was much more plausible for one parent to work back then. Now its a lot harder. You can thank womans right groups, and the socialistic terror it has brought onto this nation. The day woman aren't demonized for staying home with the children, and the day the average male can support his family on his own. Is the day we might be able to focus on our kids/schools more. I hope more people like Ben Stein come out of this generation of kids. Its people with a driving force that gets things done in this world. Not people doing theings for their own happiness. But for the greater good of others and their hapiness. Think jesus perhaps?

[muddy27]

Originally Posted by nalkin [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

EQ taught me how to type on a keyboard like a pro. So while everyone in middle school was learning 'asdf jkl;', I was like 'lol u guys suck, Hail, an orc centurion'.

lol