Video Games, Porn/Masturbation, and Watching Sports: The Downfall of the Modern Man

needathrowawayplease · 2014-01-04T21:22:04+00:00

A lot of people are reacting negatively to this post because it requires admitting that entertainment and escapism are not investing in yourself. Or because they are strawmanning the OP and making it look like he said to avoid these things cold turkey. He didn't.

He's not saying you shouldn't pursue entertainment. He's pointing out that these common forms of escapism can trick your brain into thinking you're self-improving, a bad-ass, or are succeeding (when they aren't actually improving you).

Any video game that has linear progression of your character is a fake self-improvement based reward system. You feel good because "you" got better (aka your character). It's a fun drug, but it is a drug. Acknowledge it and just make sure you moderate it.

With Oculus Rift and rapidly improving VR, the addictiveness of living in and investing self-improvement time into an ultimately false life is only going to be more seductive and more widespread.

I'm not saying it's wrong or bad to invest in a fake life (whether it be an MMO of today or the VR-World-Sim 2032), but that's a choice you should make with self-perception of what you are doing, not one you should accidentally slip into (like so many good men have with games like WoW).

Porn is similar in that your brain thinks you're fucking a supermodel. If you fap to a pornstar you don't have as much of the burning need to get laid IRL whether you realize it or not. Horniness is a weapon. Desperation is a weapon. It's not as bad as with video games because with gaming you have that linear progression of your character that makes you feel accomplished (a false, fake accomplishment that isn't real), whereas with porn it's usually not fooling you into feeling like you've accomplished something. But it's sating the hunger that makes men what they are with a false meal.

If the Red Pill is about unplugging from the Matrix, then this post is the ultimate TRP post. Video games, porn, and sports are escapism. Opiates for the masses. If you do them a little, sure they're fine. But the problem is that every hour you spend on escapism is an hour you could have been lifting, learning a new language, making money or building a business, networking, building your social network, or amassing power. It's totally cool for you spend most of your free time for a decade having fun and pursuing escapism, but OP wants you to realize that if you had spent an extra hour every day improving yourself instead of watching another episode on Netflix, after ten years you'd have spent 3600 hours becoming a badass.

If you are not a highly ambitious person or have simple goals, then by all means watch Anime, play three hours of an MMO a night, watch every NFL game, or whatever else. Just as long as you are able to acknowledge the opportunity cost of your time and recognize escapism for what it is. There's truly a different balance between escapism and self-investment for everyone and moderation is key - it's not healthy to be at either extreme.

But which problem is more common for men today? Engaging in masturabatory pleasures too much or overworking oneself and self-investing too much?

Ambition and self-discipline are at the essence of what it means to be a man. There are two things in common between the most respected human beings in history: discipline/hard work/time investment and genius. And you can only control how hard you work not how much genius or talent you naturally have.

I've been thinking a lot about escapism lately. Storytelling, drama, and theater was the first form of human escapism. Then books. Then radio. Then television. Then gaming. Now VR is going to be the ultimate form of escapism - it may very well eventually become better than the real thing (though that will only be possible if we're able to directly connect to the brain).

Each new form of escapism takes up more and more of your time and is more and more seductive. How many fewer Leonardo Da Vinci's and Sir Isaac Newtons' do we have just because the dude is sitting on his couch watching Netflix instead today?

jammers94 · 2014-01-04T21:00:21+00:00

A lot of times sports fanatics think that they are somehow above other forms of fanatics like Trekkies, WoWers, etc. but the truth is far from it. Memorizing bits of sports stats and obsessing over percentages makes you just as much of a faggot as someone who sits around eating cheetoes and playing WoW 24/7.

IllimitableMan · 2014-01-04T23:35:35+00:00

Porn is good if you're MGTOW or you need a hiatus from HOs to improve yourself.

Shooters are good for alleviating anger when you don't want to go to jail.

Don't sit there masturbating all day. Don't sit there playing games all day.

Keep porn/games to evenings preferably, getting all your high priorities done in the day.

Even better if you don't do these things every evening, but obviously go out and socialise or even keep working into the evening, don't become dependent on games/porn, that time is better spent on this sub, reading a book, reading RP blogs, going to an activity like a martial art class or something as such. Porn and games don't add lasting value, they're immediate destressors, thats it.

Always have things on the go, books to read, things to learn, money to make... fill up your timetable.. or you'll end up filling the void with video games/porn/watching tv.

TLDR: In moderation, extreme moderation. They are destressers, if you're not stressed you shouldn't be using them. You get stressed going for gold, these things take the edge off, that's it.

MotorcycleMann · 2014-01-04T22:26:24+00:00

I'm an escapist. I indulge in video games/porn/food/mindless tv to excess. I'm addicted and know that the way I'm living isn't "right", it just doesn't feel right. I'm having fun and getting "high" from my experiences with those above but it doesn't feel natural, like this was not the way man should live.

I guess I'm kind of stuck in a prison of mediocrity that I can't seem to pull away from, even though I know that I'm talented/smart and can be great. It sucks but that is my reality for now.

This will be controversial but one of the reasons (other than society downfalls) I continue to go down this path is lack of spiritual growth, aka "God" or whatever. When I was actively pursuing spiritual growth, I had a purpose/a reason to get off my ass and make the most of myself. I got lazy in my spiritual walk and the other arenas seemed to follow.

I guess the winter time has also made me lazy, too cold to move lol

testerod · 2014-01-05T02:10:22+00:00

OP is absolutely dead on 100% correct... Stopped whacking 4 months ago and having WAY better sex with the wife. I swear that letting the testosterone build up makes me more attractive to women. They have a sixth sense and can smell the fucking manliness shooting out of my pores.

Instead of watching sports I've been mountain biking, surfing, lifting, and today did a two hour hike up a brutal mean mother fucking mountain with my 11 year old son (who's a total video gamer). You should have seen the pride on this kid's face when he reached the summit. I snapped some photos and he's sharing them with all of his friends. That's real accomplishment -- blood, sweat, tears, scrapes and the like.

Changing our habits and getting off our asses is hugely important. Do everything you can to avoid escapism. Stop whacking and looking at porn and start fucking real women instead. Cut down on video games and watching sports and go get some lumps and bruises on your own.

cosine88 · 2014-01-05T03:35:10+00:00

Dont think you're improving just because you come on this sub.

MightySurly · 2014-01-04T21:51:16+00:00

Great post, and I am in complete agreement with you with respect to your commentary on sports.

People seem to confuse watching sports with actually playing sports. I know of number of men who are overweight (some bordering on obese) or otherwise out of shape, and yet they think they are jocks because they have an encyclopedic knowledge of football or baseball and have season tickets to their favorite team's games.

It's not the same fucking thing.

I love playing sports, whether it be baseball, basketball, football etc. Rarely do I decline an invitation to go shoot some hoops or throw the football around at the park. But as a general rule I do not watch sports, either live or on television. I just don't. Maybe this is just the narcissist in me, but I find it incredibly boring watching someone else play sports. Moreover, sports in America has become over-commercialized to the point where I truly believe that in certain cases it's a device to transfer wealth from the lower/middle classes to the upper class.

I take pride in the fact that as a general rule I don't watch sports (other than maybe the Super Bowl, and that's only if I'm invited to someone's party). I just think that there are more worthy pursuits that will better me as a man than sitting on the couch watching commercials that try to sell me Dodge Ram trucks and erectile dysfunction medication.

Edit: Spelling

peoplesuck357 · 2014-01-04T21:21:14+00:00

I tend to agree with you to a certain extent. Video games are mostly a waste of time, too much porn dulls our senses, and people are way too into watching sports - particularly in America. The only thing that's really changed in the last 20 years, in my opinion, is porn being made more available. That said, I believe there are societal reasons why men have succumbed to lives of mediocrity.

Whether or not the 80/20 rule is correct, I've never seen anything disprove that many women sleep with a small group of men. When many guys eventually find someone willing to settle down with them, it's often with a woman who had a promiscuous past and doesn't want to admit she's just pursuing a backup plan. Despite the shrinking wage gap (particularly amongst young adults), many women still prefer to date someone who out-earns them. Society is getting more and more egalitarian and androgynous while keeping rules and traditions that benefit women to the detriment of men. Divorce is common, no longer frowned upon, and usually it is done by women in a way that financially hurts men. It's not uncommon for women to refuse to get a prenup on the grounds that it's seen as unromantic. With the deck stacked against them, it's not unreasonable for the common man to want to opt out.

TL;DR: I believe that porn, sports, and video games are both the symptom and the cause of a greater problem.

2014-01-05T12:51:01+00:00

OP is spot on.

Sorry, gamers - I know the truth hurts. Believe me, it hurt me when I discovered it for myself. There I was, at the ripe age of 23, and I suddenly realized my life's greatest achievements were all virtual. Being number one on some CoD server, unlocking all the achievements in Skyrim, beating Portal in a set time limit, etc., etc. Vidya had been a part of my life since I was 5 years old, and I loved gaming. I was like an addict, completely unapologetic.

But then I did the math: I'd spent entire (aggregate) years of my life in front of the screen. What did I have to show for it? Sure, I was pretty good at vidya, but that was it. I hadn't bettered myself in any tangible way. In fact, in terms of time sunk and opportunities missed, I'd far prioritized my virtual life over my real one. And I don't just mean I didn't have any women; to the contrary, I did decently well in that regard when I could finally free myself from my computer. No, I mean I didn't have anything I could hold up and say "I made this" or "I accomplished this". I didn't have a wealth of knowledge about a great many things. In so many ways I was still a child, forever addicted to the dopamine hits from hours upon hours of video games.

I remember watching the valedictorian talk at my university's commencement and thinking "Why isn't that me? What does he have that I don't? Why am I not on that stage?" Sure, he was a talented guy, but so was I; I knew I could do better. And that's how I realized I wasn't living up to my full potential, that instead of throwing myself into my studies or chasing esoteric knowledge or pursuing business opportunities I'd squandered away literal years of my life in front of a glowing screen with no discernible gain other than my ability to sit in front of a glowing screen. It was like a ton of bricks finally landed on me.

I quit cold-turkey. To some that may seem extreme, but there was no other way for me. I was too addicted to try moderation. I couldn't control myself.

Since then I've accomplished so much more than I ever did when 4 hours (minimum) of my day were blocked off for vidya. And, once again, I don't just mean with women, or even lifting for that matter. I've discovered so much more about the world, about the nature of things; I've started projects and pursued business opportunities and traveled and made friends and been way out of my former comfort zone and, you know, lived. It's an odd thing, to feel truly alive in your mid-twenties, like the first two-and-a-half decades I was asleep at the wheel.

So many young men will never live to their full potential as long as they numb themselves to reality in a virtual world. Do I miss vidya? Sure. When I see the latest Battlefield meme on reddit or an ad for a huge Steam sale, I do feel a pang of nostalgia. But then I look at all I've accomplished and realize I could never go back. I'm not saying giving up vidya is the key to unlocking your life's possibilities, but, for me, it was an incredibly important first step.

Nice post, OP.

2014-01-05T02:34:14+00:00

Video games in a traditional sense aren't a bad thing. Growing up I was a huge nerd but I couldn't stomach 2 straight hours of anything on my Nintendo, or two straight hours of Starcraft or Diablo 2. Hell, even today games like Company of Heroes 2 and Civilization I might log a game or two (or maybe 30, 45 minutes of Civ, which is possible, I promise) and say, "well what now?"

Its the modern permutations where you have things like the MMO, and multiplayer and a number of other additions which are basically designed to keep people playing and evolve the game beyond a simple pass time.

And this, this is important. It's not just the achievement function that's getting fulfilled. They go pretty far beyond that when you're linking up with 24 other people to go raid Ogrimmar in World of Warcraft. It's become social. The problem? False depth.

There's always a silver lining- balance is a term coined by those who can't dedicate themselves to something after all. But at the same time you really gotta ask where being the best hunter in world of warcraft leaves you, or where being the best zerg player in starcraft or a top ranked Halo player. In this sense the modern video game has a devilish little mechanism that it shares with golf actually- off pure dumb luck and chance even the most amateur player can have a fantastic hit in golf. You can have a fantastic round in League of Legends where all the pieces come together and you just run the show.

and then game developers start treating that as a mechanism to keep you playing. A game like League seriously has it's most used game mode as a situation where you're teamed up with four complete strangers against a team of five strangers, and uses a loose ELO system to ensure "fair" matches. Because stomping players and getting stomped every game makes you want to stop playing. It's boring. Instead they have the game built around selling players on being the best.

Basically what you've got is people wearing their hobby on their sleeves- and that's fine, but it's gotten to the point where they demand it be a badge of honor. Yet the show must end, and then what? What happens then?

If this was evolution, and we're all birds, the species who die out because they're isolated and unable to adjust to the changing environment are those of us who get entirely rapt with any particular hobby. Video games, sports and prawns just happen to be the big shows in town right now.

That being said, we need to understand the difference between addiction and time sunk, because the term addiction has been grossly misused and misunderstood. You can be addicted to cigarettes. There's a chemical compound in them that produces a binary need in your body to refill that chemical. What we see in today's society with video games, sports and prawn has far more in common with dependency. It's because so many people misunderstand this that the proper course of action is seldom sought out. You don't take alcohol away from an alcoholic- that can kill them. Completely cutting video games, sports, and yes even fornicating, from your life can kill you too, just in a different sense. Going cold turkey on video games can basically annihilate your social life, even if it was a reasonably superficial one.

More often than not what you see with these things isn't so much that someone can't not play them, but that they simply have too much spare time on their hands. These things fill a void, they don't latch onto your life like a parasite. Or at least not in a traditional sense. Humans are diverse, and one size does not fit all. I've been everything from a hardcore raider in WoW to the most absolute casual and I can say that at least in my experience why I played WoW as much as I did, and still can has very little to do with the game itself, and very much to do with my current situation.

30303030303030 · 2014-01-05T10:11:10+00:00

Very true, good post. I have no illusions about what my "few rounds of quakelive" is, it is escaping, but I tried to go without it and I saw no benefit. I need that relax time, it benefits me, comfortable chair and just pure fun. I keep it down to 3 hours a week cause, as you said, it is addicting as hell. The more you play, the better you get, the better you are the more you want to play. And there is a dopomine from "achievements". I lately also put restraints on my red pill time.

Porn and masturbation I addressed myself and I was moderately down voted every time. Quit porn and quit fap. Naked women are a drug, shooting a load is a drug. It's hard. Very, even if you are in ltr. If you go hard core a month without shooting a load I swear to you, all your shyness towards women will go away. You are going to be a raging sex machine at full speed. You will do approaches left and right just to smell a woman. It will be interesting to see who you really are. That causes troubles, yes, but it will get you laid very quickly, it will make you make your workouts, it will make you get up with a clock ring, it will make you eat healthy, it will make you awake.

the99percent1 · 2014-01-04T22:36:07+00:00

What is your take on e-sports? A few certain video games have taken to mainstream and there are actually cyber athletes making money and fame from it.

Then there is the whole esports industry that is quietly growing. If you are a part of this industry and utilizing your skills to start a business or help grow esports, is this still a form of escapism or is this actually a man using his time effectively?

Like you've said about playing sports and watching sports. You have to recognise there is a difference between the two. One is consuming the other is producing.

You consume porn, whilst James Deen is busy producing porn and having sex with thousands of girls.

You consume sports, whilst David Beckham produces the best free kicks in the world. And also has sex.

You consume video games, whilst a new industry is created to produce cyber athletes with their own cult following and fan girls who would like to get fucked by the best video game player.

Realize the fine line here, if you love your hobby, try to find ways to cross this line of being a consumer to producer. And that is when you can tell people like OP to stfu about giving you crap about what you do with your time.

steadymotion · 2014-01-04T21:50:52+00:00

I agree with OP. Gaming is a waste of life (unless you're able to get into eSports/streaming and you're making lots of money playing games.) Porn/masturbation should be a last resort when you're horny and need to get off. Watching sports is in almost all cases pathetic (maybe it's OK if you play the sport and you're watching to improve your own play, but practice is probably better in that case). Essentially, if you have some grand purpose for doing something, that's OK, but if you're just doing it to occupy yourself with no long term benefit coming from it, then you're a sheep.

But those are my standards. If you wanna do those things, go right ahead. Idgaf.

2014-01-04T22:06:08+00:00

Amen on the reddit part, guess the same goes for TRP. There's a fine line between learning on here and plain ol' circlejerking.

2014-01-04T22:42:54+00:00

I agree with everything you're saying in the context someone doesn't have a primary physical activity and isn't get laid regularly. If you're already working out 5-10 hours a week and having sex several times a week, I don't see any issue with having secondary hobbies.

Vergil387 · 2014-01-05T05:49:04+00:00

hey! you forgot modern music! especially the new school rappers like Drake, Little Wayne, etc

The_Child_of_Atom · 2014-01-05T05:50:17+00:00

i'm a teenager whose mind has been enlightened during my vacation to Hawaii. when i return home to Denmark i have prepared a 11 side word document with knowledge of:

getting more laid and begin to get a daygame by using pick up artist methods i will develop through the course(i live 30min from the captial with all the shopping districts with all the women and all the clubs. i am able to attend it all without the risk of jail and fines in 4 months. i once went there and a friends got caught, which made me nervous of going there without being 18 - im 17)
starting a business (in Denmark and especially in my location a business as a teenager isn't uncommon)
get stronger (im already pretty strong since i bench press 210 pounds since i'm not as lazy as the men you're mentioning in your post)
Get informed and evolve (networking and become smarter than the avarege man)
Stop fapping
Stop playing videogames
Learn another language
Read more books

the whole word document is put together from: - r/becomeaman - r/theredpill - r/seduction - r/alpha - http://boldanddetermined.com - http://www.boytoystory.com - http://www.goodlookingloser.com - Rosetta Stone - http://thefastlaneforum.com - http://www.manofvigor.com

i just want to turn my life around. message me if you want the document as well.

elduckbell · 2014-01-05T08:02:24+00:00

This view of sports is something I've been wanting to bring up but haven't decided how to construct the post. I see watching sports as an inherently feminine pursuit. It's basically admiration of men in peak physical condition. I can understand why females would want to pursue such a thing but not males. If you're the one in a million that can make it in the industry as a professional that's fantastic. Studying the game and it's players can only make you better. I played baseball in school but like the 99.999% of men I'm not cut out for the big leagues.

I think this post comes down to production vs consumption. If you're a LoL world champ, porn star, or NFL QB, you're are in position to be creating content for the rest of us. Otherwise you're just a consumer suckling from the teat of the greats.

2014-01-05T06:18:41+00:00

I have been lurking on TRP for a few weeks now just trying to figure out what I think about it. This is the post that made it click. The key here is to recognize that this is not an insult, nor is it meant to be one--it is an opportunity. An opportunity to recognize the meaningless habits in which many men (and honestly, there are women who waste time on this shit too), including myself, engage far too often in spite of other pursuits. I was doing a lot of reading into the effects of testosterone lately and all of these things seem to set a man up for some very low T, and as a result, lower motivation, brain function, and muscle mass. I have engaged in all three vices to a limited degree, but in the back of my head, there is this constant nagging that lets me know I could be doing something better. And I think that level of self-awareness is what has allowed me, time and time again, to pull my shit together during crunch time.

I want to reiterate this because it is so important: if you are one of the countless men who waste days on this stuff and you are offended by this post, why is your first instinct to get defensive instead of to view this as an opportunity to change yourself? Thank you, /u/_MrMan_, for this seemingly obvious, yet incredibly eye-opening summary of the biggest habitual pitfalls of the modern man.

DopeSmokingPope · 2014-01-05T02:50:38+00:00

Good kick in the ass...Thank you. As someone that never developed a good sense of discipline I am definitely guilty of this. Worthwhile things are difficult.

MahlerNinth · 2014-01-05T03:02:25+00:00

Great points. Got rid of the video games a few years ago, and cut down heavily on the porn/fapping last year, but I remain a baseball nut. The type who keeps tabs on most regular season games, and pays attention to things like fantasy baseball and sabermetrics.

I've tried to turn it into a 'reward' for other good habits in the last year - if I hit the gym early in the morning and have a really good workout, then I allow myself to indulge in watching the Yankees in the evening when there's a game on. Or if I decide to dedicate an evening to cooking and trying out a new recipe, I'll keep the game on in the background. If it's an unproductive day at work, or I don't hit the gym, then no sports-watching.

vengefully_yours · 2014-01-05T08:25:26+00:00

Is it really that bad? Are men spending more time watch... Shit, you're right. I know lots of those kinds.

I use video games to escape, but also as a means of therapy. I'm a war vet so first person shooters help with memories, anxiety, and an outlet for the hypervigilance. I use them to soak up time that I am awake but am unable to do other things that are more productive.

Can't remember the last time I whacked it, porn is one of those 'yeah she has an interesting figure' kinds of things, and I don't watch much TV and sure as fuck not sports. Its boring if I am not doing it, that includes sex, sports, and whatever else. Racing games are boring to me because I own a couple race cars, there is quite a bit missing o pared to the real thing. Watching it on TV is worse, it just makes me want to head to the track.

I have friends who sit at home when they aren't working, gaming on the Xbox, watching TV when they aren't gaming, and wasting their lives. You're spot on about those things.

trigaderzad2606 · 2014-01-05T09:47:25+00:00

If this sub were about unplugging people from their escapist lives and getting as many people as possible to be more productive, it would be such an amazing place.

DangerousMind · 2014-01-05T13:45:02+00:00

Totally agree about the video games. Games imo can be great for when you have some people over and you're all on the couch swearing at each other having a good time for a couple hours. But gaming by yourself or for extensive hours... I always think back to see what value I gained from the days I used to play so much and honestly I can't say. Maybe a bit better hand eye co-ordination? Maybe some element of problem solving? But there are much better ways to develop that, and that was all I could say for gaming.

falcon_shark · 2014-01-05T20:19:14+00:00

Amen to you brother. I look forward to the pussy this year.

trias_e · 2014-01-06T07:54:35+00:00

I feel like this really boils down to one thing: Follow your passions in life, and make sure you don't let anything get in the way of what you want in the long run. Short-term pleasure will fuck you over in the end if you don't train yourself to have discipline and continue after the goals you have.

If you really don't have any passions or goals, then I see nothing wrong with jerking off and playing video games the rest of your life.

I played a shit-ton of games from 12-22. I don't regret it a single bit, because it's what I genuinely wanted to be doing. I got everything done that I wanted to in that time period, including some other things that weren't gaming related, but I really loved gaming more than anything else, so I did it with passion and enjoyed it. My 18 year old self would have read the OP's post and laughed. And rightfully so.

But as I've gotten older, I've had that subtle feeling in the back of my head that I'm wasting my life with this shit. I generally stopped playing brilliant games like Planescape: Torment or Deus Ex (except every once in a while) and started killing time with MMORPGs and sports games. Gaming became just a habit that was getting in the way of goals in my life. This is the shit that you will really regret. If you ever feel like something is getting in the way of the life you want, don't wait: Change that shit immediately and reorient your life.

One final thing: With any leisure activity, I recommend only partaking in the best of whatever you enjoy. Whether it be sports, games, movies, music, or books: Don't waste your time with average, because average is really worthless.

2014-01-31T05:17:14+00:00

love this

_MrMan_ · 2014-01-04T21:10:34+00:00

People seem to be disagreeing with this, probably because it hits close to home. I play games, watch MMA, and definitely enjoy a good yank now and again. But I'm not going to pretend these things aren't just distractions from real self improvement and the accomplishment of real goals. (Unless you're making money from playing games.)

I have a small point to make about masturbation however. In men, testosterone levels rise the longer you go without ejaculating, though levels seem to taper off after a week or so. What this means is that, if you want to take advantage of heightened t-level for more gains when lifting or heightened will power at work or whatever, try to limit your self to once a week.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11760788?ordinalpos=16&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12659241?dopt=Abstract

This means nothing if you're able to get laid though, if you're looking at porn when you could be with an actual person, you have a small problem.

qtyapa · 2014-01-05T03:49:06+00:00

I am sick and tired off playing the game to seek out women. For women it seems like a sausage fest where they can pick and choose whatever they like and their profile shows that. I don't really care anymore, so fap it is. I am not ashamed of it.

johnnight · 2014-01-05T22:26:16+00:00

This post lists the three things a man should do in life:

achieve success
fuck women
do sports for health

Every one of them requires tiring work, but you want them. What we are dealing with now is that the market has created fake substitutes, which can be enjoyed at a fraction of the cost of the real thing, but it might almost feel better than the real thing.

pay 50$, enjoy fake success in a game, don't go to work
download porn at 0$ cost
watch sports, burn zero calories, don't get tired

It would not be bad, if any of those substitutes led you to get the real thing. But they make it much less likely, that you will go after the real goals of your life. They are the poison, that makes you lose at the game of life. This is why you want to unplug.

scandium · 2014-01-04T20:31:11+00:00

This is ridiculous. Do what you want. Play video games if you want, beat off if you want. If you don't feel like improving your real self that's sad but it's your life and you should live how you feel like, not like some wanna be Marcus Aurelius on Reddit tells you how you should live.

VZPurp · 2014-01-04T22:22:38+00:00

They're wastes of life.

Why should we improve when we're rewarded for it with a society that legitimizes divorce as a means of financial security for women?

MockingDead · 2014-01-05T01:56:58+00:00

Choices have consequences, as long as you are ok with the consequences, who cares.

If someone plays video games but doesn't mind. Well - fine

If someone plays video games but complains about not getting any because he's alwasy on LoL- maybe he should put down the video games

Porn: Eh, who cares. I don't fap - or fap irregularly, but cost/benefit analysis makes this an attractive option. Spending hours to hook up vs 10 minutes online. While I don't fap, being against porn is a tough sell, especially because sexual strategy is amoral. So porn is amoral.

Sports: if you enjoy watching sports, who cares?

Unfortunately your whole argument is "I feel that these 3 things are wastes of life." You seem awfully beleaguered by this. There are plenty of hobbies and people can have them.

Am I saying porn is a hobby? Well, my feelings are that it's a biological need. Is it false? Well, no, to your brain it's extremely real.

You want the coolest hobby? Letterboxing. All the awesome people are doing it!

That said, if you do any of these things, and feel lacking in your life, start here

Pick one at random, that's what I did.

Bitching at people for their hobbies is kind of shit-posting.

kogsworth · 2014-01-05T01:52:34+00:00

Oh so you're only a man if you run after women all week.

How the hell does that differ from blue pill wievs ? If all you do is improve yourself to get laid, you're just as stuck in the wheel as anyone else.

Nice to see that redpill has become about dictating rules how a ''man'' should live. Fucking disgrace what this sub has become.

randarrow · 2014-01-04T22:06:01+00:00

[permanently deleted]

HappyJerk · 2014-01-05T02:58:58+00:00

This is exactly the argument that the respected psychologist Philip Zimbardo made in trying to explain why boys were falling behind girls in school.

Here are some articles:

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/hero/201205/the-demise-guys

http://www.businessinsider.com/the-demise-of-guys-by-philip-zimbardo-2012-5

mammalsauce · 2014-01-05T04:15:26+00:00

My opinion on this post is this:

The "downfall of man" isn't caused directly by games porn and sports, it is because we are living in an age where women are sexually liberated and no longer require men for physical or financial needs.

Women now days can easily cherry pick which man/woman she wants to date and/or marry... discarding the majority of men who do not "fit the bill" to the sidelines. That is where video games, porn and sports come in. If you ask me, those three past times are far better then lets say... rape. Or something harmful of that nature.

bsutansalt · 2014-01-05T13:28:37+00:00

It's all dependent on what your goals are. Many mgtow would have a big problem with the value judgement you are making that these are a bad thing. There's a very clear counter-argument to be made that they are freeing men from traditional gender roles and societal expectations.

Video games and porn are to men what the dish washer and washing machine were to women: they're the technology that allows for the rejection of traditional gender roles that enables people to live life by their own rules, so to speak. That is not to say any of that is good for society over the long run.

2014-01-04T21:51:31+00:00

All can be summed up as fantasy. Real men live in reality.

Manuel_S · 2014-01-04T22:21:14+00:00

There are productivity tools such as site blockers that keep you on track.

I was getting too many 5 min breaks, and used a focusing help. It helped, reddit (and a lot more) is blocked most of the time now.

randarrow · 2014-01-05T02:21:53+00:00

See this TRP Thread on NoFap, is relevant for all of this.

2014-01-05T02:29:51+00:00

[permanently deleted]

Mikesapien · 2014-06-12T05:20:18+00:00

I'm REALLY late to this thread, but I had to point out your Aristotle quote is misattributed - that's actually a line from Will Durant, which you can read about here.

As a point of serendipity, I know this because I do what you are TRP suggest. I read books.

big_dick_tom · 2014-01-05T01:57:00+00:00

You sound just like a overly-judgmental woman, telling young men to "man up" and help them fulfill their feminine imperative. As easily as you detract hobbies like sports and video games, I can detract your supposedly superior hobbies of lifting weights and clubbing. "Look, another walking penis, who spends half the day guzzling protein shakes and chasing poonani." I can predict your response to this: "lol, i hit a nerve, y u mad?" There, I saved you some time.

Honestly, this post could have been written by a blue pill mother nagging her son. I'm curious what makes you the ultimate arbiter of time well spent? Please, tell me how benching is objectively superior to video games, keeping in mind that many people don't give a shit how large their muscles are, or what women think of them.

Downvotes sans response, as predicted. Lesser intellects usually aren't very good at responding to criticism. Go eyeball yourself in the mirror lifting rocks for another hour, and keep telling yourself you're a better man than that other guy. I can think of about a thousand more productive things you could be doing, but this post was all about stroking your ego, and ultimately boils down to: "my hobbies are better than yours, because I think so."

_MrMan_ · 2014-01-04T20:43:26+00:00

You want to chase pussy 24/7? Go right ahead, I like my vidya.

Luciferspants · 2014-01-05T07:01:30+00:00

I'll probably get downvoted, but I play games to do what you said, to escape reality, and I don't see much wrong with it. Not only that, but I don't see a point in doing any other things that the OP said that I should. I don't think that my life'll change much if I try to socialize or work out. That's just laughable to me. For one, I'm gonna need lessons on how to socialize because I'm just an absolute mess when talking to other folks. I often don't know what to say and I'm just so awkward. And don't fucking tell me to be myself because every single time I did that, I ended up pissing off other people.

Reality is harsh, unkind, and cruel. As an incel, I can't enjoy the love, romance, and sex romps that you guys can get, so I turn to other ways I can find enjoyment and pleasure, like porn. I can't get sex unless I pay for it, so what's the point in cutting down in fapping anyway? While on the subject of love, for a while, I've been thinking about getting something called a waifu. For those who have yet to hear this term, it is used mostly on 4chan's /a/ to describe a fictional character who's treated as if they're their own romantic partner. Now this, this sounds like something I could get into. I know, as low as it sounds, I feel as though if I can actually get a waifu, I can get more happiness. I've seen other people post about their waifus actually giving them hope, the will to carry on, and filling the void in their heart. I believe it would be a good idea for me to do this instead of what the OP listed, as it may carry satisfaction as well, but with less strenuous effort.

afcpoop · 2014-01-05T07:26:10+00:00

Working on yourself is escapism. Most people only do this as a reaction to not going after women. Porn,videogames, and whatever are just as bad as going to the gym too much, or being busy just for the sake of being busy.

The true alpha is someone who is socially dominant and has complete controller over a large body of people. If you are Gangus Khan or something, I don't see how horsing around can be a problem. If you fuck around all day sure it's a problem, but in moderation we should be fine.

drallcom3 · 2014-01-05T01:37:45+00:00

Nothing wrong with playing a game like nothing is wrong with reading a book. It's about moderation. MMOs and F2P games on the other hand are a stupid timesink. All about keeping you playing for as long as possible. Keep your fingers away from them. Source: I make them for a (good) living.

SillyAmerican · 2014-01-05T00:30:51+00:00

lol dude literally none of these things have the ability to detract from your life if you don't let them. I love playing video games. I play almost an hour every night after work. I love masturbating. I do at least once a day. I love sports. I eat, breathe, and piss NFL. I still get laid, I still hit the gym, and I still do the things i need to do. If you let these things get in the way; you're the pussy. Im tired of all you beta dorks looking at outside causes for your own lack of happiness. Things start from inside out. "“You have power over your mind - not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.”

Opioidus · 2014-01-05T11:38:11+00:00

This recent invasion by traditionalist beta boys thinking their ''values'' are anything but gynocentrism in disguise and their cries of ''bettering yourself'' are any different than the usual ''man up'' bullshit they've been spitting on guys since day one is quite amusing, and frankly, pathetic.

Amusing because Game is the ability to fuck any woman you want without conforming to anything other than game and its principles, and because of this it is the most powerful tool ever invented by man. Figuring out female psychology and ways to manipulate it is about ten million times more effective and rewarding than any other sexual strategy men ever had, and what these beta boys choose to do with this? Dismiss it as just another ''thing'' you must have to be a ''good'' and ''complete'' man. And right after this mental gymnastic they start telling you what to do to become that ''better'' man? conform to some outdated, scandalous notions of manhood that have been forced out of the scene fifty years ago by ''beta losers''!

Yes, traditional, bearded, hard working, real men, you are more irrelevant than these modern pajama boys. At least they're not deluding themselves with concepts like finding a good wife.

And pathetic because all of this bullshit about ''becoming a better man'' is nothing but the beta male's tendency to seek, find or create something ''noble'' out of every single thing in his life, even what is probably the most Machiavellian idea men have had since the down of civilization. Yes beta boys, deal with it, I can be a pony loving, video game playing, porn hording, drug dealing, woman beating scumbag of the earth and still be immensely successful with women and feel more satisfied with my life than your local pastor.

So just do what ever the fuck you enjoy, and for outside validation use game.

Title	Video Games, Porn/Masturbation, and Watching Sports: The Downfall of the Modern Man
Author	_MrMan_
Upvotes	272
Comments	211
Date	January 4, 2014 8:16 PM UTC (12 years ago)
Subreddit	Posted in /r/TheRedPill
Original Link	https://old.reddit.com/r/TheRedPill/comments/1uesnw/video_games_pornmasturbation_and_watching_sports/
Archive Link	https://theredarchive.com/r/TheRedPill/video-games-pornmasturbation-and-watching-sports.9598 https://theredarchive.com/post/9598

Comments