Games vs Social Media

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MrsWargamer
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Games vs Social Media

Post by MrsWargamer »

I kid you not :)
http://www.businessinsider.com/facebook ... th-2017-12

Facebook has actually admitted, it and other forms of Social Media might actually be harmful to our health.

Geeze what a shock... not.

But it is interestingly timely in that I have recently elected to try something in my own day.
You see, I myself am probably experiencing adverse effects from too much indulgence in social media, in my case online dating (or what passes for and pretends to be 'dating', and sure as heck isn't dating in the 1970s understanding of the word). And yes, probably too much Facebook time wastage.

I have gone and reinstalled a batch of games I have been previously interested in that are from my past. I have always had wargames installed in some capacity, but have not played them much if at all for quite some time (I think I can actually measure it in years in some cases).

Seems funny eh, all the talk we have heard of about the 'damaging' effects of some of our games, and yet, they are likely safer than blathering away on the internet through some so-called "Social Media" which is likely anything but 'social'.

Odds are it is healthier for me to sit and play Civ or HoMM or some lightweight non-military grade amusement for several hours in a day frequently than it is for me to be lying to myself that socializing through a machine interface is good for me psychologically. Not that regular all day long gaming is a good idea for other reasons. But 3 hours a day playing a game, is likely not as harmful as conning myself into thinking online socializing is really human interaction at all.

Just thought I'd share these thoughts.
Maybe it's better for you to dive into some hardcore wargaming than it is to 'stay connected' through social media.
Wargame, 05% of the time.
Play with Barbies 05% of the time.
Play with Legos 10% of the time.
Build models 20% of the time
Shopping 60% of the time.
Exlains why I buy em more than I play em.
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Zap
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RE: Games vs Social Media

Post by Zap »

You mentioned on line dating. To my knowledge it doesn't lead to many long term relationships. There is a site that claims (because it does a better job with finding people who are compatible)success in getting people married. Occasionally, watching television some couples have found love on line. But I can't believe its the preferred way by most people. I met my wife at church. The traditional ways still work.
Red2112
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RE: Games vs Social Media

Post by Red2112 »

ORIGINAL: MrsWargamer

Maybe it's better for you to dive into some hardcore wargaming than it is to 'stay connected' through social media.

+100%

Most of us that are/have lived in small/rural towns at some point may have gone through this. In some way it´s a logical thing to do, specially if you like to socialize! Once you know everybody in a small town well, you might want to be inspired by other thoughts/ideas and again, you just might not have that chance/find the right folks...

So, yes your best "friend" is, the internet which connects you to the outside world which is cool. You soon find out that 80% of the so called social-media is "not that social"! Even more, for the most part it´s, BS, like in the case of Fakebook!

After many years in this situation (small town), I have come to the conclusion that a forum format like this one (Matrix), or other specific forums are ALOT healthier and social then the so called social-media formats. There are other dangers too, you can get into trouble in a forum aswell in the form of a debate with some a-hole, but with time you also learn to stay away from people that are just not that "healthy", mental wise! (trolling).

Wargaming in all it´s forms, research (historicaly), virtual flight siming/planing and other hobby´s keep my spare time busy. I disconected from "Fakebook" last year because it´s just not social and most people just lurk in your life because they don´t have anything better to do!

Mileage may vary for others, this is just my opinion on the subject from my personal experince!

Online gaming groups are fun, it´s hard to find the "right" one but, hey if you don´t try, you wont know! The Blitz Club is great for online wargaming. Steam also is a cool place to find other gamer´s.

Red

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MrsWargamer
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RE: Games vs Social Media

Post by MrsWargamer »

ORIGINAL: Zap

You mentioned on line dating. To my knowledge it doesn't lead to many long term relationships. There is a site that claims (because it does a better job with finding people who are compatible)success in getting people married. Occasionally, watching television some couples have found love on line. But I can't believe its the preferred way by most people. I met my wife at church. The traditional ways still work.

Online dating, shudder, yeah it seems like it is worthless whether you are male or female. I hear the same beefs from men as from women.

Sadly at my church, at 55 I'm just a child among mainly 70 somethings and up :)
I've been wondering if I should bug the girls to offer me any single males they know in my age like sons or nephews :)

We had a new guy show up at the hobby club meeting last Thursday. Mentioned he was single, I, of course, perked up, "oh you're single" the other guys had knowing smirks on their faces. "Oh, she is always looking for a man to buy her models for her". Alas, the guy is about as green as grass where model making skills are concerned, and he's likely way too young for me :)
Wargame, 05% of the time.
Play with Barbies 05% of the time.
Play with Legos 10% of the time.
Build models 20% of the time
Shopping 60% of the time.
Exlains why I buy em more than I play em.
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rico21
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RE: Games vs Social Media

Post by rico21 »

Dating, connected, facebooked, it's chinese for me.
I'm on this forum to learn english.
For the questions of social friendship I prefer talk to my dog![:D]
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zakblood
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RE: Games vs Social Media

Post by zakblood »

FB is good for finding lost school friends, then again loosing touch with them after woulds, as tbh it's as boring as hell, and most post either they have everything and are un happy, or the others who have nothing and are like pigs in Sh!t, and tbh i don't care what anyone is having for tea, or how many times they have been to the loo in the last day, so would rather game anyway, and as yet i've not started WW3 in real life or killed anyone, so aged 50 this year, i also think war games are fine, and SM is and should always be only for the brain dead
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redcoat
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RE: Games vs Social Media

Post by redcoat »

ORIGINAL: MrsWargamer

I kid you not :)
http://www.businessinsider.com/facebook ... th-2017-12

Facebook has actually admitted, it and other forms of Social Media might actually be harmful to our health.

Just as well I never signed up to Facebook.
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Orm
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RE: Games vs Social Media

Post by Orm »

I never signed up either.
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Red2112
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RE: Games vs Social Media

Post by Red2112 »

Some of us signed up to keep track of our teenage friends...

I will most likely re-connect to FB these holidays, just to let my teenage friends know that Iam still alive! Iam 54 and these friends from when I was 15-16 still mean alot to me!

Then I´ll disconnect again till next year, find a house with a yard and get a dog! [:D]
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Zap
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RE: Games vs Social Media

Post by Zap »

I was forced to sign up on facebook kicking and screaming as I did it.
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operating
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RE: Games vs Social Media

Post by operating »

Gee! This is like FB at times...[:)]
and one flew over the Cuckoos nest
Kuokkanen
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RE: Games vs Social Media

Post by Kuokkanen »

ORIGINAL: Zap

You mentioned on line dating. To my knowledge it doesn't lead to many long term relationships.
I can name 2 people for who it worked out and they have already had a long term relationship and still continuing with it. One is my father.
You know what they say, don't you? About how us MechWarriors are the modern knights, how warfare has become civilized now that we have to abide by conventions and rules of war. Don't believe it.

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JagdTiger700
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RE: Games vs Social Media

Post by JagdTiger700 »

You see, I myself am probably experiencing adverse effects from too much indulgence in social media, in my case online dating (or what passes for and pretends to be 'dating', and sure as heck isn't dating in the 1970s understanding of the word). And yes, probably too much Facebook time wastage.

The 1970's dating for social activity was "hello what is your sign".
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Yogi the Great
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RE: Games vs Social Media

Post by Yogi the Great »

Actually they said it is worse than just harmful to our health. They specifically mentioned Facebook, twitter, etc. type social media.

Some believe that it is totally destroying the fabric of society. Not just in the U.S. but globally. All the contact things that bound people and society together are falling apart rapidly and could totally destroy that fabric. The need for instant gratification on things such as facebook are the culprit and the developers knew what they were doing and went for what is good for them won over any harm that might be done to society. As put in the start of this thread a past president of facebook for one admits this although others deny the problem.

I have no expertise to make the claim myself. I do feel when you see how people are addicted to their phones and Internet that we do have a problem and perhaps the younger generations and those that follow are at the highest risk and will pay the biggest price. A few people getting very wealthy aren't worth a loss to society. Who knows where it may lead? A lot of debate and opinions I'm sure. Maybe you can find the answer on Facebook.
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Red2112
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RE: Games vs Social Media

Post by Red2112 »

Not that long ago, when NO cell phones were available (to the most of us), people meet at the usual "hang-out". If you wanted to see someone (friend) and/or talk to them, then you had to go to the hang-out/meeting place, bar or what ever place was your usual meeting point. If you wanted to go out with your friends on a Friday, you had three choices, call them home, go to there home, or meet at the hang-out and hope he/she showed up.

Somtimes you just didn´t want to go out, but then some friends would show up at your house and in a way convince you to go out (face to face).

In short, there was MORE social movment/contact in those day´s.

Now day´s all you have to do is send them a "whatsapp" msg saying Staying home tonight, and that´s it! Besides all that has been mentioned regarding being totaly isolated in a family dinner while your chatting with someone, or just surfing the web with your cell-phone.

Even most work lunch meetings are like that!

It´s quite sick to be honest...

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Zorch
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RE: Games vs Social Media

Post by Zorch »

ORIGINAL: Red2112

Not that long ago, when NO cell phones were available (to the most of us), people meet at the usual "hang-out". If you wanted to see someone (friend) and/or talk to them, then you had to go to the hang-out/meeting place, bar or what ever place was your usual meeting point. If you wanted to go out with your friends on a Friday, you had three choices, call them home, go to there home, or meet at the hang-out and hope he/she showed up.

Somtimes you just didn´t want to go out, but then some friends would show up at your house and in a way convince you to go out (face to face).

In short, there was MORE social movment/contact in those day´s.

Now day´s all you have to do is send them a "whatsapp" msg saying Staying home tonight, and that´s it! Besides all that has been mentioned regarding being totaly isolated in a family dinner while your chatting with someone, or just surfing the web with your cell-phone.

Even most work lunch meetings are like that!

It´s quite sick to be honest...

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Kuokkanen
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RE: Games vs Social Media

Post by Kuokkanen »

ORIGINAL: Yogi the Great

Some believe that it is totally destroying the fabric of society. Not just in the U.S. but globally. All the contact things that bound people and society together are falling apart rapidly and could totally destroy that fabric. The need for instant gratification on things such as facebook are the culprit and the developers knew what they were doing and went for what is good for them won over any harm that might be done to society. As put in the start of this thread a past president of facebook for one admits this although others deny the problem.
If Facebook, Whatsapp and the likes hadn't been invented, those some believers would instead complain same things about IRC, TeamSpeak, Skype, and Discord.
You know what they say, don't you? About how us MechWarriors are the modern knights, how warfare has become civilized now that we have to abide by conventions and rules of war. Don't believe it.

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MrsWargamer
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RE: Games vs Social Media

Post by MrsWargamer »

To give a good example of what has been happening in my own life.

Well the news, it's depressing, distressing, discouraging and it's 24/7 all day long. It's too much. When I was young the world was no better, but it wasn't so in my face. The internet is sometimes too much.

I just spent the evening putting up a Christmas tree with my friend Sue. I have not had a tree in too many years. But Christmas had kinda died out for me. The family had all moved away, and I was just more and more isolated feeling. The internet is not a replacement for a friend coming by with a cool deal on a tree (she found a free 7' artificial tree in excellent condition). I've invited her and two other friends over for dinner on Thursday for a Christmas season meal. I'm getting out the good china, and we are going to have a seriously good meal. This will be the first decent Christmas I have had at home in years. And Sue decided we needed a Christmas tree in place to make the meal properly festive.

Sue has been visiting me a lot lately too. And she's been a healthy alternative to my being too dependent on the internet for feeling 'connected'.
The internet can be a handy tool, but it's not a lifestyle replacement. It's not human contact.

My home had stopped feeling like a home. It had become 'just an apartment', and too much of my social contact had been too totally internet.
But tonight, I have this wonderful tree up shining out the window into the night. A friend came by to help put it all together. It has done a lot to make my place feel like a home again. I do have places I do go to in town during the month. But not too many things getting people into my home. And I have been trying to reverse that situation.

And I'm playing more games and trying to be more into doing something offline, instead of online.
I'm even going to run a role game. Granted, my players will all be teddy bears, and I will sound a bit kooky talking to them maybe :)
But, I personally think it is better to play a role game with teddy bears, instead of playing an online role game that is just not real enough for my needs. I don't care if I can use a program to talk to the other players. It's not real enough to hear their voices through speakers.

I'm going to try and diminish the number of ways I'm replacing people in person with people on a machine.
Wargame, 05% of the time.
Play with Barbies 05% of the time.
Play with Legos 10% of the time.
Build models 20% of the time
Shopping 60% of the time.
Exlains why I buy em more than I play em.
Kuokkanen
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RE: Games vs Social Media

Post by Kuokkanen »

ORIGINAL: MrsWargamer

I'm even going to run a role game. Granted, my players will all be teddy bears, and I will sound a bit kooky talking to them maybe :)
Why not ask Sue and others who are coming over for Christmas meal? Or if they aren't up for a RPG, then they may be more interested of Monopoly.
You know what they say, don't you? About how us MechWarriors are the modern knights, how warfare has become civilized now that we have to abide by conventions and rules of war. Don't believe it.

MekWars
Red2112
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RE: Games vs Social Media

Post by Red2112 »

Yes I agree, there´s plenty of good games which are not wargames that people have fun with, even if they never play games. Just to name a few of my fav...

Edge Entertainment:

- Elder Sign (this is also on Android)
- Eldritch Horror

Fantasy Flight Games:

- Mansions of Madness

- Descent: Journeys in the Dark 2nd edition.

All alot of fun!

X-Wing is also cool but it´s combat oriented.

There is ONE game I highly recomend that will keep your mind relaxed and busy...

- Samorsot 3 by "Amanita Designs":
http://amanita-design.net/games/samorost3.html

Any games by Amanita are great, if not masterpices


Red

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