Now- I understand we all need some stress-relief sometimes, but there really has to be a better way. Here are 3 reasons why:
1)Time- That's right. This takes time. Just like any other thing on earth. The problem is two fold. The first part, we will cover here. This is a real-time game. There is no fast-forward, there is no rewind. The time you spend walking from point A to point B, is time that you could be doing something with your life. Now- ordinarily, we accept that humans need a break from work or something like that. The problem with this sort of game though, is that even without real objectives, your mind creates objectives that you feel you must fulfill before you can be done. And, because all this has to be done with real time, minutes go by like seconds. It can be an hour before you actually complete some desired goal.
2) Pointless- Here is the second part of this problem. Your objective is pointless. That's right, pointless. It holds no value to your education, your job, your personal life. You can kill as many pixelated "creepers" as you want, or build a taller tower, create whatever system of train carts or treasure chests, but at the end of the day, you have wasted minutes of your life on something that is not real. I am all for imagination and creation, but how about doing it in real life? I am much more impressed by someone who builds a 5x5 foot shed in their backyard than someone who builds a 100x100 cube building. Use your hands, for reals!
3) Virtual Friends- Young people don't often criticize each other for online social networking. I may disagree with a lot of those a generation or so older than me who just don't see online networking as a good thing. I understand that most of my facebook "friends" are, in fact, acquaintances. But you know, I like to know how people I care about are doing. I like to see what is going on in my classmates lives. I like to hear others' opinions. Maybe you agree, maybe you don't, but the point is this: Minecraft is developing "fake" friendships. Players from across the nation (or even the world) who have never met before spend time in chats, discussion boards, and in the game itself trying to help each other accomplish unimportant objectives. The problem here, is that for many of these reclusive game players, they think that this is real. They think that somehow, their teamwork is honorable; that it is noble that they have learned to work together. In reality, this person who spends an hour or so on the game a day is likely losing REAL friends, who in reality DO teach teamwork and social skills. Is it possible they just don't want friends and find it nice to be able to "socialize" from their chair? Yes. Does this make them lazy? Absolutely. Having friends, loved ones, family...all this isn't simple, it isn't easy. It requires us to be more thoughtful, and more understanding. But it is GOOD for us.
At the end of the day, I think there is a point when we need to decide to "put away childish things". While games like minecraft can be great distractions from life- that is all they will be: distractions. It is frustrating to go through life and see friends posting things all over facebook about such-and-such minecraft mod, or this minecraft accomplishment. PLEASE. For your own sake, stop. We, particularly as youth, have a lot ahead of us. We have school, we have work, soon we may be married, we may have children of our own. Out of respect for others (and yourself!) become something better. Pick up a hobby, learn a craft, try something new at the gym, read a new subject, go to the mall with friends, meet someone new. There is so much more to life, and so much more life can do for you, if you learn to LIVE IT.
