Video Games As Escapism

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Recommended: Violence in video games is directly correlated to youth violence

Drops of sweat form on your brow as you grip the rifle. Your heart is beating out of your chest as you creep through a virtual world. You are in control. Law—what law? Go ahead, steal a car, shoot innocent bystanders. The world is yours.

Why are people so wrapped around video and computer games? Why are people so captivated by these inventions, spending countless hours in front of a screen?

When one’s mimetic experience is in conflict with, or is suppressed by the dominant fantasies of the West, one turns to escapism as a form of counter-fantasy or alternate fantasy, as it offers comfort and allows one to regain control and empower oneself with the least resistance. For many people, the world of video games is a perfect escape from the primary world to a secondary world without deadlines, stress, or responsibilities. People play them because they are exciting, entertaining, and a great way to relax, as well as an outlet for unexpressed emotions, fears and desires.

The dominant fantasy of video games is that their virtual violence directly correlates to aggressive behaviour in the mimetic world. When one escapes from the primary world and enters into the secondary world of a video game, the gamer experiences all the acts of violence and considers this violent behaviour as acceptable. This results in a growing trend involving players murdering their siblings and even their parents; and shockingly, young children have carried out large-scale planned attacks. Parents are the ones to be blamed because they are the ones who purchase these violent games. Even though, these games are clearly rated “M” or 17+ parents still purchase them for their young children. This dominant fantasy can also be wrong, some gamers can tell the ...

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... activity—but for others, video games are much more.

For many gamers, when they enter into this secondary world of video games they don’t want to return back to the primary world. This is because many video games are so captivating that players feel they absolutely must finish the tasks in the games—even going so far as to neglect their own personal lives. The implications of addictions have been demonstrated even more profoundly throughout the world in cases in which people have actually died while playing video games. In 2002, a man in South Korea died after playing games non-stop for 86 hours.

I should say, in closing, sometimes the virtual world is simply a more appealing residence than the actual world. It can be a pleasant retreat, with all resolutions within grasp, experienced by you, the hero. The question is, at what point should one curb his escapism?

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