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xeper

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  1. Only this: I'm here to see if my premise is valid or not. Straw men arguments, sarcasm, absurdity, or other irrational and emotional responses are counterproductive and will be ignored. They are beneath acknowledgement. Thank you.
  2. My initial statement was thus: - hijack an individual's senses, disabling their ability to perceive reality through reason. The article's summary gives concession to the fact that acute, adverse effects can arise from playing games, even in moderation, and implies that there is a greater frequency of minor, temporal adverse effects. Earlier in the article is the following quote: Evidence of cognitive impairment and the potential for adverse effects, regardless of severity or duration, supports the statement I have made. The Objectivist philosophy holds Reason, Purpose, and Self-esteem to be fundamental values, to which rational self-interest is the principle that determines the morality of an act. An activity that does not provide for any rational self-interest is amoral. An activity that is in direct contradiction of rational self-interest is immoral. Contextually speaking, by definition, short-term happiness is an emotional (irrational) response. Long-term happiness is a non-contradictory, psychological response to a succesful state of life in which an individual has actualized (a) fundamental value(s). See above for what these values are for an Objectivist. Rand states: Going further, the pursuit of happiness can not meet its goal without: 1. taking into account one's own long-term rational self interests, 2. being aware of one's own interactions with nature and society, and 3. developing a refined understanding of the pleasure and pain principles that exist in one's daily life. The irrational pursuit of escapism and play without purpose is merely a short range desire, not a genuine value, and the subsequent short-term happiness of beating a game is an ephemeral emotional (irrational) state of joy. Nostaglia of such "acheivements" does not adequately gild the activity with Reason, and attempts to derive self-worth through inventing defense values does not relay Objectivist competency. Straw man arguments are counterproductive. Unless these circumstances are true. It is a premise that serves well as a topic. And as two Objectivist faculties of Reason are better than one, we will more quickly determine whether this premise is true, moral, and absolute or false, immoral, and relative.
  3. Objectivism as a philosophy embraces reality and reason as absolutes, and condemns as irrational any concession to faith or emotionalism. It follows then that there are absolute conclusions and objective values that may be discerned through use of reason, and that these are noble goals. Your statement implies that you are utilizing a relative application of an objective philosophy, which is an idealistic contradiction. Idealism without absolutes makes one a Romanticist at best and a Nihilist at worse. But never an Objectivist.
  4. Yes. And I agree with it up to where such mediums (save for alcohol) are utilized to enhance one's capacity for productivity, actualization, and/or understanding reality (i.e. reference materials). At this time these mediums may then be considered rational tools. These statements designed to instigate discussion, not finalize it, and my assumption was that supporting elements would be called for eventually. Is this a fact? Or is this a suggestion that the quintessential Randian objectivist is inherently flawed or contradictory in that they would consider such an irrational pursuit? Or perhaps it is a suggestion that someone who is waxing philosophical could perfectly rationalize this activity, so that they wont have to give up the creature comforts of an irrational world. Please explain. My premise in this instance is that a life worth living would have no use for tools of fantasy and escapism. Hypothetically there were no such thing as video games, how would this effect your life? Positively or negatively? And now considered by an objective mind, what is the obvious and correct choice? Of course. Beyond those basic behaviours, I take hobby in the nightclub industry, participating in online forums, enjoying discussions with friends, reading, and some questionable behaviours that I often refer to as a sort of "trancendental narcicism" that is occassionally accompanied by sadistic practices. Of these, you have my word that I will initiate future threads which may be picked apart as you like. Until then, to keep it focused and simple, I'm interested in focusing on video games and peripheral mediums, if it's not too much trouble. Your prior illustrations are taking statements of mine and applying them to other mediums. Assuming that these mediums are used for the same reaons that video games are frequently used (enjoyment and escapism), these statements can then be deemed appropriate. How then is this generalization unfair? Your analogy is flawed in that it does not take into consideration the differences between "encouragement" and "duress." A "mutually beneficial trade" implies that the value paid is the value provided, and that these values are beneficial. If it is made apparent that video games are an irrational pursuit (unless they are a Rayndian trivia game, obviously [humor]), then it would follow that this is disadvantageous, debilitating, and thus an immoral practice. A pleasure. Now for some support to my prior statements: - hijack an individual's senses, disabling their ability to perceive reality through reason. - http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/cgi/content/ful...1/7509/122?ehom - encourage participation in an economic system that sets the individual as a financial means to others. - in the making may involve the sacrifice of the physical and/or mental well being of others (see: EA's treatement of employees). - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Video_game_industry - http://ea-spouse.livejournal.com/ - http://games.slashdot.org/games/04/11/11/0...l?tid=98&tid=10 - are the means to short-term happiness, and thus inferior to long-term happiness as potentially acquired by alternate uses of one's time. - detract from the productive potential of an individual. e.g. Using the time to: - improve one's environment (home improvement, cleaning) - improve one's self (education, training, exercise) - deliver higher quality and expediancy of results at work, thereby positively effecting one's financial well being, job security, and career path etc. - may lend to a form of addiction or dependancy, unnecessarily debilitating the player's capacity to actualize themselves as a heroic being in the objective absolute of reality. - http://www.mediafamily.org/facts/facts_gameaddiction.shtml - http://www.wired.com/news/holidays/0,1882,48479,00.html - http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/1036088.stm - http://news.com.com/2100-1040-881673.html - potentially suggest immoral behaviours and beliefs. - http://forum.ObjectivismOnline.com/index.php?showtopic=2356
  5. Video games: - hijack an individual's senses, disabling their ability to perceive reality through reason. - encourage participation in an economic system that sets the individual as a financial means to others. - in the making may involve the sacrifice of the physical and/or mental well being of others (see: EA's treatement of employees). - are the means to short-term happiness, and thus inferior to long-term happiness as potentially acquired by alternate uses of one's time. - detract from the productive potential of an individual. - may lend to a form of addiction or dependancy, unnecessarily debilitating the player's capacity to actualize themselves as a heroic being in the objective absolute of reality. - potentially suggest immoral behaviours and beliefs.
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