First off, not all video games are escapism, just like not all film is camp. The genre of science fiction is only as good as the philosophical thought problems and potential ethical dilemmas it poses.
Once you get past thinking of Christianity as a uniquely negative force in society, and instead see it as another fiction on the pile of stories humans have invented, it’s intellectually interesting to think about the political and psychological impact that all our various religions have had on the trajectory of our species, and could have as our technology advances.
Fantasy often depicts Inquisitors brutally persecuting sorcerers, which is historically accurate for Christianity 300-700 years ago. Why shouldn’t SciFi attempt to explore the evil we see in Christianity today, but set in the distant future?
This feels like you’re doing the “qualityslop” troll lol.
I think you could make art that is escapist in theme, but by definition escapism is any effort you make to “escape” your reality, or the reality of the human condition. In contrast, the value of art is that it gives us a way to communicate about our reality and/or the human condition using a language that lives past literal interpretation.
Art doesn’t help us to escape our reality, it specifically embraces it and helps us understand and communicate about it. Art is the opposite of escapism.
You’re throwing contradictory definitions into the same thought. Your second paragraph specifically contradicts your conclusion, for example.
I’m sure plenty of people assume that someone having an opposite idea from them is a “troll,” but you seem smarter than the usual Reddit reject.
Are you really not seeing what I’m pointing to or are you the one being a troll?
Escapism: Using any method to interpret reality instead of directly facing said reality.
So, if you’re using art to interpret the reality it portrays, you are directly engaging in escapism. Simpler: If you’re looking at a picture of a tree and using your imagination to marry it to the real thing, that is escapism. If you were not doing escapism, you’d go stare at the actual tree.
Escapism: Using any method to interpret reality instead of directly facing said reality.
Interesting. I’ve never heard anyone attempt to define escapism like that. Where are you getting this definition?
Or from the other side, what word would you use to mean,
habitual diversion of the mind to purely imaginative activity or entertainment as an escape from reality or routine
Hopefully you agree that “purely imaginative…escape from reality” is distinct from “any method to interpret reality”.
If you’re looking at a picture of a tree and using your imagination to marry it to the real thing, that is escapism.
What if I told you that looking at a real tree is an act of using your imagination to marry it to reality? Consider that humans looked at the moon and stars every day for centuries before we understood what they were in reality. Some people still do to this today.
Regardless of whether you’re considering something in front of you or a concept in abstract, if you’re attempting to grapple with the nature of reality, you are most certainly not engaging in escapism.
First off, not all video games are escapism, just like not all film is camp. The genre of science fiction is only as good as the philosophical thought problems and potential ethical dilemmas it poses.
Once you get past thinking of Christianity as a uniquely negative force in society, and instead see it as another fiction on the pile of stories humans have invented, it’s intellectually interesting to think about the political and psychological impact that all our various religions have had on the trajectory of our species, and could have as our technology advances.
Fantasy often depicts Inquisitors brutally persecuting sorcerers, which is historically accurate for Christianity 300-700 years ago. Why shouldn’t SciFi attempt to explore the evil we see in Christianity today, but set in the distant future?
But Christianity is a negative force in life. Maybe ignoring that truth fills the escapism requirent that is so essential to enjoying a video game.
Again, this is simply not true. It may be true for you, but does not universally apply to the entire art form.
What else is there? Filling out a task list?
Due to its nature, I’m not going to be able to explain art to you. Cheers.
Art is escapism. Otherwise it’d be a structure instead of architecture.
There, I explained it to you.
Art isn’t just escapism. Or, it doesn’t need to be, at least.
Sometimes it’s a way to help us understand, contextualize, and/or cope with our own reality.
You realize you just described escapism in that second paragraph?
Ok… And I assume you know what “and/or” means? Understanding and contextualizing is not escapism.
And coping with isn’t necessarily escapism either.
This feels like you’re doing the “qualityslop” troll lol.
I think you could make art that is escapist in theme, but by definition escapism is any effort you make to “escape” your reality, or the reality of the human condition. In contrast, the value of art is that it gives us a way to communicate about our reality and/or the human condition using a language that lives past literal interpretation.
Art doesn’t help us to escape our reality, it specifically embraces it and helps us understand and communicate about it. Art is the opposite of escapism.
You’re throwing contradictory definitions into the same thought. Your second paragraph specifically contradicts your conclusion, for example.
I’m sure plenty of people assume that someone having an opposite idea from them is a “troll,” but you seem smarter than the usual Reddit reject.
Are you really not seeing what I’m pointing to or are you the one being a troll?
Escapism: Using any method to interpret reality instead of directly facing said reality.
So, if you’re using art to interpret the reality it portrays, you are directly engaging in escapism. Simpler: If you’re looking at a picture of a tree and using your imagination to marry it to the real thing, that is escapism. If you were not doing escapism, you’d go stare at the actual tree.
How strong is this whiskey?
Interesting. I’ve never heard anyone attempt to define escapism like that. Where are you getting this definition?
Or from the other side, what word would you use to mean,
Hopefully you agree that “purely imaginative…escape from reality” is distinct from “any method to interpret reality”.
What if I told you that looking at a real tree is an act of using your imagination to marry it to reality? Consider that humans looked at the moon and stars every day for centuries before we understood what they were in reality. Some people still do to this today.
Regardless of whether you’re considering something in front of you or a concept in abstract, if you’re attempting to grapple with the nature of reality, you are most certainly not engaging in escapism.