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Stanford professor: video games and online porn will lead to the extinction of men
- Thread starter Sblargh
- Start date
Apparently women can prioritize their time better, are not as obsessive and aren't as much into porn (most of which is made for men, anyway, so why would they be?). I suppose so, at least. Also: Men are expected to make the first step in relationships so if they chose the comfort of video games and porn instead of putting themselves out there in fear of getting rejected, yadda yadda, bla bla bla.
...Why?
Shai-Tan
Banned
It's what's wrong with a lot of science writing, making post hoc generalizations that could "explain" a phenomena as if being consistent with a limited set of data is adequate when there are many explanations that would fit. It's important to investigate alternatives to avoid confirmation bias and other artifacts. Science is so desperate to be relevant that any data is inflated into provocative statements
Who cares though? If they don't want to get into a relationship then who cares? There's no mandate to bring yet another little shit into this world that does nothing but suck down more of the world's resources for the first ~20 years of their life.
Maybe it's only because I'm 25 but kids are the absolute last thing I want on this earth, behind a (preferably curable) STD. Not everyone needs a relationship or kids to get by.
Lumpy Onion
Member
I play quite a lot of video games and watch my fair share of porn. But I also exercise regularly, do art, and try talk to as many girls as possible so I guess im an exception. Heh but I could definitely see many falling into the traps the article is talking about. Probably why I don't do MMOs.
Adam Prime
hates soccer, is Mexican
I think the professor is right. "Extinction" is obviously meant to be hyperbolic, but we get the point.
Shao Kahn Going Shopping
Banned
It may not - I am incapable of carrying a child to term on my own. Women DO have the option for artificial insemination to spit out a child even if they are like the 'guys' that are unable to function. Still, it can get a lot deeper if we look further.
I think his theory is not actually an explanation of the problem, as is a symptom of a change that is occuring (again, not going into judgement of wheter change is better or worse, not because "people live how they want", but because you can't really predict the future or how good or bad we will adapt to new situations technology put us).
I don't think he is wrong in saying that men are changing and, in this change, losing certain social skills, but it has to be asked, too, if we won't adapt so these kinds of social skills are less important. I live with my girlfriend for 2 years now and we met in a way that would give this guy a heart attack.
I found her on a social network site (Orkut lol), we talked for 3 hours and jumped right into being naked in the webcam; sure it feels really pathetic and wrong, but fuck it, 5 years later, here we are. So maybe I don't really have any good skills in going into the "real world" and getting a girl, but I never needed it so screw those skills.
But that is not even what I find it worrying, I think people will find a way to have sex and form families no matter what; it's pretty naive to think our brains can unconsciously subvert the basic core of our biological existence; what is worrying is this part (that I quoted):
"The excessive use of video games and online porn in pursuit of the next thing is creating a generation of risk-averse guys"
Being risk-adverse is a worse problem than not getting a girlfriend; it means we are having less ambitions and striving less for progress. (and this is not a "men" issue, it is a mankind issue, reducing it to a "guy" issue is why I think he is wrong, but is a good example of the symptom).
We are being less "men" not in the way we have less sex or less children, but in the way that we are more coward and timid and so we are more content with less: give us our escapist pill of the week and we are good to go and it could be that gaming and porn is just too good a escapist pill.
I don't think he is wrong in saying that men are changing and, in this change, losing certain social skills, but it has to be asked, too, if we won't adapt so these kinds of social skills are less important. I live with my girlfriend for 2 years now and we met in a way that would give this guy a heart attack.
I found her on a social network site (Orkut lol), we talked for 3 hours and jumped right into being naked in the webcam; sure it feels really pathetic and wrong, but fuck it, 5 years later, here we are. So maybe I don't really have any good skills in going into the "real world" and getting a girl, but I never needed it so screw those skills.
But that is not even what I find it worrying, I think people will find a way to have sex and form families no matter what; it's pretty naive to think our brains can unconsciously subvert the basic core of our biological existence; what is worrying is this part (that I quoted):
"The excessive use of video games and online porn in pursuit of the next thing is creating a generation of risk-averse guys"
Being risk-adverse is a worse problem than not getting a girlfriend; it means we are having less ambitions and striving less for progress. (and this is not a "men" issue, it is a mankind issue, reducing it to a "guy" issue is why I think he is wrong, but is a good example of the symptom).
We are being less "men" not in the way we have less sex or less children, but in the way that we are more coward and timid and so we are more content with less: give us our escapist pill of the week and we are good to go and it could be that gaming and porn is just too good a escapist pill.
Men in western societies no longer aspire to take on the traditionally male roles because western societies have been shitting on those roles for the past 40 years. Male sexuality is demonized, men who care about children are assumed to be predators, men who head a household are attacked for being "patriarchs", men who focus on career are attacked for being "emotionally distant" in their families, men who focus on their family instead of their career are attacked for not being "man enough" to bring home the bacon, etc.
It's a hell of a lot of bullshit to put up with, so many men simply choose not to start a family, spend 60+ hours at work to be the bread winner, or even get married. Why would they? What's in it for them? They don't need a wife for sex, they don't need to get married to have a fulfilling relationship, and they don't need to work themselves to death only to have everything taken in a divorce.
You can't spend decades screaming about how cowboys are too gritty and then lament at how there aren't any cowboys anymore.
It's a hell of a lot of bullshit to put up with, so many men simply choose not to start a family, spend 60+ hours at work to be the bread winner, or even get married. Why would they? What's in it for them? They don't need a wife for sex, they don't need to get married to have a fulfilling relationship, and they don't need to work themselves to death only to have everything taken in a divorce.
You can't spend decades screaming about how cowboys are too gritty and then lament at how there aren't any cowboys anymore.
How else would you be able to find their other work?
I won't disagree, but that isn't a problem; I don't see women complaining about the lack of cowboys, I see guys whining (and not realizing the irony) that they can't be cowboys anymore.
If it is true that this kind of man aren't starting families anymore (which I think it isn't), then this is not extinction, but only evolution doing a good job of getting rid of the cowboy gene.
Yep this. I stopped reading after that. It's The scaremongering 'paper'.
Guerrillas in the Mist
Member
Should have been first reply.
I don't know what's meant by 'the next thing' in that quote. It seems oddly nondescript. It certainly doesn't function to describe my personal videogame crutch. I play excessive amounts of videogames for the escapism they offer, whereas I turn to online porn whenever those pesky biological urges prove too much of a distraction.
I dunno, I definitely feel like my rather poor outlook on life predates the introduction of videogames and streaming porn -- that is to say, sure, games/porn absolutely support it but don't specifically appear to be the cause of it. I used to act (and, I believe, would continue to act) much the same way with novels/movies/TV for escapism, plus ye olde jazzmags for bollock-emptying purposes.
kinoki
Illness is the doctor to whom we pay most heed; to kindness, to knowledge, we make promise only; pain we obey.
It's the other way around. I hate it when these "professors" get it wrong. Male dominated cultures only strive when there's a shortage or a conflict. In a conflict free culture where there's no shortage males hang back and let females rule. Hence, why males revert to sex and games. It's been this way since the beginning of mankind.
GrandHarrier
Member
This is the real cause of the death of all men in Y: The Last Man, isn't it?
ElectricBlue187
Member
Just imagine when they make robot women, you think its bad now?
Callibretto
Member
isn't there a futurama episode about this?
What exactly are these magical risks we are supposed to take and these humanity liberating activities? If we aren't playing games, we'd probably be sitting around drinking, watching television or some other such nonsense. Isn't 'overpopulation' the supposed next huge thing, so maybe impregnating all of these women and 'dealing with relationships' ISN'T what everyone should be, especially with the economy in the toilet.
I guess it's just different for me, but I know alot of women that complain that alot of men that they know are not as tough as they believe they should be. Alot(not all) of younger men have become weak, unambitious, undriven, and are very far from being self reliant. If men were to become extinct the majority of women would struggle to do what a larger average of men "should" be able to do simply do to men being physically stronger, faster, tougher.
robotzombie
Member
I am already dead.
These same women will be crying about men being too violent, insensitive and 'patriarchal' if they got those 'strong men' they are imagining in their mind.
Callibretto
Member
I don't see us becoming extinct from escapism, since the basic principles of it have been around as long as humans have. No matter what anyone says, porn and videogame relations and whatever else are similar, but not fufilling the same thing. At least not to most people.
On the other hand, I could totally see a HUGE drop in the population from mail-to-order and "adjustable" celebrity (or whoever) android look-alikes a la Futurama. We'd die quite happily, too.
On the other hand, I could totally see a HUGE drop in the population from mail-to-order and "adjustable" celebrity (or whoever) android look-alikes a la Futurama. We'd die quite happily, too.
DeviousAngel
Member
It seems I'm part of the problem! Don't know if I should be ashamed or proud.
MadeInBeats
Banned
To be fair, discussing this here is sort of like discussing the vulgarity of wearing too much gold with Mr T. Yeah.
To be even fairer, Zimbardo says lots of other ridiculous/idiotic stuff that's not related to video games at all.
"Choose life. Choose a job. Choose a career. Choose a family. Choose a fucking big television, Choose washing machines, cars, compact disc players, and electrical tin can openers. Choose good health, low cholesterol and dental insurance. Choose fixed-interest mortgage repayments. Choose a starter home. Choose your friends. Choose leisure wear and matching luggage. Choose a three piece suite on hire purchase in a range of fucking fabrics. Choose DIY and wondering who the fuck you are on a Sunday morning. Choose sitting on that couch watching mind-numbing spirit-crushing game shows, stuffing fucking junk food into your mouth. Choose rotting away at the end of it all, pissing your last in a miserable home, nothing more than an embarrassment to the selfish, fucked-up brats you have spawned to replace yourself. Choose your future. Choose life . . . But why would I want to do a thing like that? I chose not to choose life: I chose something else. And the reasons? There are no reasons. Who needs reasons when you've got heroin?"
Rhomega Beta
Member
Yeah, but anime isn't as popular as it was in the Toonami days.
AkimbO_Arcana
Banned
Dat balance... A control freaks wet dream.
Omegasquash
Member
The "dude" in me instinctively agrees, while the rest of my mind acknowledges that this is just as much a generalization as the topic of the thread.
Sorry, I like to have my cake and eat it too. Making 80k a year, enjoying lots of gaming sessions, online porn, and exploring the world, and I don't give a shit about having kids or marriage at the moment. Berating others for doing whatever harmless things they want do is the most ignorant thing I've ever heard.
Shai-Tan
Banned
Carl Zimmer on this topic: http://www.downloadtheuniverse.com/...-zimbardo-and-nikita-duncan-ted-books-ki.html
Girls are not a prize. They are just people with boobs and a sex hole.
There is nothing special about them and they do not deserve to be treated better, chased after or be put on a pedestal.
SMT
this show is not Breaking Bad why is it not Breaking Bad? it should be Breaking Bad dammit Breaking Bad
Should be a cake-walk for Zimbardo to figure out the motivations for gamers, social or not.
It'sZimbardoBitch is also on Psn.
Shao Kahn Going Shopping
Banned
It's not berating anyone. It's simply stating that if people are doing what you are, this is a detriment to the continuation of the human race. Did you read the article and watch the video? There weren't any attacks, nobody is being berated for making their own life choice - it's just detailing the effect of that lifestyle (one I enjoy also) on the human race as a whole.
TangoAlphaLima
Member
Replace "play video games" with "drink at the saloon," "hunt varmints," or "torture peasants" and you've got the entire history of man in a nutshell. Video games are just a new distraction for an old problem... women.
CharmingCharlie
Member
Damn right it has, I can't believe after billions of years of evolution nature hasn't evolved the "autosave" feature.
As for the topic, meh the planet is screwed might as well enjoy ourselves whilst we can. If mankind dies out due to too much gaming and salami slapping then mankind wasn't worthy.
SquiddyCracker
Banned
Lemme just rephrase that:
Women shouldn't be "chased" after because that would encourage an imbalance in the male-female relationship dynamics. Men and women should both be encouraged to chase, and approach eachother as equals interested in mutual satisfaction.
Myke Greywolf
Ambassador of Goodwill
I already got married and had a kid. I did my part for the species. Now, back to videogames!
AkimbO_Arcana
Banned
*Avatar quote*
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