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Manosphere is a huge part. I just think that the impressive improvements in video games have increased the pool of lonely young men on whom the manosphere preys.
As a crude example, I had surgery and finished Persona 5 while recovering. Mentioned that to a coworker when I returned and he was stoked and talked about his multiple playthroughs on that and his experience with the others in the series. With a full time job, that's so very many weeks worth of time just devoted to a video game instead of meeting people, socializing, finding a partner etc.
Correlation vs. causation.
I think it's a lot more likely that people who have little success meeting people, socializing, and finding partners are turning to videogames, as that's a reasonably cheap mostly solo hobby.
Personally, if I'm not playing videogames, I'm out sailing. Not socializing.
Absolutely, there's definitely folks who were already not good at socializing turning to video games. Buuut, I think the cheapness, ubiquity and quality have all improved so much that it has become a much easier alternative than it was in the past.
Like, if you lower the price of cigarettes, many who smoke those cheaper smokes would have smoked anyway. But as the price drops, it's easier for those marginal smokers to continue to do so and for new ones to start. (You had to be pretty dedicated to suffer through Ultima VI etc.)
And the timing also kind of makes sense; for the last couple of decades there's been a marked decrease in teenagers and young adults having sex. I assume part is the ubiquity of porn but I can't imagine teenagers are just getting less horny...
Why not?
Never thought about it like that! It's probably just like how so many under 30s living with their parents these days isn't a sign of distress, they probably just love their parents more than every other generation!
What fascinating insights you have.
I asked "why not?" to a specific assertion. Teenagers getting less horny. I think it's entirely reasonable that this is the case, now that we have endocrine disrupting chemicals being dumped into the environment.
Yes, people not having money to spend don't go out as much. That is not the fault of videogames, that is the fault of capitalism and pollution.
The decline in teenage sex is very recent (last couple of decades) whereas endocrine disrupting chemicals have been dumped for decades and decades prior to that.
This seems like realllllllly motivated reasoning on your part.
Okay. So if videogames are to blame, why are videogames so special? Why didn't this collapse when books became cheap and available? That's a solo hobby. Why didn't it collapse when cards became available? Plenty of solo cars games.
Also, data shows that sperm counts have been dropping since the 70s, and native birthrates have been below replacement since the 80s. It's not a recent trend at all, it's just that people are starting to notice.
Do you read as much as you game? Do you really think most people find books and video games equally appealing?
You're conflating fertility and teens having sex.
The drop off in teen sex is way more recent than either of those, started in the last decade or two.
This really seems like ever more frantic motivated reasoning.
I read more than I game.
You know, accusing someone that disagrees with you of participating in bad faith once is one thing. Accusing them of participating in bad faith and desperation makes me think you once gave someone an ultimatum to pick between videogames and you, and you got dumped as a result.
Maybe you should calm down. (See?)
If you don't know what something like motivated reasoning means, maybe check before you start complaining about being accused of bad faith arguments?
I say desperate because your "arguments" have gotten progressively sillier. Maybe you really don't know about endocrine chemicals and how long they've been around but seriously comparing the addictive/time suck nature of video games to books is utterly nonsensical.
(And no, I haven't dated a gamer. I and the folks I date tend to spend our time outside. Though it would be a marvel for gender equality if I had to give some nice lady a video game ultimatum!)
If I'm being honest, I'm pretty sure you've decided videogames are to blame and have literally no interest in opposing opinions. That is motivated reasoning.
You are rejecting anything that doesn't fit your worldview outright. You don't think books can be as addictive as videogames, so you just reject that I spend more time reading books than playing games. Then you call me silly for suggesting it. You are obviously here in bad faith.
There is no point discussing anything with you.
By bringing evidence and time lines? Like what, I should've agreed that endocrine disrupting chemics are to blame despite being around for decades before the fall in teenage sex?
Or I'm supposed to seriously believe that reading is as common among teens and youth as books? Seriously? If you have any teacher friends, you might bring forward this uhh, interesting idea. Just be ready for some laughter and to explain that yes,it was a serious question.
I mean, on books being as common as books, is that actually a serious thought? Maybe google for half a second?
That didn't happen? Believe it or not, you're not every or even average youth. Weird huh?
Considering they directly affect hormonal development, yes. It would take approximately a generation for the effects to begin. Probably more than that for the effects to become noticeable. Which lines up with the data pretty well, considering rates of sex have been dropping steadily since the 80s. Your assertion that that happened "in the last decade or two" is just you being wrong.
As far as books, you asked me a specific question: Do I read more than I game? I said yes. You said that was stupid and evidence of me being silly. Don't ask for an anecdote and then treat it as data.
And yes, the fact that you are repeatedly using the phrase "motivated reasoning" pretty much out of the blue makes me think you've got some guilty conscience going on. Feel free to have a bad day, Jack Thompson.