system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
CMV: Videogames are as real as many other meaningful activities in "real life"

Hello!

I feel joy and sense of accomplishment playing videogames.

Many mental health specialists and a big part of society in general say that people often refuge in videogames when they can't feel those emotions I mentioned in real life.

But my question - what's real life?

I will take one example about life fulfillment in real life - Travelling.

Many people get extreme joy and sense of accomplishment when they travel - they visit new cities, new monuments and learn different cultures.

But are those cities, monuments and cultures real? They aren't natural, that's for sure... They are human creations...

Same as videogames! You can also visit new cites, monuments and cultures created by humans but in this case they are virtual. That's the only difference.

We are moving into a virtual era so is it really wrong to get joy and sense of accomplishment playing videogames? So many psychologists say it is unhealthy... I don't understand why…

Even the human connection factor nowadays you can have virtually and many videogames are huge online communities.

Travelling is just one example, many other things in "real life" are human creations as well...

Even the most basic things that most people live for... Like marriage!!!

What makes it real? It's a human invention. No more than than... And so many people take it so seriously... 

Many people live for it... Go trough a lot of stress palnning it... Mental distress thinking about the "commitment" they will make... Spend all the money they have on a party... Then 50% of them end up divorcing…

I understand that love is a more deep and real thing...  Family too... But the "contract" called marriage and the "party" are no more real than a videogame. 

Even worst - this contract or obligation that marriage should be forever. This human creation is useless, stupid and only exist to bring suffering to people... Specialy to the kids!!

Sure is great when love lasts forever but the obligation ruins it all. 

Attention, I am not saying that videogames are good and the other things in life are bad... I love to travel and I feel extreme joy doing it. Also maybe I will get married someday. Nothing wrong with that!

I just don’t understand why videogames are considered a refuge from real life by mental health specialists (and others) when many other real life events are as real as videogames…
gpt
Video games in moderation are fine and are an economical source of entertainment when you consider hours played / dollars paid.

However, many people who experience hardships and lack the tools or motivation to deal with them will invest their time and energy into the virtual world as it easily provides the serotonin and sense of accomplishment which is otherwise lacking. Things like trophy/achievement hunting take advantage of this phenomenon.

Preferring games to experiences is fine, but when it becomes the primary source of achievement in life it becomes a problem as it stunts personal growth and accomplishment.