In some ways it is grimly amusing how many of us bloggers can take something as fun as gaming and turn it into a source of negativity. I both produce irrelevant negativity, and consume it. I’ve been trying to stop, on both counts.
From the posting side of things, I’ve been trying to focus on the joy that comes from this wonderful hobby of ours. I will still say negative things about a game I’m playing, but only in the context of a “review-like” post that is meant to help you decide whether you want to buy or avoid. I’m trying to stay far away from “Game X [which I am not playing] sucks because of Y” and staying even farther away from negative comments about other gamers and their choices.
From a consumption point of view, I’ve been thinning down the list of sites and blogs in my RSS reader. If a blogger or site writes the kinds of posts that are full of negativity, I’m removing that site. I understand how cathartic venting in text can be; I’m not judging anyone! But I just don’t want to read that kind of post any more.
Since trying on this new attitude, I’ve found I’ve been enjoying gaming a lot more. I have more time to play (fewer sites to read = more free time). And I’ve felt better emotionally, and this feeling extends beyond gaming.
I just too easily slip into the Quixotic desire to debate/debunk posts that I feel are unfairly negative towards a product or service. And those can become real tar baby issues for me, leading towards frustration and wasted energy. They quickly become toxic.
Anyway, that’s my Monday morning rambling for this week. Please call me on it if you see me slipping back into writing pointlessly negative posts. Gaming (to me at least) is supposed to be about discovering new worlds and having fun. I’m going to try to keep my focus there.
This is exactly one my thoughts on blogging. There are a number of negative topics that are sure to get page views and comments, but that is not what I want to do with my blog. Games are for fun.
Well, for some negativity is fun and one way to view the world in sarcastic light. Then again, I tend to report the negative experiences in the games I love, for some peculiar reason. Like my last post, about my weekend: it’s filled with the negativities of the experience, even though I liked each and every minute. I’m just pondering how to counter the bad experiences and -honestly- whining in open because I’m such a cry-baby.
Boo-hoo. 😛
Probably a good decision, Pete! I was thinking earlier that I should be posting more on my blog, because I’m mostly enjoying WAR still, and I don’t want to fall into the trap of only posting when I want to complain.
@Copra said “for some negativity is fun and one way to view the world in sarcastic light. ”
Yup, I agree that some people just enjoy that, and again, I’m not judging anyone. And in fact I enjoy sarcasm and snarkiness up to a point, but my problem is in dis-engaging. I hang around past the point where it feels fun and then just get kind of angry/annoyed/stressed about it.
So for me personally, I’m just finding a focus on the positives works better. I’m with Werit: games are for fun, not for stressing over. 🙂
And Rick, thanks for the Archmage post!! (http://slashrandom.wordpress.com/2008/11/10/war-story/) I love posts that tell stories like that one!
Add me to the list of, games are for fun too!
It’s good to have something constructive to say but blogs that have the negative eye always become boring & reactionary reads…