Brittny Gross Casts Aside "Entangling Roots"

As a gamer, I like to pull myself into other worlds. As a reader I choose to do the same. But when an author is of my same age group and education level, I distance myself. I consider it to be insulting to read another student's writing in such a formal way. I find it demeaning. Professors, Professionals, Adults. I can read their works because they have proven to be my betters. For this writer, Jeff Lessard, I cannot say the same.

But, the writing is "good."

My definition of "good" differs, however, from most. When I say something is good, I don't usually mean I like it. I mean that I can see how others would like it. I didn't like this essay's message. Sure, the writing is to par, the organization is fine and he makes his point. I just don't feel I need to agree with it.

Why take a subject that is already under such scrutiny and point to extreme cases to make your point that the subject has more flaws than are being acknowledged? Everyone knows that game addiction exists. Everyone knows that extreme gamers are "antisocial." Why point that out? Why make fun of a subculture simply for it's differing lifestyle choices.

I pose the question, have you ever indulged in a fantasy? Of course you have. You dream of meeting Mr. or Ms. Right. Then you take your pick and convince yourself that they are perfect. Is that healthy? No. But I think it is worse than playing World of Warcraft. But, how can I argue that? The writing has used hard evidence. I have used nothing more than assumptions.

So it is good. But it also hurtful. I read this and got angry. That's a good essay. It pulled emotion. But, I wish the writer would have considered those among us who have, instead of pushing away the world, been pushed away. I am one who treats these other worlds as a safe haven, a way of healing. After a day surrounded by men telling me that I haven't got a prayer, I find entering a world where opportunity awaits me to be euphoric. I'm not pathetic, I'm not an "addict," I'm just doing what I can to survive.

Comparing the game industry to Big Tobacco is like comparing crystal to diamonds. They only look similar if you're uneducated. Will writers like this get pleasure out of the loss of a game industry? Will they be happy if someone's only hope has been stolen because they were different? Yes, people have killed themselves over MMORPGs, they have lost valuable grades due to their gaming habits. The same can be said for people in dedicated relationships. A woman might kill herself over a lost love or skip class to be with her beau. Shall we illegalize intimate relations with others? After all, artificial insemenation has made traditional impregnation unessicary.

Well, as I've said many times, it's a good essay. But that doesn't mean I like it. Good is not excellant. Good is not great. Good is good. It's not fair, not poor, but definately not great. Personally, I've always preferred evil.