You know, for a website about "Escapism" talking about current events that's happening in reality seems to be more popular.
- Thread starter Samtemdo8
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- Nov 27, 2009
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I don't know about that, the possibilities seem endless from my perspective, I could be an android tricked into thinking they don't exist so I don't realize I'm not human, I could be an alien that forgot I was an alien and adapted to human life, I could be nothing more than code in the matrix, I could be a God that's here to observe human nature without even knowing, I could be a ghost that possessed this body, I could ve a ghost that possessed this keyboard and maybe the rest of my life is just my imagination, I could be absolutely nothing at all and maybe none of this is even happening!
If you're a ghost possessing a human body, doesn't that make you human still? We're all souls/consciousnesses in bodies after all.
- Nov 27, 2009
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I've always been halfway there, it was just a matter of time until it happened, it makes perfect sense and st the same time it's absurd and silly and probably insane.
Most other forums I've been on have had blanket rules outlining total bans on subjects pertaining to politics and religion because they're just trouble starters. And I do mean blanket; neither the left nor the right get any quarter.
Sometimes I think that's how I wish it was here, but seeing the "Recent Posts" tab makes me think the website would insta-die if that were the case.
USA
Surely there are *some* people who want to ignore politics for most of their time online. Enough for some online forum communities.
I think you pretty well summed it up. When things calm down a bit people will have less serious issues to discuss. When people are having to go through a lot less than they are right now they will be able to focus on less pressing issues. For me , being able to talk about it at all without feeling like you are yelling into the abyss of Trump flags lining the streets of where I live is an escape in itself. Where I live, that is all you see and hear everywhere you go. Even braving to post something Trump supporters disagree with on local community forums gets people's posts deleted by their admins and they get kicked from their group, but hey the admin there post their Trump rally videos all day long. AND those are just the local buy/sell groups where people sell their stuff. It is just that is how it is in " trump territory". SO being able to talk about what I am going through, what my family is going through IS an escape for me. The increased activity in those areas is just due to what people are actually going through right now and will calm back down when lives calm back down.
The reality is though for a lot of people right now, things are pretty screwed up right now. We have people losing their homes, employment, ability to feed themselves in the middle of a pandemic. People are worried about losing their only access to medicine and medical treatment if Trump's packed supreme court takes away the ACA subsidies that are making their medication and medical treatment affordable. ( In my case as well. I too cannot afford my medication without Obamacare subsidies reducing the costs to allow me to do so) How can I relax and enjoy my games, lego and movies when They very well could make a decision that could end my life in a few weeks now? I am honestly worried sick about what is going to happen to me and my loved ones if Trump moves forward on this, and tbh it seems like I am surrounded here when I live by people who do not care who dies from their decisions, they do not care if I die or my family dies and it is honestly scary. People are genuinely worried, afraid for what will happen to them due to the very real events that are taking place right now.
If all these things calm back down again, and people can go back to their boring, uneventful lives.. I would love to be able to just be able to think about enjoying a series, movies and games and lego again without these more pressing concerns. I was lucky though to make a recent purchase on those hellish buy sell groups though.. I think I will post about that on the what have you recently bought thread.
Sure, the Coping with cancer boards and other illnesses and coping groups are still buzzing, but that isn't exactly the cheeriest subject either. Most "cheerful" forums though right now have sadly been dying, including gaming forums unless they are a buzz talking about other subjects as well. They are usually either dead, or you go to something as hellish as Reddit. It is a combination of too many options ( twitter, reddit, facebook, instagram, snapchat, tiktock, youtube, twitch ect) dividing groups up and people being preoccupied with other things. Right now the biggest factor is that people have more things to worry about so they are talking about what is on their minds and do not really have the luxury to be able to just set it aside and think of fonder days. When everything calms down a bit, I am sure people will be able to spend more time on more frivolous and enjoyable matters again instead.
What is happening now though is impacting people to the extent they cannot even afford to play their games and enjoy them. The government policy changes harming them+ pandemic+ economic crisis= ANGRY AND UPSET PEOPLE WHO NEED A RELEASE. When people feel like they can't talk about these things where they are, being able to escape to here to talk about them at all has been a life saver for them. Just being free to discuss these things at all is a form of escapism for many as well. Many of us live in areas where that just is not safely possible to do locally. I honestly worry about being harmed or my family being harmed by speaking up where I live. That is how scary the times we live in are right now tbh.
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That's a fair point, although personally I can't see the release myself of shouting at someone who disagrees with you until one of you two give up. But I suppose being angry is therapeutic in its own kind of way.
I don't shout. There is no discussion to be had in shouting. The point of having the discussion is to understand different point of views and expand your own and help others expand their understanding of the situation. There is very little in life that is " black and white" it is all different levels in between. I have had discussions change my mind, and I have helped others change their minds on some issues. It helps expand everyone's understanding when we are able to discuss these things openly. It actually relieves anger to discuss these things instead of adding to it.
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- Mar 13, 2020
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I mean, The Escapist, even today, isn't just about "escapism". We do a lot of that though, you guys just stay here and don't get involved lol.
We do fun live streams just about every day now (I literally just played the entirety of Dark Souls III for our audience over the past few weeks), all of our columns are focused on commentating and critiquing on media, same as our video series, aside from maybe The Escapist Show where Jack and I get into heavier topics sometimes. The site is doing fine traffic wise, I just don't think we get as many comments because we're not constantly writing inflammatory clickbait for the sake of raking in the outrage comments.
And on the forums, we leave it pretty open because I think "most" people here can handle themselves and discuss varying viewpoints. From what I've seen, this forum isn't an echo chamber and I'm a fan of that because I have read plenty of interesting discussions here, even if sometimes it gets a little too heated (but, to be expected right now).
I don't think "escapism" has to mean just talking about games and movies without mentioning the real world. That said, if you want more "escapism" we offer plenty of that I think, you just gotta get involved with it.
We do fun live streams just about every day now (I literally just played the entirety of Dark Souls III for our audience over the past few weeks), all of our columns are focused on commentating and critiquing on media, same as our video series, aside from maybe The Escapist Show where Jack and I get into heavier topics sometimes. The site is doing fine traffic wise, I just don't think we get as many comments because we're not constantly writing inflammatory clickbait for the sake of raking in the outrage comments.
And on the forums, we leave it pretty open because I think "most" people here can handle themselves and discuss varying viewpoints. From what I've seen, this forum isn't an echo chamber and I'm a fan of that because I have read plenty of interesting discussions here, even if sometimes it gets a little too heated (but, to be expected right now).
I don't think "escapism" has to mean just talking about games and movies without mentioning the real world. That said, if you want more "escapism" we offer plenty of that I think, you just gotta get involved with it.
The truth is, at least for me, I can watch enjoyable streams and such and not really have much to say about it because there isn't much to say about it really. We can enjoy things and not feel the need to comment, and honestly I think that is far more likely to be the case on a lot of things. Even on games movies I don't like, I don't feel it is my place to tell others what they should like or not like, whatever floats their boat. I do comment on movies and games here and there, but usually I don't really have anything more to contribute even if I played the game and liked it or was bored with it since just because I felt that way doesn't necessarily mean others did. I appreciate that you have been increasing content here, even if I don't say much about it.
Now when someone starts trying to take away my access, my families access to medication and medical treatment, of course I am going to have something to say about that. I think though when we have times like this were you have huge issues impacting large swaths of the population, you will likely have a lot of people wanting to talk about it. Things like Healthcare, Brexit, Wars, Pandemics, people are likely going to have some input on that front.
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Archived on Wayback Machine
Also, a larger resolution I found with Google reverse image search.
Back when Hawki was a happy boy. I've still been Aragorn the whole time.Archived on Wayback Machine
Also, a larger resolution I found with Google reverse image search.