Why Video Games Are Better Than Social Media
Video games are the bane of female existence. Take it from Taylor Swift telling her man to “kiss me while your boys play Grand Theft Auto,” it feels like it is between us and them… them being the video games.
In the hopes of curating a healthy relationship between my boyfriend and me (Hi Anthony), I have tried to put myself in his shoes as to why he loves his Xbox just about as much as he loves his mother and me.
Dare I say it… I kind of understand why.
When he plays a video game, it is a true break from reality and a transformation into another place. Even Jay Shetty (a literal monk) and host of the On Purpose podcast says he unwinds through video games.
I have always been appalled when girls say they “don’t let their boyfriend play video games.” He is a grown-ass man. Don’t act like you can control his actions!
The only person whose actions you can control are your own, and, to be quite frank, I think there are some things us gals can learn from the boys’ video game obsessions.
Using Our Brain Cells
Playing a video game requires multitasking, strategy, and focus. The female equivalent to the males’ video games would be scrolling social media. If we are being reallllllyyyyy honest here, we know that the most brain-stimulating thing that our Instagram feed provides is sleuthing around to see if so-and-so broke up with you-know-who… by stalking them back until 2019.
There are plenty of hobbies better for our brains than the ole’ doom scrolling. Try reading a book, taking a walk, crafting, cooking, blogging, etc. and your mind will thank you.
2. You Vs. Your Avatar
We all know about Fortnite skins. Boys pay actual money for those outfits that switch their avatars depending on the day.
In our game, our avatar is ourselves. We laugh at the boys, but we spend plenty of money to change our avatar. How many times have you gotten a new outfit because you had “already posted” in another one? Do you desperately fight the urge to buy cheetah print pants or the new Aloha sneakers? Have you gone out to a trendy place just to take a pic of it?
3. 🎵Think It’s A Gammmeeee 🎵
If you lose in a video game, you forget about it tomorrow. If you “lose” on social media, it affects your life. For example, if you are scrolling on a Saturday and feel like you have no friends because everyone is out doing something but you, that bleeds into your real life.
You may be thinking to yourself, “Well, I don’t have FOMO, so that doesn’t happen to me.” Number one, you’re lying to yourself. Number two, everyone has let social media affect them somehow. Maybe you thought somebody copied your outfit. Or you stalked his ex for hours on end.
There’s a reason social media isn’t considered a video game because it is your life.
4. Social Media Isn’t That Social
My brother-in-law keeps in touch with his college roommates over a scheduled NCAA game every Sunday.
Social media often is an isolating activity. I promise you, nobody wants to watch your FYP with you for hours on end like you can yourself.
Many times I look up from my phone to see I’ve been scrolling for hours, just to hear my mom in the kitchen downstairs cooking in silence. Go downstairs and talk to your mom. Call the friend whose photo you just commented on. I’m sure she has a lot more to tell you about her trip than her post shows.
You can unwind with quality conversation.
5. The Off Button
Perhaps the most glorious feature on the Xbox is the off button. Not only because video games are the bane of female existence, but because there is a clear division between your game and your reality. The lines between social media and reality can get blurry.
I believe social media can cultivate a false sense of self. Your identity can quickly get shaped into the girl you portray online if you aren’t careful.
You may only post one epic outfit shot a month, but everyone thinks you have good style. Now you feel like you have to dress nice IRL. Did you go on a couple of cool trips this year? Now everybody knows you love to travel. Where are you going to go next?
How beautiful it would be to meet someone in person and get to know them organically, without them getting to look you up afterward and learn about your life through an IG stalk?
Be wary of blurring the lines between who someone is online and who they are in real life. Protect who you are as a person. Turn it off sometimes.
Now, maybe don’t share this with your boyfriend or he will have major leverage. Or, do, and you can get a couple cool girl points.
The next time you gawk as he spends hours on COD, look at your screen time and flip the script. Then ask to go on a walk.
