Imagination, Reality, and Responsibility

Part II: Reality (an essay in three parts)

The concept of Reality has troubled philosophers, scientists, and the insane since the beginning of time.

What is real, actual?

Can we ever be sure?

Of course we can.

If it is real to you, perhaps it is as real as it is going to get. “Esse est Percipi”, “To be is to be perceived” as Bishop Berkley wrote.

But I am more concerned about, lets call it, General Reality (apologies to Albert Einstein).

The realities of daily life and those of us that participate in it.

I think many have confused reality with their own personal belief that whatever they do, or want, or ignore for that matter, is the reality we are all expected to accept.

More troubling is that many people in the Internet-connected world have no solid conception of reality.

Those is the so-called Third World have no such luxury. There is only one reality for them.

But for those in the world of interconnected gaming, reality exists only until they restart the game.

Reality is a video game where there is lots of virtual blood and gore and mayhem and wanton taking of human life, with no consequences.

It’s real until they decide its not. Attain the new highest score and then start over.

All the dead, wounded, and dismembered are made whole.

Once of these games is called Tour of Duty. The most important word in the preceding sentence is GAME.

It is not real, it is not even a very good representation of reality.

I know I shouldn’t generalize, but I am willing to bet many of the most ardent players never even considered actually joining the service.

Here’s a quote from one of the users of the game on their “high” score.

“53-7 on Villa. Ak47 dual mag with lightweight pro, hardened pro, and ninja pro. (names of the players omitted)
Can’t even brag though, the opposing team was beyond horrible”

Why is the word “pro” used in the description of a score of a GAME.

People get paid to play games?

So they are pros?

Oops, forgot about sports, they get paid to play a game.

Actually, they get paid to participate in an activity designed to extract as much money from it’s adherents and provide a respite from reality. One could argue it’s a fair exchange.

But this tendency to blend that which comes out of an X-box, Gameboy, or Computer monitor with actual, physical reality is troubling.

It’s unreal.

And then it get’s carried over into the “general” reality.

And real people die or are injured.

There is no reset, start over, reboot.

Embrace reality.