Gaming as fictitious as Religion?

[robzo100]

JWeinCom said:

robzo100 said:

Fair enough, plenty of examples to boot. Yeah, it's probably not there yet, not as wide-reaching, not as consequential or impactful, not nearly as elaborate. Nevertheless, and I'm not trying to "win" any argument persay, religion is slowly evaporating imo and gaming is growing as an arm or leg of a more secular holistic form of entertainment by which people express themselves very fanatically and impactfully (The music, the fashion, the geekdom, the fan art, the forums, the annual GDCs, E3s, Comic-Cons, etc.). 

Perhaps religion, encompassing many different branches(upon further branches - Christianity-Catholicism), would not be equal to gaming as gaming would be, as I just put it, an arm or leg (a branch) of something more fundamental. Not sure if that is sports as a whole, or entertainment as a whole. But that "whole" is what I'm referencing when I talked earlier about a sort of account system by which one automatically takes part in as a requisite to participating in a general entertainment community, one that would be virtual a la Miitomo with expressive avatars and the like reflective of their entertainment preferences.

But yeah, it's probably not there yet. However, this is what I see in the future, and culture, especially those facets rooted in technology, is generally exponential.

I'm just really not sure what you're defining as "religious".  There is a human tendency towards seeking meaning, seeking meaning where it may or may not belong, looking for authority, looking for group acceptance, and things like that.  If that's what you mean by religion, then sure.  But as I see it, religion as we typically discuss it involves dogma and some kind of supernatural authority.  In this sense, gaming will never get close.

Hmmm...I see the point more clearly now. The general notion of religion and the specific one relating to "supernatural authority." I'd have to concede that gaming, whether Mario or Master Chief, will never reach that kind of status and legitimacy. But it did immediately beg the question in my head as to what would be the posterboy for religion. Catholicism? Hinduism? Buddhism? Shintoism?

Well, Western Religion like Catholicism, Judiasm, definitely have that supernatural authority heirarchy that is integral to the practice and overall DNA. But the further you head east, the further it breaks down. Hinduism seems like a good middle ground as its polytheistic roots dilute the presence of an onipotent monotheistic ruler. And then Daoism, Buddhism, and Shintoism, begin to melt into "lifestyle" as many Japanese don't even know many facts at all about their native religion; there just aren't nearly as many facts and specific to the religion as there is with Christianity for example.

I'm just thinking off the bat as I go with this discussion. If I didn't and just held a static position right from the get-go then your just criticisms would not have led me down this path. I guess my only caveat at this point is that you're right with regards to Western Religion. I was arguing that western religion was becoming more lax and dilute, but perhaps other religions are already that way by nature.

There are Shinto shrines all over Japan. But how will they compare an actual physical Nintendo Land(Universal Studios)? Surely there will be erect statues of Gaming legends...and maybe "invisible" pokemon too. :)