# What's a more admirable activity : watching sports or playing video games? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 13, 2015, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-more-admirable-activity-watching-sports-or-playing-video-games/727771 "2015-08-13T20:39:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2015, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-more-admirable-activity-watching-sports-or-playing-video-games/727771/61 "2015-08-14T18:20:24Z")
First, I want to say that it seems that every single one of these “Gaming vs. Sports” threads is started by some butt-hurt nerd who’s feeling insecure because they play video games, and the wider world generally watches sports, and they feel like they’re being looked down on for playing games/not watching sports. That said, I don’t think it’s really a dichotomy between sports and video games. Anecdotally speaking, 3 out of the 4 biggest gamers I know happen to also be 3 of the biggest sports fans I know as well; they watch a LOT of soccer, basketball and football, as well as being fairly hardcore gamers. They’re just different sorts of leisure-time activities. And they’re not casual gamers either, so it’s not like they watch sports 95% of the time and play Candy Crush or Angry Birds on their phones the other 5% of the time. More like sports 40% of the time, and stuff like FIFA 15, Witcher I/II, Fallout 3, Wasteland 2, Battlefield 4, DOTA, LoL, etc… the other 60% of the time. Anyway, the whole thing boils down to the fact that there’s still a popular concept, especially among the 35 and older set, that video games are fundamentally a childish activity, while sports watching is acceptable. This is changing, and from what I understand, isn’t an issue among 20-somethings at all. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2015, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-more-admirable-activity-watching-sports-or-playing-video-games/727771/62 "2015-08-14T19:09:32Z")
I greatly prefer video games, but if it feels good do it. I think I understand the appeal of sports in their purest form. What turns me off sports is the passive nature of it, the huge amount of money involved, all the commercials, and all the talking and fluff such as player biographies. If I was going to watch sports I’d want a fully interactive 3D view of the playing field where I could watch and replay from any angle. So…basically a video game. ---
**Author:** ![JayRx1981](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/71e660/32.png) [@JayRx1981](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JayRx1981)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2015, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-more-admirable-activity-watching-sports-or-playing-video-games/727771/63 "2015-08-15T12:31:53Z")
> [@madsircool](#): > > Watching sport is watching the best of the best do something most of us have done. Not so much so in gaming. Those of us who enjoyed watching [Summer Games Done Quick 2015](https://gamesdonequick.com/) (which brought in over 1.2 million dollars in charity for Doctors without Borders this summer, and over 1.5 million for the Prevent Cancer Foundation from their Awesome Games Done Quick event earlier this year) would take issue with that statement. Many of the speed runners who played are among the best of the best at their game(s) of choice. ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2015, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-more-admirable-activity-watching-sports-or-playing-video-games/727771/64 "2015-08-15T19:23:04Z")
> [@Martian Bigfoot](#): > > It’s a fair point. > > In fairness, thought, reading actually takes more work than TV and video games. Ask an average couch potato how he would feel about slogging his way through War and Peace. It’s _boring_. And it’s _hard_. “It’s really hard and boring” isn’t really an argument if you intend to state that an activity is admirable. So is breaking rocks. And more importantly, readers _don’t_ find it boring. They find it enjoyable. It doesn’t cost them any effort. It’s no different from sport afficionados enjoying watching games, or geeks enjoying games. Other people find both activities utterly boring. They don’t. Reading isn’t hard work for readers. > [@](#): > > Your brain needs to be a lot more involved. Reading often has the side effect of making you smarter. It can be self-improvement. So it’s not productive per se, but it may improve you and inspire you to be productive. You could say the same of games. In fact I find my brain more involved when I play than when I read. > [@](#): > > Anyway, \*playing \*sports, or just exercise in general, is also considered positive, even though that isn’t exactly productive either. I don’t think anybody is disputing that. And nobody is discussing the interest of writing books or creating games, either. ---
**Author:** ![Tzigone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Tzigone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tzigone)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2015, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-more-admirable-activity-watching-sports-or-playing-video-games/727771/65 "2015-08-15T19:35:14Z")
> [@](#): > > In fairness, thought, reading actually takes more work than TV and video games. Ask an average couch potato how he would feel about slogging his way through War and Peace. It’s boring. And it’s hard. Your brain needs to be a lot more involved. Reading often has the side effect of making you smarter. It can be self-improvement. So it’s not productive per se, but it may improve you and inspire you to be productive. But since we’re talking reading fiction as a hobby (as opposed to gaming or watching sports), it’s _not_ boring. It’s entertainment, too. John Grisham novels or Danielle Steele or Harry Potter or Twilight or whatever is popular right now. Only real productive side effect I’ve noticed from reading over the years is an increased vocabulary. And you could theoretically get that from tv (seventh grade science class - chapters on space - knew all the vocabulary words and basically correct definitions from Star Trek: TNG). I would think spelling would be one, but never noticed myself to be a markedly better speller than classmates who did not read recreationally. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2015, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-more-admirable-activity-watching-sports-or-playing-video-games/727771/66 "2015-08-15T20:12:28Z")
> [@Tzigone](#): > > But since we’re talking reading fiction as a hobby (as opposed to gaming or watching sports), it’s _not_ boring. It’s entertainment, too. John Grisham novels or Danielle Steele or Harry Potter or Twilight or whatever is popular right now. Only real productive side effect I’ve noticed from reading over the years is an increased vocabulary. And you could theoretically get that from tv There was a study that showed that reading _literary fiction_ (as opposed to popular genre fiction or nonfiction) helps develop empathy, social perception, and emotional intelligence. (Examples of articles about the study [here](http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/novel-finding-reading-literary-fiction-improves-empathy/) and [here](http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/10/03/i-know-how-youre-feeling-i-read-chekhov/?_r=0).) ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_Panic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/don_t_panic/32/398_2.png) [@Don\_t\_Panic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_Panic)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2015, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-more-admirable-activity-watching-sports-or-playing-video-games/727771/67 "2015-08-15T20:29:59Z")
> [@Tzigone](#): > > But since we’re talking reading fiction as a hobby (as opposed to gaming or watching sports), it’s _not_ boring. Some people compete in triathlons as a hobby. I’m sure at least some of them do it because they enjoy it. I’m also sure than they nevertheless experience plenty of pain, boredom and expenditure of effort along the way. Reading involves more cognitive effort than watching TV or a movie. OK, maybe plowing through the latest Harry Potter book isn’t terribly hard work. But it’s still more work than watching the story unfolding on a screen. Some people tolerate, or even seek out, effort and pain as part of the things they enjoy. And I contend that this is more admirable than enjoying something you can do passively and with no resistance. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2015, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-more-admirable-activity-watching-sports-or-playing-video-games/727771/68 "2015-08-15T20:41:45Z")
Wow. People on this board sometimes have a pretty weird way of thinking sometimes. Why does the OP set up a false dichotomy between watching sports and video games as if they are mutually exclusive? And using the term “admirable” isn’t appropriate as neither activity is particularly “admired”. People can’t and shouldn’t just work and do chores for every waking hour. Whether they choose to spend their leisure time playing videogames, watching sports, reading, golfing, binge watching TV or whatever is largely up to them. That said, sedentary activities like watching TV (sports or not) and playing videogames are ultimately not great for your health. Go outside and get some fresh air, Fatty. ---
**Author:** ![Habeed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a587f6/32.png) [@Habeed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Habeed)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2015, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-more-admirable-activity-watching-sports-or-playing-video-games/727771/69 "2015-08-15T21:45:02Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > Wow. People on this board sometimes have a pretty weird way of thinking sometimes. > > Why does the OP set up a false dichotomy between watching sports and video games as if they are mutually exclusive? And using the term “admirable” isn’t appropriate as neither activity is particularly “admired”. Then invert it. Which activity is “less despicable” than the other? The inverse of admirable is “despicable”. Yes, some people do both, but no one does both in equal amounts. Some games are more difficult and require more technical skill and intelligence than real life technical jobs… ---
**Author:** ![mage-girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cc9497/32.png) [@mage-girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mage-girl)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2015, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-more-admirable-activity-watching-sports-or-playing-video-games/727771/70 "2015-08-15T23:36:21Z")
Some of my strongest memories are of certain moments in video games. Cid’s “death” in Final Fantasy 4; Sephiroth in the Shinra Mansion (FF7) saying “I’m going to see my mother” and the music just kicks in; exploring Magus’ mansion in Chrono Trigger with that creepy-ass music/random moaning as the sun went down outside my apartment 🙂 I don’t have as fond memories of sports. I’ve gone to a couple of baseball games, and got nothing out of it but sunburn. ☹ I did have fun at an indoor ladies’ volleyball game, but I think it helps that our team was super good (often playing in the college championships). And what I think is, if you get good feelings from something, you’re likely to do it more often. It’s not necessarily that I don’t like watching sports - I haven’t had enough positive experiences to judge. Since I have a pattern of good feelings from playing video games, it’s an activity I’m likely to continue. I hate that I can be judgmental of sports fans, though. They’re only doing what’s fun for them, and as long as they aren’t bothering or insulting me directly, I really should smile and go play Pokemon. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Fuzzy\_Dunlop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/848f3c/32.png) [@Fuzzy\_Dunlop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fuzzy_Dunlop)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2015, 10:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-more-admirable-activity-watching-sports-or-playing-video-games/727771/71 "2015-08-16T10:55:44Z")
> [@clairobscur](#): > > “It’s really hard and boring” isn’t really an argument if you intend to state that an activity is admirable. **So is breaking rocks.** This. I don’t understand why everyone is so fixated on these supposedly ‘admirable’ hobbies when \*\*clairobscur \*\* has already identified what is pretty clearly the most admirable and productive form of relaxation yet mentioned in this thread. Better vocabulary and critical thinking skills and improved socialization are all great, but they’re inherently selfish benefits. Breaking rocks, on the other hand, actually yields an incredibly useful commodity - broken rocks. For me, the only thing more satisfying than breaking a big pile of rocks into a smaller pile of rocks is seeing it used as a sub base material in a new sidewalk. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2015, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-more-admirable-activity-watching-sports-or-playing-video-games/727771/72 "2015-08-16T16:10:49Z")
> [@madsircool](#): > > When has your local government spent hundreds of millions of dollars to lure anything gaming to a city? Montreal, Toronto, Boston, Los Angeles, Seattle, Austin, Indianapolis, San Diego… lots and lots of cities give tax breaks to game developers and expand their expo-related infrastructure to cater to gamers. Why? Because we spend money. It’s the same reason many of them give tax breaks to stadiums. Video Games and Sports are hobbies. Nothing is inherently better or worse about either. And the vast majority of people who enjoy one, also love the other. It’s not an either/or thing and was never an either/or thing. ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2015, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-more-admirable-activity-watching-sports-or-playing-video-games/727771/73 "2015-08-16T16:50:34Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > Video Games and Sports are hobbies. Nothing is inherently better or worse about either. And the vast majority of people who enjoy one, also love the other. It’s not an either/or thing and was never an either/or thing. I agree with this and wish I had said it. ---
**Author:** ![Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/try2b_comprehensive/32/65_2.png) [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Try2B_Comprehensive)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2015, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-more-admirable-activity-watching-sports-or-playing-video-games/727771/74 "2015-08-16T20:00:02Z")
If you want to do something admirable, volunteer at a soup kitchen or nursing home, or do something for the kiddies. Pick up a hobby like running or weightlifting or yoga and maybe you’ll get in shape, and some people will admire your body. You’ll be healthier and maybe you’ll get laid. Watching sports and playing video games- how are either admirable? But why scoff at these people, either? It is just having fun. Watching sports in a crowded bar is probably more likely to result in getting laid than playing WOW in the basement, but getting laid isn’t necessarily admirable, look at all the trouble that can go with it. So, if abstinence is more admirable, then I guess video games are the winner. ---
**Author:** ![Fuzzy\_Dunlop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/848f3c/32.png) [@Fuzzy\_Dunlop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fuzzy_Dunlop)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2015, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-more-admirable-activity-watching-sports-or-playing-video-games/727771/75 "2015-08-17T13:49:33Z")
> [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](#): > > So, if abstinence is more admirable, then I guess video games are the winner. One of the two people who wrote Freakanomics was commenting once that he suspected video games probably had a new negative effective on violence and crime, simply because teenage to young adult men are such big consumers of video games and also such a giant portion of criminals. Essentially, any hour occupied doing something non-violent and non-criminal is an hour they definitely aren’t out committing violence and crime. That seems a lot more admirable than abstinence, which doesn’t seem very admirable at all. Of course if you’re not part of a demographic that’s likely to be committing crimes and you still play video games then I guess you don’t deserve any admiration on that basis. ---
**Author:** ![Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/try2b_comprehensive/32/65_2.png) [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Try2B_Comprehensive)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2015, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-more-admirable-activity-watching-sports-or-playing-video-games/727771/76 "2015-08-19T02:32:30Z")
> [@Fuzzy\_Dunlop](#): > > One of the two people who wrote Freakanomics was commenting once that he suspected video games probably had a new negative effective on violence and crime, simply because teenage to young adult men are such big consumers of video games and also such a giant portion of criminals. Essentially, any hour occupied doing something non-violent and non-criminal is an hour they definitely aren’t out committing violence and crime. > > That seems a lot more admirable than abstinence, which doesn’t seem very admirable at all. > > Of course if you’re not part of a demographic that’s likely to be committing crimes and you still play video games then I guess you don’t deserve any admiration on that basis. I dunno. What if we are talking about an older dude who is so occupied with video games that he doesn’t have time for prostitutes? Is ‘admirable’ really the right word to describe his video-game behavior in this context? Kinda the same thing with your example. Abstinence could at least go either way. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2015, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-more-admirable-activity-watching-sports-or-playing-video-games/727771/77 "2015-08-19T02:50:49Z")
> [@Habeed](#): > > Then invert it. Which activity is “less despicable” than the other? The inverse of admirable is “despicable”. Yes, some people do both, but no one does both in equal amounts. > > Some games are more difficult and require more technical skill and intelligence than real life technical jobs… I don’t think either are “despicable”. But watching sports is more socially acceptable among people who are more socially acceptable. It also lends itself to more socializing as you can invite a group of friends over to watch sports. I personally like videogames more than watching sports. But in all fairness, I do tend to get sucked in for hours at a time and do find that it makes me a bit antisocial. After a few hours of videogames, I definitely feel a need to go outside and pretend to want to be around other humans. > [@Fuzzy\_Dunlop](#): > > One of the two people who wrote Freakanomics was commenting once that he suspected video games probably had a new negative effective on violence and crime, simply because teenage to young adult men are such big consumers of video games and also such a giant portion of criminals. Essentially, any hour occupied doing something non-violent and non-criminal is an hour they definitely aren’t out committing violence and crime. > > That seems a lot more admirable than abstinence, which doesn’t seem very admirable at all. I thought he postulated that crime was reduced because Row v Wade let women abort future unwanted offspring that would have had a hire propensity for criminality. ---
**Author:** ![Gretchion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8edcca/32.png) [@Gretchion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gretchion)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2015, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-more-admirable-activity-watching-sports-or-playing-video-games/727771/78 "2015-08-19T16:25:47Z")
> [@The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](#): > > But what it really comes down to for me is how much time you spend on the activity. Since video games can be played just about anytime you’re free, people who are into video games can really let the things take over their lives, and since sports are only broadcasted during certain times, sports fans tend to have a bit more of a life outside of their chosen hobby. OTOH, people into video games can pause or stop their game, since they know it can be played at any time, whereas a sports fan might be a slave to the game at that certain broadcast time. ---
**Author:** ![Fuzzy\_Dunlop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/848f3c/32.png) [@Fuzzy\_Dunlop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fuzzy_Dunlop)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2015, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-more-admirable-activity-watching-sports-or-playing-video-games/727771/79 "2015-08-19T17:58:15Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > I thought he postulated that crime was reduced because Row v Wade let women abort future unwanted offspring that would have had a hire propensity for criminality. I think that’s probably the most controversial thing they’re known for saying, but he said what I posted too. Mine was just in one of their podcasts as far as I know, not the book. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-more-admirable-activity-watching-sports-or-playing-video-games/727771.md?page=3)