image source: WSJ
By: D.C. Cutler, U.S.A.
A few weeks ago, on a popular HBO late night show, the host talked about his disdain for people watching popular gamers playing games like “Fortnite” and “Grand Theft Auto V” on Twitch. Everyone has a right to their opinion, but the host said that he thought people were wasting their precious time watching gamers. Couldn’t that be said about all forms of entertainment? Why does the act of watching gamers play and teach other gamers how to come up with strategies bothersome for some with an enormous platform?
There’s also a very famous podcaster (and a very rich one) who has issues with the viewers of Twitch. Do these critics know how big the view numbers are during a gamers live stream? It’s never a small number.
Critics say watching entertaining people playing video games on Twitch is a waste of time, but couldn’t you say the same for watching a UFC fight or a late-night show that’s past it’s prime. Entertainment is different for everyone. Binge-watching a great series could be considered a waste of someone’s time as well. However, there’s not a lot of criticism of binge-watching a television show. I’m guilty of binge-watching some series’ twice; and I don’t for an instant feel like I was wasting my time. I was entertained, like the people of all ages who watch famous or popular gamers on Twitch are.
I personally have never watched a gamer play on Twitch, but I watch a lot of Major League Baseball. Am I wasting time when I watch baseball? Perhaps, although it doesn’t feel like a waste of time to me. To someone who likes watching HBO late night shows or gamers on Twitch, they may think so, but we all have different tastes and interests.
I would never criticize another person’s entertainment choice. Entertainment is a vast and diverse thing.
