08-27-2005, 03:04 AM
When it comes to the Battledome, there definitely are psychological factors involved. For some reason, battlers are compelled to return to the dome – inherently a pointless ritual. Let’s face it, the only time battlers can get something out of battling are during the wars that come about once or twice a year. There must be, then, something else the drives these individuals. Something.
Nietzsche in his Beyond Good and Evil calls it “the will to power.” He states that we as human beings seek to attain positions of power and acclaim through an array of means. Freud also has similar concepts with his study in the human unconscious. The argument, I’m sure, against me so far is that the Battledome is for fun and nothing else. This, however, supports exactly what I’m saying!
Let’s begin the analysis with what “fun” actually is. Yes, I realize I’m being anti-Romanticist, but please allow me to continue. Have you ever had fun with something you’re just absolutely terrible at? It’s difficult to enjoy something if you simply don’t have a knack for it – it’s natural. If we’re enjoying something (like a hobby), then, we must be somewhat good at it. This taste of decency, though, is exactly what compels us – it’s what drives us. In our unconsciousness, we believe that we can do more and grow as battlers, and so the slippery slope begins. As we become stronger, “upgrade sets,” meet new people who do the same, and become attached to this in other ways, we imbed ourselves in the mindset that we can be much greater – perhaps the greatest. Again, the argument that remains is, “But it’s still fun!” Aye, there’s the rub. If we enjoy growing as battlers, then we must enjoy attaining power.
Let’s take a step back into a more realistic perspective. What exactly is the meaning of life? I see we’ve taken a huge step back…but again, stay with me here. I’ve actually thought this through and derived at a universal answer: Live it the way YOU want to. Yes, it’s as simple as that. Often times, though, we mirror ourselves to the rest of society. It seems there’s some structure when it comes to living a “good,” in the general sense, life. It usually goes along the lines of: education, job, spouse, kids, and long happy life, right? We fill in the gaps, though, with variations like different occupations and what to do with our Social Security money…if we ever get it. Political jokes aside, Maslow calls this progressive chain “self actualization.” Think of a pyramid: at the bottom of this pyramid we have our basic needs like food, water, and air. Above that, we have security – guaranteed survival (like a steady paycheck and house). Eventually, we as human beings seek something called self-actualization. This means that after all our foundation has set, we seek to “find ourselves,” and simply do what we love. Let’s take a huge step and go back to something more battledome-relative.
We were all newbies once, no? We waited in the soup kitchen for food for our pets and played games as a means of getting Neopoints. Slowly, some of us figured out restocking or the stock market and attained a very steady “paycheck,” if you will. This is where we all start to deviate. Some might devote their time on Neopets to collecting cards, stamps, or coins. Perhaps the more creative eye wants to design their home or build a fabulous garden. Our younger players simply want to be able to paint their pets with brushes they work years for. Our purpose, though, is to battle. As we grew in this fantastical world, we found our calling in the dome. You simply being at this site indicates that you wish to grow as a battler. There’s a mentality here that resides within the desire to battle. Don’t we all train? Don’t we all upgrade our sets and develop strategies? Why is it that everyone says “train this,” or “upgrade that?” Has anyone said, “Don’t train and don’t upgrade your set?” I think not. Why? It wouldn’t be FUN to have a bad set and horrible stats. Losing is not FUN. We must admit after this analysis, then, that having fun comes with a realistic condition: We have to be good or want to be good at what we’re doing.
My argument is that yes, what we do may be fun, but let’s not be so ignorant to the fact that our pleasure comes from the natural, psychological wish to become great. Is such a feat possible? Perhaps to a very few, yes, but when has a huge obstacle ever gotten in the way of our “will to power?”
Nietzsche in his Beyond Good and Evil calls it “the will to power.” He states that we as human beings seek to attain positions of power and acclaim through an array of means. Freud also has similar concepts with his study in the human unconscious. The argument, I’m sure, against me so far is that the Battledome is for fun and nothing else. This, however, supports exactly what I’m saying!
Let’s begin the analysis with what “fun” actually is. Yes, I realize I’m being anti-Romanticist, but please allow me to continue. Have you ever had fun with something you’re just absolutely terrible at? It’s difficult to enjoy something if you simply don’t have a knack for it – it’s natural. If we’re enjoying something (like a hobby), then, we must be somewhat good at it. This taste of decency, though, is exactly what compels us – it’s what drives us. In our unconsciousness, we believe that we can do more and grow as battlers, and so the slippery slope begins. As we become stronger, “upgrade sets,” meet new people who do the same, and become attached to this in other ways, we imbed ourselves in the mindset that we can be much greater – perhaps the greatest. Again, the argument that remains is, “But it’s still fun!” Aye, there’s the rub. If we enjoy growing as battlers, then we must enjoy attaining power.
Let’s take a step back into a more realistic perspective. What exactly is the meaning of life? I see we’ve taken a huge step back…but again, stay with me here. I’ve actually thought this through and derived at a universal answer: Live it the way YOU want to. Yes, it’s as simple as that. Often times, though, we mirror ourselves to the rest of society. It seems there’s some structure when it comes to living a “good,” in the general sense, life. It usually goes along the lines of: education, job, spouse, kids, and long happy life, right? We fill in the gaps, though, with variations like different occupations and what to do with our Social Security money…if we ever get it. Political jokes aside, Maslow calls this progressive chain “self actualization.” Think of a pyramid: at the bottom of this pyramid we have our basic needs like food, water, and air. Above that, we have security – guaranteed survival (like a steady paycheck and house). Eventually, we as human beings seek something called self-actualization. This means that after all our foundation has set, we seek to “find ourselves,” and simply do what we love. Let’s take a huge step and go back to something more battledome-relative.
We were all newbies once, no? We waited in the soup kitchen for food for our pets and played games as a means of getting Neopoints. Slowly, some of us figured out restocking or the stock market and attained a very steady “paycheck,” if you will. This is where we all start to deviate. Some might devote their time on Neopets to collecting cards, stamps, or coins. Perhaps the more creative eye wants to design their home or build a fabulous garden. Our younger players simply want to be able to paint their pets with brushes they work years for. Our purpose, though, is to battle. As we grew in this fantastical world, we found our calling in the dome. You simply being at this site indicates that you wish to grow as a battler. There’s a mentality here that resides within the desire to battle. Don’t we all train? Don’t we all upgrade our sets and develop strategies? Why is it that everyone says “train this,” or “upgrade that?” Has anyone said, “Don’t train and don’t upgrade your set?” I think not. Why? It wouldn’t be FUN to have a bad set and horrible stats. Losing is not FUN. We must admit after this analysis, then, that having fun comes with a realistic condition: We have to be good or want to be good at what we’re doing.
My argument is that yes, what we do may be fun, but let’s not be so ignorant to the fact that our pleasure comes from the natural, psychological wish to become great. Is such a feat possible? Perhaps to a very few, yes, but when has a huge obstacle ever gotten in the way of our “will to power?”
but if u wish to actually analyse it, it is true
Thanks for the reply - good to hear intellectual comments and arguments.