Active Engagement —> Earned Gratification
The Good Game Theory
Time & Attention are some of the most valuable commodities. After they are spent or wasted, they can never be replaced or rebought. Social Media companies sell these to advertisers constantly without our consent or control. Investing time & attention is far more lucrative than handing them over to click-bait.
The internet age allows us access to information immediately. We no longer need to go to a library to research a topic. Even those that do, go mainly for the WiFi connection, leaving the books all old & dusty. Instantly gratifying our desires is the new norm. Hardly anything is considered worth the wait when you can have it NOW!
Board games slow the rate of information absorption enough to allow the player to think critically. Online video games like Call of Duty or Halo have the advantage of improving the players’ reaction time. The power of board games lies in their ability to make the players less reactive & more responsive. Deliberate decision making thrives in an environment that encourages calming the waves of thought before you make your move.
It is obvious how common Attention Deficit Disorder has become in our culture. We are responsible for this more than we would like to acknowledge with our habits & behaviors. We rely on electronic devices to provide us instantly for our need of entertainment. We have even gone so far as to depend on it for our need of education. Instant gratification has gradually eroded our core characteristic value of patience.
Board games are a way to remedy the illness of Attention Deficit by delaying gratification to increase the length & quality of attention. Attention spans have become increasingly endangered each generation. The quality has also been diluted with so many distractions. The phrase ‘undivided attention’ has become an ancient relic these days. Games require the combination of presence of moment with presence of mind which tighten the focus of attention in order to earn the gratification of the win. Earned gratification as opposed to instant gratification also comes with an authentic sense of accomplishment.
The active engagement of play is an exercise in attention. With enough repetitions, mental fitness will develop in the form of focus, decision stamina, & problem-solving ability. Practice in presence is essential in play. Developing a mind that operates in present time can increase the value of every moment.