For a lot of us , video games can make the rest of life pale and boring . They consistently provide a dopamine hit , so our brains become hyperreactive to it , which dulls our appreciation of the rest of life .
Maybe we used to enjoy taking a long walk with our dog , but now we don ’ t because we just want to get back to our game . The rest of life is just something to put up with until we can be with our precious game again . We become like Gollum in the cave with his ring . ( A friend of mine finally quit a strategy game he was playing when he realized he was thinking about it all the time , even while sitting in his law classes . He nearly failed before he thought , You know , maybe this is a problem if my game is more important than law school .)
Look , just like our discussion about disordered lust , this isn ’ t a guilt trip . It ’ s all very understandable . I ’ ve been there . But I ’ m confident the real you — the one who has hopes and dreams and longs to find out what you can be — doesn ’ t want to trade in reality for fake life . I ’ m confident you don ’ t want to trade in real accomplishment for fake accomplishment . And that is because I ’ m confident of the very thesis of this book , that men are actually designed for something , and that something isn ’ t random . You are created purposefully , so not fulfilling that purpose isn ’ t just an opportunity missed , it ’ s a tragedy , and you and the people who love you can sense it .
I just saw a photo of a thirty-four-year-old man named Ikuo . He ’ s a normal-looking guy
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