In a recent episode of the incredibly popular podcast, The Joe Rogan Experience, Joe Rogan called gaming a “real problem” as well as a “waste of time.” Of course, the host’s over-simplistic and frankly somewhat assuming comments have since drawn the ire of hundreds of his fans, many of whom play video games themselves.
Rogan’s opinions are informed by his own history with gaming. A self-described “alcoholic” who has admitted to playing titles like NBA 2K and Quake Champions for over 12 hours a day at his peak, he at one point resolved to give up the habit in favor of finding a more productive (and lucrative) hobby.
In his most recent podcast, Rogan compared gaming to Jujitsu, saying that – while some martial artists could potentially open a gym after several years of training – the vast majority of practitioners are left without an income. He also took issue with games because they’re “f–king fun” as well as “real exciting,” and therefore highly addictive.
Shortly after saying these things, Rogan’s fans began voicing their dissatisfaction on Twitter. Meanwhile, several prominent YouTube gaming personalities – including Ninja – have taken their side. And although Rogan is probably talking about a particular type of game played by a particular type of person for a particular reason, his comments remain grossly uninformed.
Of course, he’s not the only “public intellectual” to refer to gaming as a medical and psychological problem and like many other out-of-tune scholars who take issue with the topic, he fails to recognize that games can not only be a valid form of entertainment, but in many cases, also deserve to be recognized as a form of art comparable to that of film.
Tell us, though, do you agree or disagree with the opinion of Joe Rogan? Let us know in the comments section below.