Very interesting Megan. Intertwined with all this is the idea of role-playing or escapism; ignoring inconveniences, responsibilities, and real-world problems along with others doing the same.

If we’re honest, considering another’s feelings is both an inconvenience and a socially-imposed responsibility regardless of its unarguable general benefits. Consequently, I can see that if an escape place was becoming too much like real life, they would retreat further or lash out from frustration. I suppose this train of thought could be paralleled with the legalization of drugs where it would be better to let some people escape from time-to-time…

Another aspect of gaming is competition of skill (rather than ideas), which has an underlying premise that all (in-game) disagreements can be settled by (in-game) force. Games are an excellent outlet for this very human desire; however can lead to individuals (or groups) setting the culture of the game. There are consequently games with supportive communities, and others with toxic ones; ultimately leading to echo chambers and low hanging fruit for nefarious recruiters.