Should a Grown Man Play Video Games?

For a minute there, I was addicted to the Nintendo 64. That was back in 2002 to 2004 and it was basically Mario Kart and NFL QB Club '99. Yeah, not exactly the "latest" and "greatest" from any of the major players in the video game world. Not the X-box or Playstation. In fact, most people I'd visit that had those systems seemed to be just a little bit too into it, if you know what I mean.

Much like any other hobby, fans of video games that I knew simply were hooked. It was their natural high, basically. I couldn't knock it. I mean, I still watch professional wrestling. I suppose playing video games ranks right up there as one of those childhood things we simply never gave up. But you can be discreet about watching WWE once a week on the DVR when everyone's asleep.

Video game-aholics, at least the ones I know, are at it 24/7 and always looking for this year's version of whatever NFL, MLB, NBA, or Rock Band game is being released. Pre-ordering, mind you. And that's another reason why video games are somewhat different from, in this case, my fascination with wrestling: they are expensive.

Brett and Kate McKay posed this question on their blog (Art of Manliness) which includes several reader comments, including one that I will stick to as my stance on video games in terms of manliness. Eric writes, Video games, in my mind, are neutral. The manner and frequency with which they are played determines the level of manliness. There is nothing wrong with a bit of leisurely activity. Playing for hours and hours daily is not manly, but doing any one pleasurable activity for hours at a time could be considered unmanly. All things in moderation.