- Joined
- Oct 21, 2017
- Messages
- 303
- Reaction score
- 1,918
- Points
- 383
- Age
- 26
Therapy Hidden in the Bushes:
With all the work, midterms, COVID, and dare I say whatever the rest of 2020 plans to bring to the table for us, I laid down and 'self-reflected'. Massivecraft, and minecraft in a similar case, is a bit therapeutic dontcha know? Disclaimer! In no way am I a licensed therapist. But- I've attended therapy! Not because I needed it, but rather because my university offers therapy sessions for free. Thus, I'd like to share one of the most profound, memorable responses I vividly remember from my singular therapy session, which follows: "Everyone needs a coping mechanism. You have the bad ones, such as drugs, violence, alcohol, but you also have the goods ones, such as exercise, meditation, therapy." We all need a way to cope, or a coping mechanism. A psychological strategy or adaptation that a person relies on to manage stress. For myself, it has always been Minecraft. It's so easy to blur out the rest of the world around you, and just focus on your "New World" where you can play, build, and manage a game much like an artist can paint a canvas.
Much of the massive community has remained... Static. Lifewise of course! The players I grew up with on Massivecraft were 12-16 when I first logged onto the server. Now they are rapidly reaching the ages of 20-22. I can't name one in-person friend or family member I've consistently talked to for 4-6 years straight. On Massive, I can.
We live like a progress bar. Once we reach 100%, its over.
Life Expectancy:
The average life expectancy in the USA is 78.54 years. Within the UK it is 81.16 years. Canada, 82.25 years.
21-22 years as a ratio to my life expectancy is 26.92% of my lifetime.
If my life was a book, I'd be 1/3 the way done.
The Ratio Related to Massive:
6 years (the amount of time on Massive) is 7.69% of my life time. However 6 years of my current age (21-22) is 27.27% of my lifetime in which Massivecraft has been impacting me. Given we're talking about a living human being, that's a impactful number. I'm sure many others are in the same shoes as I am in regards to that age and experience. If you take the amount of time you've been playing Massivecraft, and divide by your current age in years, you will come out with the ratio (as a percentage) of how long you've been apart of the community in respect to how long you've been alive. 27% of my life has had Massivecraft impacting it. Transference.
Transference:
What is transference? Dare I say that transference is related to the ability of passing or impacting another's growth or personality. The antonym to transference is indifference. Which is the inability to change or be impacted. The beauty of these two words, is that you are the one in control when it comes to indifference or transference. You can either let the actions of another impact you, or you can disregard them and forget about them. How you allow the words or actions of another impact you is completely up to you, hence why you are the one in control.
As we grow older, we move away from our families and many of our friends. We live far more independently, and many times this sense of independency and individuality can bring about the sensations of loneliness. Even more so when you're single and living alone in your own apartment or home. Loneliness is a killer, so I highly suggest those feeling alone give this video by Kurzgesagt a watch.
A Personnel Prosopography of Papida: (alliteration intented)
Once I reached the age of 18, I moved out on my own, got an apartment close to campus, (eventually picked up some roommates who usually keep to themselves) and the majority of the time, was by definition isolated. At first, the amount of privacy and self reflection was great. But after some time, that feeling of being alone quickly caught up. Massivecraft however, was just enough social interaction for me. For others struggling with chronic disabilities or mental/social disorders, Massivecraft is even more impactful and valuable.
I nearly forced myself into a position where I'd have to sacrifice my connection with Massivecraft. Whilst going through college, the implications of enlisting in the USMC were quickly approaching. Just before my enlistment however, my little brother intentionally shot himself, my mother got a divorce, my aunt passed away, and as if there wasn't enough nails in the coffin, all the stress eventually caught up on my mothers health resulting in a stroke. I couldn't afford to enlist and with the events going on I had a viable excuse not to. So I didn't. I left and went on a break to tend to my family, and here I am.
In no way am I attempting to undermine the hardships of others by sharing my own recent trials. Admittedly, I don't get very many chances to talk about it. I share this to serve as an example that people on Massive struggle day to day. Taking transference into consideration, I believe it was the help of many close friends at the time from Massive who kept my spirits up. Made a positive impact on my life.
"List the three points of your thesis statement here" In Summary:
- We don't stay young forever, our lives are akin to a loading progress bar, and it doesn't load backwards. We can only hope that the progress bar loads as slowly as possible, one tenth of a percent at a time. Live to be grateful. Gratitude is often recognized when it's too late.
- We can impact each other. Transference is a real thing. Any form of communication with your RP friends can make an impact. Being there for each other to listen or vent, can make an impact. Even our very personalities exposed to one another creates an impact.
- We all have the potential to struggle. From deceased family members, being overworked, financial struggles, illnesses, and so on, we have trials and tribulations ahead for all of us. It's guaranteed. Value your coping mechanisms, and keep them healthy.
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