> I think it's a slow process, where they get you used to spending a couple bucks every few days or something like that, until you're spending $10 a week, and then $100 a week, because you've just gotten used to the idea that this is “worth” spending money on.
Grooming, essentially. Or we could view it as an exact parallel to the deadenin…
> I think it's a slow process, where they get you used to spending a couple bucks every few days or something like that, until you're spending $10 a week, and then $100 a week, because you've just gotten used to the idea that this is “worth” spending money on.
Grooming, essentially. Or we could view it as an exact parallel to the deadening of the conscience that we are taught happens gradually when a person commits very small venial sins because they are not a big deal, then commits deliberate venial sins because they are only venial, then commits grave sins because these too do not seem like a big deal now. I recently watched Nefarious (to report back to some folks who wanted to know whether it was the sort of horror movie they do not watch) and so the process is fresh in my mind ... from the perspective of the enemy there is a further step which the game companies do not have in their plan (since their goal is the wallet, not the soul; they are parasites, not apex predators), which is to confront the person with the fact that this is grave matter (like let's make sure this is deliberate) and convince him that he should continue to do it anyway (the last step would be either despair "I think I cannot be forgiven" or final impenitence "I do not want to be forgiven").
(It is "like" the deadening of the conscience because actually it *is* the deadening of the conscience, but we are used to thinking "this money that I don't 'need' is mine to do whatever I want with". I should reread St Basil's sermon to the rich, which I have a printout of because I need the reminder often.)
Sounds like a new chapter for Screwtape Letters--how to get kids/people hooked on video games, then slowly introduce morally worse things into the games...
> I think it's a slow process, where they get you used to spending a couple bucks every few days or something like that, until you're spending $10 a week, and then $100 a week, because you've just gotten used to the idea that this is “worth” spending money on.
Grooming, essentially. Or we could view it as an exact parallel to the deadening of the conscience that we are taught happens gradually when a person commits very small venial sins because they are not a big deal, then commits deliberate venial sins because they are only venial, then commits grave sins because these too do not seem like a big deal now. I recently watched Nefarious (to report back to some folks who wanted to know whether it was the sort of horror movie they do not watch) and so the process is fresh in my mind ... from the perspective of the enemy there is a further step which the game companies do not have in their plan (since their goal is the wallet, not the soul; they are parasites, not apex predators), which is to confront the person with the fact that this is grave matter (like let's make sure this is deliberate) and convince him that he should continue to do it anyway (the last step would be either despair "I think I cannot be forgiven" or final impenitence "I do not want to be forgiven").
(It is "like" the deadening of the conscience because actually it *is* the deadening of the conscience, but we are used to thinking "this money that I don't 'need' is mine to do whatever I want with". I should reread St Basil's sermon to the rich, which I have a printout of because I need the reminder often.)
https://bekkos.wordpress.com/st-basils-sermon-to-the-rich/ if anyone else likes to spend a half hour traumatizing themselves (I found it originally when I was looking up the quote that is in https://bekkos.wordpress.com/2009/10/08/st-basil-on-stealing-from-the-poor/ some time ago.)
Will traumatize myself. Thanks ;)
The part on horses reminded me of cars. Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose
Sounds like a new chapter for Screwtape Letters--how to get kids/people hooked on video games, then slowly introduce morally worse things into the games...