>>17368579
if anime and games make you happy, giving them up will make you less happy

if all you do is play games and watch anime, and these two things alone don't make you happy, try something else

>>17368579
It's a start.

>>17368579
Not unless they prevent you from doing things that make you happy.

> anime
no

> videogames
probably

With anime, that's just what you like to watch. There are plenty of normies (or people who pass for normies...) who watch anime. The key thing is, anime CAN'T define your identity. People shouldn't know that you like anime unless anime specifically comes up, and then don't be afraid to admit it.

Video games, on the other hand, are a problem because they're a huge waste of time. Playing video games a lot has an actual impact on your lifestyle, because playing video games takes mental energy, and is therefor an actual hobby. That's the difference: you watch anime in place of western TV - nobody cares that much. But you play video games in place of rock climbing or poetry readings - your lifestyle is taking a hit.

The key thing is, just go outside. Meet people. Have activities you do that force you to interact with people. If you've been a shut in for a while, you might have to get back into the swing of human interaction, but there's no other way to do that than interacting with people.

>>17368685
>having hobbies is bad
or
>having a hobby i dont like is bad

I know you probably didn't mean to sound like you're one or the other of these, but you totally did. I'd consider your wording next time.

Well, the first question to be asking yourself is "Why are you unhappy?"

Wanting to be a happier person does not mean you have to give up anime or video games

>>17368579
Nah. Just don't be "that guy". Keep it for yourself, only discuss about it when others bring it first.

>>17368688
You're not giving me real advice, you're giving me butthurt advice.

I'm very pro-hobby. I think I made that obvious by giving examples of productive hobbies. Video games are not a productive hobby. When you waste your time on video games, you are not enriching yourself as a person, and if you want to be a functioning, happy, well-adjusted, attractive adult, you need good, enriching hobbies.
Your hobby could be rock climbing. By doing that you'd become fit and an outdoorsman. Your hobby could be painting. Who knows, painting on your free time could make you discover a great passion. Your hobby could even be computer programming, doing charity work, or cooking. All of these activities add value to your life. When you play video games, it's a time sink. You're not adding any value to your life, at least not in any way the people around you can appreciate. You're isolating yourself. You're not creating anything.

Obviously a lot of good, well-adjusted people do play video games. But if video games are your main activity, your main hobby, then it's severely damaging your lifestyle.

>>17368579
>Do I have to give up anime and games to become a happier person?
No, but you do need more interests than that. These are really two forms of the same single interest -consuming Japanese mass media- and a single interest is never enough to make a person happy, no matter what it is. Indeed, you want to keep your existing interest; swapping one-for-one will not make progress.

It IS possible that you may need to scale back the time you spend on your interest, to make time to practice a new one. But this is not the same as giving anything up.

>>17368715
(not the same anon)

>Video games are not a productive hobby

How ? I mean, how is painting more of a legit passion than video games ?
I know I spend a lot of times on video games, but I know perfectly that I can stop playing to see friends or whatever.
Right now I'm single, but whenever i had a gf, i would have my priorities straight.
I think it's pretty much the same as watching anime, or tv shows, or football on TV, or even reading.

>>17368774
Painting puts value into the world. When you play video games, you're interacting with someone else's creative achievement. Playing video games is more akin to looking at a paining.
In a social sense, painting is simply perceived more highly than playing video games - people respect a painter more, and find him more interesting. This is largely because he is creating something of value, or at least trying to.
Video games aren't any worse than watching TV as an activity. In fact, in a cognitive sense they're actually better because you're interacting with the video game rather than just watching it. The problem is the time sink - people don't normally waste entire days in front of a TV or anime. They'll usually watch for a half hour, or two hours at most. Video games, on the other hand, consume many hours. You play video games at the expense of other activities, activities that could enrich you much more as a person.

>>17368789
Would you consider bug/ glitch hunting in video games to be a productive hobby? It may not be so much adding value, but it does work to remove possible devaluations from an established environment, in the same way law enforcement does.

>>17368579
I don't think it is scientifically proven that anime and vidya make you unhappy.

And anyway, you are focusing the wrong way. Happiness is not a goal, but the way you do things. You don't achieve happiness by adding or taking things from your life, you do the things you do (work, hobbies, relationships, etc) happily or you don't.

So the better question is not if you should give up on anime and vidya but why can't you feel happy while you do those things you love doing.

>>17368789
>people don't normally waste entire days in front of a TV or anime
You're not American, are you. Half of my coworkers are basically just "sleep, eat, work, watch TV" and nothing else.

Also what kind of nigger plays a game that takes more than a couple hours without making sure they're at least using some manner of peripheral to socialize at the same time.

>>17368789
It's highly based on individuals.
I won't deny that it is tempting to spend hours on games, and it feels good having a long session of gaming.
But binge reading and binge watching are a reality too. Spending hours training for a sport is a reality too. I'm not saying it's the same of course (physcial effort etc.), I'm just saying that you spend hours in what pleases you, whatever it is.
I know some people that would Watch an episode from a TV show whenever they get a chance to, and brag about aving watched more 2000h of TV shows.
As you say, the problem is indeed the time sink, but it can easily be avoided if you really want it and limit your sessions duration, just like other hobbies.

>You play video games at the expense of other activities, activities that could enrich you much more as a person
Implying it can't enrich you. Depends on what you're playing of course, but most video game players learned quite a few things while playing trust me.Be it knowledge, or way of thinking. Video games can also be just a mean to tell a story.

>>17368678
This. I have a friend who's whole life is basically anime. That would make me miserable.

>>17368579
you are just projecting the fact that you are unhappy on your hobbies but really, what else would you do?
obviously it is worth it to try and expand your interests but if you find out that no other hobby can entertain you than just keep on playing vidya

>>17368579
you have to stop watching chinese cartoons because you are a grown man and play less videogames.