Lessons From Video Games (or why we can't have nice things)

So today I am writing about a very serious topic... human nature, and why people (collectively) are terrible. This isn't to say that each and every individual out there is a morally depraved sadist who enjoys stealing candy from babies... but yeah people are jerks.What I am trying to say is that there is something about the knowledge (or belief) that your face and name are not truly being associated with your words or actions that creates some truly terrifying results. The internet has given us an unprecedented portal for social experimentation that quite frankly may blow your mind.
With the information that can be casually observed during your typical browsing session (assuming that session includes social media use and memes) it is possible to understand that in a group of ten perfectly kind people at least one of them will be a "troll"- I understand that this term may require some defining, bear with me- You see when people, particularly the type who inhabit the "interwebs" gather there is discussion. During these discussions you can either learn a great deal or have a chat that vaguely resembles the comment section of a YouTube video... and you NEVER want the latter to happen, yet it always does eventually. This is due to the a fore mentioned "trolls". People who thrive on discord and chaos, people who's mothers should be ashamed (I'm joking but also kind of not). They leave comments with the specific intention of creating a flame war and sit back and watch the show as people debate politics beneath a video about a cat wearing a fedora (no joke that actually happened) (also I already discussed politics and I don't understand why we haven't yet attained world peace in the subsequent weeks). Now it is understandable that there are at least a few of these people, when over 3 billion people use the internet everyday a few of them are bound to turn up occasionally, after all as we here on the internet say:

The fascinating thing however is just how prevalent, even celebrated this behavior is. With entire websites dedicated to the "Art of Trolling" people seem to have embraced the idea that it is ok... cool even to mess with others via the internet, and a lot of people would like to know why. This is where video games come in, because a week ago something happened, and I am still unsure whether it is the epitome of idiots wasting their time via the internet or the most brilliant social experiment ever (that was a link FYI). What I have just attempted to force all of you into viewing is a live stream of over 80,000 people (at the time of writing), playing Pokemon together... as the same character. And if the mode is still, as I strongly believe it will always be, in "anarchy" then you will all get to witness a prime example of trolling, or maybe everyone will get there act together and it will be a beautiful illustration of why I am wrong and people aren't terrible (not likely but fingers crossed).
Why should it matter that 80,000 nerds are attempting to cooperate to beat a simple child's game from 1996? Aside from the landmark event in collaborative gaming, it is a great example of the point that I would ultimately like to make.

When discussing human nature there is a large difference between the intentions of people as individuals and the actions of the same people when put in large groups, especially when anonymity is a factor. Groups it would seem are inclined to push, even fight, for a goal they deem to be "right" and implies some common sense of morality (be it for whatever reason), and while this may be quite an extrapolation to make from a Pokemon game it makes sense. Many of those people have dedicated hours of there lives to the end of getting everyone else through a game that they could just as easily beat by themselves in a tiny fraction of the time, they are (in an odd way) being quite selfless. The wildcards then are the trolls, these people have no reason to want to impede the progress of the group but do so anyway. These people gain nothing from their efforts, and are putting in just as much time as the ones working through chaotic good towards the end of beating the elite four (I hope you all had good enough childhoods to know what that is). I don't know why it happens, just that it does, and I know that I will never have a good explanation for it. It is however oddly comforting that despite the omnipresence of those who would have otherwise humanity as a whole will try, if poorly, to achieve what they see as right (whether or not it actually is right is a whole different argument that I will not currently have with you).

So what do you think? Do you agree with the sentiment that humanity as a group at least tries to be good? Or am I just a lunatic that over-romanticizes what I think is kind of cool? Please let me know what you think in the comments, or else I will write my next 20 posts on Twitch playing Pokemon (don't think this is an empty threat, I totally can, and I will).

A Collective Sigh of Disapproval (if that's your thing)

Valentine's Day is here (cue dramatic music), and I have plans!... sort of, I will be either at home or at school (the snow once again plagues our lands) avoiding all of the couples my age.

So in short 

Because I hate people! Ok, so I don't hate people per se, but I must admit all the phony lovey-dovey junk perturbs me. Or perhaps I am bitter because I have literally always been single on Valentine's Day... with no sign of that changing... LIKE EVER. And so I now present, without equivocation or apology:

A Loner's Guide to Getting Girls to Like You:

1) become a puppy, or a kitten, evidently they are "cute" and I totally agree (a sneezing panda bear is also acceptable)

2) I have had several extremely awkward and (in hindsight) very clumsy "relationships" which consisted of elementary school me being waaaaaaaaay too serious and "romantic" (it wasn't romantic). Don't be elementary school Todd, that does not work

3) to clarify, girls not named Bella Swan have what I will now refer to as CSR, or Creepy Stalker Radar, try not to activate that

     a) Now if I can briefly interrupt my list I think that the second and third points need some explanation. The trouble with guys (me really... honestly I am assuming you are all just me) is that we are needy, but we are taught that we are not allowed to be needy. As a result when we get in a situation where it could just possibly, maybe, be kinda sorta ok(ish) to be vulnerable we (I) sort of rip our chests open and let the need flow out... and its kind of disgusting. My theory is that rational girls (and guys I hope) have this warning system inside their heads and whenever someone gets too obsessed with them it starts beeping like crazy and a loud voice comes from the sky shouting "back away". (which by the way is a totally helpful warning system because no girl (or any other person) is going to fill the holes inside of you)

4) RELAX

     a) I would like to point the reader’s attention to those fun little Chinese finger cuff game thingies (thingies is a technical term), the more you are panicked and overeager the worse it is. Instead just relax, perhaps there is something to just being yourself. If you need to totally recreate yourself to make things work with another person the two of you could never really get along

5) It is really helpful if you see girls as people instead of pathways to kissing and/or emotional salvation

     a) One of the things that I have noticed during my brief stint in existence is that if you treat girls like people (albeit people that like fart jokes somewhat less than the rest of your friends) they might actually, oh I don't know... not run away when you try to talk to them. And once you get to the point where they aren't creeped out by you perhaps you could be friends! Maybe... just maybe... one day you could be (wait for it) more than friends (tehe), shocking right, that friendship could be the basis for a later "relationship".

6) Finally, maybe don’t take advice from random kids on the internet who have never had a serious relationship in their lives

With that out of the way we can get back to the important things, like indiscriminately hating those annoying couples at school.