Ask Lemmy

There are several ways it can be fun, and you do have one of them.

• Competitive games/eSports. These are fun to watch exactly like football or basketball is, the skill it takes to play the game.
• Speed or challenge runs. Kind of related; imagine watching a skilled mountain climber climb a mountain looking to set a world speed record or something like that. Challenge runs aka "can we do this" can be fun as well. People are drawn to that kind of story, and video games are often a safe yet compelling place to contrive that kind of scenario.
• Venue for an entertainer. Sometimes the audience isn't really there for the game, they're there for the player. The game is a backdrop for an impromptu comedy performance.
• To experience the game when unable. Catching a Let's Play of especially an old game that's out of print can be a way to experience that game if you don't have the ability to set up an old console, or if an online game has shut down, or if you just don't have the time. You might watch it while cooking or eating or doing some other task if you can't find time in your life to actually play.

Having a cat as a roommate, I understand. My arms/hands/ankles are especially unsafe around him... At least the 3-4am blood-curdling screams have stopped. He learned that screaming me into sudden half-awakeness doesn't usually get him food, so I guess there's less reason to do it. 🥲

My only issue is that we have to kill and make kibble from lots of animals to feed these carnivores. But I love my dog and my life and health is better with him in it.

making someone else's tragedy about them

esteem boosts

Interesting take. When someone says they are blessed or grateful for whatever reason (even in the context of another's tragedy), I see it more as acknowledging how much of our own circumstances are outside of our control, a perfectly normal and healthy thing to recognize and nothing to do with boosting one's own self esteem.