(Let me preface this by saying that I have already sent Luke my deepest condolences as I have been a longtime subscriber of his, before I go ragging a bit on the community's reaction to his terrible situation.) Has anyone seen alecjahn's reply to Luke's final video?
Linky. (I'm basically going to poach what I wrote on my blog about this... saves typing
)
In this video, alecjahn has basically said that all of his possessions are meaningless because they tear down walls that should be built. I definitely agree with this sentiment, however, I differ on a much more fundamental level. In Luke’s case, and potentially alecjahn’s case as well, I don’t know, the possessions were meaningless. They ruined relationships with a wife and a son, and turned what was once a hobby and a collection into a pile of junk. When these cherished possessions turn into a nuisance, then by all means sell them.
However, the answer isn’t to get rid of the things you love, as alecjahn suggests. Rather, having these hobbies and collections are part of who you are; they’re what makes you unique. (And it gives you something to do on the weekends.) What you need to do is find someone/people that can enjoy your hobbies with you. If you simply sell your possessions, that’s not going to fix relationships. That is just going to make you unhappy. But if it’s making everyone around you unhappy, then they’re possessions not worth having.
Essentially, the best solution is a happy middleground. If you can put yourself in a position where your hobby brings together the people you love around you instead of alienating them, then everyone will be satisfied. For example, Luke doesn’t need to sell his things (unless it will repair his marriage). Rather, spend quality time playing Sonic with his son, and play Wii Fit with his wife instead of making two to three videos per day in solitude.
That’s not to say that you shouldn’t have your alone time/space; everyone needs to be alone from time to time. But just don’t let it consume your life and marriage as Luke has done. This also doesn’t just apply to video games. It can apply to anything: movies, music, shopping, sports, etc. Any kind of hobby should allow you to bring those you love together.
Essentially, what I'm trying to say is that everyone should learn from Luke's mistakes, and I disagree somewhat with alecjahn's newfound view on life. Luke made mistakes in life, and I get and agree with not posting a review video on a day when a good friend is going through a hard time over a mutual hobby. But not seeing the value of your hobby anymore, provided it's not harming your own life or relationships is just plain stupid. And potentially discontinuing your own hobby because of it is insane.
I know this is going to sound petty, but as I said, I already passed on my sentiments to Luke (and my comments to alecjahn). I seriously wonder what is going to happen to the gaming community for a while. Luke, at least on YouTube, was a very large cog in the retro scene. With such a horrible situation, I feel like a lot of people are going to lose steam in their hobbies. I certainly hope that won't happen, especially not here on Racketboy. I feel like we are in the middle of a retro renaissance of sorts. I'd hate to see that diminish. However, it's already starting to happen on YouTube... several of my favorite channels are considering closing after what has happened to Luke. I find that completely pointless. Even if the guy is your best friend in the world, you don't stop your hobby if he messed up a bit.
All this being said, my heart still goes out to Luke in his time of need. I hope he gets things patched up with his wife and son soon, and he can begin living his life again.
