Hi Seth, I enjoyed your article very much. You packed a lot into 17 minutes of audio! So much, in fact, that you could expand this outline into a semester long course, a book or workshop series. I also wonder how this work could be presented to those who are addicted to video games in a way that would help them move from games of extreme violence that emulate and glorify war, to ones that promote the beautiful , good and true?
Thank you so much for your incredibly kind comment—it’s honestly the best kind of feedback I could hope for! I deeply appreciate you taking the time to engage with this work so thoughtfully. Over the past two years, my wife and I have actually been creating an entire curriculum for Multidimensional Living, which we currently use with our clients but are planning to open up to the general public very soon. This space on Substack will be the first place we share updates about that, and we’ll also be sharing chapters and snippets from a few books we’re currently working on before they head to publishing. So, you’re absolutely in the right place, and I’m grateful to have you here as part of this community.
Your point about video games really resonates with me, and it’s something I’ve thought a LOT about. The video game industry is massive—larger than many people realize. In 2023 alone, it generated over $200 billion globally, surpassing the movie and music industries combined. Much of this success comes down to financial formulas that work, and unfortunately, those often involve games centered on violence, guns, and conflict. These types of games aren’t just profitable—they dominate the market.
But after doing a lot of research and reflecting on this, I’ve come to see how nuanced the issue really is. Video games, even violent ones, can provide a kind of archetypal embodiment or shadow work, especially for young men who often lack healthy outlets to process their emotions, stress, or inner struggles. For many, these games become a release valve—a way to engage with suppressed or hidden parts of themselves in a structured (albeit virtual) environment. While I absolutely believe there’s room to shift the focus of games toward promoting the beautiful, good, and true (and I love the way you phrased that!), I also think it’s equally important to educate players on what’s happening psychologically and emotionally when they engage with these games. In doing so, we might help people use these experiences in a healthier, more conscious way.
Based on this exchange, I think there’s a Substack article here! It’s such a big, important topic, and I’d love to expand on it further in the future. Thank you again for your engagement and for sharing your thoughts—it means the world to me. I’m looking forward to continuing the conversation and exploring more together here on Substack!
Thanks for taking time to reply to my comment on your post. And for sharing your reflections around video games, young men and shadow work via gaming. I am a special education teacher and work with elementary age kids. My students tend to have attention deficit issues, learning disabilities and many go home and play video games. Also, their ADHD seems to be inherited from at least one parent in many cases.Their parent (likely father) models gaming to them, and they also participate. These kids are between 8 and 12 years old. Addicted to violent video games. Both genders. They learn a lot from the games such as vocabulary words, and in Minecraft, certain skills, tools, and historical lifestyle choices I think. However the connections they make with toxic masculinity is quite clear. It's rampant throughout our society.
I will keep reading your interesting Substack and look forward to more of your illuminating thoughts on this subject. Many thanks,
For ten years I ran a thing called Play Church which held open the (literal) temple doors for people to develop their own sense of the deep game of life, to reclaim their felt sense of being on a grand adventure (yeah, like Pooh 100%). So, there are so many things I could respond to in this post but I’ll just say thank you again for your work
Hi Seth, I enjoyed your article very much. You packed a lot into 17 minutes of audio! So much, in fact, that you could expand this outline into a semester long course, a book or workshop series. I also wonder how this work could be presented to those who are addicted to video games in a way that would help them move from games of extreme violence that emulate and glorify war, to ones that promote the beautiful , good and true?
Looking forward to more from you!
Thank you so much for your incredibly kind comment—it’s honestly the best kind of feedback I could hope for! I deeply appreciate you taking the time to engage with this work so thoughtfully. Over the past two years, my wife and I have actually been creating an entire curriculum for Multidimensional Living, which we currently use with our clients but are planning to open up to the general public very soon. This space on Substack will be the first place we share updates about that, and we’ll also be sharing chapters and snippets from a few books we’re currently working on before they head to publishing. So, you’re absolutely in the right place, and I’m grateful to have you here as part of this community.
Your point about video games really resonates with me, and it’s something I’ve thought a LOT about. The video game industry is massive—larger than many people realize. In 2023 alone, it generated over $200 billion globally, surpassing the movie and music industries combined. Much of this success comes down to financial formulas that work, and unfortunately, those often involve games centered on violence, guns, and conflict. These types of games aren’t just profitable—they dominate the market.
But after doing a lot of research and reflecting on this, I’ve come to see how nuanced the issue really is. Video games, even violent ones, can provide a kind of archetypal embodiment or shadow work, especially for young men who often lack healthy outlets to process their emotions, stress, or inner struggles. For many, these games become a release valve—a way to engage with suppressed or hidden parts of themselves in a structured (albeit virtual) environment. While I absolutely believe there’s room to shift the focus of games toward promoting the beautiful, good, and true (and I love the way you phrased that!), I also think it’s equally important to educate players on what’s happening psychologically and emotionally when they engage with these games. In doing so, we might help people use these experiences in a healthier, more conscious way.
Based on this exchange, I think there’s a Substack article here! It’s such a big, important topic, and I’d love to expand on it further in the future. Thank you again for your engagement and for sharing your thoughts—it means the world to me. I’m looking forward to continuing the conversation and exploring more together here on Substack!
Hi Seth,
Thanks for taking time to reply to my comment on your post. And for sharing your reflections around video games, young men and shadow work via gaming. I am a special education teacher and work with elementary age kids. My students tend to have attention deficit issues, learning disabilities and many go home and play video games. Also, their ADHD seems to be inherited from at least one parent in many cases.Their parent (likely father) models gaming to them, and they also participate. These kids are between 8 and 12 years old. Addicted to violent video games. Both genders. They learn a lot from the games such as vocabulary words, and in Minecraft, certain skills, tools, and historical lifestyle choices I think. However the connections they make with toxic masculinity is quite clear. It's rampant throughout our society.
I will keep reading your interesting Substack and look forward to more of your illuminating thoughts on this subject. Many thanks,
Leigh Jardine
For ten years I ran a thing called Play Church which held open the (literal) temple doors for people to develop their own sense of the deep game of life, to reclaim their felt sense of being on a grand adventure (yeah, like Pooh 100%). So, there are so many things I could respond to in this post but I’ll just say thank you again for your work
Thank you for bringing Pooh into this, embodying the essence of Pooh Bear is a sacred practice of mine! ☺️
What a brilliant piece Seth. I so relate
This is beautiful and well articulated. 🙏🙏🙏