What's the Fuss Over the PS3?

Why all the Fuss Over the PS3?

This is just ridiculous. People waiting all night for a shot at one; people getting mugged immediately after purchasing one; people selling them for thousands on eBay. What's the reason for all this commotion? Ooh, the graphics on this console are slightly better than on previously released consoles: I can definitely see how the difference between “very realistic” and “amazingly realistic” necessitates blowing a couple grand or facing the possibility of being mugged and losing 600 dollars. But once you get it home it will be all worth it... until you realize that now you now need to waste some more big bucks on an HD TV because your current TV makes the technology you paid for worthless. And then once everything is finally ready to go you'll finally be able to play video games against other people around the world who also feel their lives are so boring they'd rather live a pretend life than actually step out the front door and face the world.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm not saying I hate video games: they can be entertaining to fill some leisure time, but there are some people who take it way too seriously. I'm talkin' about the people who rioted at a California WalMart prompting the police to shut it down, and I'm talkin' about people who drop out of college from playing World of Warcraft. C'mon, there are better things out there.

In fact, the whole concept of people mobbing stores at obscene hours of the day and night for “holiday shopping” (frequent readers will know that I prefer the term 'party shopping') is absurd. Trying to get the newest and therefore best toys/electronics for your kids will spoil them and create unrealistic expectations that the world is out to serve them. Here are the gifts I suggest instead: flannel shirts, sweaters, wool socks, and long underwear. If those snotty brats start complaining then just turn the heat off and see how ungrateful they are. This somewhat bizarre view of mine started this winter when my roommates and I have been trying to save money by not heating our apartment, and let me tell you, if somebody gave me a pair of fleece lined jeans, some wool socks, and a flannel shirt I'd be writing one hell of a thank you note, know what I'm sayin'?