Idle apps and why they are Comforting

Anyone else spend long nights staring at a phone? Have you sat down for a five minute break; only to stand up three ours later with legs that have fallen asleep? I’m guilty of this. I am all too susceptible to “idle games.” This is a genre of game apps on the phone which are designed to make progress over time while your phone is idle. Shamefully, I’ve even spent money to unlock the next stage of progress on a idle game app. The Good Lord knows I’ve spent many an hour on such games. In fact, the time spent on those games could translate into a part time job. Why are they so addicting?

I have my daily responsibilities. Between work and school and daily living it seems that there is no progress being made. At least, the progress can only be seen based on months or years, but definitely not by seconds. The idle game is the opposite. I can see progress being made in a concrete albeit digital way. There is a comfort to know that it is simply a matter of time before I achieve my goal on the idle app.

The real world is not “simply a matter of time.” The real world involves struggle, perseverance, uncertainty, and discouragement. The idle game chugs along without interruption. It continues without our willful attention sustaining the effort. We may fail our next career project, or never be accepted by the program that we want, but our trusty idle app will continue to make progress without determent. The idle app is practically a blissful fantasy for the overwhelming grind of hard work.

Failure is possible for any career move or change of hobby. There is a risk that our investment into change is wasted or we face rejection or we simply lack the necessary talent. It would be such a comfort to have a guarantee that our efforts would be rewarded. Life is never that generous. We must strive relentlessly despite the risk of failure in all of our endeavors from work to love. The real world asks much of us, but little do we know what our future will develop to in return.

The Catholic Church teaches that when we give ourselves to others it takes the form of either time, talent, or treasure. Time is simply the hours of the day given in service to the church. Talent is our skills/abilities unique to us that we donate to the church. Treasure is valuables or money donated to the church. If you are anything like me, then our skills and abilities are being used to the max. Our treasure is already spent or allotted for a particular use. However, what we do have in abundance is time.

I argue the comfort in idle games can be found in the certainty of success. Idle games simply require time. Perhaps, it is presumptuous to assume that we shall live tomorrow (memento mori and all that) but our time is always available to give. Simply wait two months and you can advance to the next level? What a relief in comparison to working 60 hour weeks with the hope of a 1% raise! It is a comfort knowing at least one of our projects has a high chance of success.

We have all been given 24 hours for the day. We must use it for sleep, and food, and recreation, and work. A portion of it ought to be used to develop ourselves in the name of self-improvement. OR a portion of it could be use to tap on our phones for some idle game victory. One is much less burdensome than the other. Is it sinful to play an idle game? Unless it is objectively sinful, then probably not. But the Average Catholic must be sure to allocate their time prudently and wisely. We don’t want to arrive at the pearly gates and told that our 289 hours on an idle game could have been used to grow in love in God and neighbor.

Idle games are most definitely a comfort. The hard workers among us are vulnerable for some short affirmation of progress. We must remember the words of Saint Benedict XVI…