There’s a lot of content out there rallying against wokedom.

Most of it is political or cultural.

Those are fine. Woke ideology is so awful that it’s easy to mock. Usually, all it takes is pointing out what a woke person said, remembering how the real world works and spotting the difference.

I wanted to go deeper.

So I identified five core assumptions the woke ideology is based on. These aren’t strawmen or insults – they’re all things the woke admit to and even brag about believing.

If all of these assumptions are right, then being woke is a noble crusade against evil. If any of them are wrong, then it’s misguided, deranged and evil itself.

And all five of these assumptions are wrong. Not mostly wrong, not right only under specific conditions, but utterly and obviously wrong.

No wonder they’re so bitter. It must take a lot of mental effort to ignore how thoroughly their beliefs mismatch the real world.

You can read all about it on my Essays page:

https://christianhypnotism.com/essays

Are you a lion – someone striving for a better way of living?

Do you like to have fun and not take everything so seriously?

Is there a heroic scifi or fantasy character inside you – a cunning wizard, a nimble explorer, a charming spaceship captain?

Then I want you as a player at my tabletop RPG games.

Whether you’re new or experienced, I run virtual tabletop games on the regular. It’s more than just fun – it’s a premium experience that, honestly, kicks the manure out of therapy for many folks.

That statement isn’t medical or psychological advice. Still, I know a few psychs who’d agree with me. There’s a reason some experts use games like these for troubled teens and vets with scars.

I reckon there’s a trend around the corner, where executives use games like this as team building and training for their high performers. Like microdosing, it’ll go from a weird hippie thing to something Silicon Valley embraces with both arms.

It’s too awesome for them not to.

Like coaching, though, the success of tabletop games like Dungeons & Dragons depends a lot on whose running it.

I have a decade of experience here, with dozens of games under my belt – plus my skills as a coach.

If you’re at all curious, intrigued or interested, I recommend joining my Discord channel. It’s free of cost and commitment – just a place where I advertise my games.

It’s the most convenient way to stay across what I’m up to on the gaming front.

Who knows? You might just find the perfect chance to grow.

Join for free here:

https://christianhypnotism.com/discord

It’s a debate that’s older than I am.

Video games – according to some, they build your visual intelligence, memory, problem solving skills and emotional resilience.

According to others, they hijack your brain’s reward centres, tricking you into thinking you’re crushing it while rotting in a chair.

Others still play the compromise card. “It’s fine in moderation!” they say about it – and everything else.

My take?

It’s human to indulge in vices. But if you’re going to, then I recommend you go for the cleanest high you can afford. Better the gourmet junk food than the late-night Maccas run.

Some video games are worse than others. Compare a well-made brawler to a mobile game designed to constantly interrupt you and beg for micropayments. Maybe a decade or two ago, the worst games were just bad, dull and boring. Now, the worst ones are worse for you than junk food.

So what are the best games?

I’m no expert but, in my experience, there’s a class of games that has all the best features of video games without the drawbacks. It’s fun, without being addictive. It’s immersive without it eroding your attention span. Rather than turning you into a sweaty, asocial weirdo, it improves your mental health and social skills.

Big claims.

But if you’ve played tabletop RPGs with the right folks, you know what I mean.

I run a regular Dungeons & Dragons game as the Game Master. I’d like to run more – and, when the urge strikes me, I create a new game.

The urge is striking me hard lately.

If you’re reading this, then you’re probably a lion – a king among men. Few others would plump the depths of the internet to find content as obscure and untapped as mine.

I like gaming with lions.

Whether you’re new to these games or experienced, whether you like fantasy or scifi, whether there’s room in your calendar for just the one game or a regular campaign, I suggest that you join my Discord channel. I just use it to promote and run my games, so it’s not the best place to discuss coaching or the like.

Still, if a daily email from me isn’t enough, check it out:

https://christianhypnotism.com/discord

Language assumes you’re in an urban fantasy novel.

(I hope it’s a good one.)

I lean into that, talking about the imps on your shoulder, the ghosts of your past and your inner demons.

There are advantages to treating your problems as separate entities – creatures you can imprison, flee, train or slay.

You can to that in the context of therapy – laying on a couch, staring at the ceiling while someone asks about your relationship with your father.

Or…

Well, games are therapeutic. There’s been plenty of research into how they can help you resolve traumas and mood issues.

I’m not doctor and this isn’t medical advice.

But if actual doctors are using games to treat serious psychological issues…

… what could games to with the things

holding

you

back?

As a bonus, you can fight demons and ghosts al day long within the game world.

If you work hard, then playing hard can help you recover.

If you don’t work hard, then games can help give you the sense of purpose you’re missing.

Either way, if you’re going to game, you may as well game well. That’s why I’ve written so much about tabletop RPGs, the plot of Starcraft and a few other things.

The more thought you put into your gaming experience, the better it’ll pay off.

So begin thinking deeper here:

https://christianhypnotism.com/unboring

Stories.

They build the culture, teach the lessons and define your life.

When folks get mad about the latest terrible, deconstructionist, race-swapped, LA-bubble, naïve, clumsy and boring reboot, they’re not just being angry nerds. This stuff matters. The person who grew up with genuine heroes – and being fictitious doesn’t make you less genuine – has a real advantage over someone who didn’t.

Many of my products and processes work better when you’re well read – or, at least, well watched.

Art is essential.

And, yes, video games count.

That’s why I’ve dedicated tens of thousands of words – and counting – to exploring the story of the Starcraft games.

It’s a good, solid plot with good, solid characters.

But it’s no book you read, movie you watch or play you choose to ignore. It’s interactive. That means it has to be fun, since games are tests of your skill.

Tennis doesn’t have a plot, but many video games do. And, since they’ve been the dominant entertainment medium for decades, we’re learning new lessons.

Some are good – like how experience levels you up, and you can’t get by without healing and rest.

The others…?

There’s a lot to unpack with Starcraft. The story and the gameplay intertwine – sometimes well, sometimes poorly. Either way, you can learn a lot by studying it.

You can learn how to sharpen your stories – including the ones you tell yourself.

And it can sharpen how you think.

Then again, maybe you just want to learn how to have more fun. I hear games are good at that sort of thing.

You can check out my Starcraft series – plus a bit besides it – right here:

https://christianhypnotism.com/unboring

Things have been pretty intense around here lately. This last week, I sent emails about a cause I’d be willing to die for.

I also talked about the ongoing collapse of Western civilisation – because civilisation is always undergoing collapse – and what you need to do about it.

But don’t mistake me. Not everything has to be so serious. Life is to be lived and enjoyed, and pity the cretin who thinks everything is a fight.

There’s a season for toiling for the good of the common folk.

And there’s a season for relaxing and enjoying your harvest.

That’s not escapism. Escapism is hiding from a harsh reality and you, lion that you are, aren’t hiding. There’s a vast chasm between resting and running.

Which brings me nicely and neatly along to my other blog. Have you checked out Unboring Dungeons yet? It’s my place to hang out, have fun and get my thoughts together around gaming. Right now, I have a few series on the go:

One is an obsessively thorough exploration of the Starcraft series through the lens of narrative.

Another is tips, ideas and suggestions on how to make Dungeons & Dragons more fun, whether you’re a player or Game Master.

The third is a record of my experiments in bringing new tools – like AI and 3D battlemaps – into tabletop roleplaying.

It’s good fun.

And if you’d like to take better breathers, you should probably give it a quick peruse:

https://christianhypnotism.com/unboring