Some days, I feel like I'm a hundred monkeys banging away at the keys of a hundred typewriters. The odds are that at random occasions, something coherent might actually come out of it.

Why do we love video games so much? Maybe it's because they provide a form of activity in which we can drop all our inhibitions, and simply revel in immersing ourselves in our raw emotions without the self-censorship of our social filters.

Living in society means living with people, and we all know that isn't easy. Getting along with others means having to compromise, giving up many of personal desires for some perceived "greater good". Often, we judge our desires as "selfish", or "perverted", or even "deviant", and so we justify to ourselves why we can't have them. It's all in the name of maintaining good relations with the people around us.

But with video games, There's no need for politeness or social grace, no need for masks or suppression of desire. There are only obstacles to overcome and rewards to reap. These desires are legitimized in the video game as goals, but they are so much more simple than in real life. Find. Kill. Heal. Upgrade. Win.

And since we aren't dealing with real people in a real context, we can truly be ourselves. But, you know what, human beings must really be social animals because when we do indulge in being ourselves, it isn't a pretty picture. Observe:

This mug is one in a series of photos of people at play on an Xbox. You can view the rest of the series here.

Time for another 'model answer'. Worked this one out while the GP kids were working on their own essay assignment on Friday. My question was from the previous Block Test:

We are constantly 'wired'. Consider the impact of this phenomenon in today's world.

I actually intended to write an outline but, as usual, went overboard 'cos the question is quite a complex one. Not satisfied with this answer 'cos there're so many more facets to examine in more detail, but as it is, I've already exceeded my 800 word limit. 'Wired' essay here.

Hmm... now maybe I can use this 'outline' to write a research essay for KI. Taily and Co can help me. Heh, heh.