[varispeed]

> running SHA-256 18 quintillion times

or games. People could have been studying or doing something more important than wasting time and energy. I get that it is entertainment, but so are board games and that don't require mining rare earth minerals or putting pressure on the grid as you can always play board games with candles on.

[counttheforks]

Or TV shows or movies. People could have been studying or doing something more important than wasting time and energy.

Or going outside. People could have been studying or doing something more important than wasting time and energy.

Or not being locked in the education facility. People could have been studying or doing something more important than wasting time and energy.

[kkielhofner]

I'm of two minds on this. I'm not a gamer so part of me thinks gaming is a complete waste of time and resources. Then again, the same could be said about almost any hobby/pastime.

That said, gaming is what gave us GPUs (which have developed for gaming over the course of decades) so that we can now utilize them for more interesting and "productive" applications.

So, for me, in the end I'm happy the PC gaming industry and user base has been pushing GPU capability.

[KMnO4]

Be careful. The gaming industry has successfully conditioned people into believing they need a $1500 GPU with the TDP of a microwave so they can play the next unfinished-at-release AAA title.

[mrtranscendence]

Monopoly by candlelight, just the future I had always envisioned.

[BizarroLand]

Why are you wasting candlestick on playing games? It's such a waste! Don't you know bees died to make that candle?

The most ecologically friendly thing you can do is go to sleep. If you want to play games, do it while the sun is out!

(/s, just in case)

[varispeed]

If more people played Monopoly, they would have realised the Western economy is at the stage were a few players bought all properties and utilities.