Specifically meant in-person chess clubs as opposed to only playing lichess from home for hours every day. I'd probably have a less negative view of "time wasting" if video games were played more in-person too.
I have fond memories of LAN parties growing up, where socializing was as big a part as the actual gaming - it's not like we were sitting there harvesting wood for hours on end!
Socialising is still a very important part of games (eSports, dungeons and raids, Discord / TeamSpeak / Ventrilo, forums, guilds, etc), especially for MMOs.
Much more than chess which is mostly a individually played game whereas an MMO is a cooperative game.
I have fond memories of LAN parties growing up, where socializing was as big a part as the actual gaming - it's not like we were sitting there harvesting wood for hours on end!