[discreteevent]

Yes but you are working with the assumption that you must be "on top of [your] game". i.e. that you must "win". Alan Kay said that perspective is worth 80 IQ points. Let me give you an example: Suppose you decided to drop out for a year at the risk of sliding back from the top of your game. Suppose you went to a third world country and worked for a charity. Suppose you came back with a different perspective namely: Most of the stuff we do in the west is completely superflous. Its about making life even more convenient and sumptuous for those who already have far too much. That in fact every minute of your amatuer and inefficient time was worth hours of what you were doing professionally because the work you did as an amateur was so much more important. In summary: The persepctive you get is that the game you were trying to be at the top of is a game not worth playing, that really it was doing you and the world no good and that on your deathbed being able to say: "I was the best at X for a while, knew everything there was to know about it" - doesn't amount to much. Note: I haven't done this. I am just saying that I think it is possible based on some experiences I had while travelling (and neglecting my game). Bill Gates seems to have had a similar insight but true to form he went and did something about it.

[abalashov]

The persepctive you get is that the game you were trying to be at the top of is a game not worth playing, that really it was doing you and the world no good and that on your deathbed being able to say: "I was the best at X for a while, knew everything there was to know about it" - doesn't amount to much.

Certainly can't argue with that. I'm just trying to provide a useful account of why people who play the game play it with the total commitment that they do.