⭐Wish life was just like Stardew Valley?

[summon_salmon]

I was thinking today about how simple things are in the Valley. You want a friend? Give them a gift. You want progress? Put in the work, and you’re guaranteed a harvest. Even if you pass out in the mines, you just lose some gold and items—you don't lose your entire future.

The best part? Even if you’re burnt out and spend the whole year doing nothing, Grandpa’s ghost doesn’t judge. He just wants you to find peace away from the city.

I’m so tired of the real-world grind. I want to spend a rainy day fishing without guilt. I want to feel like chopping wood is "productive." I want to grow things and make wine and feel loved by a community.

Why does real life feel like I'm just pacing back and forth in a tiny room while the world passes me by?

 

[Lew Zealand]

This is probably gonna sound stupid but I'm going to write what I feel and see if it makes sense.

We didn't evolve to solve complex tasks and continually maximize productive time while becoming increasingly disconnected from other people by hiding ourselves behind flat opaque walls. We can do these things, we are capable. But just because we can doesn't mean it's the best or most natural feeling thing to do.

And no, the solution is not just to return to monke. Because that comes with drastically higher infant mortality, disease risk and reduced food production and the loss of many things which really do make life better, though it also comes with lower risks for some diseases and many modern conveniences which we could probably do well without. There's a balance in there somewhere but I sure as hockey sticks don't know where it is.

I think finding and experiencing a sense of community without making a point of finding the differences between us would go a long way. There are powerful forces pushing that emphasis of differences because it serves their purposes and that's all I'll say about that, but to counter that dysfunctional worldview we need to find our communities.

This one here in the SDV Forums is one of those communities, even if it's a bit disconnected as we're generally not much more than squiggly lines on a screen. Plugging the Multiplayer Forums here for those who do want more! But we all could find local communities where we can interact with other people a bit more and share experiences. Lol and this is NOT to say I'm already doing this, I need to do this as much as anyone and I'm not.

But we need to do this for ourselves and each other.

 

[Orphea]

Very much what @Lew Zealand said above. I also like the life in Stardew Valley, but only to a point.

 

[Slimeglasses]

Hmm… that would definitely be interesting. I think I like how we have it though. For me, I would probably get pretty bored with life if everything was so easy and low stakes. Not to say I don’t like the relaxing feel of SDV (I’m completely in love with the game), but for me it works better as a video game. An occasional escape from the pressures of life, you know? While real life and it’s challenges are hard, without something forcing me to get out of bed every morning (like school or social pressures), I’m probably to lazy to do so of my own accord.
That said, it would be nice if the world was as friendly as SDV lol

 

[Lenora Rose]

Further to Lew Zealand's comments about finding a sense of community: It's been observed by a lot of arts and charitable places that volunteering is down, or if not down yet, is noticeably aging and needs more young blood. A lot of in person hobby groups struggle to find new members because everything is online.

It's also been noted that joining a new group of people is HARD; people already there will have rapport and in jokes and established dynamics, and even when actively trying to include new people, may inadvertently do or say something that makes a new person feel like they're still on the outside, and don't have a place yet. And it can take like a year to get past that (and that's when people want you there!) Which is... hard, y'know, when there's online forums where you can lurk with none of that awkwardness until you DO get the jokes, then jump in at the much easier point.