Task 8: Dilemma

Dilemma

                The argument that living vicariously is beneficial to the human experience is, perhaps, a valid point.  However, a fallacy within your argument occurs when you equate the vicarious experience with a real life experience.  Though it is argued well, that these types of relations can be very deep and can aid in dealing with similar events in one’s own life, they cannot be seen as adequate on their own.  You say that living vicariously is a necessary component to life.   Let us say that it is true that for one to be a well-rounded individual they must experience as much as possible (i.e. the outer limits of the emotional spectrum).  If one does so, they will be better equipped to navigate themselves and others through a given situation.  From that, we can say that the vicarious experience is one tool that will help us to broaden our understanding of the human experience.  However, simply living vicariously cannot equip us with the ability to actually live through a real-life situation.  The video game scenario that you used can illustrate the execution of a military operation.  However, you cannot equate the ability to use your hands and a controller that manipulate a character on screen to the ability to navigate a war scenario in real life.  Though, physiologically, if one allows themselves to become attached enough to the gameplay they may respond in a significant way this vicarious experience cannot be said to be an adequate replacement of the real thing.  The slippery slope that this notion resides on can be readily identified.  There is no replacement for a real life experience.  The unpredictable nature of life, alone, can illustrate that.   One may, in fact, become more aware or familiar with the idea of something by living vicariously, but, it cannot be argued, simultaneously, that a vicarious experience is a real life experience.  This parallel must be remedied to validate your thesis.