Is chess really worth it?

No Fyah please don't jump.........................................................

 Gold!

/oh shhh, sorry, don't want to jinx a master at work...

Yea I feel kind of bad because some people like dashkee94 and others have had  some really insightful posts on this topic but they are of course lost on this troll.

With all due respect, Fyah is not a troll.  He (I am assuming Fyah is a male--if I'm wrong, I apologize) is young, confused, maybe lost, definitely depressed, but he is not a troll.  As a youth, he is searching, like we all are, for the answer.  He doesn't want to accept the fact that he is the answer he is looking for.  As a youth, he is looking to the adults on this site for the way--hardly the direction of a troll.  And while he may have offended some people here, let me say that rebellion is way of the young, and that I was WAY more rebellious as a teen than this guy.  He seems to be looking for god--may god help him.  But I wish he would at least acknowledge that chess is good for something--look how many people posted for him, and look at how many people care about him.  C'mon,Fyah, you know we love you--even if you are busting on our favorite pasttime.

Fyah,

I respect this statement as it is a reflection of your faith.  Just keep in mind that there are other ways to see the world and you can be wrong.  This is important.  If you do not accept that you can be wrong then you will never find happiness.  I know that it's impossible for you to believe but I was like you.  Things change.  Things will happen to you in life that will force you to question everything you believe.  Chess is not one of these things.  Chess is a game that I happen to have an affinity for.  One thing I am sure of is that if there is a God, it is up to him whether or not I've wasted my life.  God is the judge of men, not Fyah.  Keep that in mind because maybe there's something very spiritual about chess that you simply do not understand.

Anthony

To TheAOD

Thanks for being an adult.

Well said.  There is a spiritual side to all of man's endeavors...because man is spiritual.  Why do people paint, sculpt, compose music, prove mathematical theorems, and play chess?  Why do people make food taste better, create software and explore space?  Because this is the inherent nature of man.  We create.  We explore.  We find ways to manifest our talents...in whatever form they may take.  For those of us who have found chess, in it we find all the beauty and complexity that others find in their endeavors.  Everything that man touches can become an outlet for his creative energies.  Chess is not focused on the ego that wins, as much as on the game itself.  That is why I can enjoy and marvel at some of the great games from history.  I can appreciate the beauty of a forced checkmate that my opponent has just sprung on me.  A waste of time?  How can time ever be wasted?  There is only the present and it is infinite.  Live!  Create!  Find what moves you and let your creative energies loose into the world!

"To follow knowledge like a sinking star,
Beyond the utmost bound of human thought...."

"....strong in will
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield."

Lord Alfred Tennyson "Ulysses"

May this give you hope and will to always pursue life, for it is here to be made.
'T is not too late to seek a newer world."

Never stop, never waste time.  Always perservere through life's troubles and continue to be insipred by it.

"....How dull it is to pause, to make an end,
To rust unburnish'd, not to shine in use!"

this is something to think about...... hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...............

Lol! This is funny.. Is it not? 

You people say Im depressed! You don't know me! You have only read words, (that I posted to see how people would react, call it what you want.)

Yes, I do have faith, yes I do think many things are.. As well as people - Different. Im glad to see a lot of you are seriously defending your love for chess....

The war continues?! 

Troll alert.  don't get too metaphysical guys, this is one severely poisoned pawn.

To be quite honest, most people watch about 2 hours of tv a day.  If I take 30 minutes to an hour of that time and use it to play chess, does it really warrant a long conversation about the meaning of my existence? 

god=bull****. why are you on a chess site complaining about chess?thats what you call wasting your time/life.

 Sounds like the words of a born loser. You probably have never accomplished anything in your life. I on the other hand have accomplished alot and try to give back more to mankind then I take. I nor the things I do are pathetic.

Also assuming that your time on earth doesnt matter because your soul will live on is pathetic. You are lucky to have been given a life to live and you will waste it with such thoughts.

@blaze

Atheism is a religion :)

@Fyah

Life is short, but art is long (Ars longa, vita brevis) Is chess worth living for? For some.

Faith is wonderful and God bless you for it, but you are dragging the question of faith into the wrong context.

Love chess for what it is to you. Life means different things to different people, and you have to figure out what it means to you on your own.

i dont think im a atheist.(i dont believe in anything that cant logicaly be explained) I was just curious why you would ask/say these things on a chess site? chess is fun, so we play it; why does there need to be more explaination?

In a worldly sense, chess is certainly worth the investment of time and effort. It's a respectable pastime that involves such skills as logic and critical thinking, while also requiring patience and discipline. Learning how to excel at anything is always worth it. Instead of spending our time being lazy and bored, watching TV or just wasting time, we learn how to play chess. Ergo, we gain a skill (which is, of course, trivial when compared to the soul's eternity, but what on this world isn't?). I think chess certainly has a place in a productive, moderate, and balanced life. In view of Christianity, consider the phrase "idle hands do the devil's work;" chess is a healthy, virtuous pursuit that can occupy our spare time. The Bible doesn't have any verses telling us to play chess, but the game absolutely fits into a godly life by, like I said above, teaching godly virtues such as patience and moderation.

In terms of the future, I will TOTALLY be glad I learned how to play. Being able to introduce my kids and grandkids to a literally timeless diversion will be an irreplaceable experience. In my retirement years, I will be able to engage old friends in a calm game of chess, enjoying a peaceful match of wits. There's no selfish domination or pride involved. Friendly competition is a wonderful way to spend time, and the gratification we get from winning is one sort of bonus we receive from the gifts that keep on giving, such as learning how to play a classic game. As for the loser, the compelling struggle is something to enjoy in and of itself, and if he takes away any hard feelings or jealousy, that's a fault on his part (and/or motivation for improvement through discipline and perserverence).

Chess is a classic symbol of virtuous and productive entertainment. It's certainly expected that we work before we play and that we serve others before ourselves, but when we do play and pursue our own interests, chess is a completely respectable enterprise.

One thing, and maybe this has been mentioned.... 

Chess brings people across continents, religious, racial, and cultural divides to compete in a wholesome and friendly manner.  This elevates us all.  In my opinion at least.

If you google the word "Fyah" you'll find this:

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=FYAH

So why are we all wasting our precious time?

Case closed for me, I will not track this topic anymore!