OR they could be grateful they got the console in the first place? Idk I wouldn't want someone to spend the whole holiday hooked up to a game anyway but that's just me
I didn’t downvote you- and I get what you are saying. I don’t think this is meant to make anyone feel bad though. I would compare it to saying: “If you buy a kid a toy that needs batteries, it’s nice if you supply them the batteries too.” Nowadays more things come with batteries- or have rechargeables- but it doesn’t make you less grateful if the new toy didn’t come with batteries- it’s just that you’ll have to go to the store and spend time before you can play with your gift. It’s just thoughtful is all. As for wether one should be on a console all day..
That’s another matter I won’t go deep in to. Lol. We are all entitled to our opinions and the rules of our homes. But I will say that having a game doesn’t mean one has to play it all day Or even regularly. We have a console at my house that we literally only plug in when we have a party or company/kids etc. over. We never play it when it is just us at home save for maybe 2-3 times a year we might play a game together on it.
I didn't even know I had been downvoted lol. Doesn't really make a difference - I tend to piss off at least a couple people a day haha
.
That said, i'd say the battery comparison isn't necessarily accurate because if you give a kid a toy that needs batteries you can't be like "okay, wait like 6 hours and batteries WILL appear." The batteries are a necessary component that has been removed.
.
The console meanwhile is something that costs several hundreds of dollars + the cost of games and potential memberships. If you give someone that and set it up, the downloads will finish eventually (assuming you have an internet connection etc). All the person receiving the gift has to do is wait. All the necessary components involved are included and/or available within that purchase
But that said I never said it's not a NICE thing to do. If you want to, go ahead - I'm sure it'll be appreciated. But the way this person words the post - like this is something you SHOULD do. Or it's inconsiderate if you DON'T.
.
It's neither of those things. It's an option extra bunch of steps you CAN take, and the gift is no less generous/thoughtful/etc if you don't do it
We can mostly agree. Perhaps the battery metaphor can be made more apt and brought into the modern age by saying “pre charging the rechargeable batteries...” not to be contentious- just to clarify- I do think it is apt because from the child’s perspective it generally is just time. They have a toy they ant use and they must wait for their parents to go get them batteries at their leisure- which depending on the parent may be in a few hours after the festivities have died down, or on the next regular weekly shipping trip, or perhaps never (but let’s ignore pocket cases and those families without money for batteries as not to get off in the weeds and muddy things.)
Regardless- we can agree that few or no metaphors are perfect or meant as 1:1 analogs. We can also agree that not pre installing and updating a console doesn’t make it a less thoughtful gift- it is just even MORE thoughtful for one to do so. The flip side however is that some people would rather do all that themselves. There may be settings or other choices and they may want that feeling of being “the first” to interact with their new toy- or just enjoy that sort of pseudo technical work. I wouldn’t say the default norm or expectation should be that a person do this if they buy you a console.
- and a quick asides- the further from the day of gift giving they do this- the greater the odds there may be a system update or game update after the fact anyway. Even if you do it the night before there could still be update time- and depending on your living arrangements etc- it might not be practical to do this without the other person knowing. So it’s a NICE idea but yes. Hardly should it be expected or a default.
.
That said, i'd say the battery comparison isn't necessarily accurate because if you give a kid a toy that needs batteries you can't be like "okay, wait like 6 hours and batteries WILL appear." The batteries are a necessary component that has been removed.
.
The console meanwhile is something that costs several hundreds of dollars + the cost of games and potential memberships. If you give someone that and set it up, the downloads will finish eventually (assuming you have an internet connection etc). All the person receiving the gift has to do is wait. All the necessary components involved are included and/or available within that purchase
.
It's neither of those things. It's an option extra bunch of steps you CAN take, and the gift is no less generous/thoughtful/etc if you don't do it