The Only Thing I Know

"The Only Thing I Know"
Author:	CirrusEpix
Audio used:	Unknown
Origin:	02/09/2010
Size:	11.7 MB
Score (As of 7 October 2010):	4.32/5.00
Awards:	Daily Feature Weekly Fifth
Author's comments:
This has been the most difficult film I have ever made, because its meaning is very true to my soul. For too much of my life I have been a mindless consumer of time. Hopelessly placing value in things that never gave an ounce of value back. Now that I am older, I worry endlessly that this new generation is making the same mistakes I now deeply regret. In the end, I hope my message is honest and clear. Whether you agree with me or not, please share you thoughts, spark meaningful discussions, and share this film with everyone you know. Special thanks to all those who have been my strength - and to all of you for taking a moment to open your minds =)
Note	This information only refers to the official release on the Flash Portal.

The Only Thing I Know is a video submitted by Newgrounds user CirrusEpix in February 2010. It is a video about CirrusEpix overcoming his gaming addiction and telling people about it, stating the perils of letting games take over one's life. However, he also mentions that video games can be a good thing, since they can help create friendships and unite people.

Summary

The video opens with a hand puppet, an avatar of CirrusEpix's, writing on a chalkboard. He has written that this video is based on his experience with video games, and that he is offering a lesson to those willing to listen. The video then cuts to an animation of CirrusEpix sitting in front of a computer. He starts out by stating that he is not the kind of person who thinks his opinion will affect peoples' lives. However, although he expects controversy, he has recently had a revelation, and believes that he should make a movie about what he knows.

At this point, he admits that it is hard for the audience to believe that video games are to blame. CirrusEpix says that he has been playing games for most of his life, investing huge amounts of time and money into his hobby. However, in the end, he had to admit that games had not made much of a beneficial impact on his life. He reminds the audience that games are ultimately entertainment, and lacked greater value. CirrusEpix claims that the worst part of his addiction is that over the years, he missed out on large portions of his life in order to play games. He says that "we" often fool "ourselves" into striving for virtual lives and accomplishments instead of real ones. CirrusEpix confesses that three months prior to this movie's release, he was "alone, overweight, and divorced." The moral, he says, is that life has no continues, and that it is important for gamers to not to give up their lives for their hobbies. At this point, we see his resolution: "Do Things That Create Value, Not Consume Time."

The movie then shifts to a live-action video of a man lighting his World of Warcraft games on fire. CirrusEpix lists a number of activities that a person can do in the time it takes to make a level 80 character in that game. This segment ends with the reminder that most people make two or three such characters.

At the end of the video though, the movie switches to a more positive note. CirrusEpix mentions that a lot of viewers will be angry and confused about what he has said. However, while he admits that he does not hate video games, he still worries about the negative effects they have had. However, while making this movie, he came across a documentary about the Penny Arcade Convention. He realized that healthy gamers used their hobby to be with others, and that anything that brings different people together, like gaming, must have positive attributes. CirrusEpix reminds his audience that they are the first generation to have to balance between using technology to improve their lives or hurt them. In the end, the question is whether the technology they use improves or diminishes their lives. In his case, his life was diminished. CirrusEpix ends the video by reminding the audience that they only have one life.

Reception

The movie uses a combination of traditional animation, still images, and photographs.

This video is seen inside of Newgrounds as both a controversial and helpful video. Some who have watched the video claim that it has helped them overcome their addiction to gaming while others claim it is a video where he has blasted video games by calling them pointless.[1][2] Popular Newgrounds flash animator Egoraptor has stated that he likes the video's message, but feels that it attacks video games in the process. Since its release, it has won Daily feature #1 and the weekly top 5. The video also helped CirrusEpix win Gametrailers.com 2010 Gaming Resolutions contest of $500. He used the money to purchase books for a school in Africa.[3]

In total, as of October 2010, The Only Thing I Know has over 130,000 views on Newgrounds, as well as an average review of 9.2/10. It was also featured on the front page one day after submission. The official YouTube version has over 410,000 views.[4]

Watch it here