…formal learning can fill time in a way that’s almost as wasteful as video games...
I would like to point out that:
books, music, socialising, board/card games etc can fill time “in a way that is as wasteful as video games”
conversely video games can provide an interesting, enriching and fulfilling experience, just as books, music etc can (of course YMMV—for all of these media!)
...and express a wish that video games are not used as a proxy for “evil time wasting”.
I would like to point out that:
books, music, socialising, board/card games etc can fill time “in a way that is as wasteful as video games”
conversely video games can provide an interesting, enriching and fulfilling experience, just as books, music etc can (of course YMMV—for all of these media!)
...and express a wish that video games are not used as a proxy for “evil time wasting”.