Simulacra.

My brother is an amazing sight on Rock Band drums.  He can (nearly) flawlessly execute songs on Expert setting (which is akin to playing the actual drum tracks).  And as good as he is, there are a whole host of people who blow him out of the water (like this guy, for example).

Now, it’s interesting to note that unlike many of these other folks, my brother can actually play (real) drums.  And it stands to reason that if you rock out on a Rock Band drum pad, you’ll likely do well on an honest-to-good drumset. 

Why, then, are there 5.5 million copies of Rock Band out there and not 5.5 million fledgling punk bands?  I can’t be certain, but I’d bet that there will be less than 7.5 million new guitar players this fiscal year, but that’s how many copies Guitar Hero 3 is projected to sell.

Now, I know what you’re thinking, but humor me for a moment: How long do you think this kid took to learn to “play” this song?  What if he’d applied the equivalent number of game-hours to playing a real guitar?

Let’s apply this thought to exercise and fitness: How many people do you know who think playing Wii Sports is a suitable alternative to heading to the gym or eating better? 

Let’s stop with all the simulacra and get back to reality.  Put the Wii controller down.  Go outside.