Why Do We Build in Minecraft?

Added: 2026-05-05

[00:00:00]With every mainstream video game, there are inevitably those who take it to the [music] extreme. People who invest what some consider to be far too much time in the game.

[00:00:10]An example of this is the people [music] who spend hundreds of hours maxing out characters in gotcha games. In story games, it's completionists [music] chasing every achievement. Minecraft is unique because we have the potential to take this in several directions, but to me, the most impressive is the builders.

[00:00:28][music] The ones who spend hours designing, planning, and executing massive projects block by block.

[00:00:36]I understand that Minecraft, just like any game, is just a game. But the scale at which some people build inside it starts to feel like something more than just gameplay.

[00:00:46]>> [music] >> So, it raises a simple question. Why do people build things that don't have any practical value?

[00:00:54]Before I get into that, I just want to say thanks for all the support on my last video. I didn't expect it to bang like that, especially since it started as an ironic April Fools' idea.

[00:01:06]I had a lot of fun with it because I wasn't taking it too seriously. I simplified a lot of things for the bit, and it was more about the concept and visuals than perfect accuracy. That's why my pinned comment mentioned the Dunning-Kruger effect.

[00:01:21]I know some people had corrections, and I really do appreciate everyone's thoughts and ideas. I'm honored it got people passionate about math and science.

[00:01:31]And also, I know this one's pretty different from the last [music] video, and a lot of you are here for math and science stuff. That's still coming. I just wanted to take a step into something a bit different for this one.

[00:01:46]>> [bell] >> Now, the next two chapters are going to be the brunt of the scientific portions of the video to appease all the nerds I attracted from the last one. It's not quite physics, but I did look into some very surface-level psychology and neuroscience theory, and I think that should count for something.

[00:02:06]Now, the first concept I think is important to understand for this is the idea of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. This fits perfectly because it explains why we do things. Put simply, intrinsic motivation is from and for the self. That means you do things simply because you enjoy it. Extrinsic motivation causes you to do things for an external reward. For example, I play Minecraft because I enjoy it, but I study for tests because of academic validation, and of course, I need to pass to graduate and go to university next year.

[00:02:42]It's a concept that [music] connects very cleanly to Minecraft building. We simply do it because it's something we enjoy doing. People who say, "Why do you spend so much time on that stupid game?

[00:02:54]You should work on real-life skills."

[00:02:56]when they themselves spend hours every week watching the stupid hockey game.

[00:03:00]Like you're 58, you're not going to go pro. You Anyway, when people build in Minecraft, it's usually not for a reward. It's because the act of building itself is rewarding. Another theory that explains why we do things is self-determination theory, which I'll be abbreviating to SDT. If I slip up and say STD, that's my bad. SDT is kind of in the same territory as intrinsic and extrinsic motivation.

[00:03:29]>> [music] >> Humans aren't passive. We naturally seek out ways to learn, grow, and explore, but we must meet certain needs to do that. SDT states that there are three of those needs. Autonomy, feeling like you're choosing what you do, competence, being skilled and capable, and relatedness, being connected [music] to others.

[00:03:49]First, autonomy is applicable here because you don't have a correct answer or other people to satisfy. Everything is up to the individual. That's part of why building without a tutorial is so much more rewarding. Next, competence applies here because you can progress and improve. You start integrating more advanced visual techniques and start getting more elaborate with shapes and details.

[00:04:14]Lastly, relatedness. Though it can sometimes feel like it's a solo activity, people build on servers, share what they do in survival worlds on social media, >> [music] >> and connect with others in the community that share their passion.

[00:04:28]This is where the flow state comes in.

[00:04:31]When your skill level matches with the challenge of what you're building, and your needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness are all being met, you kind of just lock in. This ties to the idea of a dopamine reward cycle. Every time you place a block that looks good, finish a section, or fix something that was bothering you, your brain gives you a small hit of satisfaction. When you build, [music] there are hundreds of these decisions, giving you a constant stream of small rewards.

[00:05:00]This makes it really easy to keep going and lose track of time. That's why you can sit down to just place a few blocks, and suddenly it's been 3 hours, and your back hurts.

[00:05:12]But if building was only fun because of the act itself, what we build wouldn't matter.

[00:05:18]But it does.

[00:05:21]Which leads us to the next section, creative self-expression through building.

[00:05:26]Creative expression is actually really important for people. I think a lot of us have a pretty narrow idea of what creativity looks like, or even some stigma around being creative. But it shows up in way more forms than we think. There's the obvious stuff, painting, poetry, but there's also making jokes, applying knowledge in new ways, and building in Minecraft.

[00:05:51]At its core, creativity is about taking something internal, like your thoughts, tastes, and ideas, >> [music] >> and turning it into something external.

[00:06:00]Something other people can see.

[00:06:02]It helps [music] us process things and understand ourselves. So, when people build and refine the way they build into their own style, it's almost like an extension of their own personality and identity. Just like how fashion or music guys and girlies [music] can categorize themselves into different styles and subcultures, but still have a distinctive look or sound as an individual.

[00:06:25]There are different architectural styles one can identify [music] with, but these styles aren't a blueprint. People can have their own style within a particular building aesthetic.

[00:06:37]Someone told me once, when observing architectural [music] styles, pay attention to the way they make you feel.

[00:06:44]And that applies even to Minecraft. Some are soft and cozy, others are grand, making the user feel small.

[00:06:52]Another thing about self-expression through Minecraft is that it's low risk.

[00:06:56][music] It costs you nothing but $30 for an account and some time. It can be a private place that you just practice, experiment, and gradually over time curate your own personal style.

[00:07:08]In real life, being creative can [music] feel exposed. There's pressure, expectations, and the fear of getting it wrong.

[00:07:17]That's why watching a tutorial can feel less fulfilling. You're skipping the part where you experiment, make decisions, and figure out what you like because someone else did it for you.

[00:07:29]So, building isn't just about making something that looks good, but rather making something that feels like you.

[00:07:39]Okay, here's where I go over a big source of inspiration for this video.

[00:07:44]I'm Canadian, but I had the privilege of visiting Germany over Easter. It was incredible. As a big architecture nerd, I love seeing all the colorful buildings, big cathedrals, and different architectural styles. [music] Things just aren't old like that here.

[00:08:00]Anyways, my highlights were places like the Nymphenburg Palace and the new town hall in Munich, and of [music] course, the Cologne Cathedral.

[00:08:08]Cologne especially had this way of making the observer feel small. The massive towers, musicians playing in the squares, even the dark layer of age and grime on the stone. It all adds to this feeling of awe.

[00:08:23]>> [music] >> And the cathedral itself doesn't even feel uniform. As you look higher, you can actually see the history in it.

[00:08:30][music] The style changes, the evolution of technique all over the hundreds of years [music] it took to build. I actually climbed the 530 steps to the top, [music] and from there you get this beautiful view of the rest of the city in the Rhine.

[00:08:44]All of these buildings were massive, like insane, [music] beyond practicality. It kind of showed what their priorities were as a society. They took centuries to build. Entire generations worked on them, knowing they would never see the finished result.

[00:09:02]So, why do that? Why spend that much time, effort, and that many resources on something that doesn't serve a simple practical purpose?

[00:09:11]Then I realized it all goes beyond Minecraft. Humans have always done this.

[00:09:16]It's simply in our nature to build things beyond practicality, [music] to make something permanent and beautiful.

[00:09:23]In the past, these buildings were monuments. Now we create digital ones.

[00:09:31]Okay, here's where I may get political, but I want to talk about something I kind of alluded to earlier, and that's accessibility.

[00:09:40]You see, a Minecraft account costs $30.

[00:09:43]An architecture degree costs like 100K.

[00:09:46]>> [music] >> So, clearly one is more accessible to the average person than the other.

[00:09:52]Historically, artists and architects required privilege, prestige, and power.

[00:09:57]To become a distinguished person in the arts, you needed training, which meant materials and money, but art was still valued in their society. They built [music] things to be beautiful, as I showed.

[00:10:10]Today, I think we value utility over aesthetics. Glass skyscrapers give the illusion of luxury, but it's simply [music] boring.

[00:10:19]And the function of them is to cram as many people as possible into a convenient location. Modern architecture often prioritizes efficiency and [music] cost over creativity. Buildings are designed to maximize space [music] and function, not necessarily to be expressive or meaningful.

[00:10:38]Students are also pushed towards STEM careers because they're told that they won't [music] find a job if they pursue their passion, the arts. We've glorified practicality. [music] I understand that's a generalization. I love science and am starting an aerospace engineering program next year, but not everyone is wired like me.

[00:10:58]And don't get me started on access to university and how expensive tuition is.

[00:11:04]>> [music] >> For some, pursuing a degree in architecture, fine arts, or whatever your passion is simply isn't possible.

[00:11:11]So, no wonder so many people build in Minecraft. It's accessible in a way that you can pursue your passion part-time while still surviving in our world. You don't have to consider practicality. You can just make something beautiful.

[00:11:26]Anyone with $30 and a functioning computer can build.

[00:11:31]So, why do people build things that don't have practical value?

[00:11:36]Because it's not really about practicality. And when you try to answer why people do anything, it can get complicated. You might not connect with every point I've made, or maybe you feel like I left something out, but at its core, [music] why we build comes down to a few things: enjoyment, expression, legacy, and accessibility.

[00:11:57]It's about the joy of creating.

[00:12:00]Taking something that only exists in your mind and making it real.

[00:12:05]There's a quote, "By believing passionately in something that doesn't exist, we create it." And that's what building really is. You're creating something out of nothing.

[00:12:17]I think that's really neat. So, don't let anyone shame you for spending time building in Minecraft. It's a valid hobby that lets you express yourself and enjoy doing something creative.

[00:12:30]Anyways, thank you so much for watching, and thank you for 1,000 subscribers. I did not expect this to happen so fast, so I really appreciate it. More overthinking coming soon.

[00:12:45]>> [bell]