You would if you produced nothing on the way:
ripping soundtrack
writing/filming walkthrough
hunting for glitches and exploits
speedrunning and recording replay
learning back story of the game and how it was created
fanwork i.e. comics and stories
mod
making unique controllers to fit the game
etc etc
such things would not only heighten the experience, but also helps you learn skills other than gaming.
Hard core gaming breathes new meaning to it all. If you are just a passive person, which is mostly fine, then you really don't distinguish yourself between the rest of mindless TV viewing public.
The General People who don't get it will give gamers a lot of shit just for being a gamer. That doesn't mean there isn't any meaning to it at all. As I grew, I still enjoy the same thing I did when I was decades younger, but I do it in a different light. When viewing a comic, I now know how it was made, what planning went through for the story and how it was colored. When watching a cartoon, I am now blessed to be able to marvel at the techniques employed to save or exaggerate key frames. When I play a Platformer A, I can see the decision behind why the developer chose to make jump certain way, how s/he gave momentum of player character. With this in depth look, these mediums only really grow more wonderful over time. Thus, I can only conclude that people who chose to keep their passion on have more in critical thinking in mind, than the soulless rest.
