Maxwell's Demon
Arcane
Just like alcohol or opium, escapism should be used responsibly and with all due moderation. People living in unbearable conditions often use escapism for the sake of anesthetizing themselves to the suffering present in their lives, so that they can procrastinate the necessary changes that would make their lives both bearable and meaningful. Escapism is harmful both to the individual and society at large when relied upon for this purpose.Assuming they're not Germans, it's probably that and/or the need to destroy all forms of escapism, because we can't have that anymore it seems.
That said, I don't think a weekly or bi-weekly tabletop session rises to that level of excess.