Well, after posting that last rambling entry, I came across this article while logging out of hotmail. I play a lot of video games, and while the closest thing to medical authority I have is to say that I was premed for two semesters, I'm pretty sure this is further evidence in my ongoing theory that AMERICANS ARE GIGANTIC FUCKING PUSSIES.
No offense, Americans. But really. Does there always have to be somebody else to blame for your problems? I mean come on. I'm sorry your stupid nerd son decided to stop studying and play World of Warcraft so much that he became violent when you took it away. But now you're going to try to get medical insurance to cover the expenses? And blame the video game companies?
Also, look at the picture in the beginning of the article. Those two kids are playing a Playstation One. That means it's either a ten year old picture, or the dinosaur game these two home schooled Aryan motherfuckers are playing is probably called "Strange Creatures That Never Existed According To God Part III," and the PS1 was the least Satanic of all video game consoles their mother's pastor recommended they buy.
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7 comments:
Here in Korea, people have died from playing video/computer games for too long!
Jane- The same thing has actually happened in Japan. In fact, there is a whole subculture of (mostly) men aged 20s and 30s who should be working but instead they are all living in their parents houses never coming outside living entirely in their dark rooms playing video games and watching anime porn.
This from Wikipedia, under NEET (Not currently engaged in Emplyment, Education, or Training:
"In Japan, the classification comprises people aged between 15 and 34 who are unemployed, unmarried, not enrolled in school or engaged in housework, and not seeking work or the technical training needed for work. "
Actually after reading up on it, it sounds like the NEET (word at least) originated in the UK, where it referrs to peopl between the ages of 16 and 18.
And also dude, I am pretty sure video games ARE an addiction. I once spent about a week leaving my room only to eat and use the bathroom while I was playing Half-Life. Of course I was also on one hell of a come down at the time as well...
"as powerfully addictive as heroin"
I'll admit to having my own problems with Kingdom Hearts (oh, sweet succubus), but, uhhhh, heroin? I don't think so.
I'm beginning to think that these spoiled monster-children today are actually way smarter than we give them credit for. When I was playing Tetris on my NES (which I still do, rock!) and my parents told me to go outside and play in the Florida July sunshine, I got up and went outside to play. It never even OCCURRED to me that I should tell them I was addicted, it wasn't my fault, and I was biologically unable to stop playing the game. Better yet, I should have told them I had a genetic pre-disposition to addiction, that way it’s their fault. And that the sunshine would give me skin cancer.
Evil geniuses.
I haven't seriously played a video game since Ryan and I spend all summer several years ago trying to beat every single level in Super Mario World for the SNES. Sure, I played Grand Theft Auto III and Vice City occassionally, just to, you know, run around and hit people. I never did that in real life. I do want to, though. So maybe if I was "addicted" to it, I would randomly run around Miami hitting people and pulling them out of their cars and speedind off.
You should play the Left Behind game; now you could definitely claim some mental issues from that. For those that haven't played, you are basically God's road warrior, and, well, it's like Grand Theft Auto: Christian Fundamentalist Edition. You can convert people, or you can fight them and kill them if they are heathens. It was actually fun to play, until I realize that the majority of the playership for that game would be Christians who thought that that is what it is going to be like when that elusive rapture occurs. And then I got scared and let go of the mouse.
Oh, btw, Ryan and I *did* in fact beat every single level in Super Mario World. I believe it is a matter, if I remember correctly, of beating every level including secret ones. It took us literally all summer long. And I didn't even suffer mental problems afterwards, though there was that little pang of disappointment when you realized it was all over with. Good times.
"The telltale signs are ominous"
"It was as if he was possessed"
Jesus Christ, journalists are the scum of the earth.
As humans continue to come up with newer and more stimulating ways to entertain ourselves, we're going to face these kinds of situations more and more often. I think the article is right in that people need to be aware that any kind of information technology (drugs, porn, video games, gambling) that pushes one's pleasure buttons can be habit-forming.
But those kids didn't get addicted overnight. Today's parents stick their kids in front of the T.V. to shut them up as soon as they're old enough to discern colours and shapes. Or the kids sit home on the computer all day while both parents are at work. It took two years for video games and the internet to transform little Michael from an "outgoing, academically gifted teen" into a "reclusive manipulator... who spent several hours day and night" playing WoW. Where were his mom and dad while this was happening?
I think Americans play the blame game because health care is so expensive, and insurance companies have paid staff whose job is to find reasons not to pay claims. Also, more generally, the post-1968 conception of "social justice" has serous problems distinguishing genuine victimization from plain old personal failure. Masking self-pity and acquisitiveness with the self-righteous outrage of pseudo-activism is a popular pastime these days.
Apparently I have serious problems spelling s-e-r-i-o-u-s.
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