Are games addicting?
- Thread starter Blue Ghost
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Addiction is not just a personal problem but also a social problem.
People who believe they see owlbears in reality might have a personal problem, but they are also a manifestation of a social problem -- modern society does not have a good, easy way to discuss epistemology. There are lots of folks who are just as confused but harder to spot.
People who play MMORPGs for 40 hours a week and work for 40 hours have a problem with living a shallow life. That is not their fault, that is society's fault. Society is responsible for providing vibrant culture, healthy communities, opportunities for community involvement, etc. If its wage-slaves need entertainment that badly, the wage-slaves have been burned out by an inhumane culture, and the culture needs to acknowledge its guilt and reform itself.
Games are addicting because modern life is alienating. People hate their jobs, they hate their lifestyles, they hate their communities, they hate everything about the propaganda-world that is called "the real world." They are outcasts, alone, afraid in a world they never made. If they convince themselves that they're seeing owlbears, they might need medication, but the rest of society needs to build a community for them to rejoin.
People who believe they see owlbears in reality might have a personal problem, but they are also a manifestation of a social problem -- modern society does not have a good, easy way to discuss epistemology. There are lots of folks who are just as confused but harder to spot.
People who play MMORPGs for 40 hours a week and work for 40 hours have a problem with living a shallow life. That is not their fault, that is society's fault. Society is responsible for providing vibrant culture, healthy communities, opportunities for community involvement, etc. If its wage-slaves need entertainment that badly, the wage-slaves have been burned out by an inhumane culture, and the culture needs to acknowledge its guilt and reform itself.
Games are addicting because modern life is alienating. People hate their jobs, they hate their lifestyles, they hate their communities, they hate everything about the propaganda-world that is called "the real world." They are outcasts, alone, afraid in a world they never made. If they convince themselves that they're seeing owlbears, they might need medication, but the rest of society needs to build a community for them to rejoin.
There's a lot to be said from that. The reason young people often turn to alternative pursuits is because of alienation by their peers. It's the same old story no matter what.
Having said that, if you're seeing Bugbears or Orcs in a "sober" state of mind, then that's more indicative of a hardwiring problem than some psychological and/or social disorder.
I have to admit that I don't feel "alienated" as such, but I think other people want those who aren't in the rat race to feel alienated to help appease their feeling of superiority. Hence one gets this vicious cycle of addiction to wanting things to make oneself feel better. To me, that's what games like Everquest are all about. There's no game in the Everquest Game. It's all about keeping up with the Jonses, which I find pretty disgusting.
Yet people get addicted to it because of "the gameplay". If they're getting overshadowed for promotions in life, then they can compensate online with EQ or similar passtimes.
But is that real addiction? One might argue that it's induced by peer pressure.
Having said that, if you're seeing Bugbears or Orcs in a "sober" state of mind, then that's more indicative of a hardwiring problem than some psychological and/or social disorder.
I have to admit that I don't feel "alienated" as such, but I think other people want those who aren't in the rat race to feel alienated to help appease their feeling of superiority. Hence one gets this vicious cycle of addiction to wanting things to make oneself feel better. To me, that's what games like Everquest are all about. There's no game in the Everquest Game. It's all about keeping up with the Jonses, which I find pretty disgusting.
Yet people get addicted to it because of "the gameplay". If they're getting overshadowed for promotions in life, then they can compensate online with EQ or similar passtimes.
But is that real addiction? One might argue that it's induced by peer pressure.
Addicted as in chemical addiction - no. Addicted as in spending too much time that I need to be doing something else like sleeping - yes. I am addicted to competition. Aginst other players, aginst the computer, aginst the storyline and plot of the book I am reading. When I was single and had sucifficent time and money, I was involved with duplicate bridge. If there was a tournament within 2 to 3 hours driving time, I went. My house was the place where the other guys could come without keeping their families up on the weekends. We played board games, RPGs, cards, whatever. Most of them were younger guys in or just out of high school plus a few in the military (Charleston had both USNavy and USAF at the time.)
The younger guy's parents (at least those who were monitoring their kids) knew that there was no drinking and no drugs besides tobacco (only outside if you had to smoke) allowed. For that matter I could generally even provide transportation if asked nicely. Generally the weekend was play time until it was time for me to get to bed in time to get to church Sunday morning. Call it controlled addiction maybe. But if it was not gamming, I would have been involved in something else to the same extent. When I was in high school it was reading. During the summer we had a libary truck that came around every 3 weeks. I would get 20 to 30 books and often read them twice before the truck made it's next run.
Maybe I am a playaholic vs. a workaholic.
The younger guy's parents (at least those who were monitoring their kids) knew that there was no drinking and no drugs besides tobacco (only outside if you had to smoke) allowed. For that matter I could generally even provide transportation if asked nicely. Generally the weekend was play time until it was time for me to get to bed in time to get to church Sunday morning. Call it controlled addiction maybe. But if it was not gamming, I would have been involved in something else to the same extent. When I was in high school it was reading. During the summer we had a libary truck that came around every 3 weeks. I would get 20 to 30 books and often read them twice before the truck made it's next run.
Maybe I am a playaholic vs. a workaholic.
JAFAR; ah, but you didn't substitute the fiction presented by the books or games as a real life replacement for reality.
Like you and Hunter said, some people can lend themselves to self control better than others.
For me, online gaming was a real electronic-drug. I really only game when I'm feeling particularly under stress. I actually like the social aspect of gaming, but recently excused myself from one of the local groups, largely because of personality clashes.
A good game is a good hobby. Like the bartender tells his patrons at the bar; you just need to know when to say "when".
Like you and Hunter said, some people can lend themselves to self control better than others.
For me, online gaming was a real electronic-drug. I really only game when I'm feeling particularly under stress. I actually like the social aspect of gaming, but recently excused myself from one of the local groups, largely because of personality clashes.
A good game is a good hobby. Like the bartender tells his patrons at the bar; you just need to know when to say "when".
I am addicted to Traveller as well, as is a good portion of my family. Having never tried Black Tar Heroin, but having experience in seeing the effects, I'll take gaming as a vice, if it can be called that.
For me I got hooked on the metal engagement of the activity, along with the incredibly strong bonds that gaming made between me and my freinds growing up playing. I also went to a pretty clicky high school, and I can say with all certainty that I would have much rather been rolling the isocohedron with my freinds than I would watching someone else barf at a keg party.
The computer stuff is a pickle for sure. Neurological studies are showing that limited mobility patients playing mmporgs have the atrophied parts of the brain reserved for muscle control stimulated when playing. That is some strong stuff to mess with. I also had to have a talk with a co-worker, because he was banging out of work to play Call of Duty 4 for days at a time. Computer gaming has definitely changed our culture. Even Atari did.
I've only known one guy that went nuts, and it was pretty tragic. He went from affirmed master DM to roadside tent evangelist to inpatient. A very disturbing episode.
For me I got hooked on the metal engagement of the activity, along with the incredibly strong bonds that gaming made between me and my freinds growing up playing. I also went to a pretty clicky high school, and I can say with all certainty that I would have much rather been rolling the isocohedron with my freinds than I would watching someone else barf at a keg party.
The computer stuff is a pickle for sure. Neurological studies are showing that limited mobility patients playing mmporgs have the atrophied parts of the brain reserved for muscle control stimulated when playing. That is some strong stuff to mess with. I also had to have a talk with a co-worker, because he was banging out of work to play Call of Duty 4 for days at a time. Computer gaming has definitely changed our culture. Even Atari did.
I've only known one guy that went nuts, and it was pretty tragic. He went from affirmed master DM to roadside tent evangelist to inpatient. A very disturbing episode.
