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After a couple of off-topic posts in a recent post of mine, I decided this is worthy of its own thread.
I've heard many people take the position that two people in my thread took concerning massive multiplayer online games (World of Warcraft, Everquest, etc). They either know someone or have heard of people who have supposedly gotten addicted to the games, but strangely they seem to place the blame on the game instead of the people.
Where is the personal responsibility? There are sites out on the net, (WoW Widows, for one, a site with hundreds if angry girlfriends and wives who claim that the game has "stolen" their significant others), dedicated to this topic, but they all seem to be one-sided.
It's a game, folks. It's not a narcotic. It's a game. And, even if it were a narcotic, nobody is forcing people to play it. It's a personal choice.
Many people turn to online gaming because it offers them an escape from reality. It puts them into an external role and offers them benefits that they do not enjoy in life. The ability to feel powerful, useful, and in control. It's sad, but these people could most likely find solace in any number of distractions, including drugs, alcohol, or anything else that promises a reprieve from life.
Others, like myself, play these games with responbsibility, for a variety of reasons. Because they're fun. Because it's more interactive than watching television. Maybe even for a temporary (stress on temporary) vacation from reality.
The point I'd like to make is that if someone finds themselves seemingly addicted to a game, there are almost certainly underlying issues that should be targeted, not the game it's self. Anything can be addictive if no self control is exercised.
I've heard many people take the position that two people in my thread took concerning massive multiplayer online games (World of Warcraft, Everquest, etc). They either know someone or have heard of people who have supposedly gotten addicted to the games, but strangely they seem to place the blame on the game instead of the people.
Where is the personal responsibility? There are sites out on the net, (WoW Widows, for one, a site with hundreds if angry girlfriends and wives who claim that the game has "stolen" their significant others), dedicated to this topic, but they all seem to be one-sided.
It's a game, folks. It's not a narcotic. It's a game. And, even if it were a narcotic, nobody is forcing people to play it. It's a personal choice.
Many people turn to online gaming because it offers them an escape from reality. It puts them into an external role and offers them benefits that they do not enjoy in life. The ability to feel powerful, useful, and in control. It's sad, but these people could most likely find solace in any number of distractions, including drugs, alcohol, or anything else that promises a reprieve from life.
Others, like myself, play these games with responbsibility, for a variety of reasons. Because they're fun. Because it's more interactive than watching television. Maybe even for a temporary (stress on temporary) vacation from reality.
The point I'd like to make is that if someone finds themselves seemingly addicted to a game, there are almost certainly underlying issues that should be targeted, not the game it's self. Anything can be addictive if no self control is exercised.
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