Topic: Interesting article on (video) gaming addiction

[Darknight]

Cracked, so language

I am half-way through this, and I thought that pt 3 was VERY interesting given some of the discussions we have here about Warhammer and GW, and how they are neglecting their core demographic etc. etc.

http://www.cracked.com/blog/5-reasons-we-need-to-take-video-game-addiction-seriously/

[Finlay]

4 is good, for my brother who won't visit me and his niece and nephew over the weekend, because it interferes with WoW raid night, and complained about family obligations over christmas because "he couldnt do anything productive"- ie play wow and level shit.
that's not productive.

[Gankom]

I read the article this morning as well. I thought it had a couple of really interesting points.

[zifnab0]

I liked the part where, at one point, they linked to a previous Cracked article about how gamers were unfairly stereotyped as emotionally repressed losers.  Then the article went on to reinforce the idea that gamers are emotionally repressed losers, even linking another Cracked article discussing how all gamers are emotionally repressed losers.

Quite well balanced.

[Finlay]

He repeatedly stated not all gamers are addicts, and not all people who play a lot are addicts.

[Gankom]

Indeed when I was reading it I very clearly got the feeling they were only talking about a certain portion of gamers, not just labeling all of them insane.

[zifnab0]

He repeatedly stated not all gamers are addicts, and not all people who play a lot are addicts.

The expert only talks about gaming addicts.  He says things like "If I think about the clients I've had...t takes a lot of talking to make them admit that sex is a big part of their life and they're unhappy with their inability to make it happen."

The Expert makes it clear that when he refers to "them," he's talking about his clients.

The author never makes that distinction when he condemns gamers.  Take this quote:

Hands down, the single most embarrassing thing about video games is how they keep assuming I have the brain of a sexually repressed 14-year-old. The second most embarrassing thing is how often we prove them right: When we freak out at someone, it's always a woman, and we're always accusing them of using sex to get ahead. When we encounter women in games, we sexually harass them. And when we meet a female gamer in real life, we automatically assume she's trying to deceive us. It's agonizingly obvious what's really going on. And according to O'Connor, this is a big part of gaming addiction.

When he says "we" he doesn't mean "gaming addicts."  He never lumps himself in with addicts.  He distances himself from "vocal, angry gamers on the Internet."  He's saying that gamers as a whole have these characteristics.

It's the typical "gamers are misogynists" argument that's been making the rounds lately, coupled with the standard "but not me, I'm one of the good ones" disclaimer.  As far as I can tell, it has something to do with the whole "GamerGate" thing.

[Finlay]

He differentiates continuosly throughout the article.

The article is called game addiction. He even says addiction is a symptom later on- not just gaming.

Games make the addict feel important because as power fantasies, games are designed to do precisely that. And spending too much time in that power fantasy makes addicts

But the difference between the healthy gamer and the addict is that the addict isn't getting this kind of "I matter" fulfillment anywhere else.

I'm not saying that if someone dislikes a game, they're automatically an addict. I'm not even saying that playing a lot of games makes you an addict, because that's not how addiction works

excplicitly stating gaming a lot is not a gaming addict.



Did you want every other word to be "addict"? I think it's pretty clear.

[zifnab0]

In the part I quoted he wasn't talking about addicts.  He was talking about "we," including himself in the group.  He doesn't consider himself an addict, distancing himself from the "other" at every chance.

Further, it's an article on Cracked.  The only positive discussion it should bring up is how to avoid articles on Cracked.

[Finlay]

So you cherry picked one section where he stops using addict, and ignore the fact he uses the word 26 times throughout the rest of the article. Cool.

As I said, did you expect him to say "addict" as every other word?

If you dont like cracked, dont comment on it, especially as you are talking out your ass.

[DariusZero]

This post is funny, but it hits a nerve right. It's an issue of parents vs child gamer.

http://boards.na.leagueoflegends.com/en/c/miscellaneous/bEhf1EPt-open-letter-to-parents-of-league-of-legends-players

[Gankom]

There's also Penny-Arcades rebuttal.

http://penny-arcade.com/comic/2015/02/11/vis-a-vis-my-lawn

[oak_prince]

That would be my biggest fear as a parent. I mean, it seems hard to find that balance where your kid is confident with technology but isn't a neckbeard either. I want to have a family that spends technology-free time with each other and does outdoor activities like camping as well as couch potato activities like watching movies.

[Finlay]

This post is funny, but it hits a nerve right. It's an issue of parents vs child gamer.

http://boards.na.leagueoflegends.com/en/c/miscellaneous/bEhf1EPt-open-letter-to-parents-of-league-of-legends-players

I showed that to my wife and we laughed and laughed

[valmir]

Surely not beginning a game if you can't commit to finishing it is a part of the game's culture? In other words, that it's the role of that game's community to encourage it amongst its users. Parents surely can't be expected to also take responsibility for ensuring their children maintain good in-game etiquette?

Otherwise, it sets a fairly ridiculous precedent. I hated getting ganked in WoW - it's great to know that it's the responsibility of the parents to make sure their punk-ass kids don't do it!

[zifnab0]

So you cherry picked one section where he stops using addict, and ignore the fact he uses the word 26 times throughout the rest of the article. Cool.

Not even close.  I assume that he writes what he intends to write, not what he didn't write.  If he is talking about a specific group of non-addict gamers, then he should be precise and say so.  When he writes about gamers in general, he should be taken at his word.

As I said, did you expect him to say "addict" as every other word?

I'm assuming competence.  While I'll admit that's a stretch with a Cracked author, it's all we have to go on.  The expert that the author quoted made sure to always preface his comments with references to addicts or patients.  Why couldn't the author?

The author was talking about gamers in general being misogynist losers with no social life.  If you consider yourself a gamer but don't think the description fits you, then your problem is with the author, not with me.

If you dont like cracked, dont comment on it, especially as you are talking out your ass.

Why shouldn't I comment on it?  The link was posted here for comment.  I commented on the content of the story (it's crap) and the content of the site in general (it's crap).

If you're going to get upset about people having different opinions than you, maybe you should get off the internet.

[Gneisenau]

The kids can do it themselves. "Mom, when are we having dinner?" As simple as that.

[Finlay]

So you cherry picked one section where he stops using addict, and ignore the fact he uses the word 26 times throughout the rest of the article. Cool.

Not even close.  I assume that he writes what he intends to write, not what he didn't write.  If he is talking about a specific group of non-addict gamers, then he should be precise and say so.  When he writes about gamers in general, he should be taken at his word.

He's not writing about gamers in general, which is why he uses the word addict 26 times in his article, and in the title of the article, and even says "just playing a lot of games doesn't make you an addict"

You're such a herp it's unbelievable.

[Finlay]

The kids can do it themselves. "Mom, when are we having dinner?" As simple as that.

The idea parents should be actively behind their kids at all times to ensure they dont start an activity they dont have time to do is lol.

[valmir]

The idea that many/any parents who aren't themselves gamers are going to read an "open letter" posted on a nerd forum is also lol.

[Aldaris]

The idea parents should be actively behind their kids at all times to ensure they dont start an activity they dont have time to do is lol.

Or possibly DOTA.

[DariusZero]

The idea that many/any parents who aren't themselves gamers are going to read an "open letter" posted on a nerd forum is also lol.

But they did, just scroll down to comments.

[patsy02]

You're all assuming that cracked is a good source for valid journalism. In case there's any confusion about what the Cracked modus operandi is: