tech e blog

10/02/2006

Video Game Addiction Documentary

Kotaku has pointed us towards this interesting documentary on video game addiction. What are your thoughts? Video after the jump.
How stupid is it? Resorting to mainstream journalism's game-are-drugs default setting, statements include: Kids' reactions change when they are "on a game" and " off a game," video games are more damaging than regular chemical addictions and video games are keeping kids out of school
[via Kotaku]

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

This entry was posted on 10/02/2006 4:00pm and is filed under Video, Video Games .
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There are 22 comments about this post (1 pages).

1
i missed this episode cause I thought it would be over the top and ridiculous but those kids do actually seem adicted I thought it was nonesence but they have no self control whatsoever
2
horse sh*t..you think video games are more damaging than chemical addictions(cocaine) and keeping kids out of school? Who skips class to go play dungeons and dragons? They skip school to go get stoned at the park.
3
The guy they interviewed at the end of the second clip and start of the third is great. He puts it all very simply. These parents need to TAKE RESPONSIBILITY. Don't let your children spend this much time playing games, hell, even alone in their rooms. Take your kids out and do something, don't stick them with a system and TV just because it's, as the mom of the 6 y/o said 'Easy.' Learn your place as a parent, and do what you're supposed to do.
4
Sounds like a little intervention is called for... bust there butts and take away the games! Those children in need of dicipline, seems like their parents don't want to make the hard decisions. Then when it's too late they complain that there's nothing they can do. Parenting by video game. Many parents would rather little Billy go play a game than have to spend quality time with them and take away from thier own selfish needs. Parents are the problem... There are far worse things to be addicted to and if numbers were told, computer game addiction is probably in the lower 5% of those. Such as alcohol, tobacco, drugs, food, porn and many others much more abusive. Parents need to be parents, not friends, not buddys, set limits and dicipline them when they don't obey the rules. You are the adult, you are supposed to be the reponsible person in the parent/child relationship... DO YOUR JOBS AS PARENTS!
5
Seem like now days the parents are through with PARENTING!!!! Gimmie a break most of those kids parents are givin the games and whatever cause it shuts them up and they can have peace and quiet. They always look for a excuse elsewhere other that looking at themselves cause remember its always someone elses fault!
6
I don't exactly think that i have an addiction myself to video games, but seeing this is think i'm addicted to the internet. But it don't think this is exactly a withdrawl from soscioity. Its just an easier way to stay connected to friends and family. Its my one stop acces to the world. Atleast my addiction is productive
7
It's kids like them who make people like me look bad.
8
I hate it when people try to blame things that aren't the actuall source of the problem. Its the other problems in their life that they try to escape from by playing games. The games aren't the cause.
9
better than doing drugs and everything else that comes with it...
10
haha... Another uninformed look into gaming. There are already several scientific studies that have been performed, but, well, those won't get ratings.
11
oke here is my total time behind a computer in 1 week ;) -9Hours a day devoliping Software(games,virtual training) -3hours a day social talk on MSN and stuff like that -2hours gameing a day. 15 hours a day computing Oke now that makes raughly 100hours a week now when i whase still at college it must be around 140hours a week. now i also go to the gym and stil find time to chill whit my friends Play. now i know how they fix the problem whit this guys let them find a GIRL FRIEND give them a training how to get a girl friend and problem solved ;)
12
"Seem like now days the parents are through with PARENTING!!!! Gimmie a break most of those kids parents are givin the games and whatever cause it shuts them up and they can have peace and quiet. They always look for a excuse elsewhere other that looking at themselves cause remember its always someone elses fault!" Couldnt agree more to N8DOGG... Parents have no control over their kids and blame it on whatever they find... Music, TV and now video games... Its real easy to blame someone else! I remember when i got my NES... I was 7 and of course I was totally hooked up on Super Mario Bros and didnt wanna leave it at all... Once I made the same scene that the kid was doing on the video when the parents tried to take the controller... What happened to me? My parents grounded me and I learned about responsability... You gotta show kids responsibilities or else they just snap and go loose on games or whatever they find amusing...
13
[...] Via Techeblog Via Kotaku [...]
14
HAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH brits.....i like that idea about 4 tvs and pissing in empty milk bottles. hello parents.....its called knocking kids the F*** out! I am personally addicted to playing CSS online and I am probably the biggest loser you will ever know. BUT, at least I will beat my kids if they try to turn into video game addicts like me. BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAT!
15
God this is dumb. They say that it gives kids a buzz just like drugs. WELL! would you rather have them do pot to get the buzz?? I agree with the guys on parenting. they just give the kids video games to shut them up. Why the hell did those kids shoot themselves??? I dont think it was the game. I never think of shooting myself when im gaming! And what was with that stupid psychiatrist. All she sais was '' addicted or not he acts like one''
16
this is a pile of sh*t. Me and my older bro finally got along and played Sonic 2 together. Ever since my mom returned my SEGA Genesis becuase she was like those other video-game-blaming people, my older brother has been teasing me cause he was bored, we could have got a long. I have the console though, i got a whole bunch later in my life (when I became independent and I like classic gaming better) My friend learned how to read because of video games. It also helps in hand-eye coordination, my cousin is actually performing in school more better now. People who blame game players of video game addiction makes us look dumb, well, there are smart people who play video games too. Like my cousin, he plays constanly, but has straight A's. I too have decent A-C+ grades. I have never heard of anyone dropping out of school for video games. That is whack. Anyways, i think it is video gaming nowadays. Like Halo, Unreal Tournament, CS, etc. I see this one guy in my computer lab with a glazed look in his eyes and his jaw hanging out. sigh... just watch classic video gaming commercials back in the 80s to early 90s and you'll see how active people were. It is true, I remember when everyone that I was around weren't stiff while playing video games. @ Tomas: I totally agree. They only skip school/classes for drugs. I know and see a lot of people at my school doing that and sometimes being arrested for possesion of weed.
17
Hi folks :D In my opinion, games can be adicting and actualy drag people out of reality. Not that this dragging can't be usefull. Some people prefer a book or a soap opera to relax. And in these days stress hides behind any corner. Computer gaming devolops a limited number of skils. While it might help you with logic or reflexes or... It drags you out of reality, so it becomes arguable until what point did it help you on learning about the world. Do you believe there's a game who can teach you spanish, to cook, or to get laid? Remember that the ultimate game is actualy life. (althought some games try imitate or improve some aspects of it) Also remember that games are made to be easy to play. This is to promote adiction on the feeling of success and happiness, so more harder to find in reality. Or do you believe you could become a ninja or José Mourinho in a weak of practice, while they take an efective lifetime to do it. In conclusion, daily, one hour of gamming is as excusable as a hour of soap opera (not to one hour of reading). It might give to those who cannot find another satisfactions in life a basic amount of satisfaction. More than that is usualy abuse, it does't count as resting or relaxing. Moreover it should be diversified. (some might think of playing diferent games from day to day, that would be good, but better would be to go out and play real football or anything else from time to time) Always remember, the best drugs are on your head (there are chemical compounds for happiness, tireness, love, passion...). Learn how to use them wisely to score in real like. bye than ;) have a wise game playing
18
wow i guess parents are being so stupid they buy video games so ther kids stop yelling at them! holy crap people play video games it helps because when you accomplish something you feel a sence of pride but there will always be those kids that cant stop and that is a small majority not everyone who plays video games shoot them self of kills some one that is a 1 out of 6000 thing dont tell people that it happens to every one you plays video games
19
jonny
20
addiction Many people think they must choose a specific programming language in order to become a programmer, believing that they can only do
21
addiction Many people think they must choose a specific programming language in order to become a programmer, believing that they can only do
22
kids play I Googled for something completely different, but found your page...and have to say thanks. nice read.
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