Anybody concerned about the effect of too many computer games?

[janeiteisFedUp]

Here - Blimey.

Am I really the only person who found this a bit scary?

Well, yes it's scary but the problem isn't really about computer games, is it? It's about parents who probably have some form of depression completely disengaging from their child, and no-one apparently noticing or doing anything about it.

Sorry - I meant the later bit:
"A 22-year-old Korean man was charged last month with murdering his mother because she nagged him for spending too much time playing games. After killing her the man went to a nearby internet cafe and continued with his game, said officials. In 2005 a young man collapsed in an internet cafe in the city of Taegu after playing the game StarCraft almost continuously for 50 hours. He went into cardiac arrest and died at a local hospital.@

And this bit:
"Several bills are pending in the national assembly suggesting restrictions on teenagers' use of internet cafes and games.

Research published last month in the UK showed evidence of a link between excessive internet use and depression..."

And the effect of too much MN.......

Yes, that whole article is pretty terrifying.

Have you seen the film Surrogate?

Why the username? Why are you fed up?

Nope - neither seen nor heard of it: tell me more.

Need to change the name again - I AM fed up (work gah) but am trying to be chirpy. How are you?

I'm good, but my washing machine is sick, possibly terminal. Work is good. We have two HMI on Tuesday, but not a full inspection, just a "look see".

"Research published last month in the UK showed evidence of a link between excessive internet use and depression"

Linking it maybe, but nowhere does it say it causes it. For me personally I play computer games/go online when I am depressed because they are a welcome distraction from the depression.

"A 22-year-old Korean man was charged last month with murdering his mother because she nagged him for spending too much time playing games. After killing her the man went to a nearby internet cafe and continued with his game, said officials."

So no other reasons for it? Just the computer game? No, for example, aggressive tendencies that might just have surfaced if she'd "nagged" him about washing up or anything else?

"In 2005 a young man collapsed in an internet cafe in the city of Taegu after playing the game StarCraft almost continuously for 50 hours. He went into cardiac arrest and died at a local hospital."

If it hadn't been Starcraft could it have been something else? Maybe something addictive?

With these shock stories there is no 100% definite link between games and violence etc. They may have played a part, but it isn't the whole story is it?

As for
"The 41-year-old man and 25-year-old woman, who met through a chat website, reportedly left their infant unattended while they went to internet cafes."

They are neglectful parents. Again, is it just a little bit possible that the parents would have neglected their child without the game?

It is the people involved in these stories to blame, the games are just a scapegoat, means people can pretend shit like this wouldn't happen if you just outlawed/restricted game use. Before games were widespread it was blamed on films or music, or in fact anything else that made it easier to "explain" why people do awful/stupid things. Get rid of the games and it'll be blamed on something else.

The article is terrifying, would be a bit of a dull read if it said "some people do stupid things just because they do"