RE: The WHO is Going to Classify Gaming Addiction as a Disorder
Can't say that I am entirely surprised.
Let's face it, a lot of games are designed to be addictive, in the sense that some can become addicted to the tiny shots of dopamine that come with each correctly solved problem, or "victory,"or "kill" or whatever. Even social media; even Steemit... represents a sort of "gamification" of interaction where we get "little rewards" for various actions, and that keeps people coming back, like rats in a lab experiment.
Of course, that's a supreme oversimplification. I've never really bee much of a gamer in the direct sense, but I am borderline "addicted" to social media interactions because my "doing them well" drives a couple of online businesses. Which brings me to the next point...
Big Whooping Deal... what do we do to take this trend (good, bad, addictive or whatever) and turn it from potentially DE-structive into CON-structive? For example, however I may classify my online habits, I am trying to translate them into something that offers me more than merely sitting in the corner with a controller and giant pile of pizza boxes while a few drops of drool run down my unshaven face...
Opinion aside, cool topic!
Good habits, bad habits, addictions - they're all elements of modern humans and the society we created for ourselves. Where personal failing ends and social disease begins, who can say? Maybe it's just really a matter of opinion.
I think the idea behind what the WHO are doing is pretty sensible. Children do things to excess, as do teens as do adults, even. If you can make a living out of it, as an adult here on steemit, say, then it's to be applauded. But an attempt to reduce the impact in younger age groups has to be a good thing.
The content of video games is often questionable, isn't it? You have GTA with violence and sex in it. I'm not sure I'd want any child of mine spending too many hours on that series. And then there are the simulations / MMORPGs (?) that are designed to go on pretty much forever dragging their players in further and further. As far as their imaginations are willing to be led.
Where it doesn't impact on the rest of a person's life too much, then there's no problem, I guess. But with video games being so profitable (and how capitalism loves a profitable industry), it's in just about everybody's interests to ensure things don't get totally out of hand and a desirable equilibrium gets to be maintained.
Oh, the hours I've lost being cheated by the computer at Civ.... :(
"Oh, the hours I've lost being cheated by the computer at Civ.... :("
With you there brother. 100%.... Always told myself "just one more turn"
The game Solaris is muuuuuch worse though. It hurts even more when Steam shows you how many hours you've played.
Yup, MMORPGs and other infinite game play, from strategy to shooters, are not good to keep engaging in. Such a sap on the short time in life. I don't like them. Games get designed with layers of achievements to play on our reward center and keep us wanting to "achieve" more. I've only played single player shooters when I wanted to, because it has a beginning and end with a story, and you don't just keep playing online over and over. Thanks for the feedback.
Indeed, many things can become addicting. We are "hard-wired" to seek rewards in some way. As long as there is a real-world benefit, such as making money for survival, then at least an addiction like Steemit can have a beneficial component to act as a constructive part of our lives :) Thanks for the feedback.