Yeah, I do agree that games can lead to addictive behavior in which people use the medium as TOO MUCH of an escape. But this is just a rather crappy comparison.

http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2006/04/12



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It may be that one day a young man will adore a Pinata.

I think America has much worse things to worry about than this.

And don't you just love how they use the example of one imbecile crackhead to claim that ALL gamers are prone to this behavior?

They used to do this with Jazz, then Rock & Roll, then Metal, then Hip Hop, and now it's games. The lawyers and politicians involved in this should be run over with a bus. But they would blame that on GTA, wouldn't they?

“I used to take caffeine tablets to stay awake to play,” Mr Aspinall said. “Then I would smoke marijuana to come down off the high the game gave me.”

"the high the game gave you"?? man i need to play that game, wtf ... its so intense dude had to smoke a joint to fucking come down... thats some good shit yo

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music from space captain:
http://www.soundclick.com/bands/6/errantways_music.htm
http://www.soundclick.com/bands/4/invisibleacropolis_music.htm

id question whether or not computer games affect brain chemistry as much as drugs do, which create a physical dependency on outside elements to maintain the modified "balance" of neurotransmitters

id be willing to bet their effect (as far as serotonin and dopamine goes) is negligible at best... and of course, nothing beyond that would even be possible ..

so yes, it is "just plain stupid"

but i guess its a great excuse for some people

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music from space captain:
http://www.soundclick.com/bands/6/errantways_music.htm
http://www.soundclick.com/bands/4/invisibleacropolis_music.htm

I find it amusing that their one interviewed "video game addict" admitted he was using drugs while playing. His problem didn't sound like video games at all, it sounded like he is easily addicted to anything. I could be lazy and get myself fired from work and stay home all day playing Guild Wars or some such, but in the end it's just me being a lazy fuck, not the game inducing this behavior. Our society needs to learn to take some damn responsibility for its actions, instead of always looking for something to blame.

Writing dumbass "articles" saying computer games are addictive is addictive for irresponsible journalists.

Shit, this article even threw in some random anecdote about violence while it was at it.

I think it has been beaten over and over - but playing games is no different than any other hobby.

You can overindulge in ANYTHING.

What about people that just sit and watch tv from the time they get home to bed?
What about the guys that leave their wives in the house all night while they are out working on a car, boat, RV, motorcycle, ATV, snowmobile, etc?
What about women that shop when they can't afford it?

Enjoy everything in moderation - including moderation.

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Listening to: http://www.xmradio.com/programming/channel_page.jsp?ch=53
FUNGS 53

Squirrel Count: Catch & Release: 11 Shot: 17

No, really; when you play a game, a substance (noted for reference as Substance D) is continually fed via the controller (mouse, gamepad, or what have you) through the finger tips and directly into the blood stream. From there it travels to the brain where it induces a state of euphoria. This state of heightened pleasure is interpreted by the brain as a necessary state of life, so, like other *real* drugs, the brain sends the recipients mind and body a strong, irresistible desire to play as many games as possible and to neglect requirements such as food, family, work, and regular bathing.

Games are a serious problem and I hereby petition the US Government to spearhead an assault on their origin; the only way to win this battle is to attack the source of the problem. Evil has a face and it looks suspiciously like Sid Meier.

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"Oh how awful. Did he at least die peacefully? To shreds you say. Well, how's his wife holding up? To shreds you say."