'The Demise of Guys': How video games and porn are ruining a generation
Is the overuse of video games and pervasiveness of online porn causing the demise of guys? Increasingly, researchers say yes, as young men become hooked on arousal, sacrificing their schoolwork and relationships in the pursuit of getting a tech-based buzz. …The consequences could be dramatic: The excessive use of video games and online porn in pursuit of the next thing is creating a generation of risk-averse guys who are unable (and unwilling) to navigate the complexities and risks inherent to real-life relationships, school and employment.The Demise of Guys See also: Where Have All The Good Men Gone?
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Video games are OK in moderation
Porn must be absolutely eschewed
Porn must be absolutely eschewed
Are video games intrinsically addictive as is nicotine, pornography, or any number of other things?
Lee
Are video games intrinsically addictive as is nicotine, pornography, or any number of other things?They are designed to be addictive, and tend to become all-consuming for many young men, just as Facebook games are designed to be addictive for women. While I am sure there are some who can enjoy gaming without much detriment, the incredible consumption of time and energy for many is very real, and quite alarming.
As someone who’s played video games since I was a very small boy, I’d be interested in any evidence that you have for that statement, Wayne.
I’m not talking about MMORPG’s like World of Warcraft, EverQuest or the like - which I think I would agree with you on - I’m talking about regular single player video games.
I’m not talking about MMORPG’s like World of Warcraft, EverQuest or the like - which I think I would agree with you on - I’m talking about regular single player video games.
"Our task today is to tell people — who no longer know what sin is...no longer see themselves as sinners, and no longer have room for these categories — that Christ died for sins of which they do not think they’re guilty." - David Wells
Well, Jay, I am not sure which statement you want evidence for…that games are designed to be addictive? Or that they are? Both are true.
I am including MMORPGs in my comments, but single-player games are certainly addictive for too many young men to their detriment in terms of wasted time, neglected responsibilities, lack of exercise, wrong priorities, loss of enthusiasm for self-improvement in areas more critical than gaming, etc.
My lines of evidence are several-fold.
1) I know a number of people who work for gaming companies here locally, making them and selling them. They are absolutely designed to be addictive. It is not an industry secret.
2) Testimonies: plenty of people admit to wasting untold hours gaming, to the neglect of better things. You don’t know any?
3) Observation: I know many young men whose lives are diminished by them. Ask young women.
4) I have had to deal with several marriages imperiled by them.
5) While science is still arguing about the addictive nature of games, that is usually about the definition of addiction. I would say it is addictive in the sense that shopping is for some people, only with games it is being encouraged by a lucrative industry. Plenty of research shows a compulsion to play that interferes with more worthwhile aspects of life for a certain number of people…not an insignificant number.
Worthwhile reads:
[url] http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/features/video-game-addiction-no-fun
[url] http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/08/magazine/angry-birds-farmville-and-ot…
I am including MMORPGs in my comments, but single-player games are certainly addictive for too many young men to their detriment in terms of wasted time, neglected responsibilities, lack of exercise, wrong priorities, loss of enthusiasm for self-improvement in areas more critical than gaming, etc.
My lines of evidence are several-fold.
1) I know a number of people who work for gaming companies here locally, making them and selling them. They are absolutely designed to be addictive. It is not an industry secret.
2) Testimonies: plenty of people admit to wasting untold hours gaming, to the neglect of better things. You don’t know any?
3) Observation: I know many young men whose lives are diminished by them. Ask young women.
4) I have had to deal with several marriages imperiled by them.
5) While science is still arguing about the addictive nature of games, that is usually about the definition of addiction. I would say it is addictive in the sense that shopping is for some people, only with games it is being encouraged by a lucrative industry. Plenty of research shows a compulsion to play that interferes with more worthwhile aspects of life for a certain number of people…not an insignificant number.
Worthwhile reads:
[url] http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/features/video-game-addiction-no-fun
[url] http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/08/magazine/angry-birds-farmville-and-ot…
I understand that many young men waste untold hours playing video games, but are they technically addictive? The definition of addition is:
the state of being enslaved to a habit or practice or to something that is psychologically or physically habit-forming, as narcotics, to such an extent that its cessation causes severe trauma.I haven’t personally seen anyone suffer severe trauma at the cessation of gaming. I am sure there are some cases, but I am not sure gaming is a widespread problem of addiction.
Why is it that my voice always seems to be loudest when I am saying the dumbest things?
[Chip Van Emmerik] I understand that many young men waste untold hours playing video games, but are they technically addictive? The definition of addition is:the state of being enslaved to a habit or practice or to something that is psychologically or physically habit-forming, as narcotics, to such an extent that its cessation causes severe trauma.I haven’t personally seen anyone suffer severe trauma at the cessation of gaming. I am sure there are some cases, but I am not sure gaming is a widespread problem of addiction.
I think you have just verified what Wayne was saying: “While science is still arguing about the addictive nature of games, that is usually about the definition of addiction. “
Lee
I guess my point is that every definition of addiction of have every seen includes some form of withdrawal, but I don’t see that as a widespread problem among gamers. Is it an addiction simply because one wastes time at it?
Why is it that my voice always seems to be loudest when I am saying the dumbest things?
I can personally attest that, yes, video games are addictive. A few years ago I went through a phase, where I became addicted to a game called Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. At my low point, I was spending over 8 hours a day on the game(in my defense i was unemployed at the time). Fortunately, it lasted less than a year, as I had to sell my Xbox 360 for financial reasons. But yes, it took me a long time to get over my longings to play the game again, and to forget the friends that I had made during my online playing experiences.
Looking back, I see that those months were a waste of time for me. Although I did make friends online, and I learned a lot about myself and about others while competing to be the best player. I won’t lie. I was pretty skilled at the game. And that was part of the attraction about the game. Inside the game I was able to become what I couldn’t be in real life- a leader, respected by everyone. Inside the game, I was a faceless character and a voice, that was judged purely by my skills and achievements. Basically, in a game, everyone is equal. Everyone starts off with the same character and the same choice of weapons. And anyone has a chance to be #1, if they put in the effort. Unlike in real life- where you are judged by your appearance, or your social status, or your personality; things we often have no control over- in the game, a 20 year old student from Compton could be better than a 40 year old Wall Street tycoon from Manhattan.
Looking back, I see that those months were a waste of time for me. Although I did make friends online, and I learned a lot about myself and about others while competing to be the best player. I won’t lie. I was pretty skilled at the game. And that was part of the attraction about the game. Inside the game I was able to become what I couldn’t be in real life- a leader, respected by everyone. Inside the game, I was a faceless character and a voice, that was judged purely by my skills and achievements. Basically, in a game, everyone is equal. Everyone starts off with the same character and the same choice of weapons. And anyone has a chance to be #1, if they put in the effort. Unlike in real life- where you are judged by your appearance, or your social status, or your personality; things we often have no control over- in the game, a 20 year old student from Compton could be better than a 40 year old Wall Street tycoon from Manhattan.
Not sure why this is, but there’s a lot of feedback that I’ve seen on this CNN article:
http://pjmedia.com/drhelen/2012/05/25/the-demise-of-guys-or-shaming-the… -
http://pjmedia.com/drhelen/2012/05/25/the-demise-of-guys-or-shaming-the… -
Yep, it’s the guys fault and their brains are just screwed up from the gaming and porn-watching. School didn’t used to be so static, but now that it’s geared for the passive and inert, maybe it’s just boring and guys aren’t connecting. Instead, they are connecting to something that gives them more control and satisfaction. Besides, if they do say something “lustful” at school, they might be expelled for sexual harrassment. At least gaming and porn won’t bore you to death or get you in legal trouble (yet).
"Our task today is to tell people — who no longer know what sin is...no longer see themselves as sinners, and no longer have room for these categories — that Christ died for sins of which they do not think they’re guilty." - David Wells
But it’s not only guys that are being hypnotized by technology. You should see how many women are addicted to their phones. Everywhere I go, I see women who can’t stop texting on their phones, or checking their facebook accounts. Not to mention how many are addicted to Television. Let’s face it. Technology has messed us all up. I was thinking about that last night, as I walked my dog- how isolated we have all become from one another. As you walk by people’s houses, you can hear the noise from the TV sets, and the people walking by listening to their iPods, or talking on their cellphones.
I knew there were two more articles I’d seen on this subject yesterday - finally found the links.
Desiring God: http://www.desiringgod.org/blog/posts/fake-love-fake-war-why-so-many-me…
Desiring God: http://www.desiringgod.org/blog/posts/fake-love-fake-war-why-so-many-me…
Zimbardo and Duncan are right, this is a generation mired in fake love and fake war, and that is dangerous. A man who learns to be a lover through porn will simultaneously love everyone and no one. A man obsessed with violent gaming can learn to fight everyone and no one.WebMD: http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/features/video-game-addiction-no-fun
The answer to both addictions is to fight arousal with arousal. Set forth the gospel vision of a Christ who loves his bride and who fights to save her. And then let’s train our young men to follow Christ by learning to love a real woman, sometimes by fighting his own desires and the spirit beings who would eat him up. Let’s teach our men to make love, and to make war … for real.
But can a game truly become an addiction? Absolutely, Young tells WebMD. “It’s a clinical impulse control disorder,” an addiction in the same sense as compulsive gambling.
"Our task today is to tell people — who no longer know what sin is...no longer see themselves as sinners, and no longer have room for these categories — that Christ died for sins of which they do not think they’re guilty." - David Wells
Any given individual can make an addiction out of anything. Don’t believe it? Search the reality programs on Direct TV and become a believer.
However, most things are not characteristically addictive. But there are some things that are. Nicotine; narcotics; alcohol; gambling; porn; etc. fall into the intrinsic category. That their inherently addictive nature is there, and that nature is fundamentally antagonistic to the work of the Holy Spirit in the life of every believer to bring forth fruit (Christ-likeness) it is easy for me to state that they have no place in the life of the believer whose motive is a sanctification and holiness.
Frankly, video games (since “Space Invaders” in the local pizza parlor) hold practically no interest to me. Never have, and I doubt ever will. So games are not my issue. But they are significant issues to many, many. And in my relatively narrow sphere I can point to several marriages that have broken down or are on the verge in which video games are a major contributing factor.
So it is important to determine the nature of this issue. If it is intrinsically addictive, it must be approached one way. If it is not, it falls under the category of liberty and is addressed differently.
However, most things are not characteristically addictive. But there are some things that are. Nicotine; narcotics; alcohol; gambling; porn; etc. fall into the intrinsic category. That their inherently addictive nature is there, and that nature is fundamentally antagonistic to the work of the Holy Spirit in the life of every believer to bring forth fruit (Christ-likeness) it is easy for me to state that they have no place in the life of the believer whose motive is a sanctification and holiness.
Frankly, video games (since “Space Invaders” in the local pizza parlor) hold practically no interest to me. Never have, and I doubt ever will. So games are not my issue. But they are significant issues to many, many. And in my relatively narrow sphere I can point to several marriages that have broken down or are on the verge in which video games are a major contributing factor.
So it is important to determine the nature of this issue. If it is intrinsically addictive, it must be approached one way. If it is not, it falls under the category of liberty and is addressed differently.
Lee
Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:
But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. James 1:13-15
It’s our own lust that is ruining this generation. That being said, Yes, we should do everything in our power to eradicate pornography.
But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. James 1:13-15
It’s our own lust that is ruining this generation. That being said, Yes, we should do everything in our power to eradicate pornography.
And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly: and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. I Thessalonians 5:23
I think I’d make a distinction between things like nicotine, alcohol, and drugs (which by their very chemical nature) rewire the brain and other physical organs, and video games, which can become ‘addictive’ simply because of selfish behavior. That’s a sin issue, not a physical one.
Now, I haven’t actually read the WebMD article, but are they saying that playing games are physically making changes to men’s brains? Or is ‘addiction’ just a convenient way of saying the men play games too much because they are selfish, lazy, or fall into some other behavioral category?
Now, I haven’t actually read the WebMD article, but are they saying that playing games are physically making changes to men’s brains? Or is ‘addiction’ just a convenient way of saying the men play games too much because they are selfish, lazy, or fall into some other behavioral category?
"Our task today is to tell people — who no longer know what sin is...no longer see themselves as sinners, and no longer have room for these categories — that Christ died for sins of which they do not think they’re guilty." - David Wells
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