WoW Moviewatch: An unpreventable case of WoW addiction
by Mike Schramm 
Oct 4th 2006 at 12:04AM
This piece from an Austrailian news magazine basically boils down to OMG WOW IS KILLING OUR CHILDREN.
So let's review what WoW is responsible for in this kid's life:
I'm just praying, as I'm sure you are, dear reader, that we find a cure for this seemingly unpreventable "World of Warcraft" disease soon (the psychologist points out it's not in the DSM-IV-- wonder why that is...). Maybe a set schedule, moving the computer out of the bedroom, or, you know, an off button. Because if we don't, OUR CHILDREN WILL CONTINUE TO DIE. Please, for the sake of the children, let's spread fear and panic without actually researching or investigating the subject of our report at all.
So let's review what WoW is responsible for in this kid's life:
- Cursing and general aggressiveness and debauchery (hole-punching, bottle-smashing)
- Sunken eyes and pale skin
- Making "friends" in other countries
- Using an American accent (gasp-- we know, we know, he "just picked it up")
- Twelve hours of voluntarily playing a game at a time
- And, perhaps most shocking, he actually plays a pally
I'm just praying, as I'm sure you are, dear reader, that we find a cure for this seemingly unpreventable "World of Warcraft" disease soon (the psychologist points out it's not in the DSM-IV-- wonder why that is...). Maybe a set schedule, moving the computer out of the bedroom, or, you know, an off button. Because if we don't, OUR CHILDREN WILL CONTINUE TO DIE. Please, for the sake of the children, let's spread fear and panic without actually researching or investigating the subject of our report at all.
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Blizzard, News items
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
david nelson Oct 4th 2006 12:40AM
I take a greater interest in what my dog is doing from moment to moment than this mother takes in what her child is doing.
The kid is 16. Unplug the PC, toss a book in his hands or make him take a walk.
Risse Oct 4th 2006 12:45AM
My first impression of the video was "What a lousy parents". Come on, how hard is it stop whining that their son is killing himself in the game and just unplug the damn thing?
josh Oct 4th 2006 1:20AM
I can't believe that entire interview they didn't once ask the mom why she didn't just take his damn computer away?!?!?!
I hate this whole "protect the idiots at all costs" mentality that we have today. Nobody is ever responsible for their own actions anymore, it's always somebody else's fault. For cryin' out loud. Didn't they recognize that the mother of that kid was a total mess? She is to blame for raising him spoiled as hell. He controls her and she enables it.
But the media will always go after video games. Why? Because they are their competition. Every moment you play WoW you aren't watching TV. It's competition pure and simple. They will never stop trying to paint video games as the devil's work and the root of all evil. For them, they are a huge threat to their profitability.
That's the bottom line, and why we can always rely on the media to turn a blind eye to the real problems, take the easy way out, and just blame the game.
TGChen Oct 4th 2006 1:29AM
See this is why the state of "news" is like it is in Australia. We have crap like this disguised as "Current Afairs"
warbleflit Oct 4th 2006 1:45AM
"That's the bottom line, and why we can always rely on the media to turn a blind eye to the real problems, take the easy way out, and just blame the game."
Yeah, That's the bottom line, and why we can always rely on the fans of something to turn a blind eye to the real problems, take the easy way out, and blame anything BUT the game.
Yeah, I know a bit harsh, but I DO agree with the interview. The problem exists. The point is to NOT lay blame, but to fix it. Honestly, how can you say that it isn't the games that causes the addiction. I mean, it's one thing to say that a game causes people to become homocidal car-theiving murders, and another all together to say that the elements and type of gameplay are adicitive. It's like my husband said, when you sit down to play, it's not like Blizzard is pumping Cocaine into you, yet, thousands of people are addicted. We all know it's not a question of blame, but an answer of helping people, but until you know what causes the problem, or adds to it, solutions will be few and far between.
wah? Oct 4th 2006 1:51AM
WAH? u kidding me rite? .... its also the parent and player responsibility, not the game. hey! im hooked into wow but school work is still more important than wow. i only play wow during the weekend b/c college requires alot of studying.
first of all if that kid is that addicted and the parent cant do anything about it...then thats a bad parent. they spoil him too much. thats mean he can get hook onto anything and become a bad kid.
dont blame the game....or the technology...maybe it does play a part but its ur and ur parent(if ur below 18) responsibility to kno ur limit.
warbleflit Oct 4th 2006 1:59AM
I agree with you!
Except this.... "its also the parent and player responsibility, not the game."
You contradict yourself, and I agree with the first part. You should have said its also the parent and player's responsibility, not JUST the game. I never said that the kids (or addicted adults) and their parents weren't to blame also. That is very true. It's not just from one source. But to say that the source is ONLY the addicted and their parents, is turning a blind eye to the fact that some blame has to go to the game as well.
That is all I was trying to point out. If my post sounded one sided it was because I am fed up with people saying that the game has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with the addiction. I'm not saying its the sole thing, but it can't be excluded either.
Gereth Oct 4th 2006 2:25AM
Wow he dopped out of school just to play. That's pretty sad.
Hooray for pallies!
jamrey Oct 4th 2006 2:33AM
i wonder why there's not more media stories about people who are addicted to porn?
because you know there are, and those people probably out-number WoW addicts 10:1.
Deafdumbandblind Oct 4th 2006 3:10AM
The parent is SOOO at fault here.
My guess is that it all started for that mother about 14 years ago when little whatever-his-name-is as a 2 year old started being a pain in the @ss and mommy still had a life so what did she do?
Like so many parents she stuck her son in front of a TV with cartoons on to shut him the hell up and then....bliss....peace & quiet. So the TV becomes the answer to mommy's peace of mind.
Is it any wonder we're all addicted to watching anything that appears on a monitor??
Chef Oct 4th 2006 7:27AM
I've got a friend with parents just like this. They complain all day about how much he plays the game, but do nothing about it. It's literally tearing their family apart. Unplug the internet! Take his computer! Parents need to start taking responsibility for their own children.
Furthermore, saying this is the "tip of the iceberg" is not how I would put it, because it's the small number of hardcore players that play as much as this kid. Most are casual players, like me, who play 1-2 hours per day. And oh, wait, how much does the average American spend per day watching TV?
p3arl Oct 4th 2006 8:22AM
Ahh sigh, i watched this on air last night in Australia and i sighed. Please do not think this is the standard of Australian television and its "current affairs" this show along with another is full of total bull that is aimed at low income dropouts who believe whatever their fed. that said stories like this are havens for a Media Watch program where they grill stuff like this.
Tazrach Oct 4th 2006 9:33AM
Soooo... he pays for his computer, electricity and internet connection how exactly.....
Parents like that make me sick.
manji Oct 4th 2006 9:36AM
Internet addiction will be in the DSM-V, as will caffiene addiction. This doesn't mean that its not the mom's fault for not beating the crap out of her kid.
Leo Oct 4th 2006 9:44AM
How about not paying for the internet...
Prauche Oct 4th 2006 9:47AM
You know, Blizzard is actually doing us all a public service. You know, survival of the fittest. I have no problem with these kids being "addicted" to WoW. And I have no problem with the parents who allow it. Just means that these folks won't procreate and contaminate the gene pool...
Horribly Parented Children Withdrawn From The Human Gene Pool FTW!
Mordiceius Oct 4th 2006 10:02AM
I'm actually glad I'm addicted to WoW. I play at LEAST 6-8 hours a day, but I am in the military and work a 7-4 job. I enjoy the addiction because it's cheap. All that time every day for $15 a month is a lot better than going out to movies every day or doing other stuff that costs money.
Theadrick Oct 4th 2006 10:09AM
I felt sorry for the kid... that monitor needs upgrading big time.
Yea, the mom sure wasn't helping, standing in the other room wringing her hands "woe is me". She should have just unplugged the computer, taken it away. That's what my parents would have done. Let's blame WoW on lousy parenting.
Zequel Oct 4th 2006 10:11AM
The real problem here is this guy's a pally trying to PVP. Definitely needs an intervention, rogue or 'lock perhaps?
Niekon Oct 4th 2006 10:44AM
Leo: forget about not paying for the online connection... just cancel the credit card that is paying for the WoW account. Cancel the card and no more WoW unless the kid decides to sneak into mommy's purse to snag one of her other credit cards...
But yeah... this was a pretty moronic fluff piece by the media. Let's blame the game... just like Foley is blaming alcohol and being molested by a priest when he was younger. I'm sorry, but take some responsibility for your kid (or yourself in Foley's case) and deal with it without trying to find a scapegoat that might ease your conscience.