Don’t believe me? Simply look at the US Army. They have been known to seek out gamers as soldiers. Serious, they have soldier guys with tiny little green hats in a big room with lots of computer screens, searching all the competitive gaming sites for top gamers to join the military. Why you ask? I think it’s pretty obvious. We are all born with all the skills required to be the perfect soldier: leadership, the ability to focus under pressure and excellent hand-eye coordination. It is our skill that we have perfected through hard work and dedication that makes us so sought after. And because of that, we won’t let anything take that away from us. Unless you go blind or something, in which case, I’m really sorry for that last statement.
However, society is finally starting to realize not only the fun in gaming but also the threat. Hence the reason for places like Japan, South Korea, The United States and even Amsterdam (a place where Marijuana is legal) actually having clinics for gaming addiction. Yes, they actually have little padded cells where they make gamers go cold turkey until they no longer feel the need to click. Along with the padded walls comes a 12 step program consisting of therapy, a support group where people hug each other and a sex education class. Sex Education? Yup, Sex Education. Because another thing that the Government believes, is that the addiction from gaming and gaming related crimes spawn from…yup, you guessed it: SEX and the lack thereof.
This is what Wikipedia had to say on the matter:
Video game addiction is not included as a diagnosis in either the DSM or the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems. However, effects (or symptoms) of video game overuse are similar to those of other proposed psychological addictions. Video game overuse may be like: compulsive gambling, an impulse control disorder.
In 2007, the American Psychological Association reviewed whether or not video game addiction should be added in the new DSM to be released in 2012. The conclusion was that there was not enough research or evidence to conclude that video game addiction was a disorder.
Another few lines that kind of grabbed at me. This truly is ridiculous:
A report by the Council On Science And Public Health to the AMA cited a 2005 Entertainment Software Association survey of computer gaming players, and noted that players of MMORPGs were more likely to play for more than 2 hours per day than other gamers. In its report, the Council used this 2 hour per day limit to define “gaming overuse”, citing the American Academy of Paediatrics guideline of no more than 1 to 2 hours per day of “screen time“.
Are you kidding me? Come on guys! I play more than 2 hours everyday! Am I addicted? Maybe, but I still hold a steady job. I still wash my car, I pay my bills, I write for this website and I still get laid on a regular basis. Does that make me inactive in the society? I don’t believe so, but maybe I’m wrong. Maybe my views are obscured. I just think it’s funny how they look to ‘cure us’. Cure us…like you do with a virus or a infectious pathogen. But like Storm from the X-men said: “It’s not a disease. You cannot cure us.†There is nothing wrong with us and you can’t cure that which isn’t sick people. So brothers, stand with me, and be Gamers till the bitter end. We won’t change today, we won’t change tomorrow and in the words of Winston Churchill:
We shall fight on the beaches,
We shall fight on the landing grounds,
We shall fight in the fields and in the streets,
We shall fight in the hills;
We shall never surrender…
And if that doesn’t work, do what the Government tells you will make everything better…go out, and get laid.
Last Updated: April 29, 2009
captain beer
April 29, 2009 at 13:12
dude… this artical pretty much freaked me out , its very …hectic. Buddy you need to get laid.
janrik
April 29, 2009 at 13:13
I see gaming as a Hobby. A Hobby that must Feed! :devil:
bliksem_182
April 29, 2009 at 13:21
I have to get laid? I’m not even going to argue this one, because I’ll either sound self-pretension. Or I’ll sound naive. So I shall let it be, before I get called vain along with being called a virgin :w00t: sorry, that one just cracked me up. need to get laid. HAHA!
SlippyMadFrog
April 29, 2009 at 13:55
“Why you ask? I think it’s pretty obvious. We are all born with all the skills required to be the perfect soldier: leadership, the ability to focus under pressure and excellent hand-eye coordination”
Wow, sitting in a room the whole day playing games, drinking beer and pwning noobs never sounded so… important :wassat:
koldFU5iON
April 29, 2009 at 13:57
In his defence he did mention it
“I still wash my car, I pay my bills, I write for this website and I still get laid on a regular basis.”
I think the article is awesome, there’s this common misconception that cause you’re a gamer you don’t get laid… so if we break that down completely we’re and take it down to the grit of it we’re really saying:
“Because of the thing you enjoy the most you don’t get laid”
that’s like saying, people who love everything about cars shouldn’t get laid either? right? the misconception is pushed onto us by societies portrail of what “should be” I blame movies mostly for this misconception.
that being said … I’m sure Bliksem_182 will happily get laid 😛
bliksem_182
April 29, 2009 at 14:05
Big ups koldFU5iON. Always good to know you got a fellow gamer on your side 😉
Yeah, you pretty much summed up what the article is about and what I’m trying to get out there. That people place is in a box because of our hobbies and passions. It happens EVERYWHERE all the time. I get it as a writer a lot as well. Especially in times like when I wanted to move into my new apartement. They asked me: You’re a writer? So how do you make enough money to pay the rent? They automatically link being a writer with being a struggling writer, when actually we don’t do that bad. Look, it’s not easy to become a writer, and when you do have a writing job that pays well, be thankful. Be REALLY thankful. But society has the uncomprehensible urge to label. It’s how people have been bred since the eons of existince. If people are different or they herd together towards the same niche, they get labeled as being incorrect. Where you’re from, what you do or what you enjoy, people get labeled daily. And as gamers we suffer under that too. My last roomate (who had NEVER played games) couldn’t understand how on a Sunday afternoon I could play games. He didn’t understand. He couldn’t understand my excitement when I got home with Killzone 2 and couldn’t wait to pop it in. Same as I couldn’t understand when he got excited about a documentary on bees or laughed at leon schuster. It’s our differences. But we shouldn’t be excluded or labeled because of those things. Like being labeled someone who doesn’t get laid simply because we are gamers? Come on? Seriously? Do you guys agree?
Rap7a
April 29, 2009 at 14:07
Ahh those all-night HOMM games be back memories
bliksem_182
April 29, 2009 at 14:09
You too? hehe! Can’t put it down right? Me and my bro used to play it co-op…ah, my thing was the ocean. give me a boat and let me go sailing, with my seaman’s hat. wait. that sounded bad. seaman hat. haha :blush:
But then again, I’ve always been a dirty old seadog at heart :pirate:
NATO_US78
April 29, 2009 at 14:57
Bliksem_182 aka ‘Boetie gaan border toe’ met die shottie. How’s thing going Bliksem? I use to play COD4 with you and the guys almost every night. Good times! Are you still on PSN?
bliksem_182
April 29, 2009 at 15:00
NATO! The one guys name I was trying to remember who was TOPS in my COD4 squad! Yeah buddy, I remember you! Top notch sniper! TOP NOTCH 😉 I’m not right now, but will be soon. Moving into my new place on tuesday and buying the new LCD and everything. So then, hopefully, I will be back online to dominate the world with you guys once again 😉
NATO_US78
April 29, 2009 at 15:09
Cool dude, just in time for COD MW2… 😉 In the meantime COD4 is still going strong. When you’re back drop me a line on ps3za.co.za
bliksem_182
April 29, 2009 at 15:14
ah, you know it. The shotgun surgeon needs to get back into practice and start getting my little online potty mouth going again :angel:
NATO_US78
April 29, 2009 at 15:19
I still remember the one night your neighbor came over to your place to tear you a new one because of the volume of the game. I had to listen to the whole thing over the mic. LOL.
fred
April 29, 2009 at 15:46
Yip , i’ve gotta get my gaming fix every second night or so.
It’s all good fun.
bliksem_182
April 29, 2009 at 16:01
HAHaHAHA! Classic! Yeah, she was a bit bad. She eventually moved out because the units were “too noisy”. I’m not gonna make any accusations…but I’ll take 10 points for that one thank you :devil:
Abev
April 29, 2009 at 17:38
Firstly, what a pleasent suprise to see bliksem writing an article for Lazy 🙂
Secondly the need to get laid comment was hilarious, purely cos I know Dieter on a personal level and he still prays to pop his cherry :whistle:
Nah I kid, dieter has been known to tear thru poon faster than lindsay lohan.
Good article Buddy, hope to see more soon.
bliksem_182
April 29, 2009 at 17:51
Abev, thanks for the kudos mate! appreciate it! haha! and yes, it is true. he has disclosed my dark secret. I am the official slut of the gaming world 😎
But yeah mate, just keep your eyes on the features page. i write about one a day. next one will hopefully be up 2marra at 12 again :w00t:
dewej
May 1, 2009 at 18:59
brings tears to my burning addicted eyes