WoW in PA Newspaper

I've been thinking a lot about this lately - It's really more about the Internet in general.A The immediate need for multimedia content and information as quickly as possible and being able to get it.A The constant feeding of the brain of information like gas can feed and stoke a fire.A Eventually, we get burnout and information overload. In the short term, addressing online gaming and its problems helps immediate, pressing issues. In the grand scheme of things, the bigger picture is the overall impact of the immediate access to information, sights and sounds that fills the empty places in our lives much as gaming does. There are those who will not be addicted to online gaming, but they will be addicted to the constant surfing and ability to switch from topic to topic. Remember the days before video? You would plan a whole night or weekend around trying to catch a favorite show. Now, at 3:00am on Sunday morning, you can download just about any TV show or movie from the Internet if you know where to look. For research, most people won't go beyond a simple Google for information. I know for me, that is often the case. Spending almost 4 months away from the technology last year was very tough for a long time until my body finally started adjusting to not having the Internet available 24/7. It's taken this long to have gaming finally be the center of attention as a potential cause of social unrest. Because the Internet is much more widely used by everyone, it will take much longer before society will acknowledge it as even more responsible for problems.A Look at smoking. Because so many people do it, it's socially acceptable despite how many people it kills each year. Ephedra, a natural stimulant may have been associated with a handful of deaths and it's been banned. It's the Internet as a whole and society's acceptance of instant gratification as a viable solution to any ill that will be our downfall. If I could make it happen, OLGA would have, at the root of its "in-patient" treatment, several months of service in Americorps. Get the mind away from the caustic flood of online information, most of which is useless, and get the body, mind and spirit outdoors and focused on making our community and nation stronger. In doing so, we make ourselves stronger, more independant, and we can come to realize that there is more to life than a flying mount at level 70. (World of Warcraft reference...) If you don't know what Americorps is, it's the domestic version of the Peace Corps. http://www.americorps.org/ Ron

Thank you WOW for the post, I too hope the recognition of the problem continues to grow. and Diggo, I couldn't agree with you more. I am at the point where I don't carry the shame of my addiction like I used to and am able to talk about it more. People, especially the mom types I usually talk to, don't necessarily understand the gaming addiction but at least 75percent of the time I will get a response like 'ya, I get on the internet and I'm on for hours, it just sucks you in'. Now I am not saying that they are all addicted! not at all, but I hear what you are saying Diggo. There is something that is just innately unhealthy about it all. Just like smoking I don't think we will see the full ramifications for some time...but they will rear their ugly head. I also agree with getting out and doing something, especially for someone else. My husband and I just had the opportunity to go down to Mexico with a group from our church and work on building an Orphanage. It was hard work, the accommodations were one step above camping, we hardly slept and it was the best weekend we ever spent together!! To think that a year ago you couldn't get us up from our computers to use the bathroom and now we were able to actually be a benefit to others...that is nothing short of a miracle. We want to go back and take our children next time. It is a life changing experience. Life is good and it is much too short to spend day after day basking only in the glow of a computer screen. Get out do something, there are SO many people in SO much need. It wont take long to find a place where you can help. *steps off soapbox* Big Hugs to you all,
Debbie :-*

Ron:
I hear ya, man...I really do. However, you can't stuff the genie back in the bottle. It's here and it's never going away. Gary

You're right, Gary. However, if you ever watched I Dream of Genie, which I'm sure you did, because no male growing up in the 60s didn't dream of seeing Barbara Eden in the buff, you'll remember that Major Nelson was able to put the cap on the genie bottle now and then. No, the Internet isn't going away, but the Internet is like the "giantest of the giantest" (I know it's not a word...) of the Whitman's Samplers. Eating chocolate now and then isn't going to hurt you and in fact, can benefit you. But eating lots of chocolate each day over a long period of time will really mess you up. Same with the Internet. Those of us who have "eaten too much chocolate" must now detox and find other outlets to appeal to our brain. We need to retrain our mind that it can't always have immediate access to whatever it wants because it does not know how to limit itself. We must have down time to recharge. I am going to post a meditation in another thread. Check out the General Forum for this. Ron (Barbara Eden lover since first time I saw her.)

ooohhhhhhhh......you don't EVEN want to get me started on the dreams I had about Barbara Eden..........and on Valentine's Day!!!!! ;D