In the book "Reality is Broken" by Jane McGonigal, she argues that instead of video games being something that are a corrupting influence, real life is not nearly as engaging as it could be compared to video games.<p>Consider how some people get much more satisfaction out of being in a World of Warcraft guild compared to going to their public school. There is nothing that would make it impossible for a job or a school system to be as engaging as a video game, and there are actually people I once met at the Game Developers Conference (GDC) who are trying to do that.<p>On the other hand, from the perspective of evolution, the human brain did not evolve in the presence of things like high fructose corn syrup and infinite Facebook feeds, and so it can require unnatural efforts to use moderation, especially if someone is predisposed to be particularly addicted to something.<p>So, maybe like most things, the issue is more nuanced than just "video games are horrible" and "video games are completely good."
> Studies have shown that psychological issues, often caused by pain or unmet needs in childhood, are far more likely to lead to an addiction to something than that something (whatever it is—heroin, sugar, sex) is likely to cause an addiction in a psychologically healthy, happy person who has the skills to cope with the stuff life constantly throws at us.<p>Obviously having studies is nice, but I feel that this is pretty intuitive (I wonder why/if Dr. Andrew Doan would disagree).<p>With that said, I think the correct headline would have been "<i>Socrates</i> Would Have Wanted Us to Unplug." And, because it's Socrates we're talking about here, we can't <i>really</i> take him seriously. I'm not sure about him being the Ur-millennial, but he was certainly the Ur-troll. The author herself admits she's being a bit facetious (w.r.t. books), but I think the distinction is important.<p>> Plato probably would have approved of Waldorf- or oppressive-Religious-homeschooling-style extremism—hell, he kind of invented it—and if we want to follow in his great tradition we should not only ban all screens but also all forms of writing and most literature.<p>This is <i>really</i> pushing it. Quoting from his "Republic" is kind of iffy because it's hard to tell whether or not the book is meant to be serious, sarcastic, taken literally, or taken in semi-jest. Interpretations vary wildly.<p>Either way, the article was a great read and I wholeheartedly agree with the conclusion that instead of demonizing substances (or video games), we need to fix the underlying psychological issues.
A verbose way of saying <i>don't blame the drug, blame the shortcomings or trauma in one's life that created the impulse to abuse a drug</i>. The article also touches on how something pleasurable doesn't become a <i>drug</i> until it becomes an unhealthy addiction - as long as it's used or enjoyed in moderation/with restraint, it's a medicine or tool.<p>If I could write that well I'd probably flaunt it, so no disrespect to the author.
<i>So far I’ve connected this blue-screens-of-death fear-mongering to technophobia</i><p>Writing style today in English speaking countries feels a bit baroque and over-decorated.
The author of this piece is clearly incredibly well read and yet it seems she read all of these classical works with disdain for their authors or at least with the deeply held belief that they can't truly be taken seriously. That belief is probably so deeply held that she's not even aware that she holds it.<p>I know that in my own experience I grew up thinking that way. When you truly accept that we today are not smarter nor necessarily more 'enlightened' than the people that came before us it opens your mind to the lessons of history in a very real way.<p>>After all, if we cling to this primitive idea that an addictive substance must be eradicated, and if we live in a world in which sex and food are considered addictive, where does that leave us as a species?<p>Have you considered that this "primitive" idea comes up over and over again among great thinkers and writers throughout human history <i>because</i> there's something to it? Do you think people today live happier, more fulfilling lives because food is superabundant to the point of excess and sexual proclivities are uninhibited?<p>Why are you so sure?