Dr. Phil Yells At Woman For Her FarmVille Addiction

[wadark]

I've watched Dr. Phil for a long time. He's a popular punching bag for us "young people" (I'm a 21 year old male, if that matters) sometimes, but I really respect him because he's a pretty damn good psycologist, something I aspire to be. His shows have sparked some pretty long and fun debates with my wife about issues featured on his show.

I will say that he has done a few shows in the past dealing with video game addictions and he can seem a bit accusatory sometimes (I remember an EverQuest addict a few years back), but for the most part he treats it like any other addiction.

I don't like this article because there are a few quotes that are out of context, because I watched the episode in question and agreed with Phil completely.

"There aren't really any crops," Dr. Phil informed her. "That's just a little image on a screen. They're not going to die." Thanks for pointing that out, Doc.

What's wrong with stating the truth? That's one of the fundamental things that you have to tell an addict: that this thing they are addicted to (in the case of video games) isn't real in that sense, and that if you walk away from it, the sky doesn't start falling.

In all honesty, Teresa has resorted to some tricky business to get her daughter off the computer. "She unplugged the router, so you would think the Internet had gone down, and as soon as you went away, she plugged it back in and went back to tending her crops," Dr. Phil told the daughter, Jennifer. I'm sorry, Doc, but nobody likes a tattle-tale.

This is completely out of context because that statement was posed more of a question to Jennifer in order to illustrate the lengths that Teresa would go to to get the computer all to herself.

I'm unsure as to the point of this article other than as a vehicle for ragging on Dr. Phil because you feel like it. You quote stuff out of context to make Dr. Phil seem like a prick, but then go on to agree with the core of his statements and admit that she is addicted and needs to stop...so why did does this article exist, what's the point?

You'll notice that none of that advice includes watching Dr. Phil's show.

This is the pinnacle of pointlessness. It's completely irrelevant to the topic of the article, which is itself weak and full of the writer's self-importance. Since everyone is about respect in this article...-100 respect to the Escapist's "news room" for this pointless and out-of-context article.

 

[wadark]

Dr. Phil just got a whole lot more respect.

... How many of you would be saying this if he was talking about Half-life or something. You do realize that he's saying that adults playing video games are weirdos, right?

Just because he happens to be talking about Farmville, which apparently isn't a good game, it doesn't make the attack any more admirable.

I just have to question how you people can jump at Jack Thompson's throat for saying the exact same thing about different games, when you applaud Dr. Phil for this.

Watch the episode in question and understand that he isn't talking about games in general. He never once called her a weirdo (or implied it) for being an adult "gamer". He pointed out the ridiculousness of what can only be described as an addiction.

If he were talking about Half-Life, I would defend his remarks all the same. If a parent were playing Half-life to the point of neglecting their children, making up lies to keep their kids off the computer so they could have it, or any of the other things this woman did with FarmVille, then I think we would all be saying that she is addicted.

Dr. Phil never once attacked gaming, gamers, or adult gamers, he simply pointed out an addiction that you can't deny was there, and gave her advice on how to stop it. It has NOTHING in common with Jack Thompson, and your claims to that effect make you seem very ignorant.

 

[Paragon Fury]

As much of a pompous ass as he is, Dr. Phil occasionally hits the nail right on the head.

This is one of those times.


+1.

 

[Hurr Durr Derp]

I realise this is just stating the obvious, but anything can potentially become an addiction (I'm talking mental addiction, not physical like cigarettes or cocaine) to the right person. Some things are designed to be more addictive than others (like MMOs), but in the wrong person's hands anything can become an addiction. Perhaps videogames are more addicting than most things because they're fun, they don't take any effort to play, they're easy to get (especially online stuff like FarmVille), and they take your mind off of less pleasant things. So I imagine there's a relatively low threshold to get addicted.

And if something like that interferes with your 'normal' life, be it playing videogames or smoking weed or obsessively cleaning the house or anything else, you need to get help. Dr. Phill would probably the last place a normal person should seek help, but in this case a FarmVille addiction is not any worse or any better than any other kind of addiction just because it's a videogame. It's an addiction and it's interfering with that woman's life and causing her to do things like lie to her daughter just to get the opportunity to feed that addiction.

 

[ShadowKirby]

but I really respect him because he's a pretty damn good psycologist

Oh God, you did not just say that. It's like saying Jerry Springer was a good family counsellor.

 

[TheNamlessGuy]

DELETED

 

[Doug]

I have to agree, respect to Dr. Phil on this one...

FarmVille is stupid, but he didn't have to be so bloody insensitive. You can get addicted to games just as easily as something not 'pathetic' like gambling.

Anyway, I thought he was supposed to help people? Yelling at someone and telling them to get a grip does fuck all.

Sometimes people need tough love to get anywhere. Though you're right, he probably could have done that better.

 

[Doug]

Dr. Phil just got a whole lot more respect.

... How many of you would be saying this if he was talking about Half-life or something. You do realize that he's saying that adults playing video games are weirdos, right?

Just because he happens to be talking about Farmville, which apparently isn't a good game, it doesn't make the attack any more admirable.

I just have to question how you people can jump at Jack Thompson's throat for saying the exact same thing about different games, when you applaud Dr. Phil for this.

Watch the episode in question and understand that he isn't talking about games in general. He never once called her a weirdo (or implied it) for being an adult "gamer". He pointed out the ridiculousness of what can only be described as an addiction.

If he were talking about Half-Life, I would defend his remarks all the same. If a parent were playing Half-life to the point of neglecting their children, making up lies to keep their kids off the computer so they could have it, or any of the other things this woman did with FarmVille, then I think we would all be saying that she is addicted.

Dr. Phil never once attacked gaming, gamers, or adult gamers, he simply pointed out an addiction that you can't deny was there, and gave her advice on how to stop it. It has NOTHING in common with Jack Thompson, and your claims to that effect make you seem very ignorant.

From what I understand, Dr. Phil was 'attacking' the woman for being an addict. An addict of any video game or video games in general does need help, to be honest. Like any other addiction, really.

I know, Half Life 2 is pure excellence, but if you are playing it (or HL2 deathmatch, TF2, etc) 12 hours a day, you have a problem that needs help.

EDIT:
I have to agree with wadark - if she's neglecting her kids and/or life in general, she needs help - if not for her herself, then for those around her.

Think Clara from "The Guild" - she forgets to feed her kids for weeks at a time because of her WoW addiction.

 

[The Great JT]

"Dr." Phil. What is he a doctor of? I bet Dr. Strange is more of a doctor than him*!

!!TSIGOLOTCORP A SI LIHP .RD

Spoiler

In the comic books, Dr. Strange is a surgeon.

 

[TheStickman]

Dr. Phil just got a whole lot more respect.

... How many of you would be saying this if he was talking about Half-life or something. You do realize that he's saying that adults playing video games are weirdos, right?

Just because he happens to be talking about Farmville, which apparently isn't a good game, it doesn't make the attack any more admirable.

I just have to question how you people can jump at Jack Thompson's throat for saying the exact same thing about different games, when you applaud Dr. Phil for this.

Do you realize I hate it when people use me as an example?

I wasn't the first person to say something like that you know?

 

[PunchClockVillain]

I thought the new one was "Fishville" or something. One of my friends left a party once, (yes a fucking party) to go home and feed his fish.

So if you don't feed the fish, they die? Can you watch the fish suffer and slowly waste away and die of starvation?

From what I remember of watching him, I think they have a meter which tells you when they need to be fed. So I believe the answer is "yes" but you'd get just as much satisfaction by putting new batteries in a flashlight, turning it on, and watching the light fade away.

 

[RUINER ACTUAL]

I thought the new one was "Fishville" or something. One of my friends left a party once, (yes a fucking party) to go home and feed his fish.

So if you don't feed the fish, they die? Can you watch the fish suffer and slowly waste away and die of starvation?

From what I remember of watching him, I think they have a meter which tells you when they need to be fed. So I believe the answer is "yes" but you'd get just as much satisfaction by putting new batteries in a flashlight, turning it on, and watching the light fade away.

HAHAHA! Thanks for the laugh. In any case, I play games to kill things, not make them live.

 

[DanDeFool]

As Dr. Phil would say, "Even a broken clock is right twice a day"...

Unless maybe it's broken because both its hands have been ripped off.

And if Dr. Phil spouts cliched tripe like that as advice (no offense to poster) then he really is as bad as everyone says he is.

Still... gotta admit I agree with him on this one. Some people have more important things to do than play video games.

As for me...

...

(sigh)

(Goes back to playing FF Tactics Advance on an emulator).

 

[Ericb]

Man... he dissed videogames big time, and gamers are applauding him because he happened to be talking about a relatively bad one.

Wake up.

Some people have more important things to do than play video games.

Of course, but what a crappy life it is if you can't do something that's not absolutely crucial.

 

[Cod of War]

Thank You Doctor Phil. It's nice to see even you have basic common sense.
Also, why don't people play HARVEST MOON instead? Hello?! It's a hell of a lot more deep

 

[Violence]

Get off the computer and go cook us a meal, woman!

 

[Mikkaddo]

+1 RESPECT POINTS
good job, farmville is bad, get the depraved freaks off it!
and DOESN'T advise one to watch his show, holy shit, x2 respect points combo!

C-C-C-Combo breaker! it's still Dr. Phil . . . so no combos here ladies and gentlmen, he can give one good bit of advice if he wants but it doesn't change that he's a pompous ass that thinks he knows everything.


If a dog lets one squirrel go by wtihotu chasing it he's still a dog.

 

[CloggedDonkey]

I'll quote Borat and go "That's a nice". I don't think he had to tell her that they aren't real crops(must be that he thinks she a gamer, and there for thinks she's stupid), but I do like that he out right tolled her "GTFO from the computer".

 

[Zeroresistence]

What the hell is farmville sounds annoying

 

[JWAN]

Why the hell would anyone intentionally go about raising virtual crops for fun - what's next, Cubicle Drone-ville, where you shepherd your virtual office worker through the grind of the ole 9-5?

As much as I'd like to rag on Dr Phil, I really have to agree with him here. Even in the field of casual gaming it's bloody terrible, and anyone who goes about lying to their family so they can feed their 'farmville addiction' sounds like they might perhaps both the lamest and most boring person on the face of the earth. For shame!

Some people like playing the same mario/final fantasy/halo games over and over and over

whats the difference?