Therapist Repeats "Gaming is Like Snorting Cocaine" Claim

[Ajna]

It would also annoy me if someone took away a good book I was reading, because I would want to find out what would happen next.

I hit somebody in the face once for taking a book from my hands while reading it.

Am I an addict?

 

[Chris646]

Awww, look at the little moron who's jumping on the bandwagon late. Isn't it cute?
But yeah, cocaine has killed many, many people. Video games have killed less than the amount of fingers I have.

 

[SmileyBat]

Hold on, need another fix.

 

[ENKC]

Go into your living room and turn off the TV whilst people are watching it, it will piss them off as well. Or take a book off them whilst theyre reading it... Scary stuff eh?

Yes, and try to take the steering wheel on the highway and they go mental! Don't drive and drive kids.

 

[KP Shadow]

Sheesh! I never knew I'd get so much flak for making a joke referencing an article from this very own site [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/columns/science/7825-Science-Sexy-Mouse-Tears.3]. If you think that was too long to read, Prozac and Ritalin both affect the way the brain responds to different hormones; Prozac helping the brain process hormones that affect pleasure, and Ritalin helping the brain absorb hormones that improve concentration. Combined, the effect is near identical to that of a dose of Cocaine. So, yeah, while there's no proof whatsoever that Video Games have the same effect on the brain that Cocaine does, there is proof that mixing Prozac with Ritalin does, hence the joke.

 

[Ajna]

Fun fact: Somebody has come up to me and snatched a game controller out of my hands. I wondered what they wanted, because, it's a modern game, and when it turned out they were just being a dick, I was ok, because the lost progress can be quickly recovered.

Somebody has also come up to me and snatched a large book out of my hands. When it turned out they were just being an ass and interupting me, I fed him a fist. I am personally more territorial over my being allowed to read in peace than I am my playing video games in peace. For this reason, I will never take "VIDEO GAMES ARE BAD" seriously until people are first saying "READING IS BAD", because I know books are worse for me in many regards than video games.

EDIT: Ninja'd :'(

I AM THE GOD OF HITTING PEOPLE OVER BOOKS.

 

[Nyrad01]

With regards to taking a controller from the hands of a child being comparable to taking alcohol from an addict, I would say to try taking drum sticks off me while I'm playing the drums, or take my book off me while I'm reading it. I'll react in the same way as an alcoholic acts when you take their alcohol, not because I'm addicted to these things, but because I'm annoyed that someone would take something from me while I'm using it. I'm sure many will agree, but articles like this get me wound up.

 

[hardband]

Games are getting me high? LOL

Also about taking the controller from a childs hands, they would react badly, but they would act badly if you took ANYTHING from their hands.

 

[badgersprite]

Well then, apparently snorting cocaine is infinitely less exciting than Rick James led me to believe.

 

[Lokithrsourcerer]

well if my kids are anything to go by trying to make them take a bath or once there in get out of the bath has the same reaction as if you took a game, TV, book, etc away does that mean bathing and being unbathed are also killing our kids... what a dick

It amazes me with how much illogical fervour people will attack new media do they really believe the things they say or is it just to make money through controversy.

 

[cill404]

This guy needs to play some videogames first in order to understand he is completely ignorant of every aspect of game addiction. After playng minecraft I have never felt the urge to chop down a tree with my hand, and after playing bulletstorm I don't feel the urge to wrap explosives round someone and kick them into rebar sikes.

 

[Woodsey]

"To make his point, he suggested that parents listening to the program "go upstairs to your kid's bedroom and try and take the game station controller out of their hands."

Any parents whose kids like reading, go upstairs when they are, and take the book out of their hands for no reason.

Any parents whose kids enjoy watching a lot of films, go upstairs when they're watching one, and turn the TV off.

The reaction's the same, you fucking moron.

 

[(LK)]

To make his point, he suggested that parents listening to the program "go upstairs to your kid's bedroom and try and take the game station controller out of their hands." They will react "in the same way as an alcoholic would if you tried to take their booze. It's scary," he said


And probably the same way the parents would react if the kid walked downstairs and tried to take the TV away, because that's just sort of how people react to someone arbitrarily barging in and imposing on them in ways that break established norms.

 

[Gigano]

Well, if he was right I guess it was time to legalize cocaine then, given how unproblematic 3 decades of gaming history have turned out.

Good job there, Steve Pope, feeding arguments to people who'd want to legalize hardcore drugs. Maybe all that demonizing have some unwanted side effects if anyone who believe you actually look into gaming and what little effect it's had...

 

[Gentleman_Reptile]

Jack Thompson: Disbarred.

Micheal Atkinson: Out of office.

This douchenozzle? I'm not worried.

 

[AvsJoe]

"go upstairs to your kid's bedroom and try and take the game station controller out of their hands." They will react "in the same way as an alcoholic would if you tried to take their booze. It's scary,"

If that happens to any kids out there, I hope they "go outside and try to take the car out of the driveway." Their parents will reat "in the same way as an alcoholic would if you tried to take their booze. It's scary,"

 

[Thespian]

You don't need background research when your spouting nonsense sensationalism against the younger, voiceless generation!

 

[Gentleman_Reptile]

I'm smelling an Escapist exclusive meme here.

"Try to take X away from X and they would react in the same way an alchoholic would react if you tried to take away their booze. It's scary!"


Try to take a toddler in a pram away from the mother!
Try to take an Ipod away from a jogger!
Try to take a purse from an old lady!
Try to snatch anything from anybody!

It's scary!