FCC Says Online Games A Leading Cause of College Dropouts

[stompy]

You know, I'm still holding out for the day where video games are seen the same as movies and literature, where it won't be singled out because people believe it's a defenceless scapegoat.

 

[thebobmaster_v1legacy]

You know, I'm still holding out for the day where video games are seen the same as movies and literature, where it won't be singled out because people believe it's a defenceless scapegoat.

I shall wait with you, my friend.

 

[Zer_]

These same assholes who are dropping out of school for games are the same assholes who would quit a job, or simply not show up for work for a video game.

Games aren't making stupid people, they're just revealing the stupid for who they are; irresponsible assholes.

 

[Dectilon]

That's making it a little simple. People may scoff at the idea of "different people having different needs", but I have friends that went from complete dropout losers to doing pretty dang good for themselves after getting some great support from their school.

Lacking willpower isn't a permanent personality trait, but it's rarely something you can get out of on your own. Games with something akin to a social life (like WoW) is rewarding to people who may not have that many friends; are bullied etc. It's not an easy thing to let go of if it doesn't seem like you have to.

 

[Echolocating]

Even if we take Tate's word for it, though, are the games really completely at fault here? If game addiction is the result of social problems above all else (as some would argue [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/87683-Videogame-Addiction-Is-Social-Not-Psychological-Says-Clinic-Founder])...

Video games can be a healthy hobby or a destructive addiction; it depends on the person. In that line of thought, marijuana or alcohol can be healthy or destructive as well. The important thing to note here is that video game addiction is very real (whether it's a social or psychological thing -- though I don't know how social dysfunction isn't psychological on some important level).

...isn't the problem the state of life in American colleges as much as anything else?

Or you could argue that it's with society in general. Honestly, it doesn't really matter though (or was that what you were suggesting?). What does matter is raising the awareness of the addiction over the demonizing of video games. I think Tate's statement...

"one of the top reasons for college drop-outs in the U.S. is online gaming addiction - such as World of Warcraft - which is played by 11 million individuals worldwide."

...is accurate and does raise the awareness of the addiction. The big question is, what are we going to do about it?

 

[DamienHell]

...and yet gaming is what inspired me to go to college....to take a game development course

 

[super_smash_jesus]

I know a couple people first-hand who failed by the direct result of addiction to warcraft. Once that eyeopener happened, they returned after a year and quit WoW. I myself am a rampid procrastinator, and even at this moment, when i could be studying for my hard ass organic chemistry final, i opted to play DotA and CoD:world at war all morning instead. Gaming online is a great way to lose track of the hours in a day, and has caused my grads to slip, but it is my own damn fault for not applying myself to my studies, and having gaming as a side thing for when i have extra time. It all comes down to control, and will power, and not gaming per se.

 

[sallene]

Hmm, blaming an online game as the reason for failure isnt all that intelligent. I would say its more of a symptom than an actual reason why.

Most of the other posters here are right though, if it wasnt WoW they got sidetracked by it would have been something else.

 

[Keane Ng]

Or you could argue that it's with society in general. Honestly, it doesn't really matter though (or was that what you were suggesting?). What does matter is raising the awareness of the addiction over the demonizing of video games.

I was suggesting the issue was with college specifically, since that's the specific range of the discussion here. Being a fresh college grad, I've seen how college life can be less than idyllic, and how easy it is to slip into bad habits, WoW addiction or otherwise.

 

[Echolocating]

...isn't the problem the state of life in American colleges as much as anything else?

Or you could argue that it's with society in general. Honestly, it doesn't really matter though (or was that what you were suggesting?). What does matter is raising the awareness of the addiction over the demonizing of video games.

I was suggesting the issue was with college specifically, since that's the specific range of the discussion here. Being a fresh college grad, I've seen how college life can be less than idyllic, and how easy it is to slip into bad habits, WoW addiction or otherwise.

Hmmm... I got confused when you suggested that college life was to blame as much as anything else.

I do agree with your sentiment that video game addiction is merely a symptom of a more important problem though. I'm just trying to downplay the importance of defending video games and bring focus to the acceptance that there are some dangerous downsides to our beloved hobby.

 

[Phlopsy]

Again, this is the FCC under Obama. This is after they just warned about the dangers of youth getting involved in virtual worlds this past January.

He's not your boy, people.

He's not your boy.

 

[PhoenixFlame]

Thing is, I'd only buy the fact that game developers are free of blame if there was more than one game that actually produced this kind of reaction in the mass media. As it is, I have to assign at least SOME blame to developers who create gameplay that is purposefully designed to hook people and keep them playing, sometimes for hours upon hours on end. MMOs by nature do this, but Blizzard has honed it to a sheen so bright that many players can't help but play.

So while gamers need to take responsibility for their life choices, developers need to also create gameplay that doesn't put their players into a tailspin. ANyone remember the 18-hour Final Fantasy XI raid? That was partially the players but the designed encounter was at fault too.

 

[mattttherman3]

Well, since I happen to hate the FCC, and with their lack of numbers, I don't belive them, if you really want to succeed in life, then you probably will, the same goes for college.