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This isnt just games. Lets be frank. We can become addicted to anything given the right physiological triggers. Capitalism has optimised itself to the point wh

by weq 7y ago

This isnt just games. Lets be frank. We can become addicted to anything given the right physiological triggers. Capitalism has optimised itself to the point where you are nothing more then meta data. Its at the point where a team of accredited people can sit infront of the meta data, and your product, and they can design ways to trigger dopamine responses. Putting "any" kind of "modern product" in your childs hand will lead to one thing. Now put a connected device in their hands, and your putting your child in the hands of unlimited amounts of teams, using unlimited amounts of tickery, to earn profit from your child. Now add back in a dynmically manipulated game environment, where these tools are utilised by predators to exploit your child for their version on profit. This is the challenge of being a modern parent. Junk food, everywhere, all the time. https://www.sparringmind.com/supernormal-stimuli/ https://www.sparringmind.com/supernormal-stimuli/

kennyadam 7y ago
Yeah, it's definitely not just video games. I became physically dependant on opiates in much the same way.
- synctext 7y ago
  Heavy. There is a scientific book discussing these topics. Centered around our 'neanderthal within': "The 10,000 Year Explosion: How Civilization Accelerated Human Evolution", https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0465020429/ https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0465020429/
saiya-jin 7y ago
Well take an inspiration from ultra-rich - don't cheap out on raising your kids and entertain them with potentially addictive games on phones/tablets/computers. They don't expose their kids to any of this till age 7-8 IIRC. I see it so many times around us - parents are tired, so here ya go kiddo, play with a phone so daddy/mommy can rest. Kids get addicted quickly, then when you take their game away they go mental, try emotional extortion, break stuff, whatever just to get it back. I know I must have had a mild addiction to PC gaming when being teenager, so many hours, days, weeks and months of wasted life. I won't allow the same thing for my kids, if I can help it. Replace it with physical activities, adventures, travelling, education. Harder, but much more rewarding for everybody involved
- maccard 7y ago
  At some point (particularly with teenagers) you have to accept they're making a decision. 16 year old me certainly wouldn't have been impressed with a parent pulling the plug on me playing Counter Strike so I could go do something "wholesome" on my own outside. Video games can be a heslthy release/form of entertainment - is it any worse to spend 10 hours a week playing Roblox than watching whatever garbage I was plonked in front of when I was 8 or 9?
  - slavik81 7y ago
    I wonder how many adults would respond better in that situation. It's been a long while since I've had anyone tell me what I'm allowed to do with my free time.
  - TomMarius 7y ago
    If the kid is more interested in playing counter strike than to go geocaching or build a robot with a parent, something is wrong. Obviously everything has limits, too much parent activity is too much, but that applies to counter strike as well.
    - maccard 7y ago
      Just because youre more interested in geocaching and building robots doesn't mean everyone else is. I get that these are just examples, but it's ok for kids to be interested in things their parents aren't.
      - TomMarius 7y ago
        Of course. As I said, limits. Some counter strike is OK, too much is not and it should not be in place of physical and educational activities. The kid certainly should be able to choose their own activities, but these should be educational and physical at least some part of the day. I specifically chose examples of potentially fun things to do because I wanted to show that it doesn't have to be boring study time/ride a bike around the block time.
- 7y ago
Cthulhu_ 7y ago
For sure; I'm addicted to distractions, in a way, in that I get restless from just sitting on the couch for a while. It's too easy to whip out my phone and go on Reddit /all until it gets weird, and my daily rituals include spending an hour at least browsing HN. I don't think it's that problematic yet, but it is definitely a thing. I'll have vacation in a couple weeks, I'll try and disconnect and go through some books again.

by weq 7y ago

kennyadam 7y ago

Yeah, it's definitely not just video games. I became physically dependant on opiates in much the same way.

synctext 7y ago
Heavy. There is a scientific book discussing these topics. Centered around our 'neanderthal within': "The 10,000 Year Explosion: How Civilization Accelerated Human Evolution", https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0465020429/ https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0465020429/

saiya-jin 7y ago

Well take an inspiration from ultra-rich - don't cheap out on raising your kids and entertain them with potentially addictive games on phones/tablets/computers. They don't expose their kids to any of this till age 7-8 IIRC. I see it so many times around us - parents are tired, so here ya go kiddo, play with a phone so daddy/mommy can rest. Kids get addicted quickly, then when you take their game away they go mental, try emotional extortion, break stuff, whatever just to get it back. I know I must have had a mild addiction to PC gaming when being teenager, so many hours, days, weeks and months of wasted life. I won't allow the same thing for my kids, if I can help it. Replace it with physical activities, adventures, travelling, education. Harder, but much more rewarding for everybody involved

maccard 7y ago
At some point (particularly with teenagers) you have to accept they're making a decision. 16 year old me certainly wouldn't have been impressed with a parent pulling the plug on me playing Counter Strike so I could go do something "wholesome" on my own outside. Video games can be a heslthy release/form of entertainment - is it any worse to spend 10 hours a week playing Roblox than watching whatever garbage I was plonked in front of when I was 8 or 9?
- slavik81 7y ago
  I wonder how many adults would respond better in that situation. It's been a long while since I've had anyone tell me what I'm allowed to do with my free time.
- TomMarius 7y ago
  If the kid is more interested in playing counter strike than to go geocaching or build a robot with a parent, something is wrong. Obviously everything has limits, too much parent activity is too much, but that applies to counter strike as well.
  - maccard 7y ago
    Just because youre more interested in geocaching and building robots doesn't mean everyone else is. I get that these are just examples, but it's ok for kids to be interested in things their parents aren't.
    - TomMarius 7y ago
      Of course. As I said, limits. Some counter strike is OK, too much is not and it should not be in place of physical and educational activities. The kid certainly should be able to choose their own activities, but these should be educational and physical at least some part of the day. I specifically chose examples of potentially fun things to do because I wanted to show that it doesn't have to be boring study time/ride a bike around the block time.
7y ago

Cthulhu_ 7y ago

For sure; I'm addicted to distractions, in a way, in that I get restless from just sitting on the couch for a while. It's too easy to whip out my phone and go on Reddit /all until it gets weird, and my daily rituals include spending an hour at least browsing HN. I don't think it's that problematic yet, but it is definitely a thing. I'll have vacation in a couple weeks, I'll try and disconnect and go through some books again.