CNN Editorial equates Video Games with Porn--I.E:Virtual tits are just as entertaining as real ones

[Antithesis]

'The Demise of Guys': How video games and porn are ruining a generation
By Dr. Philip G. Zimbardo and Nikita Duncan, Special to CNN
http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/dam/ass...-story-top.jpg

(CNN) -- Is the overuse of video games and pervasiveness of online porn causing the demise of guys?
Increasingly, researchers say yes, as young men become hooked on arousal, sacrificing their schoolwork and relationships in the pursuit of getting a tech-based buzz.
Every compulsive gambler, alcoholic or drug addict will tell you that they want increasingly more of a game or drink or drug in order to get the same quality of buzz.

Video game and porn addictions are different. They are "arousal addictions," where the attraction is in the novelty, the variety or the surprise factor of the content. Sameness is soon habituated; newness heightens excitement. In traditional drug arousal, conversely, addicts want more of the same cocaine or heroin or favorite food.

The consequences could be dramatic: The excessive use of video games and online porn in pursuit of the next thing is creating a generation of risk-averse guys who are unable (and unwilling) to navigate the complexities and risks inherent to real-life relationships, school and employment.
Stories about this degeneration are rampant: In 2005, Seungseob Lee, a South Korean man, went into cardiac arrest after playing "StarCraft" for nearly 50 continuous hours. In 2009, MTV's "True Life" highlighted the story of a man named Adam whose wife kicked him out of their home -- they have four kids together -- because he couldn't stop watching porn.

Dr. Philip Zimbardo and Nikita Duncan are the authors of "The Demise of Guys."
Norwegian mass murder suspect Anders Behring Breivik reported during his trial that he prepared his mind and body for his marksman-focused shooting of 77 people by playing "World of Warcraft" for a year and then "Call of Duty" for 16 hours a day.
Research into this area goes back a half-century. Breivik claims killing was 'necessary'

In 1954, researchers Peter Milner and James Olds discovered the pleasure center of the brain. In their experiments, an electrical current was sent to the limbic system of a rat's brain whenever it moved to a certain area of its cage. The limbic sytem is a portion of the brain that controls things like emotion, behavior and memory. The researchers hypothesized that if the stimulation to the limbic system were unpleasant, the rats would stay away from that part of the cage.
Surprisingly, the rats returned to that portion of the cage again and again, despite the sensation.

In later experiments, when they were allowed to push a stimulation lever on their own accord, they self-stimulated hundreds of times per hour. Even when given the option to eat when hungry or to stimulate the pleasure center, the rats chose the stimulation until they were physically exhausted and on the brink of death.
This new kind of human addictive arousal traps users into an expanded present hedonistic time zone. Past and future are distant and remote as the present moment expands to dominate everything. That present scene is totally dynamic, with images changing constantly.
A recent study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that "regular porn users are more likely to report depression and poor physical health than nonusers are. ... The reason is that porn may start a cycle of isolation. ... Porn may become a substitute for healthy face-to-face interactions, social or sexual."
Similarly, video games also go wrong when the person playing them is desensitized to reality and real-life interactions with others.
Violence in video games is often synonymous with success. Children with more of a propensity for aggression are more attracted to violent video media, but violent media, in turn, can also make them more aggressive. This could be related to the fact that most video games reward players for violent acts, often permitting them to move to the next level in a game.

Yet research reported in the Annual Review of Public Health suggests a link between violent video games and real-life aggression: Given the opportunity, both adults and children were more aggressive after playing violent games. And people who identify themselves with violent perpetrators in video games are able to take aggressive action while playing that role, reinforcing aggressive behavior.
Young men -- who play video games and use porn the most -- are being digitally rewired in a totally new way that demands constant stimulation. And those delicate, developing brains are being catered to by video games and porn-on-demand, with a click of the mouse, in endless variety.
Such new brains are also totally out of sync in traditional school classes, which are analog, static and interactively passive. Academics are based on applying past lessons to future problems, on planning, on delaying gratifications, on work coming before play and on long-term goal-setting.

Guys are also totally out of sync in romantic relationships, which tend to build gradually and subtly, and require interaction, sharing, developing trust and suppression of lust at least until "the time is right."
Less extreme cases of arousal addiction may go unnoticed or be diagnosed as an attention or mood disorder. But we are in a national, and perhaps global, Guy Disaster Mode that needs to be noticed and solutions advanced to fix a totally novel phenomenon, which will only increase in intensity and breadth without the concerted efforts of educators, gamemakers, parents, guys and gals.
It's time to press play and get started reversing these trends.
Check out Zimbardo's 2011 TEDTalk on "The Demise of Guys."

http://edition.cnn.com/2012/05/23/he...html?hpt=hp_c2

Stop playing games, yo.

[Churchill]

I am more aggressive after working out, we should also ban working out.

[Stanislaw]

What amuses me about this article is that it's (perhaps unintentionally, but still) saying that a compulsive gambler, alcoholic or drug addict is less harmful compared to that of a video game or porn addict.

It's time to press play and get started reversing these trends.

This quote made me laugh. Not only is the context inaccurate, it's subtly suggesting that guys should start watching TV/movies again. Right, as if that's the solution to it all.

[Correction]

I agree with the photo in the story. Any guy who still plays on a Nintendo 64 has probably lost interest in women.

C'mon CNN, at least try to look like you're up to date with the topics you discuss. They might as well have used this photo

[RKenshin]

Top comment was an amusing spin on the stereotypes of the article:

The Demise of Gals: How Materialistic vices such as the HGTV, the shopping network, soap opra"s, Woman's Soft Porn Novels have turned American woman into consumers, shoppers and lovers of Wealth and Money.. Their brains now believe that in order to be happy , you need a 3000 square foot house with 3 baths and a huge modern kitchen.. Cloths, jewerly, fashion this is the modern American woman.. I consume, I buy , therefore I exist.. But of couse the female authors only see males as the problem.. takes two to tango, gals!

Reminds me of another article I read earlier in the week that partially blamed the difficulty in achieving upward mobility as a young poor women on the 'lack of marriageable men available to them.'

[Ashmada]

Breaking news: NEW MEDIA ARE EVIL! Watch more TV. We have no vested interest here.

Because a point-by-point rebuttal would be tedious and pointless.

[Lucavi]

If you want to chuckle, read the IGN article responding to it.

[ronin sparthos]

Reminds me of another article I read earlier in the week that partially blamed the difficulty in achieving upward mobility as a young poor women on the 'lack of marriageable men available to them.'

You read that one too huh? My brain responded with a collective "wut" upon hearing that point. It was like a sharp backhand to every woman in the US.

By the logic of this article though why don't we just get rid of that driving thing? It's linked to obesity, increased aggression and painful back spasms which we choose instead of healthy, complex and invigorating walking.

Surely it has nothing to do with taking certain activities to the extreme. Moderation is the stuff of chumps.

[Ashmada]

Talking of obesity, can we please ban cooking shows? They make people think about food all the time.
(and they're the most boring thing that can fit on a TV screen - even worse than antique shows, and that's saying a lot)

[Lucavi]

Hey, "Man vs. Food" is an awesome show.

[Churchill]

This guys mustache thing is the demise of guys.

Chick looks haggard too, I'm sensing some rejection hate. Got used too many times as a facial sperm receptacle.

[Headspace]

I play games, therefore I disagree with everything written here based on my personal anecdotes. Let me express my butthurt.

[Churchill]

I'm gonna get in a witty comment because it seems easy
>>forgot the wit

[RKenshin]

I play games, therefore I disagree with everything written here based on my personal anecdotes. Let me express my butthurt.

Haven't played much of anything for almost two years, article is still dumb.

[ronin sparthos]

I play games, therefore I disagree with everything written here based on my personal anecdotes. Let me express my butthurt.

Has little to do with personal anecdotes and much to do with faulty conclusions and weak arguments posed by the authors.

Similarly, video games also go wrong when the person playing them is desensitized to reality and real-life interactions with others.
Violence in video games is often synonymous with success. Children with more of a propensity for aggression are more attracted to violent video media, but violent media, in turn, can also make them more aggressive. This could be related to the fact that most video games reward players for violent acts, often permitting them to move to the next level in a game.

Lets just lump video games into a shapeless mass of CoD clones, completely omitting that video games can range from garden sims like Farmville or Harvest Moon right up the line to adventure games, sports, puzzle, strategy or platformers. I'd love to hear the argument that a game like Super Mario Bros acts as a catalyst for violent behavior. Must be the jumping or shooting fireballs at walking turtles that leads to sociopathic behavior.

I've heard stronger arguments for the demise of man based on arguments of galactic alignment, leylines and reptilian human interference.

[Cantih]

If you want to chuckle, read the IGN article responding to it.

Oh god

while men busy themselves between the twin joys of Brazzers and Battlenet.

Somebody make a SS of a HUGE overkill zerg rush, and add the Brazzers tag to it.

[Ashmada]

Haven't played much of anything for almost two years, article is still dumb.

Wry you feed troll?

Lets just lump video games into a shapeless mass of CoD clones, completely omitting that video games can range from garden sims like Farmville or Harvest Moon right up the line to adventure games, sports, puzzle, strategy or platformers. I'd love to hear the argument that a game like Super Mario Bros acts as a catalyst for violent behavior. Must be the jumping or shooting fireballs at walking turtles that leads to sociopathic behavior.

I've heard stronger arguments for the demise of man based on arguments of galactic alignment, leylines and reptilian human interference.

The whole "violence in video games leads to RL violence" mantra is 100% pure New Media Are Evil, nothing more. When TV was new, violent movies were somehow responsible for horrible crimes, before that it was radio, before that it was crime novels...

The addiction angle has no more legs to stand on than the violence angle; once again making a media-specific conclusion from a reality to applies to anything and reversing the causal link: addiction to <x media, can be anything> doesn't result in poor social performance, rather it's the poor social performance that leads to refuge in <x media>.
Confusing cause and consequence is lulz.

Hey, "Man vs. Food" is an awesome show.

Does it involve Van Damme kicking tomatoes into submission? If so, agreed; if not, fuck it.

[Sepukku]

As far as porn goes, its pretty rare to be addiction-level... I view it on a regular basis (5-7 times a week before, now 2 or 3 times a week) and I noticed I would have issues creating my own fantasy in my head just looking at a girl in public but when I put a day or two in between each session of viewing I'm completely fine as far as being able to create my own fantasies in my head or start to get turned on looking at a fine chick at work/etc. But even at the former consumption level and effect; thats not addiction - addiction is when people ignore basic needs and responsibilities that fly in the face of logic to pursue their addictive material. Most guys watch porn, most guys still have girlfriends, so they must not be that maladjusted. I think they're confusing "psychotic, repulsive, sex addicts who want to DP girls with their bros" with "good guys who simply aren't the dude from The Notebook."

Girls want occasional gestures, usually involving financial expenses (flowers, chocolates, other less stereotypical tokens of appreciation - aka 'i saw this at the <store> and it totally made me think of you!'); guys want to get an occasional blowjob. How are guys wrong for thinking their significant other ought to occasionally make them happy with a loving gesture, but girls aren't?

[Sepukku]

Seriously; the Notebook (almost every Rachel MacAdams movie), the Bachelor/Bachelorette, women's romance novels, they've all fucking ruined women. They've turned into monetary possession-driven consumer addicts who expect all men to be both (A) willing and (B) able to shower them with gifts and to be at their top-notch best effort on looks and cleanliness everyday. Research started in the 1950's, when neuroscientists realized that when a human, especially a woman, makes a transaction at a store, they gain a little bit of a chemical called 'i dont think im fat for 3 seconds,' and ever since then, women have taken an action that metaphorically can be compared to LOCKING YOURSELF IN THE CLOSET AND SNORTING ALL THE FUCKING COKE WHILE THE POLICE DEMAND ENTRY AND PREPARE TO BUST DOWN YOUR FRONT DOOR.

Women: "Geee!! I'm responsible now for over 80% of all discretionary expenditures in America, yet I can't figure out why I can't pull even with men on most financial metrics like home ownership %, bankruptcy filings, and car ownership %!"

[Sepukku]

My girl ALWAYS goes on and on about a handful of different guys, like Usher, some country singer, the dude from the Notebook, and local athlete Marc-Andre Fleury. And I mean graphic suggestions about how she wouldn't mind fucking these dudes. Especially Fleury; shes obsessed. She once told me she expected Fleury's cum to taste like nectar. Fucking obscene, but you know, I don't really hold a grudge, I have positive sexual thoughts about certain female celebrities, I just don't typically verbalize them cause I'm usually smart enough to know better. Now I took my girl to see What To Expect When You're Expecting last week and I said Anna Kendrick was 'freaking hot'

Spoiler: show

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...e_Skidmore.jpg

as we discussed the movie on the way out. Guess who didn't say a fucking word the whole ride home. What a fucking crock of shit. Girls are so fucking hypocritical its unbelievable.