Author Topic: 'The Demise of Guys': How video games and porn are ruining a generation  (Read 4769 times)

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Offline syaoranvee

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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.

...

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."

http://edition.cnn.com/2012/05/23/health/living-well/demise-of-guys/index.html

Seeing how FSTDT runs on games and porn, I figured this would be an interesting article for everyone.
The expert in this is also the same guy who did the Stanford Prison Experiment that ended up in violence and had to be cut short.

Offline Her3tiK

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Strange. I use porn because I don't have the time necessary to start/sustain a relationship, and violent games so I don't take my aggression out on the real world.

Does that make me some kind of freak?
Her3tik, you have groupies.
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There are a number of ways, though my favourite is simply to take them by surprise. They're just walking down the street, minding their own business when suddenly, WHACK! Penis to the face.

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I'm confused here, do these people not know the difference between fantasy and reality, or do the simply think that they're the only ones who do?

Online RavynousHunter

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-sighs-  So, now we've gotten a 2-for-1 deal with both anti-porn and anti-game bullshit.

I'm a pretty heavy gamer, I play pretty much any game I can get my hands on that isn't a sports game.  RPGs?  Fuck yeah.  Shooters?  Gimmie bullets, I'll give you bodies.  Adventure games?  I'm a puzzle-solving machine.

I also jack off to porn a fuckton.

Oh, and I'm also in a good relationship with someone I genuinely love, haven't burned down a church, haven't tortured little animals, and haven't so much as punched someone...even if I had every reason to.

Guess I'm just an outlier, huh?
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Offline VirtualStranger

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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.

THAT COULD POTENTIALLY APPLY TO EVERY FUCKING HOBBY OR MENTALLY STIMULATING ACTIVITY YOU COULD POSSIBLY THINK OF.

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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.

THAT COULD POTENTIALLY APPLY TO EVERY FUCKING HOBBY OR MENTALLY STIMULATING ACTIVITY YOU COULD POSSIBLY THINK OF.

Pretty much, think this whole bit could be summed up as habits are habit forming.

Offline Vypernight

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The real problem is the assholes making these accusations won't spend 10 seconds taking some fucking responsibility for themselves; they always have to blame something else!

Christ, I'm so sick of this bullshit!  Grow the fuck up!
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Offline Witchyjoshy

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I was more addicted to porn as a fundie than I am now.

Gee, I wonder why. </sarcasm>
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Offline SpaceProg

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Porn bores me, and I know games are games and real-life is real-life.... which is why I like to escape into games now and then.  You always gotta come back down to earth eventually though, or suffer the consequences.

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The real problem is the assholes making these accusations won't spend 10 seconds taking some fucking responsibility for themselves; they always have to blame something else!

Christ, I'm so sick of this bullshit!  Grow the fuck up!

Yuuuuuuup.  Oh no, let's not focus on helping legitimate addictions like liquor, cigarettes, or crack, let's focus on harmless shit like video games and porn!  Fucking dolts.
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Offline sandman

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I love violent video games and have not raised a hand in anger towards another human being in three decades. About the porn thing I wouldn't know, since the last porn I looked at on purpose was in a Playboy I bought in the 70s.
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us disassemble you. We're not banging rocks together here. We know how to put a man back together. So that's a complete reassembly. New vitals. Spit-shine on the old ones. Plus we're scooping out tumors. Frankly, you oughtta be paying us." -Cave Johnson

Offline Fpqxz

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THAT COULD POTENTIALLY APPLY TO EVERY FUCKING HOBBY OR MENTALLY STIMULATING ACTIVITY YOU COULD POSSIBLY THINK OF.
The real problem is the assholes making these accusations won't spend 10 seconds taking some fucking responsibility for themselves; they always have to blame something else!

Christ, I'm so sick of this bullshit!  Grow the fuck up!

Agreed on both counts.

I don't play video games that much anymore (not that I was a huge gamer in the first place), but I still love some of the old classics (like the Doom series, old NES/Super NES games, etc.).  I look at porn once in a while, but I did that even before commercial internet connections were available in my region.

I don't have a girlfriend, but that's largely because A) I'm broke and B) I'm an antisocial prick who dislikes most people.  However, I was an A-B student from primary school all the way through grad school.

Compulsive behavior is a problem in its own right; it really isn't fair to blame it solely on new hobbies and technology.  Perhaps these researchers should look into the reasons why more people are becoming socially isolated?
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Offline sandman

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Nothing is being said about video games that was not said about television.

Nothing was said about television that was not said about comic books.

Nothing was said about comic books that was not said about motion pictures.

Nothing was said about motion pictures that was not said about radio.

Nothing was said about radio that was not said about jazz records.

Nothing was said about jazz records that was not said about music halls.

Nothing was said about music halls that was not said about taverns.

Nothing was said about taverns that was not said about meade halls.

Nothing was said about meade halls that was not said about hanging out down at the stone circle with the druids.

Nothing was said about hanging out down at the stone circle with the druids that was not said about going saber tooth tiger hunting with the Neanderthals.

In other words, this is nothing new.
"In case you're interested, there's still some positions available for that bonus opportunity I mentioned earlier. Again: all you gotta do is let
us disassemble you. We're not banging rocks together here. We know how to put a man back together. So that's a complete reassembly. New vitals. Spit-shine on the old ones. Plus we're scooping out tumors. Frankly, you oughtta be paying us." -Cave Johnson

Offline ThunderWulf

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I watch porn and play violent video games, and I've never sexually abused anyone and only raise my hands on someone a couple time, BOTH being in self defense.  I've been in a relationship for over 5 years.  I'm very outgoing and hyper, and I'm in good standing with all my friends.  I work full time and have been employed at the same place since 2004.  Most of all, I'm tired of all these "moral crusaders" trying to tell me what to do and not do.
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Offline Witchyjoshy

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Honestly, if someone probed me with questions that had the subtle accusation of me being violent, right when I got done relaxing after playing a video game, I'd probably be a bit irate ;D
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