Chinese couple sells children for in game items :(

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ccgr
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Sstavix
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Makes me wonder what game they were playing.

Seriously! There have been some discussions about the addictive nature of games, and MMOs seem to have even more addictive qualities thanks to the socialization aspects (much easier to succumb to peer pressure when you have friends depending on you to fill in that crucial slot in Friday's raid...). I've heard of people selling their kids for drug money, so it doesn't surprise me too much that we'd eventually hear of someone selling their children to play video games.

I would imagine that there may be some research into this kind of thing, especially for games that rely on microtransactions in order to make a profit. The more a person plays, the more drawn into the game they become. And the more drawn in they are, the more pressure there is to get ahead. What's $1 or $2 for just that little boost to help you get through the next level...? Next thing you know, you can't pay the mortgage because you spent your paycheck to make it to level 63. If anything, it's worse than a gambling addiction - at least with gambling, there's a chance you could get some money back.

My church has focused a bit on the addictive nature on games in the past, but I think it could be something that all of us should be aware of. Just like a friend who may become addicted to alcohol, or gambling, or whatever, we need to strive and so the Christian thing to help others recognize when there is a problem, and to support them when they need help breaking the addiction.

Don't get me wrong - I'm not jumping on the "video games r teh EBIL!" bandwagon. I love games - otherwise, I wouldn't be hanging out here. I wouldn't have more than 100 games in my Steam account (not that I play all of them...). I wouldn't be excitedly looking forward to new beta-testing opportunities.

But I am willing to admit that too much of a good thing can be a bad thing. People need to recognize if they have a weakness to certain behaviors - such as a gaming addiction - and need to have the strength to ask for help when they need it.
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RooksBailey
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That was extremely well said. I confess to sometimes wondering where the line is between gaming addiction and gaming enthusiasm. Like you, I have a hundred or so games spread on Steam and other services, something I imagine amounts to thousands of dollars. Now, I accumulated such a library over a period of years, so the spreads out the pain a bit. But...is that wrong? Is that overdoing things?

I used to worry about this until two years ago or so when Hurricane Sandy blew through the area. We were without power for 13-14 days. No gaming, no TV, no nothing. But you know what? While I confess to bouts of boredom, I actually enjoyed the disconnect. It was refreshing, for lack of a better word. Maybe the Cistercians have the right idea! :lol:

So, that sort of put to rest any fears I had of a gaming addiction. But I still like to perform a self-examination every now and then, and practice a little self-denial as well (no, I will not spend money on Wargame: Red Dragon even though it is now 45% off! I won't do it! Yes, it is a really good deal, but no! Never! Well, not today anyway! :lol: ).
"Zerg... they plump when you cook 'em." – Starcraft II Firebat
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Orodrist
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So...where does one buy children?
I am free, no matter what rules surround me. If I find them tolerable, I tolerate them; if I find them too obnoxious, I break them. I am free because I know that I alone am morally responsible for everything I do - Robert A Heinlein

Courage ~ Discipline ~ Fidelity ~ Honor ~ Hospitality ~ Industriousness ~ Perseverance ~ Self Reliance ~
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ccgr
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Babies R' Us

That's where I told my kids where they came from.
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Sstavix
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RooksBailey wrote:That was extremely well said. I confess to sometimes wondering where the line is between gaming addiction and gaming enthusiasm. Like you, I have a hundred or so games spread on Steam and other services, something I imagine amounts to thousands of dollars. Now, I accumulated such a library over a period of years, so the spreads out the pain a bit. But...is that wrong? Is that overdoing things?
I think a big part of determining if you have an addiction depends on why you game, and how much. You can look for the signs of addiction online, but here is one Web site that I found.
RooksBailey wrote:I used to worry about this until two years ago or so when Hurricane Sandy blew through the area. We were without power for 13-14 days. No gaming, no TV, no nothing. But you know what? While I confess to bouts of boredom, I actually enjoyed the disconnect. It was refreshing, for lack of a better word. Maybe the Cistercians have the right idea! :lol:
Sometimes a "tech-free hermitage can be quite invigorating. :)
Orodrist wrote:So...where does one buy children?
China, apparently. :wink:
ccgr wrote:Babies R' Us

That's where I told my kids where they came from.
I've occasionally told my kids that if they're not careful, we're going to send them to the monkey factory. And there they will spend the rest of their lives, gluing the tails on the monkeys. Perhaps I should tell them that that is where they came from, too.... :wink:
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