Why the internet is a bad thing pt 1 - Addiction

I love the internet. I wanted to declare my love early in this post as i need everyone to know i'm very much pro-internet. Im also pro recreational drugs but that doesn't mean i can't see the obvious problems with both. But unlike drug use, the internets failings or problems are not often publicised in government warnings so im going to take a few minutes of your time to point them out. Starting today with addiction.

ad·dic·tion  (-dkshn)

n.

1.

a. Compulsive physiological and psychological need for a habit-forming substance

I speak from experience when i say that the internet can destroy your life. Not that many years ago I was living with my partner of 3 years, had a full time job in a position of responsibility and owned a cat. I was the going places kid who had settled early. Then, one day i realised that all i had once taken for granted was gone and the most horrible realisation kicked in, they had lost me to a computer game.

I wonder how many of you have turned on your computer to check an email, then logged off 2 hours later because of constant internet based distractions. It could be anything, wikipedia, imdb, Facebook or maybe like me you were pulled into a computer game. I remember years back a football manager game produced by Eidos (the makers of the tomb raider series) ran a warning and helpline for addicts of the game. Even now it has a game status bar on it reminding you to wash or feed the cat and the more software developers realise our weakness, the more your pulled in.

The main threat to your sanity these days is M.M.O.R.P.G.'s. Massively multiplayer online role playing games such as world of warcraft or eve online are deadly. In these you team up with other addicts to work together and complete in game tasks for pixillated rewards. The games themselves are addictive, but no more than the silly flash games on Facebook. What really makes these games deadly is that your not playing against a computer, your playing with real people who you can talk to through various voice software. This means the game builds a sense of importance and friendships are formed between people who have never met or live in different countries, destined to never meet face to face. At the height of my addiction i would easily consume anything up to 20 hours a day online. Talking to people on both UK and US timezones. But i also made the effort to meet the people i played the games with. Numerous times i have gone to london and will soon be going to america for many reasons, one of which is to meet some people i spent 4 years of my life with, via my modem. I know how easy it is to get addicted to these games or any game now and i feel lucky i could step away and pull out of the mess i was getting my life into. However some people on this earth will not have the same mental strength as me and sadly this week it cost a baby its life.

South Korea child 'starves as parents raise virtual baby'

It a horrible thought, but i dont think this will be the last case of internet neglect. My own neglect cost me a relationship, a job and a cat. Not mortally, she took it with her. But somewhere out there, people need to realise real life comes first.