So, I have to admit that cyberspace and these virtual worlds really are something else. Though I was born and raised in SoCal, my experience with the internet and the computer has been limited by my parents, which is strange seeing that my father is a tech manager for a large company. Instead of being taught the ins and outs of the computer and learning to cruise the internet, I was always encouraged to get out and play, read, or any leisure activity that involves movement.
This kind of mentality is rare in this contemporary world where computers dominate our mainstream culture. With this heavy dependence, the health of the world, especially Americans, is taking a toll. From sitting in front of the computer, numerous health studies have shown that hours spent typing and playing games can be hazardous for one's health. Because of the comotose and lethargic position that is required for using a computer, people are continually becoming obese. Over 30% of the youths in America are overweight and 80% of them will be obese adults. Researchers have found that this correlates with the amount of time spent in front of the T.V. or computer; the more hours spent on the devices, the more likely a child was to be obese. Furthermore, frequent typing and staring at a computer screen can cause vision problems, back problems, wrist problems, and a whole host of physical difficulties.
With these kinds of consequences, I can't understand why people will spend so much time in front of a computer, playing games like World of Warcraft. Wouldn't it be more productive to spend that time doing something else? I think that if people spent less time on these games and more time on their "real" or physical lives they might be more happy and free from needless physical injuries. I'm not saying we should get rid of video games all together, but it might be beneficial to start imposing limits on the amount of time adults and children spend playing them.
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I can see your point being that my parents raised me to go outside, do sports, go camping and explore the physical world etc. I was not allowed to play video games and at my age now i do see it as a distraction unless you have strong self-discipline to get your other stuff done and still have fun. One of my friends is having to drop out of UCI because his gpa is so low due to playing too much WOW. But when i came to college and got a facebook, I went through a internet-all-day checker phase too. Now of course i can be productive and not so much dependent on the internet and the whole virtual world and gaming fascinates me. But like i said, there are pros and cons to gaming and one just needs to be aware of the advantages and disadvantages. And as a fellow outsider to the virtual world and second life, i am trying to understand this hype because I know i am not interested in it, but that makes it even more interesting. Be conscious and open. That's all.
I'll agree that sitting in front of the computer isn't the best thing for your body, and like most other addictive behaviors, the physical consequence pale in comparison to the potential social and professional reprocutions. At the end of the day, it's all a matter of moderation.
Enjoying online games requires a certain level of maturity, and until children reach get there, Parents need to supervise what they play and how long they play it, as is necessary with movies, television and books. As for adults... well a Surgeon General style warning would certainly be appropriate, but beyond that people need to set their own limits. An appropriate play time for one person may be excessive for another, and vice-versa, so determining (to say nothing of implementing) a time limit would be difficult and impractical.
To answer your question, the appeal or 'hype' of gaming is the same as other forms of fiction based entertainment. People aren't looking to be productive with video games, they're looking for a distraction or a fresh perspective. And the unique benefit of MMO's is that while comics, books, movies and television are things people experience alone, cyberspace allows escapism to be social and even collaborative.
It's been argued that people wouldn't feel the need to escape if they dealt with what's troubling them in reality, but that's untrue. Eventually, everybody needs a break from responsibility. And sometimes, the need to escape is just born from the desire to do things you can't in reality. If I wanted to fight somebody for instance, attempting to do so in reality would pose much greater physical risk to both of us than sitting at a computer to do it. The same goes for playing a professional sport, or attempting to fly. Games indulge such fantasies. The tricky thing is learning to eat your fill.
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