This news article about Parents charged with child neglect due to video game addiction bothers me on many levels. I'm appalled that parents can neglect their children like this and that's what bothers me the most about this story.
But I'm also very concerned at where the blame is being placed. That video game addiction can be cited as the reason these parents neglected their children is very disturbing. I just don't buy it. As I see it, the parents didn't seem to have any trouble finding time to take care of themselves, to shop for a plasma TV and computer equipment, even to have sex (as evidenced by the second child). They just didn't find time to care for their children. To me that's neglect, plain and simple, and we shouldn't be making up excuses for them by saying it's due to video game addiction.
Comments (2)
I disagree, having witnessed video game addiction first hand. I think there are a lot of similarities between video game addiction and any other psychologically based addiction that contributes to societal ills. If you want to debate blaming any addiction for neglect, I think that's a separate debate, and one that we see eye to eye on. (If the allegations are true, these "parents" need to be prosecuted to the fullest extent.) What I take issue with in your post is singling out video game addiction as an invalid addiction.
Posted by Jason | July 17, 2007 1:12 PM
Posted on July 17, 2007 13:12
Jason, I guess I wasn't clear. Much like the AMA, I'm not ready to go so far as to say that I think video game addiction is either valid or invalid. Nor and I'm saying these parents are or aren't addicted to video games.
I'm saying that whatever their state, they seemed to find the time and ability to do other, non-gaming, activities. They just didn't manage to take care of their kids. So I don't think it's right to blame the neglect of their children on their gaming habits, whether its an addiction or not.
Posted by Susan | July 19, 2007 3:30 PM
Posted on July 19, 2007 15:30