This post is syndicated with permission from GamerFront.net
I’ve known quite a few people that play World of Warcraft, and I also know several people who have dropped out of college. Interestingly enough, none of the people I know fit into both categories. It seems that this is a rare case, as Federal Communications Commissioner Deborah Taylor Tate recently pointed her finger at games like WoW for many college drop-outs.
“You might find it alarming that one of the top reasons for college drop-outs in the U.S. is online gaming addiction – such as World of Warcraft – which is played by 11 million individuals worldwide”
What I find alarming is the lack of solid facts to back up that claim. No, I won’t even attempt to deny that some people have dropped out of college because they’re WoW addicts, since I’m sure it has happened. However, I think that once again, video games are an easy target, and thus have gotten singled out by a political figure.
Honestly, why have these people really dropped out? I’m sure that it has more to do with poorly-managed studying habits, rather than the video game that is causing the problem here. If you have good study habits, you know how to make time for both your hobbies and your work. Once again I’m quicker to point my finger at the education system and parents for not teaching their children good habits, which will then help them later in life rather than evil video games that poison the minds of today’s youth.
[ GamePolitics ] VIA [ GamerFront ]
I agree that poor study habits may be a part of them dropping out of college but you have to admit that because people have to choose between activities, when games like WoW did not exist it was less likely that someone would be distracted enough to fail out of school.
Also, wIth games like WoW, there is a very likely chance that you know someone else that plays the same game and that's incentive on you to play it.
When I was in school, I believe that my studious friends very much helped me stay on track. Back then I might've wasted all my time playing Diablo or partying but their concerns about studying and school helped me prioritize.
From the article: “Yesterday GamePolitics reported on concerns by University of Minnesota Duluth officials that compulsive World of Warcraft play was *causing* some students to flunk out.” [emphasis added]
If there's dudes out there who are so easily influenced by video games that said game can actually *initiate*, with no prior influences, the downward spiral towards dropping out of college…..I don't actually want those folks to finish. Devaluing a degree, I'd say.
All arguments about the current value of a degree in some arenas not withstanding.
Ok I admit it, I play World of Warcraft. There I said it. I am proud of that fact too. I love the fact that I am not a noob.
I am also married, a father of 2 young kids (ages 5 and 7), a business owner and I hold another full time job.
EVERYTHING in my life is more important than the game. I spend time with my kids each day helping with homework and having fun. I have a healthy relationship with my wife and we spend quite a bit of time together. I pick up a lot of freelance work each month under my own business and I am a crucial member of staff at my day job. All of which I balance around my WOW life. I have an epic Night Elf Hunter and Druid and I am an officer in a guild that is raiding some high level content and I love playing the game.
I am able find a balance between everything in my life. It's not easy. I work hard to make sure everything has balance. I can tell you what I don't do and that's watch television. I may watch the odd show with my wife but I really could not be bothered watching someone else have an adventure when I can go online and make my own adventure and enjoy them with people I know.
Growing up and becoming an adult means learning how to balance the things in your life that you want to do with the things you have to do. If these students are so incapable of learning this skill that they drop out of college because of it then they really do deserve to work at McDonald's for the rest of their lives. It's all down to the natural order of things. Darwinism as it's best. These same people probably coast through school only learning what they need to know and nothing more, so they are better off out of school. These people are the type of person that will never amount to much at any career and the type of employee who only cares about a paycheck. I have never worked for a paycheck in my life. I've always worked for the company.
Maybe it's my ability to find balance in my life that makes me a success. But I find pleasure in pwning these idiots in the game who spend their whole lives playing WOW and they still can't do the DPS I can do.
They will look back at their lives and feel sick to their stomachs when they realize that all they have worked so hard to get are really only a bunch of zeroes and ones and owned by Blizzard.
“I’m sure that it has more to do with poorly-managed studying habits”
You mean the habit of playing video games instead of studying? The truth is entertainment media does affect people and is also a big factor in much of how they live and act. You can deny it all you want but people do commit crimes at least in part due to their involvement with such media. I'm not aware of just how many drop out of school but I do think it's on a larger scale than you the blogger realize.
For sharing thank you very much good very beautiful work
Why do they have to blame it video games? That's not the real factor, parents can discipline their kids and not let them play this game if it affects their study.
You know sometimes parents spoil gamers by letting them use their CC to buy wow gold.
Why do they have to blame it video games? That's not the real factor, parents can discipline their kids and not let them play this game if it affects their study.
You know sometimes parents spoil gamers by letting them use their CC to buy wow gold.