Ahhh yes, I look back fondly on the semester I spent as an exchange student doing LLM coursework at a university in the UK. I couldn't believe how little class time was scheduled, and how light the reading was. I think I spent a little over an hour a day in class on Tuesday-Thursday, and spent Friday-Monday travelling around the isle (without my laptop).
I'm guessing I managed to average about 5-6 hours of gaming each day that I stayed on campus, which was kind of ridiculous, but it was a rather unique situation for me.
So, obviously I love gaming, and would never counsel anyone to give it up entirely. That said, everyone needs to keep a realistic idea of how much time they spend on the computer and how it is impacting the rest of their life.
I jumped back-and-forth from the moment this topic appeared about whether or not to post anything, since it is likely a waste of time to express my views on the subject on a site like this, where most everyone is likely a hardcore gamer. But when I read the post by the kid who basically spends every waking moment outside of school on the computer (sorry to single you out, buddy, and obivously I don't know your whole real-life story), I felt obligated to put something up, even if it draws derision from the fine folks who frequent HG.
In all seriousness, gaming poses a very real threat of addiction. It's pleasurable, provides consistent positive feedback (generally even if you lose more often than you win), and it takes a long time to get physically (or even mentally) tired while doing it. Hell, MMORPGs are designed specifically to provide regular positive reinforcement to keep gamers playing for long periods of time, and you can find dozens of news stories about players who gave up their real lives in favor gaming ones, with trageic results. Without belaboring the point too much, one of my friends from back in high school gradually cut himself off from all of his social circles midway through college playing a game that another of my friends had programmed, and ended up committing suicide when he couldn't overcome the loneliness that developed as a result. Yet another of my high school friends, playing the same game, managed to log over a year of IN GAME time over the course of about 3.5 years, put on about 50-60 pounds while doing it, and now reaches the top of the stairs leading to his townhouse wheezing for breath (for those who haven't guessed, enter EQ, stage right).
Sure, these are extreme cases, with obvious results. Very few of us game quite so much, but almost all of us game more than is probably healthy. I, for one, have reached VERY unhealthy levels of gaming at a few points in my life, and so try to stay conscious about how much I do it.
When it comes down to it, gaming is a recreational activity that we derive pleasure from. That's about all it is good for. Pure gaming won't make you any more physically fit or healthy. It provides only slightly more opportunity to develop socially than does watching TV (and if you think the chatrooms, taunts, and forums offer the prospect of improved social skills, you probably haven't got any). It doesn't improve your IQ, despite the arguments some might make about those minimal levels of mental acuity required for some of the more in-depth turn-based strategy games. Gaming is purely a pleasure activity.
Granted, there are some exceptions to this generality among those who put a twist on their gaming. Those who develop programming and logic skills by modding. Or those who develop written communication skills through blogs and articles (but let's be honest: how many blogs and articles have you read that, while providing sound gaming advice, look for all the world like they were written by a third grader?). Some people become better graphic artists developing new artwork for games. In general, I've found these people to be among the healthiest gamers because, in discussions with them (I did a good bit of modding for NWN), they have always treated it like a hobby, to which they devote a measure of free time if they have it, but avoid obsession.
As far as addictions go, gaming is physically healthier than say, smoking. Or alcoholism. But it can become an addiction nonetheless. I don't think envy is what causes people to be amazed at the hours that some gamers put into playing (I mean, seriously, get over yourself), but the kind of wonder you might express at seeing someone who is clearly grossly overweight and can't put down the Big Mac. Or someone who is working his/her way through an entire pack (or more) of cigarettes in a day. Or the drunk ordering yet another round, when he can barely stand.
I like drinking, too. And I enjoy the occassional cigar. And believe me, if you sit me down at Fogo De Chao or Sal & Carvao, I have trouble leaving before I'm bursting at the seems. Nonetheless, I am amazed by people who can't stop eating, drinking, or smoking despite full knowledge of the adverse effects it will have on their lives.
It's strange which addictions it is socially acceptable to prod people about and which it isn't. I can express concern for someone's health if they smoke too much, or drink too much. But I'm a rat bastard if I tell someone that I'm concerned over their weight. Gaming falls into either category, depending on the company you're in. But those other vices at least have physical responses to dissuade you from continuing. If you eat too much you feel full. drink too much, and you feel sick. Smoke too much and you run short of breath and also get sick. But game too much? The physical response there doesn't really exist, except perhaps a stiff back and sore mousehand. It's harder to tell when you do too much, unless you keep track.
Again - I don't advocate an end to gaming. Frankly, I love doing it, and wouldn't give it up for any amount of money. But I try to remain cognizant of how much I do it, and what impact it has on the rest of my life. Especially because, unlike a lot of other hobbies that are either timeless or help develop other skills, when a particular game that you play A LOT goes out of style (on a very short time horizon) and you look back on all the time spent doing it, the only thing you have to keep is the pleasure you derived from it at the moment you did it, which is a very fleeting thing. How many of the matches that you won or lost, and enjoyed the heck out of while doing so, do you remember two weeks later? A month? A year?
I would suggest that on the longer time horizon, your total recalled pleasure will be much the same if you put a reasonable amount of time into gaming or an unreasonable amount of time. But on the shorter timeline it is, too. It's amazing how little time at recreation is required to mentally refresh a person. Your stress level will be reduced as much by 20-40 minutes of game time as it will be by 2-4 hours. Not that I advocate limiting yourself to 20-40 minute sessions, as I'd break that rule more than a few times in a week.
So what is a reasonable amount of time? Well, as has been suggested - it is different for every person. And it is different for each individual depending on the stage of their life that they are at.
If you want my advice (and most of you probably don't), then treat it like any other addictable activity. Ask yourself, Do I do it more than anything else in my life (save, perhaps, sleeping)? Almost that much? Does it cause me to break plans with friends? Are my grades/work not as good as they could be? When is the last time I saw the Sun? How much do I think about it when I'm not doing it? Is it getting in the way of other things I also really enjoy?
Have fun with your gaming, but be healthy about it. (Jesus, I must be getting old)
[This message has been edited by Blue_Devil (edited 11-16-2005 @ 02:15 PM).]