Do we also see other things that can be addictive? Like alcohol, tobacco and drugs?
These are not parenting issues, but are social issues that need to be addressed together. There is more drinking in the countryside than in the city (according to research), significantly more in some parts of the country than in others, etc. Are all those parents suddenly “bad”? Can a parent look over their child’s shoulder 24/7/365 and intervene? Is it healthy if you can?
Can you imagine that in other parts of the world the culture is so different that it would be wise for the government to intervene in situations that are not so relevant here? Does every Chinese child have problems with games? No of course not! But there’s enough of them to do something with it…
I (as a child) never drank a drop of alcohol, never smoked a cigarette or used drugs. My parents have NEVER been uncompromising, but they have been adequately informed and given advice. But before that I decided I never would and I never have. It was quite special 25 years ago, much less so now. But there are still people/children who consume alcohol, smoke and use drugs. However, due to state intervention in smoking, far fewer people now smoke than 50 years ago and this is not true because everyone has suddenly seen the light. It’s also allowed in far fewer places, so you smoke far less as well. Huge warning labels, excise duties making it much more expensive, etc. A parent can’t help it.
Is playing a video game the same as consuming alcohol, smoking or drugs? No of course not! But there are definitely now (too many) people having problems with it (in China), spending too much time/money on it like any other addict (i.e. more than they have and it costs their health).
In terms of gaming: I’ve spent a significant amount of money on computer games this year (we will NOT talk about how much I’m spending on board/card/miniature games! ), so much so that many tweakers would point to their foreheads. However, it’s not money I can’t save (or don’t have), if I were to spend that amount of money if I couldn’t save that money, that would be a whole different story. And there are sure to be parents in Holland (and other Western countries) who got into big trouble because the child managed to get their hands on dad’s and/or mum’s credit card and booked completely full of purchases from the ‘game predator’ xyz. And this is becoming a bigger and bigger problem, so the government is getting more and more involved…
Such problems are so big, so widespread, and are so abused by people who make a lot of money from them that just parents telling their children something isn’t enough. See “Loot Legislation” in the Netherlands/Belgium…
