Eh.. I'm not going to make friends here, but I partially agree with the Chinese government. Admitted, due to something that I heard lately.
Namely : my five year old cousin has discovered Nintendo gaming since a few months. His parents (my brother) go about it sensibly, but he's developing an addiction I don't even recall by myself (and video gaming has been my world since I was his age).
My mother takes care of her grandchildren a day per week. Today she was looking after my child, and because I was working from home I overheard something I consider horrible.
Earlier this week she looked after her other grandchildren (along which my nephew). And because he's five, there need to be correctings by a parent (my mother).
Nephew's reaction : 'I hope you don't come over anymore. Then I can play video games more often'.
No, my brother and sister - in - law didn't take kindly to him saying that, and of course : he's five. But my mother spends entire days with her grandchildren since they were born. That console (a wii) is only in his life for a few months. And that reaction? It's horrible.
*sigh *
Okay... I hoe you can see I'm speaking from just hearing this experience, not from a philosophical point of view (sorry... No 1984 comparisons today from me).
My point is now : video games can be just as addicting and destructive as drugs. And western governments just don't give a damn about that. They care about it just enough to keep soccer moms voting from them, that's all.
Is the Chinese government going too far? Yes. I don't dispute that these sorts of measurements should be a last measurement, after many other attempts to put sense in parents. But on the other hand... Parents are stupid (I speak from experience here). You think sensibility programs are going to do much? Dream on. Every parent is going to declare himself the exception to the rule, and there won't change anything.
Now? Gaming addiction is going to take a nosedive in China. So... There's that.
