Fwd: Re: Role-playing Addiction -- I have full article if wanted djf

[David J Farber <farber () radiomail net>]

----- Forwarded Message


Date: Thu, 31 Mar 1994 11:42:34 -0500 (EST)
From: Mike Godwin <mnemonic () eff org>
Subject: Re: Role-playing Addiction -- I have full article if wanted djf
To: farber () central cis upenn edu (David Farber)
Cc: interesting-people () central cis upenn edu


Dave quotes Mich Kobay, who writes the following:


> Washington Post Staff Writer John Schwartz has published a moving and
> insightful article entitled, "Game Boy."  It explores the life and death of
> an eighteen year old man addicted to cyberspace role-playing.  I have asked
> Mr Schwartz for permission to post the original article in its entirety.  For
> the time being, here's a brief summary.


<Much text deleted>
 
> <<end summary>>
>
> This young man, isolated from a local community, unhappy in his own skin,
> found happiness as a different person in a different world.  The pity is that
> he lost touch with his own body's needs.
>
> Like a rat on an endorphin high, poor Nathaniel died from addiction to his
> own form of satisfaction.


It should be noted that this is not the thrust of the Schwartz story at
all. In fact, the story suggests just the opposite--that although Tom
Davenport thought his son's behavior was an addiction, when he began to
explore the world of MUDs and MOOs, he discovered that his son was leading
a rich and fulfilling life, and that he'd connected to a lot of people.


I strongly believe that anyone who reads Schwartz's story as a cautionary
tale about MUD addiction has missed the point.




--Mike