How many more lives must be destroyed.........
I read with sadness a news report in today's New Straits Time ( 15th December 2005) regarding a 16 years old teenage boy who committed suicide - Computer loving teen electrocuted. The probable cause as highlighted in the news report was over indulgence in computer games.
Few years ago, I was unlucky to have the personal experience of having my son addicted to online computer games. I was lucky to have the computer knowledge and awareness to detect his games addictions. By the grace of God, I was able to initiate early intervention actions to help my son control and kic his addictions. Believe me, It was a very painful process. And I sincerely hope no parents should go through these experiences.
I still remembered I wrote an opinion letter in a local daily to warn parents to observe and take precautionary measures to prevent teenagers from falling into the trap of games addictions. To my surprise, I was ridiculed and insulted by several people verbally and in prints. Some even call my handphone ( I wonder how they got my handphone numbers ) asking me to shut my mouth and call me stupid man. I forgive them, because I know they are not aware of the pains I went through trying to help my son coping with the game addictions. I believed these people who ridiculed me are probably people with vested interests in online games businesses.
Since then, I have gone on my personal crusade of advising parents and to make them aware of the need to control and limit the hours their teenaged children spend on online/internet games. It doesn't really matter to me whether these parents take my advise. As far as I am concern, If I can help a teenager to control his gaming habit, then it is a soul saved.
Parent beware. Internet / online games are multi billion dollars industry. Therefore, it is not surprising the online games companies have all the indirect resources to preach the "wholesomeness" of online games through various mass media and means. They will quote unsubstantiated research to hookwinked us into believing that on-line games promote racial integrations, team works, computer skills, etc. They will also conveyed subtle message to you that it is better to keep your teenaged children at home playing on-line games then letting them roaming in the shopping complexes, etc. I would like to put forward to you that these claims are all fallacies. They are all claims with purported objectives of protecting their profits motivations without any concern for the negative social impact.
Few years ago, I was unlucky to have the personal experience of having my son addicted to online computer games. I was lucky to have the computer knowledge and awareness to detect his games addictions. By the grace of God, I was able to initiate early intervention actions to help my son control and kic his addictions. Believe me, It was a very painful process. And I sincerely hope no parents should go through these experiences.
I still remembered I wrote an opinion letter in a local daily to warn parents to observe and take precautionary measures to prevent teenagers from falling into the trap of games addictions. To my surprise, I was ridiculed and insulted by several people verbally and in prints. Some even call my handphone ( I wonder how they got my handphone numbers ) asking me to shut my mouth and call me stupid man. I forgive them, because I know they are not aware of the pains I went through trying to help my son coping with the game addictions. I believed these people who ridiculed me are probably people with vested interests in online games businesses.
Since then, I have gone on my personal crusade of advising parents and to make them aware of the need to control and limit the hours their teenaged children spend on online/internet games. It doesn't really matter to me whether these parents take my advise. As far as I am concern, If I can help a teenager to control his gaming habit, then it is a soul saved.
Parent beware. Internet / online games are multi billion dollars industry. Therefore, it is not surprising the online games companies have all the indirect resources to preach the "wholesomeness" of online games through various mass media and means. They will quote unsubstantiated research to hookwinked us into believing that on-line games promote racial integrations, team works, computer skills, etc. They will also conveyed subtle message to you that it is better to keep your teenaged children at home playing on-line games then letting them roaming in the shopping complexes, etc. I would like to put forward to you that these claims are all fallacies. They are all claims with purported objectives of protecting their profits motivations without any concern for the negative social impact.
Let me share with you one very disturbing observation in my little crusade against games addictions. I have encountered several parents who proudly announced to me that their children are very good with computers because their teenaged children seem to be able to tap the keybaord with furious coordinated speed and precision. On closer observation, these teenagers are actually playing computer games. Very sad indeed. My opinion is, ability to tap keyboard is not an indication that you are good in computers.
It is my sincere hope that, the relevant regulaotory agencies can take the initiatives to at least seriously look into the possibilities of implementing the following suggestions to help teenager control their gaming habits :
- Regulate cyber cafes with regards to minimum entry age, Operating hours, and limit the availability of online games.
- Implement rating system ( similar to movie rating categories ) for all online games to help parents identifying suitable games for their children.
- Maling it an offence for online games company who sell violence and addictive games to teenager under the age of 21.
- Impose curfew hours by blocking all game ports and game servers from 10:00pm to 10:00am the next morning
It is also my sincere hope that the relevant regulatory agencies start looking into the possibility of developing an internet wellness program to help the general public adopt a more healthy and hoslistic approach in embracing the internet technologies. In Malaysia, perhaps, the Kementerian Pembagunan Wanita, Keluarga, dan Masyarakat should take the lead role to champion this Internet Wellness Program.
To the Yap family who lost his teenage son. I shared with you your grief and pain. May God with his almighty grace bless the soul of your son. May God forgive those who make a living out of other people's miseries.
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