This is good for you!

S

Starseeker

Vault Senior Citizen
http://www.wired.com/magazine/2010/01/ff_internetaddiction/

On a hot afternoon in August, a mother, father, and son climbed into their car and set out for the Qihang Salvation Training Camp in rural China. The facility was only a half hour from their hotel in Nanning, but the drive felt much longer to Deng Fei and Zhou Juan. In the backseat, their son, Deng Senshan, said almost nothing the entire way. He wore a sickish look as he gazed at the whizzing tableau of warehouses, unfinished buildings, and open fields of southern China’s Guangxi province. He didn’t want to go to the camp — who would? — but his parents felt they had no choice.

The Qihang camp promised to cure children of so-called Internet addiction, an ailment that has grown into one of China’s most feared public health hazards. The camp’s brochure claimed that an estimated 80 percent of Chinese youth suffered from it. Fifteen-year-old Deng Senshan seemed to be among them. He was once a top student, but his grades had plummeted over the past couple of years, and he had stopped exercising almost completely. He spent most of his time playing games like World of Warcraft at Internet cafés or on his desktop computer. The Chinese news media was filled with terrifying stories of WOW-crazed kids dropping dead or killing their parents, and Deng Fei and Zhou Juan worried that they might lose their only son to a technological demon they barely understood. So they were lured in by the camp’s pledge to end his “bad behavior.”
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H1N1? Mad Cow? SARS? HA, meet the no. 1 public health hazard in China, Internet Addiction!

The Internet is, famously, a nonstop disruption machine — overturning every business model, cultural institution, and societal norm it touches. But even by these anarchic standards, its destabilizing impact on Chinese society has been immense. The number of Internet users in the country has skyrocketed in the past 12 years from 620,000 to 338 million, making it the world’s largest and fastest-growing online population. And while China has embraced its newfound digital prowess — the national telecom company adds more than 700,000 broadband customers each month — the authoritarian government has also attempted to control it. It has fortified its “great firewall,” selectively blocking access to Google, YouTube, and Twitter. It has deployed a special Web police force, tens of thousands strong, to investigate and shut down online political dissent. It has hired a regiment of “secret Web commentators,” who post comments in praise of the state. And in July, it began developing the Green Dam Youth Escort, censoring software that can be preinstalled in new PCs.
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Hey, kids, no white/Asian p0rn for you! You are only allowed black p0rn from now on! (if you don't know that reference, check the earlier threads about Green Dam censorship software)

Only in China? HA! Watch out kids, there might be an Internet Addiction camp coming near you!

Even health experts in the US began worrying about Internet addiction. In 2006, a Stanford University study found that one in eight American adults showed signs of Web addiction. In 2008, Jerald J. Block, an Oregon psychotherapist, argued in The American Journal of Psychiatry that Internet addiction should be included in the next Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, the bible of the mental health industry. “Despite the cultural differences,” he wrote, “our case descriptions are remarkably similar to those of our Asian colleagues, and we appear to be dealing with the same issue.” In July, a counselor in Fall City, Washington, named Hilarie Cash opened reStart, the first Internet treatment center in the US. “China is in an enviable position because they’re taking action,” she says. “We’re not.”
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It reminds me of a book, "How to raise a nerve stabled child" (which isn't far behind, since if you read farther, they have used electric shock "therapy" as a cure for this problem). Sounds oddly appropriate in this circumstance. Sigh..., sounds like another poor excuse for lazy parenting.
 
How dare these youth want to escape from the glorious state into an imaginary world, instead of becoming good worker drones.

The people of China are happy, dammit!
 
Less happy with the state than you'd think, Dutch. Although in a way, the Chinese have more personal freedom than Americans do, because there isn't some religious or otherwise jackass telling you what is proper and what isn't on every corner. At this point, I'd say Americans preach their ideology to their own people more than the Chinese do.

Also, jokes aside, Asians do quite often fall prey to cellphone/Internet addiction and the like, although I was under the impression it was more common in Japan.
 
Isn't Internet addiction in every country where internet is available?

In China the numbers would be bigger as the population is bigger.

If we compare the percentage of the general population of every country that is addicted to the internet, will that make China stand out?
 
The Dutch Ghost said:
Isn't Internet addiction in every country where internet is available?
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well I havnt seen people here trying to marry their internet characters or game boys yet ...

In asia on the other hand.

Though if I think about I remember a story from a guy who married some vegetables ... over here. What a weird world ...
 
Crni Vuk said:
The Dutch Ghost said:
Isn't Internet addiction in every country where internet is available?
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well I havnt seen people here trying to marry their internet characters or game boys yet ...

In asia on the other hand.

Though if I think about I remember a story from a guy who married some vegetables ... over here. What a weird world ...
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ahem

Woman marries carnival ride

I was instantly attracted to him sexually and mentally.

"I wasn't freaked out as it just felt so natural but I didn't tell anyone about it because I knew it wasn't 'normal' to have feelings for a fairground ride.
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or maybe on their sex life...

A picture of 1001 adorns her bedroom ceiling and she says: "I use photos of 1001 to help me in private.

"We could never have sex where he lives because it's public and it would be indecent."
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So no one has married a game boy... YET
 
Ausdoerrt said:
Less happy with the state than you'd think, Dutch. Although in a way, the Chinese have more personal freedom than Americans do, because there isn't some religious or otherwise jackass telling you what is proper and what isn't on every corner. At this point, I'd say Americans preach their ideology to their own people more than the Chinese do.

Also, jokes aside, Asians do quite often fall prey to cellphone/Internet addiction and the like, although I was under the impression it was more common in Japan.
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Nevermind all the rights and freedoms American has. You don't have to listen to what anyone preaches or says and you can preach yourself if you so choose. Unlike other places.
 
Professor Danger! said:
Nevermind all the rights and freedoms American has. You don't have to listen to what anyone preaches or says and you can preach yourself if you so choose. Unlike other places.
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just irks non-americans that the president couldn't say two words without slapping on "god bless you" & "one nation under god" stuff in a secular nation.

in most countries, freedom of religion and a secular state means not getting other people's religion slapped in your face all the time.
 
Crni Vuk said:
politics and religion seperated? Only in our dreams ...
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I hear ya. I lean more to the right politically. But one of the worst things EVER for me is that Christian Conservative crap. Get your religion out of my politics dammit.
 
I have generally found myself feeling more free in China than I do in the US from a personal standpoint. It seems like the people here feel a lot happier, too. At least the ones in the "middle class", that is.

TBFH, China is officially "atheist" but doesn't really discriminate against any religion anymore, which leads not only to complete lack of religion in official relations, but also freedom of choice on a personal level (not to mention people being more open-minded). Quite close to being a dream, Crni.
 
Ausdoerrt said:
I have generally found myself feeling more free in China than I do in the US from a personal standpoint. It seems like the people here feel a lot happier, too. At least the ones in the "middle class", that is.

TBFH, China is officially "atheist" but doesn't really discriminate against any religion anymore, which leads not only to complete lack of religion in official relations, but also freedom of choice on a personal level (not to mention people being more open-minded). Quite close to being a dream, Crni.
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But people are open minded in America. I mean, are people surprised that those who have a platform and can get there voices out are opinionated. But that doesn't mean that every single person follows the loud voices like sheep. America is just as free as any other place that's free.

At least we Americans don't have to fear about voting in the person that will assassinate us if you don't, like some countries.

So I have to deal with someone preaching to me on the tv. I have the ability to not see it.
 
Ausdoerrt said:
I have generally found myself feeling more free in China than I do in the US from a personal standpoint. It seems like the people here feel a lot happier, too. At least the ones in the "middle class", that is.
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I ask my self though how bit that clas is in china ...

Ausdoerrt said:
TBFH, China is officially "atheist" but doesn't really discriminate against any religion anymore, which leads not only to complete lack of religion in official relations, but also freedom of choice on a personal level (not to mention people being more open-minded). Quite close to being a dream, Crni.
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The effect of religion on politics has not always to be so obvious like in the states or a few other places. It can work in may ways. Germany for example is seen by many as a nation where politics and religion are seperated which if you just look from the outside might even be true. But anyone who knows what "CDU" (The Christian Democratic Union of Germany) means knows that its not that easy. A lot regarding politics has to do with religion. I ask my self if a islamic or jewish person would have a chance to become Chancellor of Germany the chance is at the moment still zero. I mean we all can talk much a bout freedom, choices, religions and the tolerance. But I guess reality is still a bit different, or letz say complicated.

And I am not a expert around the chinese politics but I am sure even if religion is not playing in China a big role there are for sure other areas and places in their politics that either have issues or isnt working correctly or as nice like it looks from the outside. Inner politics are always the same, China, US, Germany or Europe in general. Its always the same. Coruption and hypocrisy happens everywhere thats just human.

Though I would not be surprised to see some politicans (in general) explain how bad religion is to the puplic just to see him go home later and pray to some holy figure in his closet.

Though while I like the chinese and asians, I hope you forgive me if I decide not to live in your "close to a dream world" china :P

But I have to say compared to the 60s and 70s China is a hell lot more liberal. I hope that continues and we will see more reforms and liberalism in the future.
 
"Democracies" want to ban internet too now... I guess internet is not good for us!

http://www.theage.com.au/technology...oys-call-to-censor-youtube-20100211-ntm0.html - hehe like if google isnt on BigGov side..

I read something about Obama administration also going in the internet censorship or Gov UserID direction, but dont remember where. :/

The Dutch Ghost said:
How dare these youth want to escape from the glorious state into an imaginary world, instead of becoming good worker drones.

The people of The Republic of China are happy, dammit!
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Ausdoerrt said:
Less happy with the state than you'd think, Dutch. Although in a way, the Chinese have more personal freedom than Americans do, because there isn't some religious or otherwise jackass telling you what is proper and what isn't on every corner. At this point, I'd say Americans preach their ideology to their own people more than the Chinese do.
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Yeah. Suuure.

I'd take the annoying Westboro Church dumbasses that can't do jackshit to a totalitarian government that controls every aspect of your life.
 
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