Internet has played a great role in people’s lives for the past…for how many years? Around 10 years I supposed, for those who have access to it in Malaysia. Originally, we use it to search whatever form of information that we needed, and share our little news over a form of mail known as e-mail that is slowly undermining the function of snail mail.
How many of us over here still keep in touch with friends oversea via snail mail? I dare say none, well, at least I haven’t been doing so. I no longer keep in touch with friends in oversea through snail mail. I no longer anticipate the fat letters that is full of personal touch inside my mailbox, and I no longer look at my mailbox longingly for some exotic postcards or souvenirs from my pen pals across the globe. I no longer write fast by using a pen the way I did when I was still in high school. (I can type fast, though)
Over the years, Internet has been rapidly develop, I must say. Evolving from dial up connection to broadband, and Internet is far more accessible and affordable with the competition that is going on among the service providers. The function of Internet is no longer for basic communication and a tool to search for information. It’s widely and creatively used in many areas. It’s used in commerce and banking, a place for spreading news and rumours, as well as field for politicians to spread their agenda and slam each other silly. Internet is even used to watch Asian soap dramas or new blockbuster movies online. Internet, is also pornography galore.
No one can deny that Internet has played a great role in their daily lives, be it directly or indirectly. It definitely make communication easier, cheaper and more efficient, however, there’s a worrying trend, where Internet seems to take control of human thinking and behaviour. Checking emails, online newspaper, blogs, etc. is becoming one’s cuppa tea or rather, ecstasy and cannabis. If you don’t do it in one day, you may feel agitated. Internet started to invade our personal lives, and sometimes we get into trouble with our spouses who do not share the same interest of ‘going online’ with us.
Another worrying trend is addiction not only to internet, but online games as well. Studies shown that there are many youth who are addicted to online games and gets ‘too’ involved with it until it effect their lives and and slowly undermining their academical achievements.
I was involved in an online game once, and suffice to say that I was addicted to the game. It’s called MapleStory. At first, I just play one or two hour just to stress out by beating monsters and gain satisfaction by completing quests. But slowly, the time that I spend in-game started to increase gradually as I found friends who I can relate well with. Let me be really honest with all of you, ‘Cleffairy’ is actually the name of my first in game Maple character. I got used to people calling me Clef or fairy, and when I started a blog, I just continue to use the name.
I used to spend at least 10 hours playing the bloody game. I got addicted to it to quite a dangerous extent, where I spend real money to buy in-game items, which, thinking back, it’s really not worth a single cent to spent on. You may say that I am stupid to spend on such things, but I really could not help it, and I don’t even know why.
While I was struggling with my addiction, I learn that life in-game is not much different than the real life. The society in the game are similar to our very own real life. There are dirty politics and war against one another. The chase and hunger for power is endless. Competitiveness to outdo one another’s level sometimes gets pretty insane and ridiculous, where a player sometimes are willing to sacrifice their sleep and skip meals just to get ahead of another player. Some even cheat for MC just to play game. The worst case I’ve seen must be the confession of a former nurse who quit her job so that she can play the game.
I know a person who can play at least 18 hours non-stop without doing anything else. Impossible, you say? Well, if I was not involved in that bloody game, I’d say, it’s impossible, but that is the crazy truth. It is possible for some people. Games had become part of their lives very much that it’s made possible for them to be rooted in front of the pc for such a long hours. They are convinced that games is their life. They feel accepted and powerful by doing so.
Most of them formed a society in-game and was convinced that everything that is done in-game is real. Some games even allow you to get married online, and pathetically, they think that it’s real. Every now and then, in ‘secluded’ area/map in game, I would stumble across ‘couples’ who are busy having cybersex. It’s funny, but disgusting nevertheless.
This is actually an unhealthy trend. Such addiction does not only affect teenagers who are still in school, but also working adults who want to escape reality and depression but entrapped in virtual reality where life in there is almost equally bad and does not differ much from reality. The only thing that makes a difference in game is that it’s more colourful and people(players) are much more acceptive of you as you share the same interest with them.
The addiction is almost like being addict to cigarette, you simply have to have it. It’s simply hard to kick the habit once you’re addicted to it.
Here’s 20 ways on how to recognize that you’re addicted to online games/Internet at a very unhealthy level that I know off. Please feel free to share your way to recognize Internet/Online games addiction with me.
1. Using online services everyday without fail.
2. Losing track of time after making a connection.
3. Going out for recreational purposes less and less. You even shop online for things that can be obtain offline. (Like getting a pizza to be delivered to you by logging on to the pizza restaurant site and place your orders online)
4. Spending less and less time on meals together at the dining table at home with family, instead, you opt to eat in front of the monitor.
5. Denying spending too much time on the Net, and your intercommunication skill in real life decline badly. You have the tendency to be rude too.
6. Others are complaining that you spend too much time in front of the monitor.
7. Checking on your mailbox too many times a day while it’s not completely necessary to do so.
8. Thinking you have the greatest website in the world and dying to give people your URL. You also can’t help boasting on how great or pretty you are over the Internet and pine for admiration. In worst case scenario, you spend filthy amount of money just to advertise yourself on various medium so that you can gain fame and glory.
9. Logging onto the Net while already busy at work.
10. Sneaking online when spouse or family members are not at home, with a sense of relief.
11. Bad personal hygiene.
12. You started to have eating disorder as your diet is all screw up because you stop eating right.
13. You lack sleep because every now and then, you tend to lurk on the net til the wee hour.
14. You have the urge to say LOL, LMAO, OMG, WTF in your daily conversation.
15. You started to communicate and spend less time with family and friends, and they are quite unhappy with you.
16. Your eyes started to get blur, and for those who are already wearing specs and contacts, the power increases.
17. You’re no longer in shape because you are too lazy to make an effort to exercise. The only exercise you do these days are your fingers and wrists by typing on the keyboard.
18. You are armed with laptop or any other gadget that will enable you to go online where ever you go, because you simply feel that you cannot afford to loose connection with the Internet and whatever you do online.
19. You even look for hotspot and WIFI acess point when you have a drink or eat outside.
20. You proudly admit that you cannot live without Internet and you started to neglect your family because of Internet.
Addiction for Internet and online games are now considered at a serious level where it’s classified as a psychological and clinical problems in many developing countries. I know in Malaysia that this sort of addiction is also affecting a lot of people, however, no one make a fuss out of it or try to help those who are badly addicted to games until it’s affecting their daily lives.
People who are addicted to such things are labeled geek and shunned in real life just because they do not mix around well or simply too shy to make friends. While some really have no social life and turn to Internet for comfort, a good majority of others actually have a life and large social circle of friends, and yet could not get out of the addiction because no one is encouraging them to do so.
There are no support group in Malaysia for those who are struggling with Internet addiction. They wanted to stay away or reduce the time that they spend online, but simply cannot help but to login and play the online games or face the world wide web, just because they are used to login in and make contact with the people in game/Internet. Why the hell is no one in Malaysia is acknowledging that extreme addiction to Internet and online games is some sort of psychological disorder when in actual fact, the addiction is consuming and effecting people’s lives badly?
While it is easier to communicate and spill our heart’s content to unknown strangers over the net, I truly believe that real people in our life are much more important. Internet has played an huge and important role in my life, I cannot possibly deny that.
I realize that even after I stop being an addict to online games, I still cannot stop from being addicted to Internet, because in general, my life and work is quite digitalized. My bloody work is inside my pc, my contacts are even recorded inside, and even my personal pictures and journals are kept in the pc.
I am not saying that Internet is absolute evil. I have a lot of online friends, and I made them ‘real’ by meeting up with them once I get to know them very well. Some of ‘brother’ and ‘sisters’ who constantly bug me in my blog is actually from the bloody game itself. We used to play very hard, but luckily, not anymore, we only keep in touch via sms. Good things do come out from Internet, but we have to make sure that we are in control of Internet, and never allow the Internet to put a leash around our neck.
Over the weekend, I tried to keep my online activities to the minimal as I wish to spend more time with my other half and my family. I want to improve my relationship with the people around me, even though I know that Internet is the cheapest way to spend the weekend. Trying to keep away from the Internet is hard, but with the help and support of spouse and family who spend quality time with you definitely made it easier.
I know it’s not possible to cut online connection, as Internet has played a very important role in our daily lives. But what I want to say today is, try to lessen your online activities and appreciate the ones around you. They may not voice out their displeasure at whatever your online hobby is, but I am sure that they are slightly wounded when you brush them aside softly to continue doing whatever you are doing online. Start spending more time with people around you before they slowly drift apart from, and when you finally realize it, it’s already too late.
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Cleffairy: In an era where technology plays a very important role in our lives, we tend to take things for granted and totally depend on technology for whatever we do. But we must remember that by depending too much on technology, we are slowly becoming less ‘human’. It’s best not to overindulge and have balance in whatever we do. I have a question that I hope you all can answer honestly…will you be ‘paralyzed’ if you reduce the time you spend online?
nice work
I remember when video tape recorders created the video craze, many of my friend failed their exams. Now the computer technology sure takes away time from many people and also it is quite bad if someone stays away from exercise. Maybe someone can create a new exercise like…..Computer Tai Chi Move… Ha Ha.
Click, thank you for the compliment. 😀
Pete, technology should make our life better and not more miserable, don’t you agree? Also, techie stuff should be our slave, not the other way around. 😛
Cleffairy,
Have u watched Wall E the movie? Well that explained.
Gosh……..,u really can write…keep it up.
Yes, agree Cleff, we should embrace tech to make our life better.
Bro Daniel, I haven’t watch Wall-E the movie. LOL… all those cetak rompak and free online movie sites not yet have clear version. ( I don’t go cinemas)
Maybe gonna watch it when clearer version is out. 😀
Pete...haha… we should keep up with techies, but we also shouldn’t forget that we’re actually still human. 😛 I know some people who overindulge in Internet and stuff, and it affected their lives badly.My hubby use techies stuff to earn money, so I’m okay with him going online and stuff, but what about others? I know some family members are upset because their son/daughter/wife/ are too involved in online activities.
Cleff, I admire you for you really can write!.
I am crazy for chess online and used to play online. But I have got over it and no longer play just like I got over my ciggarretes. Yup, I am still smoke free and it is now 1 year 9 months.
in response to your identification of internet addiction list..
1 and 2—–> yes…i online first thing when i wake up (i still havent start work)
3—> no…i dont shop online though they are so many boutique blogs.
4—> no, my mom has a rottan waiting..
5—>i am still very much polite….actually, i dont know to be exact. no time to go out with friends, remember….-____-“”
6—> no-one complains cause i see no one in particular recently.
7—> hell yeah
8—> no….i dont brag. cause i got nothing to brag about. beside, my blog is accumulating molds.
9—> dont know. but if i do office work, i will on my MSN 24/7
10—> like porn website??!? no…lol~~
11—-> i still bath…
12—> my diet is already screw up. does eating chocopie at 12am sounds normal?!? and half a melon.
13—> yeah. cause wee hour, the internet connection is at its best..
wahhh….too long….*pant* *pant*
anyway, bottom line. i am an net addict. i dont do online games though. i hate it in fact..cause i had people around me talking bout dota n other net games…so when i am at home, my head is still buzzing with dota-language thus the hatred…
i used net mainly to download FREEEEE movies and dramas. most Japanese or KOrean…sometimes singapore drama….cause ermm…IT”S FREE and FREE is GOOD…
lol
i am addict to Internet, online is must do thing in my daily life…
luckily i never addict in online game… 🙂
# no one will go to taste the water, cos we scare is poison..
I am addicted but not to your level.. LOL.. still playing my football online manager game.. hmm… playing a few online mgr game.. takes up a fair bit of time daily.. at times to drool at my imaginary players and feeling satisfied with my achievements in developing them.. winning games that seem lost.. losing games that seemed won… ahhh… but I try my very best not to switch on the box on weekends on strict orders… so I guess I got myself under “control”
gosh…..what youve posted is so very true. we are so dependant on the internet that we’ve grown from lazy to extremely lazy. what you need can be found online. i guess, there are pros and cons on the infra…..we have to strife not to misuse it. i remember back in the ol’ days when i used to sneak into my sis’s study room and surf for porn…hahaha.
no….i dont do that anymore. besides, im married. why the fuss to watch other people having orgasms…..majority are fake….lol.
Calvin is so funny lol. But without internet we are so dead u know.
Nowadays even vocabulary I go for online dictionary. I am just so lazy to flip through the thick book kind of dictionary and search one by one.
But what you said is so true lar..Sitting in front of the pc for 5 hours a day make my butt bigger and bigger. Arghhhh!!!
Uncle Warrior, lol… if only what I write can make a difference in people’s life and stop nonsense that is going on in Malaysia. Sadly, action speaks louder than words. I love to play chess, the real chess, but these days, really pathetic, because no one would want to sit with me and play the game over a cuppa tea or snacks anymore. Things changed so much! I used to enjoy board games and cards during teatime or snack time or during weekends, but not anymore. Suffice to say that technology invaded and robbed me of board games pleasure.
Rose…wasehhh! You answered the symptoms. LOL… I din expect anyone would be bothered to even answer any of it. I got stuck trying to get rid of no. 3,(cuz online at home is alot cheaper than going out during weekends), no.9, no.10,no.13(totally love to online at wee hour, Internet connection rocks at that time), no16,(my eyesight getting worst), and no.18(i keep on complaining that there is no access in my parent’s house-but have to forgive me for that… my mom is a Queen control…tv also she dunwan me to watch after 10pm, tis cannot, that cannot, I anti onli…grow up also stil treat me like std 1 girl. ARGH! Thank god my dad pretty much allow me to do whatever I want.)
I used to be addict to online games, but not DOTA la… lol… that one too ganas for me liao. I simply cannot resist cute games like Maplestory, Pokemon and Doraemon, but luckily, I got over it. And I absolutely agree with you, free movies and dramas online rocks! Ahaha… save money, nonid to go to the cramped cinema! Eh, Internet is also my free manga source! 😛
Kikey… hahah…I think almost everyone over here is addicted to the Internet. It has become a part of our lives. Eh… you didn’t taste the bad water? Inside got poison? I wonder how it taste like! 😀
Kevin…I’m addicted, but not so bad til got no life. Still not yet a loser. Haha… I used to be badly addicted to MapleStory, that bloody game. Every now and then, I still login to play, but a lot less. One week maybe login once to chat with friends in there. Actually, it’s not that hard to get rid of the addiction, just need to keep ourselves occupied with something that is really interesting. For me, it’s writing and watching some addictive soap dramas in various language. Korean?Japanese?Spanish? Hokkian dramas? You name it…dang I even watch Philiphine movies. 😛 Good thing your wife had you under ‘control’… ahaha…she’s da boss! Ahahahaha!
Calvin…yeah, I realize a lot of people are also addicted to being online to do stuff. For some, the addiction is at a very unhealthy level til they really got no life. Sad thing is, there’s no support group to help them out. You’re right, we’re already lazy bum to begin with… with Internet, we get more and more lazy just because Internet is very convenient. Want wud, just google it. LOL den everything can get liao. When I was around form3, I got addicted to Internet badly, but not because of games, but it’s because I got addicted to writing fanfictions. LOL…ohh well, at least my language improve.
LOL…You know, when I first watch porn online…I puke! because I found it rather disgusting and not at all like my Mills Boon and Silhouette novels…haihh.. since then, I stick to reading sappy romance novel…at least I wun puke!
Celine lol… yalorr… no Internet we’re so dead and almost immobilized lorr…your butt getting bigger because you sit in front of the PC too much? Aiya, have to exercise la… 😛 I tell you, I even order pizza online…because pizza hut got buy one free one offer if you order online…alot cheaper than you call in. HAhahaha…
it is still ok if u addicted to the internet as long u still able to manage ur time and able to differentiate between online life and reality.
sadly, nowadays lots of teenagers, especially those school girls not only addicted to the internet, they also lost in the internet and causing so much social issue. an example, lots of these school girls get cheat by someone who they know online and caused lots of bad things happened to them.
they are so addicted to listen to those sweet words that those ppl who chat with them online, even during playing online games, those “buaya” is also hunting these innocent girls in the game since online games nowadays able to let gamers chat in the game.
another thing bad about the internet i wanted to bring up is those online social networking websites such as myspace, friendster, facebook etc.
a lot teenagers addicted to it and it is like they r not picking up the trend if they dun have 1 of these social networking site’s accounts. social networking websites was started for people who have no bf/gf to find aa partner. but nowadays, ppl just use it as a biodata site and put lots of their personal info online including their pictures.
actually this type of website is very dangerous, the more information u put in these websites, the more ppl know about u, including ur background. if ppl have bad intention, with all the info in these social networking website will be sufficient enough for them to plan for a kidnapping.
and also, blog is often misused as online diary which it is actually not suppose to be this. weblog suppose to be used as personal online information/article sharing site or other word, ur own online media press for u to publish ur own article. but lots of ppl using log as diary and write everything about themself in their own blog. this is also dangerous since more information about urself is exposed online plus ur daily routine might be written into the blog without urself realize it. this makes kidnappers easier to plan.
all these things i mentioned above is actually something good, but misused by ppl and caused them become something dangerous. also, it is about a person’s mindset. in oversea, ppl is not that addictive on the internet compare to malaysians and singaporeans. with better self control, the internet is actually a very safe place and it is something good, but unfortunately, malaysian and singaporean do not control themself well and addicted to something which is not suppose to addict.
about teenagers who influenced too much by the internet, their parents also should pay attention more on what their child is doing online. majority malaysian parents always neglected this and when something happened, they blame the internet is giving bad influence. so think and see, if they control their children to visit those social network site less and forbid them for putting much information to the website, it would be more safe rite? if they do not allow their daughter to upload their picture to these social networking sites, no guys will come and “buaya” them, correct? if they forbid their children from reading in K*nny S*a’s blog, they will not become sluts or fuckers under that blog influence, correct?
so parents also should do something to prevent their children from too addict to the internet and teach them to have some self control to avoid them to spend too much time online.
for adults, due to need to work and earn money, no matter how much u addict to the internet also, u will still able to control urself since if u dun work properly, u will have no money to eat. so there is no need to worry much about the adults. the most also that person will have less time to mix around with his/her friend.
Yalar, so stupid I know..
My butt seriously bigger compared to those time when I have no car and I have to walk walk walk and walk.
Now! Hmmmph!! Go everywhere ask my bf to fetch me! Eat ask him to ta pau! Eh, what’s the use of hands and legs ah??!!
Haha~
Clef, getting rid of one addiction with another addiction? good proposition?
Garfield, you practically sum up the pros and cons. i have nothing to say. maybe next time you should write about the importance of practicing anonymity on the net. 😀 I’ll be looking forward to you next article. Your latest article on copyright would be able to help people protect their works. Thank you for that.
Celine…you think I am very hardworking wan arr? I also very lazy lah… I can join your club…everyday so lazy oso. Order pizza also use Internet. Ahahaha… more dummy.
Kevin… hahaha, exactly what I did, get rid of one addiction with another…dunwan online so much, go watch pirated dvds or soap dramas. 😛
i can’t live without the internet. It’s like an extension of my body now.. (Msn on 24/7, my ‘eyes’, ‘ears’ and ‘mouth”)i feel handicapped without it, somehow its like another set of my 5 senses ha ha. When my modem spoilt for 1 week i feel like i have the mobility of Stephen Hawking. Still, ur blog makes sense. I shall restrict myself whenever i can.
P.s i thought Cleffairy is a type of pokemon. ha ha.. and btw, ur articles (and comments )are outrageous!! i love reading them.. glad to have stumbled on ur blog 😀
Vertigo… hahaha….alot people cannot live without Internet.. like you, I would feel lost and disconnected if I dun online in one day. As much as i hate to admit it, I have to be honest with myself, I am rather dependent on Internet too.
LOL… actually yeah…it is a type of pokemon…that fat pink coloured moon fairy…. I borrowed that pokemon’s name and created my first game character… lol…I got used to people calling me Clef or Fairy so much that when I start my own blog, I continue to use it. However, the spelling for the real pokemon’s name is Clefairy… lol… mine cacat-ed d.
dang am i an example in here? LOL
Heh? Fran, you play til 18 hours non-stop meh? Ahahaha…. I din realize worr… I was actually referring to Bloodya… that blardy bastard who keep on stalking people. Really no life! At least you still got social life, some ppl in there… really sore loser. LOL. 😛
haha only when i chiong den i play 20hours a day .. if not normal de is 10hr – 12hr? 😡 nth to do
but den again sch startin soon next week! (:
Si Fran! 😛 Reduce your gaming time abit lah… your butt always rooted to the chair…how to find bf liddat. 😛 Den summore, wait your eyes become bad! 🙁
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clef, i know exactly what u mean. i even played maplestory before. lol
Nadia, welcome to my humble blog.
Mischi3f…isn’t that right? LOL… I went nuts last time over maple… thank god i’m no longer addicted to it now… but I still play occasionally. Which server are you playing?
I found cleffairy.wordpress.com very informative. The article is professionally written and I feel like the author knows the subject very well. cleffairy.wordpress.com keep it that way.
I am addict when it come to net games too and i dont know the cure in this lol