Addiction

Can we agree that there are no addictions that are good? Even if someone is addicted to something like vegetables or to helping little old ladies walk across the street, they still represent a compulsiveness that tends to drive one's life much as habits that are clearly negative such as alcohol or drugs. Ideally, it is much better for us to be in-charge of our own lives rather than to have some "thing" be what drives our daily routine, actions and priorities. I say all this because I feel with the technological advancements in communication being made, one result is that many of us may becoming addicts without even realizing it.

What might I be addicted to, you might ask? Technically, nothing. (Pardon the pun.) But there are days when I feel as if I am close to becoming addicted to free cell, one of the many basic computer games like solitaire and bedazzled that are standard fare with all computers. Rarely does a day pass when I don't play multiple games of it. I find it fun, semi-challenging at times, and a nice distraction. I did not even know free cell existed until I got my first computer. Since then, I am guessing I have probably played close to 100,000 games. This suggests I need to be careful that this computer game is not or does not take over my life, especially when I am on the computer trying to work.

On a broader scale, from what I read, there are millions of people like me all over the world when it comes to computer games. During the course of our days we work hard - or try to - with one computer game or another serving as our companion. The games, as I see them, are largely harmless distractions. At the same time, their alure must not be taken lightly. They exist to lighten our days, not dominate them. There is nothing wrong with having diversion in our lives. Books, radio, television can and do fall under that umbrella and I certainly dabble in them all. But to my fellow computer game players, let us take a pledge not to let our fun with them get out of hand.