Mondes persistants : le portail francophone des MMORPG
Gene Emery with Reuters news service explains the social dynamics of his Sims Online experience.
more...Japan's Lost Generation
In a world filled with virtual reality, the country's youth can't deal with the real thing
By RYU MURAKAMI
05.01.2000
Hikikomori has become a major issue in Japan. Loosely translated as "social withdrawal, "hikikomori refers to the state of anomie into which an increasing number of young Japanese seem to fall these days. Socially withdrawn kids typically lock themselves in their bedrooms and refuse to have any contact with the outside world. They live in reverse: they sleep all day, wake up in the evening and stay up all night watching television or playing video games. Some own computers or mobile phones, but most have few or no friends. Their funk can last for months, even years in extreme cases. No official statistics are available, but it is estimated that more than 1 million young Japanese suffer from the affliction. One such young man was the protagonist of my latest novel, Symbiosis Worm.
more...