It would be completely foolish to deny that some games have addictive qualities to them - look at how developers such as Blizzard hire psychologists to make their games more appealing. That short work-reward cycle feels fulfilling, and drives many people to keep on playing despite it being harmful.

> Non-gamers are bombarded by messages from the larger media-culture.

>So parents hear constantly that games are harmful, that gamers are all potential crazed gunmen, isolated shut ins and so on.

No they don't. Has the author noticed it's not 2007 anymore? To find substantial video-game addiction stories, you now have to go find them. They are not a part of mainstream culture, especially the crazed gunman stories.

>This is why we have televisions, magazines and newspapers – they are technological devices to sell us advertising.

Lots of media companies own video game studios.

To be sure, video-game addiction is a minor problem compared to drugs, alcohol, and sex addiction. But sticking your head in the sand is not going to win you any allies, nor does a persecution complex. Instead, stick to the positive benefits that video games have, and DO NOT overstate them, like marijuana activists convinced the drug is a cure-all.

The world has moved on. We(gamers) won. It's time to stop pretending we're a persecuted minority.