Raverbasher wrote:
Although it was never my intention to end up in this situation (I just wanted to give examples of why people haven't got TBC, I didn't realise the extent of the polemical views about the matter), I now feel on the defence of unemployed people (I study and work). I can only give a microcosmic example, but the fact that there is one means there are plenty more. Hence why I cited that 7 million people play this game. That's more people than the population of Scotland! (The country that Braveheart's about if that helps:
http://wikitravel.org/en/Scotland). To start with, my friend did not buy his PC; it was a gift from his gf's brother, as was WoW. Secondly, he lives in a flat with 4 other people and receives housing benefit, so the British government pay his rent. Due to the fact that he lives with 4 other people he's paying about £4 a month for his line rental. His gf is disabled, so he doesn't work, he looks after her and plays WoW, as he can't afford to do anything else. British benefits are barely enough to feed yourself on and you certainly can't have a life.
I also know this on a personal level as when I was unemployed all I did was eat beans and play Diablo II online, occasionally going for walks. This is why I got it together and am now in my final year of University working part time. But the fact is that, for whatever reason, some people don't or can't.
Simply saying 'get a job' is ignorant, small minded and bigoted. And this is from someone who's been there, done it, and got out. The world doesn't revolve around you or WoW.
While it sucks your friend is in that situation, I have to wonder how disabled his GF really is. Does she require constant attention and needs his help for every little thing as going to the bathroom or eating? I wonder this as what a lot of people consider as disabled (at least in the US) is to where they are usually able to function in their daily lives, but cannot work until their injury or sickness is healed. But you mention you are in the UK so I don't know how people treat disability over there. Still, what about her parents and siblings? Why aren't they taking care of her instead of your friend?
Maybe it isn't right to say just get a job is ignorant, but telling people they shouldn't be playing the game if they can't afford the expansion isn't. You don't need to play games to live and if money is strapped to the point a one time investment equal to about $40 US is too much for you, then you need to stop playing a game that costs per much. It's called getting your priorities in order. It isn't the only thing your friend can do if he's taking care of his disabled GF. Libraries are great sources of free entertainment, especially the ones that let you borrow movies along with books. There is also TV that's free to watch or other sort of activities that don't require monthly fees. WoW may be the best entertainment he has, but in the situation he's in, it's the last thing he should be playing.
I too am unemployed at the moment, but I don't play WoW either. Back 6 months ago I stopped when I was finishing up my master's degree even though I knew I had the means to keep playing after school. My reasons were that the game would make me spend extra money that I really should be saving to get myself established and it would distract me from finding a job. I love the game and can't wait to get back and play with the friends I made in the game, but getting my feet on the ground was more important than logging into WoW every night. I know every minute I would be playing the game I could be spending looking for a better job or something that will improve my situation.
To respond directly to Jord's original post, I agree. Back when I was still playing, I never joined BGs until I was at least in the x7-x9 part of the bracket because I knew I wouldn't be able to hold my own and it really wouldn't be fun to me or others. But people usually don't care about what others want, they only care about 3 people: Me, Myself, and I. It sucks that because of their stubborness that they are gimping people over 60 in PvP, but what I really hope I never hear is their complaining because they are getting owned by 70s. People did the same in Battlefield 2 when they didn't buy the expansions and found out expansion owners could play against non expansion owners.
