Man spends almost six years of his life at an Internet café

China has a rapidly growing problem with Internet and video game addiction among its youth. This issue is best described by the case of Li Meng, a young man who has essentially lived in an Internet café for over six years.

According to the Chinese media, Meng has been essentially living at an Internet café in the northeast city of Changchun, leaving only briefly when he needs to eat or bathe. He has been doing this ever since he graduated from university over six years ago. Whereas his peers went on to acquire jobs and make a name for themselves, Meng opted for a much easier lifestyle.

The owner of the café claims that Meng has been there for so long that nobody even notices him anymore; he’s simply become a part of the environment. He spends almost every waking moment tucked away in a corner, staring at a screen and mashing his keyboard with some snacks lying by his side.

A professor of psychology at Jilin University heard about Meng and went to meet him along with a colleague from Renmin University. However, when the two psychologists tried to question Meng, he simply ignored everything they said as if they weren’t even there.

The professor gave on questioning Meng up but decided to tip off a reporter from the Beijing Times. The reporter was more successful at getting answers. While Meng never took his eyes from the computer screen, he still answered a few of the reporter’s questions.

When asked how he makes money, Meng said that he sells items in-game to fellow gamers. He claims these items generate around ¥2,000 ($330.49) for him every month, about a fourth which goes to paying for his time at the Internet café. However, judging by the diamond-studded joystick he uses, he may actually be making much more.

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