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Is social media more like cigarettes or junk food?

newyorker.com

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Re: Is social media more like cigarettes or junk food?

#41

Post by littlecranky67 »

honestSysAdmin wrote: post #36

Thanks to social media, Facebook in particular, and sometimes Instagram, I have gotten laid. Thanks to social media I have gotten laid more than I otherwise would have, or probably should have. I have not had the same experience with cigarettes and junk food.

Not saying it is your situation, but we often rationalize addictions and justify having them - often with some sort of utility. When I was a young smoker, I told myself smoking allows me to get laid as I would talk up to women in bars and clubs in the (calmer) smoking areas and it was easier to hit on them and get their numbers. While true, the negative impact of smoking in general does not outweigh that. And if I wouldn't have smoked, I could have just as well hit on women on the streets or in the noisy club. Just as you can get laid without social media.

Re: Is social media more like cigarettes or junk food?

#42

Post by williamjinq »

I think most of the people overemphasize the harmness of social media.

I actually find connecting with my real-life friends a meaningful and satisfying experience.

But things are getting worse once I started to follow influencers and those I don't know in my real life.

Re: Is social media more like cigarettes or junk food?

#43

Post by HenryBemis »

superkuh wrote: post #3

[flagged]

Yes and No.

Newspapers, Electricity (let's call this a platform), Radio, TV did not penetrate 99% (don't quote me on the number) of the planet's population. Social media did/does since 99% of the people can have a portable computer in their pockets.

(I am using '99%' very liberally - every person that can, has, and there are very few that avoid social media like the plague)

It feels like every next technology was had larger audience than the previous one (on its peak).

I remember a friend telling me about Instagram, and I was thinking 'how is this a good idea??' well, turns out it's not the best. And I fear that with Zuck becoming best friends with DJT he will eventually make his dream come true and make that 'instagram for pedophiles' (aka Instagram for kids). Then give it 10 years and let's see what DSM or ICD10 will say about that.

But hey.. money, amiright? Like the famous New Yorker cartoon about shareholders.

Re: Is social media more like cigarettes or junk food?

#44

Post by card_zero »

lm28469 wrote: post #33
superkuh wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You'll find it's actually "gambling disorder" and it's the only behavioral disorder of it's type grandfathered in to the DSM.

Cool story, homosexuality was a mental illness according to your Bible at some point... Almost as if science was a fluid thing, almost as if we updated our knowledge as we go, almost as if this was only possible through debating opposing views, very weird.... But you're probably right we should stop even thinking about it, the DSM doesn't talk about it so why would we

Perhaps this right here is the very process of thinking about it.

Re: Is social media more like cigarettes or junk food?

#45

Post by saghm »

jf wrote: post #15

On the basis of the headline alone, I would say "cigarettes" because I have quit two different social media sites using the technique described in the book "Allen Carr's Easy Way To Stop Smoking"

Wouldn't this be consistent with social media being easier to quit than both junk food _and_ cigarettes? Given that, I'm not sure how can conclude which of them is more similar.

As an alternative take, my understanding of the difference between cigarettes and junk food is that cigarettes are more physically addictive than junk food (which at least to my naive medical understanding is more of a "psychologically addictive" substance than something that the body will literally start to reach poorly to withholding after repeated intake). I haven't heard of anyone ever suffering physical withdrawal symptoms from having to wean off of either junk food or social media, which makes them seem much more similar to me than either are to cigarettes.

As an alternative to either of the headline options, maybe it would make sense to compare it to alcohol? Unlike cigarettes, most people are not physically addicted to it when using, but unlike junk food, you still shouldn't be using it when driving.

Re: Is social media more like cigarettes or junk food?

#46

Post by pjerem »

rpmisms wrote: post #32

Depends. I have quit social media, cigarettes, and nicotine at large. Nicotine was the easiest, cigarettes the hardest.

Ironically (pure) nicotine is not that bad for the health, it’s just really addictive so it have been added to cigarettes for just this.

It can even have some good benefits if you are chronically stressed. I wonder if it could be an alternative to benzodiazepines for occasional use.

I never took nicotine so I don’t know how quick the addiction would come. With benzodiazepines it’s a really hard addiction but not if you take it once in a while.

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