Technology “Addiction”

So there's room for improvement, but I hope that being intentional in carving out at least these handful of times every day is something.

The "discover who really has the power to break these supposed “addictions.” (Hint: It’s you.)" rethoric is always pushed by lobbies for industries who do not want to be considered responsible for the harm their products cause.

For example, MacDonalds and other fast-food producers have been pushing that in order to fight rampant obesity, people should do more sport, rather than have limited access to deeply addictive, processed and sugary-filled foods.

Because it's easier to get tobacco. Just ask someone, or pick up left-over pieces from the streets and build a new cigarette out of it. It's what I see certain homeless people doing all the time.

I classify this as "not so much." I'm fairly familiar with "addiction," in its classic sense, and this doesn't really bother me.

There's no doubt that "gamification" (karma, scores, like/dislike, rate, etc.) is designed to increase users' reliance on a UX. It works. I'm as cynical as they come, and it works on me. It feels like addiction, and putting it aside is uncomfortable (otherwise known as "withdrawal"). Is it seizures, massive cramps, and shitting myself? No, but it is uncomfortable, all the same.

It reminds me of Marie Nyswander's classic "broken brain" theory. That's the one where the doctor, in their lab coat, looks at you all serious, and tells you how your "brain is broken," because of your irresponsible behavior (gotta have the moral judgement there, dontcha know), you have destroyed your brain's capacity for creating endorphins/serotonin/brainjuice/whatever, and you are going to have a lifetime of agony and pain, unless you let them prescribe "Addiction-B-Gon™," the $500/month "nutritional supplement."

Here's the trick. Get them to give it to you in writing, on their letterhead, with their signature at the bottom. Exactly what they told you, verbally; that it's a permanent condition (as opposed to the few months that research proves happens anyway).

The "broken brain theory" has been applied to all sorts of deviant behavior. I've seen it used to explain drug addiction, alcoholism, kleptomania, pedophilia, sexual promiscuity, gambling, video game addiction, shopping addiction, eating disorders, political affiliations, reading too many pulp novels, heavy metal/hip-hop/swing music preferences, etc.

It's like a pseudoscientific Swiss army knife. It's one of those things that pretty much personifies the H. L. Mencken quote: "There's always an easy solution to every human problem; Neat, plausible and wrong."