The Modern Struggle Is Fighting Weaponized Addiction (2020) • Hacker News Board

Re: The Modern Struggle Is Fighting Weaponized Addiction (2020)

#11

Post by milesrout » Tue, Apr 08, 2025, 6:13 AM UTC

ks2048 wrote: post #9

mig1 wrote: post #5

I agree with the sentiment of the article but I don’t understand the point they were trying to make here: “Before, you had to go socialize with friends; now, you can just get drunk with a bunch of strangers. Before, you had to go find a mate, create children and raise a family; now, you can just watch a lot of porn.” I’d think more of Facebook, Instagram and Netflix or the advertising industry in general like weaponi…

That line threw me too, > Before, you had to go socialize with friends; now, you can just get drunk with a bunch of strangers. "Before" what? I think being antisocial and/or drinking are as old as humanity.

I think it means before the author had access to alcohol. To expand it, before the author had access to alcohol [an addictive substance[0]], he had to socialise with friends, and now that he has access to alcohol, he can instead get drunk with people, which is (for some unexplained reason) a lesser activity.

Doesn't make much sense to me, but makes more sense than any other interpretation I can think of given that alcohol production is pre-historic.

[0] Personally I disagree. I think alcohol is a nice social lubricant and that also beer and wine are nice drinks. The demand for non-alcoholic/low-alcoholic beer and wine proves wrong the people that have claimed that beer and wine aren't really enjoyed by people that drink, and that people mostly just drink to get drunk.

There are people that ruin their lives in part through abusing alcohol but I don't think alcohol is to blame. Personal responsibility. If you can't handle it, don't drink. Don't ruin it for everyone else by imposing endless additional rules because some people can't handle themselves. eg. https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/557549/christchurch-city...

Re: The Modern Struggle Is Fighting Weaponized Addiction (2020)

#12

Post by lynx97 » Tue, Apr 08, 2025, 6:17 AM UTC

I disagree violently with this bleek kind of attitude towards almost everything. Moderation is a skill that humans had to learn eons ago. Drugs (I think people that spretend alcohol is not a drug can not be trusted at all) are not particularily new either. Yes, there have always been a certain amount of people that fail big time when it comes to moderating whatever they do, but this is not a new phenomenon either. Lots of people can use the Internet and Social Media without going nuts on it. Pretending everything is bad just because you cant get your shit together is holding the rest of the world hostage.

Re: The Modern Struggle Is Fighting Weaponized Addiction (2020)

#13

Post by joegibbs » Tue, Apr 08, 2025, 6:18 AM UTC

mig1 wrote: post #5

I agree with the sentiment of the article but I don’t understand the point they were trying to make here: “Before, you had to go socialize with friends; now, you can just get drunk with a bunch of strangers. Before, you had to go find a mate, create children and raise a family; now, you can just watch a lot of porn.” I’d think more of Facebook, Instagram and Netflix or the advertising industry in general like weaponi…

Yeah "before" - before when? Before Sumer and Ur? If anything getting drunk with strangers is way less common now than it ever was in the past. A hundred years ago it was all about spending the rest of the day at the pub when you knock off your job at the steelworks. Alcohol consumption has dropped heavily in most developed countries.

Re: The Modern Struggle Is Fighting Weaponized Addiction (2020)

#14

Post by jajko » Tue, Apr 08, 2025, 6:58 AM UTC

lynx97 wrote: post #12

I disagree violently with this bleek kind of attitude towards almost everything. Moderation is a skill that humans had to learn eons ago. Drugs (I think people that spretend alcohol is not a drug can not be trusted at all) are not particularily new either. Yes, there have always been a certain amount of people that fail big time when it comes to moderating whatever they do, but this is not a new phenomenon either. Lo…

Yes unless we talk about kids. They have no life experience, defenses, and are very vulnerable to skilled manipulative attacks. They form various addictive behavioral patterns pretty quickly.

Just look around how many kids are properly addicted to screens in some form. It used to be just passive TV, now its extremely interactive, bombastic, supplanting real social interactions. If you don't see a problem and its long term consequences, child psychologists and good parents (and even well-meaning countries) do.

Re: The Modern Struggle Is Fighting Weaponized Addiction (2020)

#15

Post by lynx97 » Tue, Apr 08, 2025, 10:05 AM UTC

jajko wrote: post #14

lynx97 wrote: post #12

I disagree violently with this bleek kind of attitude towards almost everything. Moderation is a skill that humans had to learn eons ago. Drugs (I think people that spretend alcohol is not a drug can not be trusted at all) are not particularily new either. Yes, there have always been a certain amount of people that fail big time when it comes to moderating whatever they do, but this is not a new phenomenon either. Lo…

Yes unless we talk about kids. They have no life experience, defenses, and are very vulnerable to skilled manipulative attacks. They form various addictive behavioral patterns pretty quickly. Just look around how many kids are properly addicted to screens in some form. It used to be just passive TV, now its extremely interactive, bombastic, supplanting real social interactions. If you don't see a problem and its long…

Those kids have parents. Maybe those parents should do some ... parenting?

Besides, the "somebody needs to think about the children" meme is getting old.

Re: The Modern Struggle Is Fighting Weaponized Addiction (2020)

#16

Post by jajko » Tue, Apr 08, 2025, 6:27 PM UTC

lynx97 wrote: post #15

jajko wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes unless we talk about kids. They have no life experience, defenses, and are very vulnerable to skilled manipulative attacks. They form various addictive behavioral patterns pretty quickly. Just look around how many kids are properly addicted to screens in some form. It used to be just passive TV, now its extremely interactive, bombastic, supplanting real social interactions. If you don't see a problem and its long…

Those kids have parents. Maybe those parents should do some ... parenting? Besides, the "somebody needs to think about the children" meme is getting old.

Thats a bit naive take to respond politely, I presume you don't have kids. You can't guard them till 18 100% of the time. Parenting adds value when parent is around and that time you can safeguard, which in school they're not.

Ever tried to discuss not having a phone with 16 year old teenager? That's a sure way to to make him/her a target for school bullies. They are still extremely vulnerable to addictive things I've mentioned.

Companies are amoral and are driven by profits and nothing else, some long term considerations are up to society to enforce via regulations down companies' throats. Also seemingly foreign concept to you.

Re: The Modern Struggle Is Fighting Weaponized Addiction (2020)

#17

Post by agapon » Tue, Apr 08, 2025, 7:28 PM UTC

lynx97 wrote: post #15

jajko wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes unless we talk about kids. They have no life experience, defenses, and are very vulnerable to skilled manipulative attacks. They form various addictive behavioral patterns pretty quickly. Just look around how many kids are properly addicted to screens in some form. It used to be just passive TV, now its extremely interactive, bombastic, supplanting real social interactions. If you don't see a problem and its long…

Those kids have parents. Maybe those parents should do some ... parenting? Besides, the "somebody needs to think about the children" meme is getting old.

Protecting children from real or perceived threats, temptations, evil things, etc was much easier in the physical world. In the virtual world it's much harder to put up fences.