Behavior: It’s Addictive
I’m tempted to write that I found this story about “Internet Addiction” after many hours of aimless surfing the net, but actually I just got back from dinner with two friends and checked the headlines on CNN.com. Yeah, right….another Internet-Addict-In-Denial-Lie! And anyone who believes it is an….Internet-Addict-Enabler! As “expert” Dr. Diane M. Wieland points out,
“Denial is strong in Internet addicts who claim they cannot be addicted to a machine,” Wieland notes. The “one more minute” response to being asked to go offline is common and is similar to an alcoholic who says they will quit drinking after “one more drink.”
Why can’t we just say that some people might be happier if they were to allocate their time differently (more time on sports, or less time on sports, card playing, TV watching, eating, etc., etc.)? What’s the point of calling it an “addiction” when people develop habits they’d like to break?
I agree, addiction is an over-used word. I love that picture, though.
It is eye-catching, isn’t it?
> Why can’t we just say that some people might be happier
> if they were to allocate their time differently (more time on
> sports, or less time on sports, card playing, TV watching,
> eating, etc., etc.)? What’s the point of calling it an “addiction”
> when people develop habits they’d like to break?
But, how else will these phonies make a name for themselves?
I know, maybe they’re addicted to external validation!
http://www.channel4.com/life/microsites/S/status_anxiety/