Can technology be an addiction? "Show children the world the way it is and the world will remain the same. Show children the way the world could be and heaven will come to earth."

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Permalink Reply by Kelin on March 13, 2010 at 5:24pm

I think television is addictive for a certain personality type. Personally, I cannot tolerate something as passive as watching tv for more than a few minutes. I don't find it relaxing. BUT, the internet is definitely an addiction to me, as is texting.

I definitely agree that technology addiction can be a problem. But since technology isn't going anywhere, I suppose it's best to embrace it (maybe not TV) and to make sure that we still spend as much time in the real world as possible :)

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Permalink Reply by Apple-Man on March 13, 2010 at 8:14pm

Most technological gadgets are stimulating in various degrees.

All stimulation can turn into an addiction.

When we talk about "addictions", there really are two types of addiction, or rather, two REASONS for the same ONE addiction.

The ONE addiction is, the stimulant addiction.

We, like most other mammals can get addicted to ALL sorts of stimuli very easily. Stimulation turns some of the brain's focus on one point, therefore reducing the focus of the brain on everything else.

It works exactly that way. It creates a distraction, so people can escape their realities, the things that make them unhappy about the reality of their lives.

Now there are TWO reasons why people can rely on stimulation:

#1 is MASKING.

In this case, you take a stimulant, and it requires so much energy from the body, that the body cannot feel anything else to the original degree.

It's like "Your foot itches? Here, let me HIT you in the face with a baseball bat, and you will no longer feel the itching of your foot."

#2 is ACCELERATING.

In this case, the stimulant creates a "red alert" condition in the body, causing the body to release vital reserves, resulting in a feeling of "more energy". Which is, almost always, welcomed.

It's like, "You're sleepy and you need to go to bed now, you're exhausted, BUT OH MY GOD THERE IS A STRANGER IN YOUR KITCHEN! WHO IS THAT!? AND WHY IS HE GRINNING MADLY??!!" so you suddenly become AWAKE because there is an alien in your domain. You literally "forget" your tiredness.


And these effects can be brought by food, music, movies, TV, drugs, internet, pretty much ANYTHING that we LOVE in the modern society.

Most people feel "bored" when there's nothing going on. They wildly seek some sort of stimulation. Put them in a totally silent, dark room and make them lie down, and they would be kicking and screaming in no more than a few hours. That's because they're used to having "so much going on" at the same time.

Lowering our "intake" of stimuli is a good and healthy move. Being calm, focused, and joyous is merry as it is healthful. It doesn't mean we have to be a "boring" person who sits silently, waters his plants and meditates all day, but it also doesn't mean headbanging to heavy metal to keep exercising when we're tired, or watching a movie because we feel "sleepy", or chasing internet forums for drama are healthful practices.

I am very interested in this subject, I'd like to make it the focus of my learnings in the future.

I'd also like to point out that for kids whose brains are still developing, stimulation of the brain is pretty important. I don't want to give a false impression that stimulation is all bad. Stimulation is ANYTHING that we experience from our five senses. The taste of a melon is a stimulation. So is watching the movement of leaves in a windy summer evening. But there are good stimulations and bad ones. The "good" ones are the ones that make us think, question, the ones that fuel our imagination, make us wonder, like looking at the stars and trying to figure out how far they really must be between, while they look inches away from where we observe them. Like chess, or intellectual conversation. These kinds of things.

The "bad" ones are things that do not ask any input back from you in order to progress. So for instance, while you have to input your line of thinking into a game of chess for the game to continue, you don't have to put in any thought for a movie to keep rolling. This is how television, movies, videogames, etc. turn people into their slaves. Also notice that they all tend to consist of loud, sudden noises and flashing, colorful, bright lights. These are VERY powerful stimulations. And it's really easy to get addicted to them.

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Permalink Reply by brian stewart on March 17, 2010 at 1:06am

apple-man you seem to be very well informed on this very serious problem. I know what you have said is a sad reality for many as someone very close to me is now in treatment for the exact symptoms that you describe. As a family its something we are not equipped to deal and would greatly appreciate any help you or any one else could provide. It seems ironic that I am using the same medium that we are attempting to find a way to control. The question is where do the the desperate go to find support for the help of something they had no idea existed. HELP!

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Permalink Reply by Apple-Man on March 17, 2010 at 1:58am

Brian,
There really is only one true way of getting rid of this: Just turn off the TV and the PC and everything else, and don't turn them on. For two weeks, three if you want.

No matter WHAT, do not turn them on.

That's seriously the only way to do it.

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Permalink Reply by ednshell on March 14, 2010 at 6:53pm

If you forward the video to 1:14, you can see the army's new way of recruiting, a virtual army experience center.

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Permalink Reply by Apple-Man on March 14, 2010 at 7:21pm

It's called VR training. Virtual Reality. There are lots of reading material on that issue, it's been in use for many years now.

VR training systems and video games grew up together. Some people in the field believe that introducing kids to violent games is a plot to keep the future's soldiers coming. Sure, not all kids who play them will become violent, but some will and there are actually people joining armies and saying they joined because they were inspired by some videogame.

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Permalink Reply by Patrick on March 17, 2010 at 4:21am

The simple answer to your question is an unequivocal 'Yes'.

There is absolutely no doubt that these technological products can be addictive and frequently are.

I have had discussions with home/unschoolers who think that there children are fine with watching TV, that they have the self-control and discrimination to watch only things of value and for limited times. I find that I can't really trust the opinion or evaluation of someone who considers that TV is a good thing to have in the home. I don't dispute that there are many great documentaries etc on TV, but there are other ways to get this information.

I think the words of Rozi Graham are a beautiful way to evaluate what we expose them to: "Show children the world the way it is and the world will remain the same. Show children the way the world could be and heaven will come to earth."

... with thanks to Karmyn, for drawing my attention to this quote from a recent interview, that I hadn't listened to at that point, which I promptly did!

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Permalink Reply by ednshell on March 17, 2010 at 9:42am

Oh my, what a great quote! When I read the book, they said when looking for research/studies, there basically were none or very little on TV. To this day, you never read articles about it or anything. For something so widely used so often there must be a suppression of evidence, imo.

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Permalink Reply by evilday on March 17, 2010 at 4:32am

Absolutely. I got rid of all broadcast television in my house a year ago and have been just fine without it. I mainly wanted my children to grow up without the influence of COMMERCIALS. Most of television is advertising in one way or another. We do not get local or cable channels, but we do have Netflix. I figure if a show is that important to me I can wait until the season goes to DVD and rent it. What's interesting is that as the year has gone by, I've either forgotten what shows I used to watch, or lose interest, so I use up my Netflix on fitness DVDs and documentaries (and a little MST3K on the side, haha).

I have a lot of game systems, though, and I couldn't imagine getting on without my ps3, although I don't really have any desire to give that up at the moment :) I've been a gamer since I was tiny and it's important to me. But I can say that I feel amazing without the cable because the TV was always on, while I play video games app. 3 times a week, after my schoolwork is done and my two kids are sleeping, so it doesn't dominate my life. It's a hobby, not an escape.

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Permalink Reply by ednshell on March 17, 2010 at 9:59am

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Permalink Reply by Apple-Man on March 19, 2010 at 2:45am

Network. Awesome movie.

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Permalink Reply by Patrick on March 19, 2010 at 2:25am

Not sure if this link will remain active all the time, but seems here on 30BAD is where the news is discussed first!

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/18/20100318/tuk-british-hospital-to-treat-...

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