Fourth Blog: Internet Addiction

I've been ruminating on what that television segment suggested about the internet and its millions of cronies -- addicts. Quite frankly, I enjoyed more than just the internet addiction segment -- the portion about the abnormally normal family involving the gay couple was fascinating, almost enrapturing to me. 

I would, if time would permit, discuss my opinions on that segment as well, but I am forced to focus on the assigned portion.

I personally thoroughly enjoyed this informative snippet of television. In a nutshell, I simply agree with what the Stanford professor was saying. No, not because he was one of the more reputable authorities dictating their claims and opinions on the matter, but because he is right -- you cannot officially and rationally place a psychological status on someone until several extensive, thorough, and comprehensive studies and experiments have been performed. It pains me to admit to that being a most logical method of extracting the "truest" results because treating humans as test subjects just rubs the wrong way. But I am unquestionably surprised at the fact that little research--or no enough--has gone into this subject: if the pharmaceutical industry could create another category of addiction -- especially one this rampant -- to diagnose millions with, why on America wouldn't they? 

I wish I had the number, but nonetheless, a COLOSSAL percentage of this country---the world--- suffers from "internet addiction" because it is literally something we cannot get our hands off of. I think that Rock Center's report was only the tip of the iceberg because quite honestly the internet is what has sparked this addiction. Recall that one mother in the show had stated her son became uncannily abusive when she revoked his technology. Key word -- technology. She didn't just take away his computer, although that was his root of sanctitude for the internet, we also see him clutching an iPad in one image, suggesting that he transferred his addiction to suit his environment/situation. Therefore this issue is really a subsection of a much larger, and more prevalent one. But as I was saying, I can continue to go around and diagnose my family and friends as internet addicts, but in the eyes of psychological authorities, it means little, as exemplified by one man who was asserting that "you might as well create a golf, shopping...addiction too," or whatever it was. But I would argue against him there as well because people are addicted to those activities in some way as well. Every addiction has satisfaction as its root: we only become obsessed with any one thing if it makes us feel unusually good or just "happier" in general. So if buying things on amazon makes you feel happier than normal, if the sensation of receiving a package in the mail, slicing it open with a knife and proceeding to cradle the product in your hands before you open it and exact your intended satisfaction from it, then when you pass a certain threshold of engaging in that activity you would be classified as addicted. Essentially, you have an addiction when any action or activity that your survival is not dependent on becomes something you do more than routinely -- when your life is dependent on that activity. So those golf players who would say "they only get up every morning to play golf or become a better golfer than they were yesterday" are not addicted, but rather very passionate about their sport. There is a difference.  

I think I could continue blogging to what would appear to be an endless rant, but I feel I should stop for my own sanity haha. I'm sorry I left this so open ended, but hopefully the tangents can connect like a massive web for you as they do for me.

Kylesh