I spend lots of time reading. Is reading an addiction? I don’t think spending time on something is necessarily an addiction. Can social media be an addiction? Sure, in the same way videgames can be an addiction. I wouldn’t go as far as saying video games are harmful. Social media is also different in that it’s a means of communication. It does have utility for communicating whereas video games or drinking doesn’t.
It’s not about how you consciously choose to spend your time, it’s about being able to choose when to stop.
I commonly hear from alcoholics that the problem isn’t that they want 1 drink, the problem is that they want 10 drinks. They lack the ability to moderate consumption and be able to consciously stop.
Social media struggles from this exact same problem. It’s so easy to just keep scrolling, to just keep seeing what’s further down the feed. Maybe I missed a picture that I would like, or something. This FOMO is intentionally designed and baked into the apps to keep people from leaving them.
You can choose to put down the book whenever you want to or need to, and maybe you don’t have a problem putting down social media either. But many, many people do. Just because you don’t feel psychologically pulled in doesn’t mean that it’s not a real addiction.
There’s an easy way to test this out on yourself. Commit to going a whole day without checking your favorite social media apps and add the parental control time limit to those apps. If you find yourself unconsciously whipping out your phone and checking social media, you’ll see the prompt to input your parental control code. If you’re anywhere near the statistical average human, you’re gonna find yourself mindlessly checking social media multiple times that day. That’s what I’m talking about.
> I spend lots of time reading. Is reading an addiction? I don’t think spending time on something is necessarily an addiction.
Anything can become addictive, really, if we use ASAM's official definition: «People with addiction use substances or engage in behaviors that become compulsive and often continue despite harmful consequences.»
The difference between books and feed-scrolling is stark. Books are linear, static and finite, while your feed is ever-changing and adapting to your patterns of behavior – and practically infinite. These differences are huge when it comes to the potential for "continued used despite harmful consequences".
Addicition is defined by its consequences. If you're engaging in a regular activity, that's one thing, but if you can't stop yousrself from doing it, even if it's harming you, that is addiction.
Is the book dynamically changing its content based on what it knows about your psychological profile in order to influence your beliefs and behaviours?
The deck of cards isn't changing its contents and yet gambling is an addiction. And if influncing behavior is such a sin why are you speaking? Don't you knoe that could influnce beliefs and behaviors?!
The outcome of the game is ever-changing. There is always the possibility that next hand (or dice roll) will give you the dopamine rush you crave. That is why it's addictive.
But.. that has nothing to do with the premise that reading books can be compared to social media.
>And if influncing behavior is such a sin why are you speaking
Because I'm on a message board whose accepted purpose is to read and share thoughtful (your comment excluded) ideas and views.
