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Then they shouldn't use the proprietary, opaque Skinner box. :) It's not like they have a gun to their heads.

whyever 9y ago
It's not so easy. You might have to give up a big part of your social life, depending on how much of it happens via the box.
marcusestes 9y ago
Neither did the rats.
bearmobius 9y ago
Some thoughts about the "no one's forcing you to use it" arguments (of which I'm also partial to, having removed myself from Facebook). Humans do have a need to socialise/connect with other humans, just as we have need food and water - we quickly lose sanity in isolation. To give an example, the worst punishment in prisons is solitary confinement (being separated from the other criminals!). The link between social isolation and health problems and ultimately early death has also been demonstrated. It seems to follow from this then that we do really need Facebook to the degree to which they control all means of socialising, and online communication is only becoming more and more primary over time. In other words, imagining the extreme case where FB is only means to connect with the world (and this is their stated mission), we can no longer choose not to use them anymore than we can choose not to breathe and eat, insofar as physiological well being goes.
- Karunamon 9y ago
  >It seems to follow from this then that we do really need Facebook to the degree to which they control all means of socialising And therein is the fallacy. Facebook might be popular, but they are absolutely not the controller of all means of socializing. Everyone I'm friends with on Facebook, I also have the email (and often phone, and often other IM service) contact info. You confuse generalized control with control in their own walled garden. Anyone is free to step outside of that garden whenever they please.
nunez 9y ago
Not having a facebook account is a negative social signal these days. The gun is metaphorical.

It's not so easy. You might have to give up a big part of your social life, depending on how much of it happens via the box.

marcusestes 9y ago

Neither did the rats.

bearmobius 9y ago

Some thoughts about the "no one's forcing you to use it" arguments (of which I'm also partial to, having removed myself from Facebook). Humans do have a need to socialise/connect with other humans, just as we have need food and water - we quickly lose sanity in isolation. To give an example, the worst punishment in prisons is solitary confinement (being separated from the other criminals!). The link between social isolation and health problems and ultimately early death has also been demonstrated. It seems to follow from this then that we do really need Facebook to the degree to which they control all means of socialising, and online communication is only becoming more and more primary over time. In other words, imagining the extreme case where FB is only means to connect with the world (and this is their stated mission), we can no longer choose not to use them anymore than we can choose not to breathe and eat, insofar as physiological well being goes.

Karunamon 9y ago
>It seems to follow from this then that we do really need Facebook to the degree to which they control all means of socialising And therein is the fallacy. Facebook might be popular, but they are absolutely not the controller of all means of socializing. Everyone I'm friends with on Facebook, I also have the email (and often phone, and often other IM service) contact info. You confuse generalized control with control in their own walled garden. Anyone is free to step outside of that garden whenever they please.

nunez 9y ago

Not having a facebook account is a negative social signal these days. The gun is metaphorical.