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I don't get why people think that this is apple's problem. Do a better job of parenting. Have some self discipline. There are so many products in this world t

I don't get why people think that this is apple's problem. Do a better job of parenting. Have some self discipline. There are so many products in this world that take advantage of our biology. The iPhone is just one. And it's currently being obsessed over by media outlets. What about all the processed foods making people fat and unhealthy? What about Starbucks selling addictive drugs on every corner and getting away with it? Same with Coca-Cola, why is adding addictive chemicals to a soda that is sold to everyone including children okay? What about television? All of these TV shows coming out are designed to hook you in. Walking my dog every night, I can see everyone just sitting in front of their televisions, wasting time. If you are going to force a company to help people ween themselves from addiction, don't be a hypocrite. You have your own addictions and vices, what makes yours more valid than someone else's. If we are going to make products provide tools to limit their own use, lets do that with all of the addictive products out there, and not single out one company because it's trendy to not be on your phone.

rock_hard 8y ago
I also think generalizing smartphone use as “addiction” is a misrepresentation! I have no doubt that some people are addicted to their phones...but just as some people are addicted to Siracha sauce The media needs to chill the fuck out and move on to the next hype cycle...or better (but unrealistic): stop the hype around anything and just go back to reporting actual news
- tjr225 8y ago
  > I have no doubt that some people are addicted to their phones...but just as some people are addicted to Siracha sauce I don't think _anyone_ is addicted to sriracha in the same way people are addicted to their personal devices. Downplaying this problem is the last thing that should be done.
  - rock_hard 8y ago
    Via Wikipedia: Addiction is a brain disorder characterized by compulsive engagement in rewarding stimuli despite adverse consequences.[8] Despite the involvement of a number of psychosocial factors, a biological process – one which is induced by repeated exposure to an addictive stimulus – is the core pathology that drives the development and maintenance of an addiction.[1][9] The two properties that characterize all addictive stimuli are that they are reinforcing (i.e., they increase the likelihood that a person will seek repeated exposure to them) and intrinsically rewarding (i.e., they are perceived as being inherently positive, desirable, and pleasurable). ——— And now go and google Sriracha addiction
    - tjr225 8y ago
      The implications of a device and connectivity addiction are more grave than that of a Sriracha addiction - regardless of what the definition of addiction are.
  - fastball 8y ago
    I'm way more addicted to hot sauce than I am to any electronics and I spend all day on electronics.
- tpkj 8y ago
  Ah, but without the 24x7 hype cycle, the media cannot feed addiction to media.
  - rock_hard 8y ago
    Bingo! You win Hackernews!
egypturnash 8y ago
One day, an old man was walking along a beach that was littered with thousands of starfish that had been washed ashore by the high tide. As he walked he came upon a young boy who was eagerly throwing the starfish back into the ocean, one by one. Puzzled, the man looked at the boy and asked what he was doing. Without looking up from his task, the boy simply replied, “I’m saving these starfish, Sir”. The old man chuckled aloud, “Son, there are thousands of starfish and only one of you. What difference can you make?” The boy picked up a starfish, gently tossed it into the water and turning to the man, said, “I made a difference to that one!”
- agitator 8y ago
  High tide happens twice a day so I agree with the old man ;) I get what you are saying though, and I don't think that it's dumb to try to make progress and help people. I am just pointing out how irrational the world is and how many other problems there are that people turn a blind eye to.
- lainga 8y ago
  The old man then went home and penned an article titled "The sea needs to tackle the issue of washed-up starfish"; the Moon was blown up, and the tides ceased.
merinowool 8y ago
People like to blame someone for their own failures and this is why often socialist parties are so popular, because they are good at creating false sense of security.
gunmania0 8y ago
I agree, but you don't say to drug addicts "it's easy just stop taking drugs" because ultimately they will still reach for their fix. It's a personal decision, but the tools to self-manage need to be available. Apple could do more to alleviate addictions, however. You could argue that they first introduced these addictions in the first place. Red circles in the corners of apps have become a corner stone in computer interaction. "Do not disturb" and "Notifications" go someway to manage and alleviate this, but ultimately it's not in Apple's interest to provide mechanisms for users to escape their platform. If apps don't see engagement, developers won't make apps, which means Apple loses money. If users aren't bullied into updating their devices, the large majority won't update, which means Apple loses control of their platform. I hope Apple take a stand against this established model. It's gone far enough and it's extremely mentally wearing.

rock_hard 8y ago

I also think generalizing smartphone use as “addiction” is a misrepresentation! I have no doubt that some people are addicted to their phones...but just as some people are addicted to Siracha sauce The media needs to chill the fuck out and move on to the next hype cycle...or better (but unrealistic): stop the hype around anything and just go back to reporting actual news

tjr225 8y ago
> I have no doubt that some people are addicted to their phones...but just as some people are addicted to Siracha sauce I don't think _anyone_ is addicted to sriracha in the same way people are addicted to their personal devices. Downplaying this problem is the last thing that should be done.
- rock_hard 8y ago
  Via Wikipedia: Addiction is a brain disorder characterized by compulsive engagement in rewarding stimuli despite adverse consequences.[8] Despite the involvement of a number of psychosocial factors, a biological process – one which is induced by repeated exposure to an addictive stimulus – is the core pathology that drives the development and maintenance of an addiction.[1][9] The two properties that characterize all addictive stimuli are that they are reinforcing (i.e., they increase the likelihood that a person will seek repeated exposure to them) and intrinsically rewarding (i.e., they are perceived as being inherently positive, desirable, and pleasurable). ——— And now go and google Sriracha addiction
  - tjr225 8y ago
    The implications of a device and connectivity addiction are more grave than that of a Sriracha addiction - regardless of what the definition of addiction are.
- fastball 8y ago
  I'm way more addicted to hot sauce than I am to any electronics and I spend all day on electronics.
tpkj 8y ago
Ah, but without the 24x7 hype cycle, the media cannot feed addiction to media.
- rock_hard 8y ago
  Bingo! You win Hackernews!

egypturnash 8y ago

One day, an old man was walking along a beach that was littered with thousands of starfish that had been washed ashore by the high tide. As he walked he came upon a young boy who was eagerly throwing the starfish back into the ocean, one by one. Puzzled, the man looked at the boy and asked what he was doing. Without looking up from his task, the boy simply replied, “I’m saving these starfish, Sir”. The old man chuckled aloud, “Son, there are thousands of starfish and only one of you. What difference can you make?” The boy picked up a starfish, gently tossed it into the water and turning to the man, said, “I made a difference to that one!”

agitator 8y ago
High tide happens twice a day so I agree with the old man ;) I get what you are saying though, and I don't think that it's dumb to try to make progress and help people. I am just pointing out how irrational the world is and how many other problems there are that people turn a blind eye to.
lainga 8y ago
The old man then went home and penned an article titled "The sea needs to tackle the issue of washed-up starfish"; the Moon was blown up, and the tides ceased.

merinowool 8y ago

People like to blame someone for their own failures and this is why often socialist parties are so popular, because they are good at creating false sense of security.

gunmania0 8y ago

I agree, but you don't say to drug addicts "it's easy just stop taking drugs" because ultimately they will still reach for their fix. It's a personal decision, but the tools to self-manage need to be available. Apple could do more to alleviate addictions, however. You could argue that they first introduced these addictions in the first place. Red circles in the corners of apps have become a corner stone in computer interaction. "Do not disturb" and "Notifications" go someway to manage and alleviate this, but ultimately it's not in Apple's interest to provide mechanisms for users to escape their platform. If apps don't see engagement, developers won't make apps, which means Apple loses money. If users aren't bullied into updating their devices, the large majority won't update, which means Apple loses control of their platform. I hope Apple take a stand against this established model. It's gone far enough and it's extremely mentally wearing.