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I feel that the West is backsliding because for the past decade, we've addicted ourselves to social media dopamine hits and we stopped observing the outside wor
by SkipperCat 2y ago
I feel that the West is backsliding because for the past decade, we've addicted ourselves to social media dopamine hits and we stopped observing the outside world because we've glued our attention to our phones. Seems like this has hit the under 30 group the hardest.
I remember being bored and having to create my own fun. I remember being aware of my surroundings and being curious about it because I didn't have my favorite entertainment media attached to my palm. I remember learning about thing such as what was in my Cheerios because the box was the only thing in front of me when I ate my breakfast.
It would be a joke to say that AI exists to fill the void from what I mentioned above, but it does kinda sorta feel correct in a weird sci-fi conspiracy way.
- fijiaarone 2y agoPeople used to get dopamine hits from writing code that works, fixing cars, climbing mountains, playing music, and asking other people out on dates. Dopamine addiction isn’t the problem.
- SkipperCat 2y agoTrue, but what you mentioned involves active participation, creation and social interaction. Sitting around scrolling on TikTok feels more like empty calories.
- deleted 2y ago[deleted]
- jfengel 2y agoWe've had TV for decades. Postman wrote "Amusing Ourselves to Death" in the 80s. We've always been addicted to dopamine and we were always getting it in the easiest way possible.
- kevin_thibedeau 2y agoTV wasn't as engrossing when there were only three channels. Fewer people would be full time couch potatoes. Cable's growth in the 80s changed how society allocated their leisure time on passive activities.
- jobs_throwaway 2y ago> People used to get dopamine hits from writing code that works, fixing cars, climbing mountains, playing music, and asking other people out on dates. Those all sound vastly more positive both on a personal and societal level vs getting dopamine from your phone
- gtirloni 2y agoGood thing there aren't phones and social media in the East (or whatever you want to call non-West these days).
- meander_water 2y agoThis is largely the conclusion drawn in Stolen Focus by Johann Hari (well worth the read). Although he argues not just in the West, but across the world.