Microwaves (There was a fear that microwaves would destroy the nature of decency of food culture, I for one use both an oven and a microwave and a stove for different purposes)
fast food
TV to newspapers
Computers to TV
Texting to writing a letter
In all of these cases, technology has found its place among the various options to fulfilling the need. Yes some people get addicted to videogames; but people also get addicted to alcohol.
Yes some people get addicted to videogames; but people also get addicted to alcohol.
So? Alcohol is (or was) also a superstimulus. It’s just that some human populations have been exposed to it long enough to become adapted to it. Specifically adapting to it by finding it less stimulating.
An example of something not a technology that people get addicted to.
Alcohol is not inherently bad—like say cyanide (or a bomb) might be considered bad because it’s primary purpose causes death; it’s the nature of people to use it badly. And principally—many people use alcohol (and videogames) without getting addicted to it, and lead a fully functional life while partaking in a bit of alcohol (or videogames).
An example of something not a technology that people get addicted to.
You have a very weird definition of “technology” if alcohol is not a technology.
Alcohol is not inherently bad
Only because (Western) humans have had several millennia to develop adaptations to it. Go to, say, an Indian (Native American) reservation to see what affect alcohol has on humans not adapted to it. It’s not pretty.
many people use videogames without getting addicted
Thanks to advancements we now have sustainable food, security of food availability. Heck! People have enough substitutes to meat to not need to eat it ever!
Yes the availability of junk food has caused some people to eat unhealthily; but the availability of vegetables has helped many more people to eat healthily and have fulfilling eating lives.
Technology frequently improves some things while making other things worse. But sooner or later people find a way to improve both the some things and the other things. In this particular case, maybe they haven’t found it yet.
technology stimulus examples:
Video Games
Facebook
Microwaves (There was a fear that microwaves would destroy the nature of decency of food culture, I for one use both an oven and a microwave and a stove for different purposes)
fast food
TV to newspapers
Computers to TV
Texting to writing a letter
In all of these cases, technology has found its place among the various options to fulfilling the need. Yes some people get addicted to videogames; but people also get addicted to alcohol.
So? Alcohol is (or was) also a superstimulus. It’s just that some human populations have been exposed to it long enough to become adapted to it. Specifically adapting to it by finding it less stimulating.
An example of something not a technology that people get addicted to.
Alcohol is not inherently bad—like say cyanide (or a bomb) might be considered bad because it’s primary purpose causes death; it’s the nature of people to use it badly. And principally—many people use alcohol (and videogames) without getting addicted to it, and lead a fully functional life while partaking in a bit of alcohol (or videogames).
You have a very weird definition of “technology” if alcohol is not a technology.
Only because (Western) humans have had several millennia to develop adaptations to it. Go to, say, an Indian (Native American) reservation to see what affect alcohol has on humans not adapted to it. It’s not pretty.
Wait until the market for videogame addictiveness saturates.
But more to the point, are you going to argue that video games have actually improved social iterations?
I was going to start with—they didn’t destroy the world. (because they didn’t)
And advance into; some video games have been beneficial.
That’s not what I asked.
I asked whether they in general have been beneficial.
Videogames are hard to say. There is a net complex situation.
Take the food example. Technology has enabled food to improve. Easy to say.
And has the presence of food based superstimuli, a.k.a., junk food, improved to worsened our diets?
Technology has improved our food and our diets.
Thanks to advancements we now have sustainable food, security of food availability. Heck! People have enough substitutes to meat to not need to eat it ever!
Yes the availability of junk food has caused some people to eat unhealthily; but the availability of vegetables has helped many more people to eat healthily and have fulfilling eating lives.
Technology frequently improves some things while making other things worse. But sooner or later people find a way to improve both the some things and the other things. In this particular case, maybe they haven’t found it yet.