Internet Addiction Disorder - Or, Who Moved My CrackBerry?
Culture by Atul Acharya at 7:40 am Add comments“Internet Addiction Disorder“. Sooner or later, this term had to enter the zeitgeist. It happened way back in ‘95, but now the trend-spotting ad agency JWT claims it affects “more than 1 in 3 Americans”. Americans are giving up socializing and other offline activities in favor of a WiFi signal and an Internet connection. Interestingly, the survey says many people think of their mobile phones as an extension of themselves. Maybe the surveyors forgot to include Japanese teenagers about how they feel about their mobiles?
John P., formerly of GMSV and now at All Things D, has a funny take on it.
I’m ambivalent about many of these (media-created/ publicized) “disorders”, like the “restless leg syndrome“, but if these are repeated often, do they become self-fulfilling prophecies?
On the other hand, the tribe of those CrackBerry Blackberry wielding people (you know who you are) is ever increasing. Lucy Kellaway, always the one to make fun of corporate trends and shenanigans, has her take on it. Even the WSJ dipped its toe in it talking about “Blackberry Orphans”. No doubt, to appeal to those same people.
(For the record, I am still haven’t joined the ranks… yet).
September 21st, 2007 at 9:37 am
Much as I am no fan of these manufactured disorders, in _this_ particular case, I am grateful that nobody has yet proffered a genetic causation theory
That would be a case of rapid, rapid evolution in the human race!
September 21st, 2007 at 6:32 pm
Given the interest, or lack thereof, of these Internet addicts in ummm socializing and procreation, perhaps there won’t be a _genetic_ cause after all?
I wouldn’t bet on it, though.