Is Technology/Internet addiction beginning to become a serious problem? - General

This is something I've been thinking about for quite a while, and I thought this would be a great place to discuss it. Basically, do you think that people's reliance on the internet and technology is starting to have an impact on their lifestyles and the quality of it? This may not be the same where you live, but where I live (in England) people seem to be constantly on their phones. When I started highschool most people either didn't bother bringing their phones in, on kept them switched off/on silent during school hours, maybe using them at break as something to do. By the time I left the majority of people would be actively using their phones, texting each other, updating facebook statuses and even literally phoning each other during lessons. Our year's grades were desperately below the average, and the majority of people who performed badly seemed to be those who were glued to their phones every lesson. I walk around town every day during my lunch hour at college and from what I've seen, more people are using their phones than not. At least two thirds of the people I see are on their phones. People are stood in shops texting, updating their twitter feeds while queing up or even maintaining a phone call while at the checkout (something which pisses me off to no end, I find it so rude). There have been several occasions where I have been at risk of being hit by a car because the driver was on their phone and didn't notice the red light (it's probably happened to me about 3 times in the last year, which is quite scary when I think about it). Someone in my town got put in a coma because they were hit by a car while texting (walked out into the road without looking), and plenty of people have driven into walls while texting. People text a lot too, I know plenty of people who have 12000 texts a month (O2's version of unlimited I think) and have managed to go over it. It's not even just the young people who are on their phones all the time. My dad checks his phone at every possible opportunity he has (thankfully not while driving). He will walk the dog and basically use his phone for the entire walk. He uses it while having a meal out with my mum. He even takes it to bed with him so he can browse the web during the night (and then complains about lack of sleep). So many middle aged women are texting and talking on phones while doing their shopping it almost amazes me. I overheard one woman say 'Hang on a moment, I've got someone on the other line.' (Amazes me they manage to talk to one person, let alone two at once) I may be overreacting here, but I think that people in general are becoming literally addicted to the internet and technology, and it's starting to have an effect on their day-to-day lives. People seem to be using technology more and more and it's getting ridiculous. A few people actually brought their phones with them into an exam because they didn't want to risk missing a call. In an exam. Personally, I use my phone only when I am waiting for someone or waiting for a lesson, much like you would read a book or do a crossword. As a way to kill time when nothing is going on. I don't use it when I am socialising (I think it's pretty damn rude) and I certainly don't use it while ordering food or making a purchase. What do you think? Do you think it is becoming a problem? Just to clarify, I think that the devices themselves are amazing, and the way you can talk to people all around the world with ease is amazing, but my argument is that people don't seem to be able to put them down, and are sacrificing face to face conversation and job/education performance to do things that could easily wait until your breaks.

If anything it's a positive influence on people lives. People are now more connected and more social than ever.

[QUOTE=King Tiger;35635113]If anything it's a positive influence on people lives. People are now more connected and more social than ever.[/QUOTE] I agree that it's good from a social aspect, but I think that people who use their phones while driving because they can't possibly wait ten minutes are a negative influence. And all the people who use it in classes and fail out, or the employees who use them during work and get fired. The technology is good, but people just don't seem to be able to put it down. Plenty of people are losing their jobs/failing at school/risking their lives because they are constantly on their phones. Too much of a good thing and all that.

[QUOTE=ChaosUnleash;35635119]I agree that it's good from a social aspect, but I think that people who use their phones while driving because they can't possibly wait ten minutes are a negative influence. And all the people who use it in classes and fail out, or the employees who use them during work and get fired. The technology is good, but people just don't seem to be able to put it down.[/QUOTE] Yes, but those are the same people who would crash their cars because of daydreaming or not paying attention even without a cell phone, and the types of people who would pass notes in class instead of texting, or the employees who would jerk around the office regardless or Facebook or email. You can't blame new technogies for causing these problems. They may be correlated, but they are not the cause.

[QUOTE=King Tiger;35635212]Yes, but those are the same people who would crash their cars because of daydreaming or not paying attention even without a cell phone, and the types of people who would pass notes in class instead of texting, or the employees who would jerk around the office regardless or Facebook or email. You can't blame new technogies for causing these problems. They may be correlated, but they are not the cause.[/QUOTE] I agree that it isn't the main cause, but I would think that it is certainly responsible for more people not paying attention. Passing notes in class is very hard to do without getting caught, and it takes time to write the note out and get it to your friend. Texting on a phone is very simple, most people are able to text without looking at their screen and so it is more tempting to fire off a reply in class rather than wait until afterwards to speak to the person. It would be incredibly difficult to not pay attention at the wheel, whereas now a simple text that you decide to reply to may end up becoming a full on discussion. Mobile phones make it much easier to do something that would have previously been quite difficult, and so more people will be drawn into it. It's a bit like the 'one more level' syndrome we all experience with addictive games, only texting at an inappropriate time.

I reckon it's become a problem. I won't deny that I myself am addicted to technology to a degree though. It was sad at the last party I went to (a beach party) because many people instead of actually socialising much decided to sit by themselves and glue themselves to their phones. I thought it would be a time where everyone else could just forget technology and have fun with the others there. I probably wouldn't go for too long without technology, but I certainly love the occasions where you are out with friends and there is none at all. I love parties because they are great opportunities to have good talks with people (and deep and meaningfuls if there is alcohol available), to do stupid yet funny and memorable shit and just to escape technology pretty much. I love camping, last year I went for three days with friends and it was great fun, especially sailing (the best shit ever, never put down the opportunity to do it). I wish we could have stayed longer. Internet was out for over a week about a month ago because our ISP was being real shitty with fixing the problem. I was able to live without internet. Although it's still technology it was a good thing too, as I was able to do shit I haven't done in ages (played through Halo 3: ODST after setting up the 360 again, it's an amazing game). Went outside a bit as per usual and took my quad for a spin around our property that is not too far away. Heh this reminds me how people always complement me for being very well tanned yet I still don't go outside too often. Wow that sounded so much like a blog. Whatev

Yeah, I'll even admit I have a problem. I'm on the computer all the goddamn time. In my opinion life would be better without all these luxuries but I'm already to connected to them to live like that

To a degree, it's sad that people can't go anywhere without bringing their cell phones. But on the other hand, with technology advancing so fast, this is pretty much to be expected. How long until the phones become implanted in our arm? (I know they were testing that technology last year) The problem isn't technology/internet addiction, it's what they do on there. Obviously, being connected is fine, but when it gets to the point where these people are spending hours on facebook sharing and liking idiotic pictures by celebrities I don't give a damn about, nothing at all is being used. It's pretty much the truest sense of a waste of time. All of that being said, I'm 20 years old and I've never owned a cell phone.

I can't wait until AI is so advanced that it will be sort of conscious (Technological Singularity)

Honestly, I don't see it as a bad thing. We're moving forward. Society is going to be very focused on technology, so we may as well get acquainted now. I honestly don't see a big difference between throwing a ball in real life and shooting a basket in a game (other than execution). They're both passtimes.

[QUOTE=ChaosUnleash;35635119]I agree that it's good from a social aspect, but I think that people who use their phones while driving because they can't possibly wait ten minutes are a negative influence. And all the people who use it in classes and fail out, or the employees who use them during work and get fired. The technology is good, but people just don't seem to be able to put it down. Plenty of people are losing their jobs/failing at school/risking their lives because they are constantly on their phones. Too much of a good thing and all that.[/QUOTE] Wouldn't that rather be a problem of society not adapting to technology?

I'd say it's more of a dependence today than an addiction for certain things.

No, it isn't a problem. The way we live is changing and we need to adapt to it. Technology is improving our quality of life and improving productivity in everything we do. It's something to be embraced, not feared. People need to stop being afraid of progress and change, technological progress is a great thing. We're no more "addicted" to modern technology than we were "addicted" to using fire to cook animals. It's not an addiction, it's a new and better way of living. Technophobes call it an addiction because they are horrified to watch the old way of life fade away.

Just because something is an overall positive doesn't mean it can't also at times & for certain people be a negative.

I'm voting a strong no. Technology is a way to continue our evolution - it's just that we suck at handling it at the present moment. Though you can't learn something without sucking at it first.

Spending your day on Facebook and claiming you're being more "social" is a stretch, and there's a lot of shit on the internet, no doubt. I think we've kinda missed a lot of the potential the internet had, but it's not a bad thing in general.

No it isn't, it's not physically addictive so it's their personal choice to spend all their time on the internet.

[QUOTE=King Tiger;35635113]If anything it's a positive influence on people lives. People are now more connected and more social than ever.[/QUOTE] Yet the more time one spends online, the more isolated he gets? Anyway, I hear OP. The connectivity and communication we have worldwide is actually pretty darn revolutionary imo. And is nothing short of a good thing, essentially anyway. Communication tech is very helpful so it's assumable that people grow used to it. It's like bringing any new tech on the table, whenever. But Internet addiction, and the recently brought up Internet-porn addiction, those are some real problems within those who use Internet and technologies a lot, but that doesn't make computers or technologies, like phones, a problem.

I'm perfectly fine. I can quit any time I want to.

I find when I'm around a computer it tends to take up much of my time naturally. When I'm not around one however I couldn't care less. I find other stuff to do, and the thought of computers/video games never really crosses my mind. It's a circumstantial habit, not an addiction, and I think that applies for most people.

Technology's always been a problem, and usually solved with changing how we use it, people just aren't adapting quick enough. Also "addiction" is a harsh term, dependant is more fitting, I rely on technology to be able to keep in touch with friends, or check my bank account and for the bank to be able to operate. I'm trained as a network technician, I rely on it for a job (That and the economy, guess which is letting me down) and when you really get down to it, I rely on it for food, shelter and safety. The problem with technologies are the people using them.

It's advancement, people will become addicted to new forms of entertainment and distractions.

The development of technology is speeding up. 5 years ago, people would only check their phones for texts, now it's all from emails, social networks to video news. To an extent, we (humans) are becoming networked nodes, each independent but still connected. Facebook will soon reach 1 billion users, a development that took 8 years in total. It will in the near future, not be able to be friends with a complete stranger who is not one of your other friend's friend. Augmented reality is coming both in-form of google glasses and incorporated into cars which will soon drive themselves without human intervention. Weather we reach the technological singularity or not in the coming decades, I care nothing about. The main thing is we are getting there and we WILL reach it.

What angers me to no end is people who use their phones at unappropriate and even sociable times. I shouldn't have to avoid a collision course with the person who is walking towards me in the street because they are distracted. I shouldn't have to waste my time sitting out in a restaurant with my friend so we can chat, only for them to prefer spending half the evening messaging away to someone else (or social networking). I shouldn't have to do your job because you can't call that person later. I never could understand needing to stop a conversation with someone because their phone rings but that's just me i guess. It's not a technological problem, it's people being complete social bel-ends. The internet has changed who i am as a person, what i know and for me, the importance of the internet is purely for it's information. I hate alot of the civil drama that it seeps but saying that, the whole thing is entwined socially that it couldn't exist without the 'people' part.

Yes. I am disconnecting the internet at home because I do nothing but read facepunch and other forums. Also, I'm going to be a dad soon so I want to beat my internet addiction before it's too late! Still have access to email and forums at work though, but will have to use willpower to restrain myself to lunch breaks only. I've made a real effort to be more social this year. I found a local gaming club and we meet up a fair bit to play board games (Game of Thrones is a current favourite), and go to movies and stuff, and I started going to a church again after not going for about three years.

I'm fairly certain people debated this when TV was becoming popular, same applies to radio and even plays during the Shakespearian era. It's the thing everyone does, society and culture for that era build up around the technology that's most popular at the time. Sure there's the long term health problems which can arise, but when these problems become more apparent to the general populace, the problems will drop.

No, simply because those who are 'glued to their phones', at least in my school, are the ones you would expect to perform badly.

I know that almost everyone in the classroom at I am in right now has a cell phone. Most of them don't use it for school related tasks, most just play games and text. Me and a few others on the other hand use it to take notes in class (whenever I can). And occasionally search some stuff up when needed (such as translations or something explained in a different way such as in a video or different diagrams.) honestly I like using technology with me in class, it helps a lot how I can learn better with it. Though my phone isn't the best note taking method in some subjects such as math. Also, my school doesn't even have wifi. Tl;dr: some people have the technology, some don't. It really depends on who using it and how they are using it.

Sometimes when I find myself needing to be rid of distractions for the day I just pop my sim card from my Samsung Captivate into an old (but dependable) flip phone just in case I need to make a call. I don't deny the positive power that phones can carry, but you have to be aware of potential downsides as well.

I don't get what the big deal with phones suddenly became within the passed 5-6 years. Everywhere you go in public or in school, there's people on their phone texting, browsing the web, etc. I can't even find enough to do on my computer at home, let alone taking it everywhere I go. I went to a restaurant a couple of months back and there was an entire family sitting at a table, and all of them were on their phones texting and doing whatever, and not communicating with eachother. I find it pretty stupid and people are becoming way too reliant on technology, and I honestly think things would be much better in society if technology wasn't being used or relied on as much as it is. There are many upsides to it though. The world is progressing very well due to technology and people are staying connected with eachother and socializing easier. It's got both upsides and downsides to it, but I'm kinda in the middle when it comes to "being a problem". Some people are really addicted, some people are just tolerant of it and use it casually.