Читать книгу Overcoming Internet Addiction For Dummies - David N. Greenfield - Страница 13

Today, digital screen devices reflect a wide range of technologies and include iPhones and Android smartphones; iPads, Kindles, and other tablets; laptop and desktop computers; and streaming devices and smart TVs. These days, it’s very difficult to find something that isn’t directly or wirelessly linked to the Internet. You will likely almost always have easy access to an Internet connection portal, which increases your overall risk for developing an addiction or unhealthy Internet use habits.

All digital devices have the power to rob you of your time and attention, and this imbalance creates problems.

The power of, and attraction to, the Internet comes from its ability to connect people with other people, information, and services. This has essentially changed the way we live our lives; however, the most powerful aspect of the Internet is its addictive potential. The way the Internet works can lead to increases in the amount of time you spend online, irrespective of the specific content you consume.

The Internet is neither good nor bad — it’s amoral. It has no feelings in its power to captivate you. However, you should always keep in mind that the only goal of everything online is to capture and hold your attention. It’s not necessarily a nefarious intention, but nevertheless, it’s a potent force whose purpose is to keep you screen-bound (for largely economic reasons). The only way out of the black hole of the Internet is to take back control of your time and attention.

Smartphones are the world’s smallest slot machines. Their ease of access and availability make them highly addictive Internet access portals. And making smartphones even more addictive are the notifications they provide you. Each time you receive a notification of some type, your brain registers a triggering signal that a desirable message, information, or content is waiting for you. This facilitates your continually picking up and checking your phone all day long. There are estimates that many of you pick up your phone a hundred times or more a day! The activation of possibly finding something pleasurable when you’re checking is even more rewarding than the content itself. Nothing is more intoxicating than maybe.

See Chapter 4 for more information on the addictiveness of smartphones and the Internet.