From: utzoo!decvax!harpo!npois!eiss!ggw Newsgroups: net.misc Title: Re: computer addiction? Article-I.D.: eiss.341 Posted: Thu Jun 10 10:38:03 1982 Received: Fri Jun 11 03:51:04 1982 References: floyd.256 I must disagree with Andy's distinction that the person who gives in to "computer addiction" is the victim of a facination. To quote the definition he included: Addict: vt 1 to devote or surrender (oneself) to something habitually or excessively This is an exact description of the syndrome! The computer becomes a habit that a person will indulge in to an excessive amount. Moreover, to limit the terminology only to that which is in the dictionary ignores the connotations and implications that common usage endow upon a word. Addiction it is, and all the problems that follow up an addiction exist with computers. My wife has pointed out to me upon several occasions that my addiction to computing is not very different from the effects that alcoholism produce in a person's life. ( To say that alcoholism is a disease and not an addiction is just quibbling. Common use includes alcoholism in addiction.) Like alcoholism, the computer addiction can be traced from parent to child. My father is one of the early computer pioneers (worked on the IAS machine at Princeton) and succumbed early to the addiction of computers in preference to human interaction. A lot of hard work on his part, and love and understanding on our part was required to wrest him (partly) from the machine. (He will deny this part vehemently.) My brothers and myself succumbed also to the siren song of the computer. One works for DEC as a software consultant at their Phone support center, another is computering at a southern university, and I spend more time than I should as a consultant to BTL. Even our eldest sister "hacks" computers at a southern university. To wrap-up, I fully recognized the addictive nature of my behaviour and maintain close watch on my activity patterns to try and prevent a return to the days of "no-shower-in-two-weeks, never-combed-hair, slept-in-his-clothes-look hacking!" It helps me to remind myself, when I see a "real hacker" type to say "There, but for grace, go I" (signature witheld by request)