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Addicted to Information?

Posted by michael on from the metafilter dept.

SiMac writes "According to this New York Times article, two Harvard faculty members say that information causes a "dopamine squirt" in humans, a rush similar to that given by narcotics. Just as narcotics are addictive, information is as well. They've given the disorder of information addiction the name 'pseudo-ADD' because it tends to cause somewhat ADD-like symptoms."

10 of 429 comments (clear)

  1. tell me more by frovingslosh · · Score: 5, Funny

    Damn this is interesting! I must know more about it! More! More! And for some strange reason I want some twinkies.

    --
    I'm an American. I love this country and the freedoms that we used to have.
    1. Re:tell me more by WarpForge · · Score: 5, Funny

      The next Slashdot story will be ready soon, but subscribers can beat the rush and see it early!

    2. Re:tell me more by PetoskeyGuy · · Score: 5, Funny

      It started out when I was just a kid. I got hooked on Phonics. Soon I was reading everything I could get my hands on. I came from a poor family and my parents encouraged me. Said it was the only way to get ahead and I needed all the advantages I could get.

      I thought after I read all the books at my local library I would be ok.

      Then a "friend" hooked me up with the internet. I started out slow, 14.4k modems, then 33k, 56k. It wasn't so bad, I heard about people using multiple bonded 56k modems. I could still shut if off whenever I wanted to.

      Then I heard about broadband. I found a dealer in my area and started with ISDN but eventually switched to DSL so my wife wouldn't notice the extra lines. There's nothing like it. Now I'm always ON.

      But it's just not enough. I'm looking at getting a T1 put in or maybe going back to college. I hear they got in room Oc3 or better systems in the DORMS!! Damn - I'm shaking pretty bad now, gotta go.

  2. Don't be silly, it's not an addiction by HiKarma · · Score: 4, Funny

    I can stop anytime I want.

  3. Does this mean we can't get fired... by kaltkalt · · Score: 5, Funny

    for playing online at work? Americans with Disabilities Act protects us, eh? Kickass.

    --

    Stupid people make stupid things profitable.
  4. Yeah yeah by Dark+Lord+Seth · · Score: 4, Funny
    Mr. Lax, a 44-year-old venture capitalist

    Did anyone else read this instead?

    Mr. Lax, a 44-year-old unemployed scammer
    --
    Hate me!
  5. At the local ADDA Meeting... by soloport · · Score: 4, Funny

    John: Hi... I'm John.
    ADDA Crowd: Hi, John!
    John: And I'm a Salshdot addict...

    1. Re:At the local ADDA Meeting... by frovingslosh · · Score: 4, Funny
      That strange, at my local ADDA meeting it goes like this:

      John: HI... I'm John.
      ADDA Crowd: Hi, ..... err, whoever you are.

      --
      I'm an American. I love this country and the freedoms that we used to have.
  6. Re:I'm addicted by Ignominious+Poltroon · · Score: 5, Funny
    I'm addicted. This can be proven with that I always check up on Slashdot every fifteen minutes.

    No, the article is about being addicted to information. People who regularly read Slashdot are addicted to misinformation.

  7. Kind of an OT joke by RALE007 · · Score: 5, Funny

    The articles analogy to "ADD" and many references to it within the slashdot article reminds me of a joke I heard recently I'd like to share.

    Q: How many kids with ADD does it take to change a lightbulb?

    A: Hey! Wanna go ride bikes?!?

    --
    Beware blue cats moving at .99c