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Are Americans Addicted to Technology?

Posted by Zonk on from the i-actually-need-the-high-speed-internets-though dept.

jomammy writes "According to a recent Wired article, the majority of Americans are becoming increasingly dependant on their gadgets. High speed internet seems to be the one most determined to be a 'necessity'. A third of the country is said to pay more than $200.00 a month for their addiction, where 4 out of 10 pay between $100.00 and $150.00 a month. Other items in this list of 'gadgets' include, mp3 players, dvd players, laptops, handhelds, etc." How addicted are we? How addicted are you?

25 of 359 comments (clear)

  1. Only $200/mo by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Posers!

  2. Ohh Ohhh! I'm So Addicted! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    Help! I keep refreshing Slashdot! Oh no!

    1. Re:Ohh Ohhh! I'm So Addicted! by zee-mich · · Score: 2, Funny

      Help! I keep refreshing Tubgirl! Oh no!

      --
      i rock you.
  3. addiction by Clover_Kicker · · Score: 4, Funny

    I can quit any time I want.

    1. Re:addiction by SnprBoB86 · · Score: 2, Funny

      Bender? Are you jacking on in there?

      --
      http://brandonbloom.name
    2. Re:addiction by Frequency+Domain · · Score: 5, Funny

      I told my wife "To prove how much I love you, I'd give up the internet for a year. To prove how much you love me, you won't ask me to."

    3. Re:addiction by rgoldste · · Score: 5, Funny

      Quitting is easy. I've done it several times already.

    4. Re:addiction by DCstewieG · · Score: 5, Funny

      I brought up a similar rhetorical question with my girlfriend....boy was that barking up the wrong tree. I hope you got a better response than me! We're fine but that night was a bit awkward.

  4. the first step is admitting you have a problem by cygnus · · Score: 4, Funny
    How addicted are we? How addicted are you?
    shut up shut up shut up!!

    :)

    --
    Just raise the taxes on crack.
  5. How addicted? by PasteEater · · Score: 5, Funny

    Well, I'm on vacation and I'm reading Slashdot.

    That about says it all.

    --
    There are two kinds of people in the world: those with loaded guns, and those who dig.
  6. Hey.. by 88NoSoup4U88 · · Score: 5, Funny
    Are Americans Addicted to Technology?

    They misspelled 'porn'.

  7. Addicted to Taxes, too by renimar · · Score: 5, Funny

    By that reasoning, we must also be addicted to taxes, because I know I pay well more than $200/month in income, sales and other taxes. Who do I talk to about giving up taxes?

    --
    In other news, Microsoft Windows users are now covered under the Americans with Disabilties Act...
  8. Re:Spec-Tech-ular. by oobob · · Score: 2, Funny

    You forgot about Poland.

  9. Re:Expensive by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    In Canada, 3Mb/s is $48 per month... cheaper if you go with a smaller provider !

    $48 per month? That's like $3.34 US! How do you guys get internet so cheap up north?

  10. +5 Funny? by jZnat · · Score: 4, Funny

    Should be +5 Informative. We all know that the Internet is for porn...

    --
    'Yes, firefox is indeed greater than women. Can women block pops up for you? No. Can Firefox show you naked women? Yes.'
  11. I'd answer but... by h4ckintosh · · Score: 2, Funny

    I have to answer my cell phonce, txt my friend and check my email first.

    --
    Oh well, what the hell
  12. Re:Pfft by flyonthewall · · Score: 4, Funny

    Until you reach the magic number of 42 it is.

    Squeek!

    --
    "The avalanche has already started. It's too late for the pebbles to vote." - Kosh
  13. Good thing by Stan+Vassilev · · Score: 1, Funny

    Been refreshing all day to get the new Slashdot article you guys! This is my comment. Hi Mom!

    Ok now the race begins for the next article.
    F5. F5. F5. F5. F5. F5. F5. F5. F5. F5. F5. F5.

  14. Re:Pfft by plover · · Score: 4, Funny
    Are we selling our first-born children in order to satisfy our lust for new gadgets?

    Exactly which gadgets did you have in mind?

    --
    John
  15. I'm not addicted. Never! by unics · · Score: 1, Funny

    Lets see...

    -I have synchronous internet service with cable and dial backup
    -I have a pbx
    -I have remote internet access
    -I always carry my laptop computer
    -I host my own email
    -I have all IP based phones
    -My lights in the house are electronically controlled

    What on earth are you talking about addicted. ;-)

  16. Re:Pfft by xTantrum · · Score: 3, Funny
    If the thing in question makes the person do questionable things, hurt themselves, or otherwise make it difficult for them to live a normal and happy life, then it is addiction
    so like a wife?
    --
    $action = empty(PHP) ? backToC() : unset(PHP) ; "when the concrete cases are understood, the abstractions are readily
  17. Remember the Eloi by krysolid · · Score: 2, Funny

    Anyone read "The Time Machine" and remember the Eloi, the surface dwelling
    flower children that used the technology that was left them, but after
    generations forgot how it worked. Do you happen to recall that they were
    food for the cannibalistic Morlocks? This is what happens with dependency.

    Think back though history and does anyone know when there was ever a group
    of people dependent on something, that another group did not find out about
    and take advantage of? Opium/China, Oil/USA, Grain/Russis, Cocaine/USA,
    Cheap Labor/USA, CheapGadgets/USA ...

    Lucky we have lots and lots of money in the back isn't it? Huh??????

  18. Re:Addicted? by munpfazy · · Score: 2, Funny
    I can go all the way around the world without using any technology!


    That's a mighty long swim.
  19. It may be true... by azuredragon23 · · Score: 2, Funny

    ...but the article makes it sounds as if it is a bad thing. Without tech, we would be reduced to killing each other for wealth, power, resources, women, etc. Now that we do have it... oh.. heh... la dee daa...

  20. well in my case by bdigit · · Score: 3, Funny

    I am typing this comment from my toilet on my laptop... oh and I'm American