Problem in A Moving Train?

Yoyoyo

It has caught my attention that some users of this board have 10k+ posts. I understand that alot of what you get from the posts here is on a more personal level, interacting with friends type of idea. But where do you draw the line that in communicating through this medium becomes harmful or destructive in real life. Is there a real life anymore that is separate from this place? Does posting here become addictive in nature, in that it possesses a majority of your thoughts?

I have been caught in an "internet addiction"(not pron) once before and I am wondering if this pattern would continue here if I persisted.


I found this guy talking about it:

"I’ve decided that I’ve been spending too much time on a few different Internet forums. I probably spend too much time on the Internet period. It’s become an addiction and that addiction doesn’t go well with the rest of my life. I read a few things on the Internet about people being addicted to Internet forums. Apparently quite a few people have this problem.

My problem is that I would spend hours at night surfing the forums and posting to them. Most of the time it seemed that it was more of a “status thing” on the forums for me. I was easy to want to be popular and have lots of posts, and post answers to questions you know. Whatever thing you are into (for me it was knives) it seems to make you want to buy or do more of that thing. For me just merely reading about another knife would make me want to purchase it. Good high resolution pictures of the knife would make me want it even more. It was getting insane.

It had to end. I decided that I am going to stop going to the forums altogether for at least 30 days. I am starting this today. I am doing this because going to the forum has become such a habit that it’s almost like “wrote memory”. It is just something that I do when I’m bored. Instead, I should be doing something better with my life like going outside, interacting with real people face to face instead of online, or exercising. I should go to the park with my family, or get more things done around the house, or actually USE my knives. It had gotten to the point that I had so many knives that they would be used so infrequently that they would look new all the time. That has stopped. I sold all of my knives and we are using the money for better things. I know have 2 knives that I use and carry, and they are getting scratched up and looking used. This is a good thing. For those of you, who don’t understand forum addiction or the love of edged tools; just substitute your own type of addiction. Most addictions work in a similar way.

So, now my spare time will be spent in a more productive fashion. I do think to a certain extent Internet forums are good. You can make friends there, even friends that you actually end up meeting in person. You can get a lot of good knowledge and information there too. The problem is that when that is all you do in your spare time it’s not a good thing. You need to do everything in moderation. So for me, I’ll not be visiting for at least 30 days and then I will re-evaluate the situation and see how I feel. Will I be better off or not? I’m not sure, but right now I’m leaning towards “better off”."

Jeanie

Ok. I'll bite. And I'll even be nice.

You can't tell anything about a person by their post count. I can tell nothing about you and you can tell nothing about me. Judging someone or assuming HOW they live their life based on their post count is about as useful as judging someone based on the color of their skin or their appearance.

There are a lot of people here who are ill who would otherwise be sitting at home, ALONE, not communicating with anyone and watching day time soaps. Message boards and internet communities afford them the luxury and the benefit of human interaction. I can't see that as a bad thing. If their internet usage was stopping them from living their life outside the net then it's up to them to decide that AND police it.

Otherwise, I agree, that there is a lot of benefit to being able to make friends and interact with people, share ideas, discuss issues and build a community with like minded people. Or even learn something from people that you don't share views with. Anyway, that's my 2c.

Cosmo

Is this worse than inappropriate sexually based chatting with an undercover cop posing as a 13 year old girl who is home alone?

RolandTD20Kdrummer

so the guy has resumed his addiction to these now instead.

I suppose it's better than wandering about aimlessly in rush hour traffic.

Cosmo

You need to define, 'addidcted'. are you losing sleep... neglecting relationships... missing work because of the addiction?
If you spend hours and hours playing 'Halo' or constantly changing channels on the television, instead of posting here... is that a trade up or down?
...
You decide.

Ahnimus

Everything is an addiction of sorts. We are rewarded for some behavior which in turn makes us perform that behavior more. You may say its not a chemical dependency, but then you know nothing of neuroscience. Emotions are addictive, routines are addictive, apple pie is addictive.

These types of addictions are played down to external substance addictions like nicotine, cocaine, alcohol, etc.. which have a much stronger effect and require the consumption of chemicals. However, they are all addictions in the biological sense of the term. Sometimes called 'habits'.

What makes a good/bad habit?

I post mostly from work, I have a boring job so I need something to do. This board is always a source of interesting web content, such as the Frontline video I'm currently watching. Oh, and I love being the respectable member I am, with vast knowledge of so many topics that other members hold their breath to hear. I get so much respect around here, it's great!

g under p

What addiction? Take a vacation or break it refreshes one's self. I did I went down to Palm Beach, FL on a working vacation and it felt great. Didn't think much about MT however I did have had the Boston Redsox on mind quite a bit down there.

I even took the time to get baptised in the ocean with my girlfriend.

Peace

Danny Boy

If you had my job, you'd understand. Lurking and posting in message boards, browsing Ebay, reading up on politics and current events and staying in touch with friends/family/acquanitances on myspace helps ease what would otherwise constitute a drastically boring day. If you're foregoing opportunities to do things you could otherwise be doing, then you might just have an issue. Trust me, if I could be out fishing trout right now I'd much rather be doing that than justifying my presence here. Just some food for thought, and good luck with your new agenda.

Cosmo

Danny Boy wrote:

If you had my job, you'd understand. Lurking and posting in message boards, browsing Ebay, reading up on politics and current events and staying in touch with friends/family/acquanitances on myspace helps ease what would otherwise constitute a drastically boring day. If you're foregoing opportunities to do things you could otherwise be doing, then you might just have an issue. Trust me, if I could be out fishing trout right now I'd much rather be doing that than justifying my presence here. Just some food for thought, and good luck with your new agenda.

...
Same here. There are times here at work where I'm busy doing crap... but most of the time... i'm doing nothing (you should see how many screens have that solitaire game up).
and yeah... if I 'could' be some where else... i would be.

Jeanie

Ahnimus wrote:

Everything is an addiction of sorts. We are rewarded for some behavior which in turn makes us perform that behavior more. You may say its not a chemical dependency, but then you know nothing of neuroscience. Emotions are addictive, routines are addictive, apple pie is addictive.

These types of addictions are played down to external substance addictions like nicotine, cocaine, alcohol, etc.. which have a much stronger effect and require the consumption of chemicals. However, they are all addictions in the biological sense of the term. Sometimes called 'habits'.

What makes a good/bad habit?

I post mostly from work, I have a boring job so I need something to do. This board is always a source of interesting web content, such as the Frontline video I'm currently watching. Oh, and I love being the respectable member I am, with vast knowledge of so many topics that other members hold their breath to hear. I get so much respect around here, it's great!

LMAO!!! Thanks love! That did make me laugh out loud!

I think you're great but you know that already and I'd hate you to get a fat head!

hippiemom

I accrued most of my posts over the past 4 years at a job where I had way too much time on my hands. Like DannyBoy and Cosmo, I'd have lost my mind without the internet to entertain me.

Now I'm at home on disability and can't even get out of bed most days. I was without the internet for a while since all we had was a desk top in an office with a chair that I can't sit in. I just bought this laptop last week, and I don't know how I lived without it. Sure, I still read a lot, and knit, and talk on the phone, and the few other things I can do, but I've made some good friends here that I missed, and it opens up a whole new world of music and reading material.

I'm sure there are people who are "addicted," or who are socially dysfunctional and use the internet as a substitute for a real life, but it's up to them to recognize that and deal with it. I doubt that many (if any) here fall into that category.

Ahnimus

Jeanie wrote:

LMAO!!! Thanks love! That did make me laugh out loud!

I think you're great but you know that already and I'd hate you to get a fat head!

Your welcome. I wasn't sure if my image was prominent enough to convey the sarcasm in my statement. I'm glad someone found it funny

Jeanie

Ahnimus wrote:

Your welcome. I wasn't sure if my image was prominent enough to convey the sarcasm in my statement. I'm glad someone found it funny

Oh I loved it! You got the message across without an emoticon in sight! And you must have done a good job of it, coz I got it without them!

gue_barium

Ahnimus wrote:

Everything is an addiction of sorts. We are rewarded for some behavior which in turn makes us perform that behavior more. You may say its not a chemical dependency, but then you know nothing of neuroscience. Emotions are addictive, routines are addictive, apple pie is addictive.

These types of addictions are played down to external substance addictions like nicotine, cocaine, alcohol, etc.. which have a much stronger effect and require the consumption of chemicals. However, they are all addictions in the biological sense of the term. Sometimes called 'habits'.

What makes a good/bad habit?

I post mostly from work, I have a boring job so I need something to do. This board is always a source of interesting web content, such as the Frontline video I'm currently watching. Oh, and I love being the respectable member I am, with vast knowledge of so many topics that other members hold their breath to hear. I get so much respect around here, it's great!

I love ya, man. Nice post.

gue_barium

hippiemom wrote:

I accrued most of my posts over the past 4 years at a job where I had way too much time on my hands. Like DannyBoy and Cosmo, I'd have lost my mind without the internet to entertain me.

Now I'm at home on disability and can't even get out of bed most days. I was without the internet for a while since all we had was a desk top in an office with a chair that I can't sit in. I just bought this laptop last week, and I don't know how I lived without it. Sure, I still read a lot, and knit, and talk on the phone, and the few other things I can do, but I've made some good friends here that I missed, and it opens up a whole new world of music and reading material.

I'm sure there are people who are "addicted," or who are socially dysfunctional and use the internet as a substitute for a real life, but it's up to them to recognize that and deal with it. I doubt that many (if any) here fall into that category.

I'm only partially socially dysfunctional.

PJamGrunge10

Well I've been here for about 4 years now... I used to post a lot but I haven't too much for the past 2 years probably. A lot of my posts were useless and just chatting with other people basically. Now when I post, it's usually when I want to express my opinion.

There are a lot more people with 10k+ than I realized. I actually used to have the 4th highest post count here but there's a lot with more posts than me now.

catefrances

Mestophar wrote:

It has caught my attention that some users of this board have 10k+ posts. I understand that alot of what you get from the posts here is on a more personal level, interacting with friends type of idea. But where do you draw the line that in communicating through this medium becomes harmful or destructive in real life. Is there a real life anymore that is separate from this place? Does posting here become addictive in nature, in that it possesses a majority of your thoughts?

I have been caught in an "internet addiction"(not pron) once before and I am wondering if this pattern would continue here if I persisted.

i can leave anytime i want to. i just choose not to.

Heineken Helen

hippiemom wrote:

I accrued most of my posts over the past 4 years at a job where I had way too much time on my hands. Like DannyBoy and Cosmo, I'd have lost my mind without the internet to entertain me.

Now I'm at home on disability and can't even get out of bed most days. I was without the internet for a while since all we had was a desk top in an office with a chair that I can't sit in. I just bought this laptop last week, and I don't know how I lived without it. Sure, I still read a lot, and knit, and talk on the phone, and the few other things I can do, but I've made some good friends here that I missed, and it opens up a whole new world of music and reading material.

I'm sure there are people who are "addicted," or who are socially dysfunctional and use the internet as a substitute for a real life, but it's up to them to recognize that and deal with it. I doubt that many (if any) here fall into that category.

well perhaps it's hippiemom we're all addicted to and not the internet

dunkman

i only keep posting to stop a wave of suicides if I stopped... i cant have that on my conscience.

Byrnzie

Work sucks, and you usually find yourself working with a bunch of morons. This place gives me some sanity, or at least an interesting distraction.
I have often been reprimanded by my boss of the moment for being on here, and my usual reaction is to think that what I'm typing on here is far more important than the mundane, paltry crap I'm expected to be doing at work. In fact, it sometimes makes me tempted to turn around and tell them as much.

Fucking Philistines!! Don't they realize how much Jlew, Jeffbr, and NCFan get my tail up?!?!? :rolleyes:

deadnothingbetter

Mestophar wrote:

It has caught my attention that some users of this board have 10k+ posts. I understand that alot of what you get from the posts here is on a more personal level, interacting with friends type of idea. But where do you draw the line that in communicating through this medium becomes harmful or destructive in real life. Is there a real life anymore that is separate from this place? Does posting here become addictive in nature, in that it possesses a majority of your thoughts?

I have been caught in an "internet addiction"(not pron) once before and I am wondering if this pattern would continue here if I persisted.


I found this guy talking about it:

"I’ve decided that I’ve been spending too much time on a few different Internet forums. I probably spend too much time on the Internet period. It’s become an addiction and that addiction doesn’t go well with the rest of my life. I read a few things on the Internet about people being addicted to Internet forums. Apparently quite a few people have this problem.

My problem is that I would spend hours at night surfing the forums and posting to them. Most of the time it seemed that it was more of a “status thing” on the forums for me. I was easy to want to be popular and have lots of posts, and post answers to questions you know. Whatever thing you are into (for me it was knives) it seems to make you want to buy or do more of that thing. For me just merely reading about another knife would make me want to purchase it. Good high resolution pictures of the knife would make me want it even more. It was getting insane.

It had to end. I decided that I am going to stop going to the forums altogether for at least 30 days. I am starting this today. I am doing this because going to the forum has become such a habit that it’s almost like “wrote memory”. It is just something that I do when I’m bored. Instead, I should be doing something better with my life like going outside, interacting with real people face to face instead of online, or exercising. I should go to the park with my family, or get more things done around the house, or actually USE my knives. It had gotten to the point that I had so many knives that they would be used so infrequently that they would look new all the time. That has stopped. I sold all of my knives and we are using the money for better things. I know have 2 knives that I use and carry, and they are getting scratched up and looking used. This is a good thing. For those of you, who don’t understand forum addiction or the love of edged tools; just substitute your own type of addiction. Most addictions work in a similar way.

So, now my spare time will be spent in a more productive fashion. I do think to a certain extent Internet forums are good. You can make friends there, even friends that you actually end up meeting in person. You can get a lot of good knowledge and information there too. The problem is that when that is all you do in your spare time it’s not a good thing. You need to do everything in moderation. So for me, I’ll not be visiting for at least 30 days and then I will re-evaluate the situation and see how I feel. Will I be better off or not? I’m not sure, but right now I’m leaning towards “better off”."

does it even matter? i signed on this forum since 2003... and have only over 2,000 posts.... and it's the only forum i get on. i don't think it's an addiction. and even if it is... at least it's not a drug addiction. it's really not a big deal.

my2hands

Hi,

My name is My2hands... and i am a pit-a-holic :cool:

deadnothingbetter

RolandTD20Kdrummer wrote:

so the guy has resumed his addiction to these now instead.

I suppose it's better than wandering about aimlessly in rush hour traffic.

wow, i can see his addiction.... those knives are fucking rad.

FinsburyParkCarrots

I post while handgliding and foot-painting triptychs of the creation of the world in seven days and temptation of Adam by Eve. It's called multi-tasking.

RolandTD20Kdrummer

deadnothingbetter wrote:

wow, i can see his addiction.... those knives are fucking rad.

I haven't stopped looking at pictures of knives since he brought it up...

I'm starting to hear things...

RolandTD20Kdrummer

my name is something really long I typed when I was drunk, and I am also a pit-a-holic...

*wipes tear*

Drowned Out

Man...there is a lot of denial going on in here.

But then, if everyone here got passed the denial, they probably wouldn't be posting in this thread, so it makes sense. I think I've got a liiiiiiiittle bit of an addiction to net, but I spread it out equally between the PJ boards, a couple investment boards, facebook, other band/music/torrent sites,porn, and email. I actually posted a link in another forum to a quiz that supposedly determines if you have a problem (yes I see the irony behind taking an online quiz about internet addiction). I think I was in a bit of denial when I did the quiz, and it told me that I was ok, but close to borderline. But....like cosmo said....it is the same as any addiction...if it's not interfering with other aspects of your life (work, relationships, schedules) then you're probably ok. I think a lot of people here could be in denial about how it affects them....only because they've been doing it so long that they don't know what their life would be like without spending 5+ hrs a day online.

onelongsong

Jeanie wrote:

Ok. I'll bite. And I'll even be nice.

You can't tell anything about a person by their post count. I can tell nothing about you and you can tell nothing about me. Judging someone or assuming HOW they live their life based on their post count is about as useful as judging someone based on the color of their skin or their appearance.

There are a lot of people here who are ill who would otherwise be sitting at home, ALONE, not communicating with anyone and watching day time soaps. Message boards and internet communities afford them the luxury and the benefit of human interaction. I can't see that as a bad thing. If their internet usage was stopping them from living their life outside the net then it's up to them to decide that AND police it.

Otherwise, I agree, that there is a lot of benefit to being able to make friends and interact with people, share ideas, discuss issues and build a community with like minded people. Or even learn something from people that you don't share views with. Anyway, that's my 2c.

it used to be that we were all friends meeting here to talk about things that concerned us. becoming disabled allowed me to be here much more and when i worked through that; i found time while doing other things. my business computer is behind me and i can do both. i made a lot of friends i won't give up and i can't fly accross the world to see them so i'll continue to meet them here.