Jump to content

Are expats more at risk of social network addiction?


webfact

Recommended Posts

Are expats more at risk of social network addiction?

By Dan Cheeseman 

 

expats-most-at-risk.jpg?w=690&ssl=1

 

I know you should not bite the hand that feeds you, as the saying goes, as for me social networks are an integral part of my media here in Thailand but on a personal level I hate the addictive controls social networks have on me, my wife and just about all other expats I come into contact with.

 

Just recently, such was my frustration, I have started to leave my smartphone at home when I go out the evenings for dinner. Interestingly, I never missed having the phone on me, in fact it was rather pleasant.

 

There is indeed some irony in the premise of social networks, they are designed to make it easier for us to share what we are up to and see what our friends are up too. That is the premise but, for me, it is not the reality. Here is my theory, see what you think: Facebook, Instagram and the likes has made us narcissistic and ego driven. We post images and video to satisfy our inner needs. Apart from close friends and families why should we care about our friends needs to see what we are up too, it can only be for our own gain.

 

You can see where I am going in today’s blog, it is very much a rant and a rant out of frustration. Every evening when my family and I are in bed everyone has a mobile phone in their hand, it has turned into a habit. I often scroll through my social network feeds and always think to myself why I do it, as it does not make me feel good and a don’t anything from the experience, yet I am drawn to look every day, in fact multiple times a day.

 

The Smartphone is a global epidemic and expats are more at risk of addiction

 

We are in an epidemic. The average person, and you can google this to check for yourself, looks at their mobile phone 150 times a day. It is ridiculous, and I am part of this statistic too. I have tried more recently to use my ‘mobile phone’ time to enrich myself – so less time on the social networks and more time reading interesting articles or websites. It has certainly been far more beneficial than seeing my distant friends plate of food that they have shared on Facebook.

 

Full story: https://danaboutthailand.com/2018/06/02/are-expats-more-at-risk-of-social-network-addiction/

 

-- DAN ABOUT THAILAND 2018-06-07

 

  • Like 1
  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites


i'm convinced its disability & pain that causes otherwise ok humans

to succumb to isolation and internet/TV.

that, and economic reasons can be the only two reasons

anyone wouldnt watch gogo all day long,

well, that and hangover & diarrhea

  • Haha 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had work phones issued to me since 1998/99 time frame, starting with the venerable, nearly bullet proof Nokia 3310.  When I stopped working a number of years ago, it was odd but also very liberating not having one or more devices on me 24/7.  I did get a nice SS A3(2016) at Doha Duty Free a few years ago, only because I needed to burn off a load of frequent flier miles. 

 

I don't stare at it though.  In fact, the internet connection capability is disabled from the AIS side after I figured out the mystery behind my vanishing 12Call credit, brought about by their piss take with this "negative credit balance" nonsense.   Turns out they were charging for data use when my phone did daily tower pings, even though I NEVER had my phone's mobile data on.  ?    So yeah, even if I accidentally turned on mobile data, still no internet.  No problem with that.

  • Confused 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

A highly recommended read on this topic is Irresistible by James Altman.  I picked it up here in Asia Books.  He's an NYU psychologist who specializes in behavioral addiction.  Just being aware of the traps and the tricks companies use to pull you in helps.  Aside from that, it's an interesting topic since it's truly a disease of our time.

 

Just one example, the system of likes makes it much more addictive, because each time we log in we get a rush from receiving them.  Another is not giving the users closure to keep them coming back and building in some "goal frustration" to keep the rewards unpredictable so they feel better when they do come.  Same idea as battered wife syndrome.  I'm pretty sure many sites allow trolls to continue posting for this reason.

Edited by ChidlomDweller
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.








  • Topics

  • Latest posts...

    1. 231

      Huge markup on imported foods. Why?

    2. 3

      Can't Sign in into my Google Account without the 8-digit backup code

    3. 1

      Drunk Crashes Into Motorcycle, Killing Two 14-Year-Old Girls in Tragic Wrong-Way Collision

    4. 26

      Chiang Mai on High Alert as Ping River Surges Beyond 5.25 Metres

    5. 2

      Woman Fatally Shoots Popular Female DJ Over Debt Dispute in Chana, Songkhla

    6. 2,400

      Thai gov. to tax (remitted) income from abroad for tax residents starting 2024 - Part II

    7. 17

      Thailand Live Sunday 6 October 2024

    8. 1

      Drunk Crashes Into Motorcycle, Killing Two 14-Year-Old Girls in Tragic Wrong-Way Collision

    9. 17

      Thailand Live Sunday 6 October 2024

    10. 0

      Flash Flooding in Tak Province: DDPM Constructing Temporary Bridge

    11. 98

      Cannabis-Intoxicated British Man Arrested for Trespassing and Overstay

    12. 8

      The Unforeseen Reach of COVID-19: How Lockdowns Impacted the Moon's Surface

×
×
  • Create New...