gravitation

Have you ever tried to be away from the internet for more than a day? Seriously, not as easy as you'd think. Lately, I've come to realize something about addiction. Stick with me long enough and you'll realize that I realize a lot of things.

So about addiction. Ron Livingston has a great monologue in the movie swingers, "Sometimes it still hurts. You know how it is, man. It's like, you wake up every day and it hurts a little bit less, and then you wake up one day and it doesn't hurt at all. And the funny thing is, is that, this is kinda wierd, but it's like, it's like you almost miss that pain."

Now doesn't that sound like addiction? Have you ever tried to get over a drug addiction? How different are doing narcotics and dating someone? Sure you're not sticking yourself with a needle every night but you are still getting that emotional high.

Onto another comparison. I'd further my theory by saying that anytime you can get a repeatable emotional high from something it's potentially addictive. Imagine you're on the computer everyday and you have a feeling of immense joy from the interactions that you have online. Have you ever felt that rush of excitement when you're out and about and you imagine how when you get home you'll be back on your computer. That's your brain tying an emotion with a stimulus. Yup, you're addicted. We all are. How else do people get "addicted" to a game like world of warcraft? Tie social fulfillment in with joy and bundle it in a recognizable package and of course kids are going to embrace it like a crack needle.

Game on!