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Reviews
Irresistible: The Rise of Addictive Technology and the Business of Keeping Us Hooked by Adam Alter
iillianne's review
hopeful
informative
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
3.5
This was recommended by a friend & I really did enjoy it as it was a thoroughly digestible read. My only complaint is that the author tended to drift off and spend too much time discussing other addictions & stories regarding others who seemingly had little to do with the author’s original purpose (although I am considerate of the time the book was written & therefore the lack of data & anecdotes surrounding tech addictions). Of course it’s easy to be critical of this book given the fact that we are experiencing a whole pandemic that truly accelerated an already accelerating dependence on personal and addictive technology. That’s why though I am excited to hear what this author’s thoughts are on the current ongoing state of people’s tech addictions.
youngthespian42's review
4.0
Super necessary information for anyone dealing with anxiety or questioning their relationship to their smart device. If you watched Social Disorder on Netflix and want to dig in deeper check out this book. This was the beginning of my deleting social media. Save your brain and unplug!
sleepy_yoshi's review
informative
fast-paced
2.5
There's some value as an introduction to issue's surrounding tech and addiction, but there's not much in the way of analysis of the studies and factoids presented. The latter portion of the book does offer something in the way of solutions in harnessing addiction for the greater good, but I personally found it left a lot to be desired.
angelsrgorgeous's review
5.0
Highly recommended to ALL parents (especially those in the US). There is a reason that basically all major tech executives don't allow their children to interact with screens - they follow the cardinal drug-pushing rule: "Don't get high on your own supply". They know what they're pushing - they don't want their kids to be addicted and limited by the technology that they've scientifically tested to hook the user as it's only goal.
This (in addition to all the social science research coming out to support avoidance of interaction with addictive technologies) is far more than enough to convince me of the importance of emphasizing books and free play, personal face-to-face interactions and legitimate, (non-online) friendships as the ground rock of a successful child's future life. The more I read stuff like this, the more I'm convinced the interactions of children with technology can best be limited to using these platforms and languages as a tool for creation, instead of one for distraction, diversion or boredom-filling.
If you want a good basic list of all the effects your children's interactions with various addictive technologies are having or can be having on your children, read through this. It's a great overview. Choose if the documented consequences are something you want your children exposed to. The current overwhelming prevalence among adults of behavioral addictions (many driven by addictive technologies) is astounding - I want to do my best to help my children avoid the behavioral addictions that 45-60% of all Americans are currently displaying. I want them to have power over their lives, their choices and their time instead of putting them in a position where they hand their power to choose over to carefully calculated addiction logarithms.
This is a quick read that is highly recommended.
Quick disclaimer: if you've read a lot of social science research you'll find plenty of studies you've encountered before here, but there were enough that were new to me to keep my attention and deepen my knowledge.
Enjoy.
This (in addition to all the social science research coming out to support avoidance of interaction with addictive technologies) is far more than enough to convince me of the importance of emphasizing books and free play, personal face-to-face interactions and legitimate, (non-online) friendships as the ground rock of a successful child's future life. The more I read stuff like this, the more I'm convinced the interactions of children with technology can best be limited to using these platforms and languages as a tool for creation, instead of one for distraction, diversion or boredom-filling.
If you want a good basic list of all the effects your children's interactions with various addictive technologies are having or can be having on your children, read through this. It's a great overview. Choose if the documented consequences are something you want your children exposed to. The current overwhelming prevalence among adults of behavioral addictions (many driven by addictive technologies) is astounding - I want to do my best to help my children avoid the behavioral addictions that 45-60% of all Americans are currently displaying. I want them to have power over their lives, their choices and their time instead of putting them in a position where they hand their power to choose over to carefully calculated addiction logarithms.
This is a quick read that is highly recommended.
Quick disclaimer: if you've read a lot of social science research you'll find plenty of studies you've encountered before here, but there were enough that were new to me to keep my attention and deepen my knowledge.
Enjoy.
daed's review
3.0
Por momentos muy ameno e interesante, por momentos muy repetitivo y por momentos un poco exagerado. En general es una lectura entretenida con la que se aprende algo.
ametakinetos's review
4.0
I was thankful that this wasn't just a "technology bad this generation sucks" type of schematic, but recognized that we cannot abstain wholly from tech - we have to learn how to safely manage it, a practice that is becoming increasingly difficult with how games and websites are designed to entrap us. Worth the read.
maryquitecontrary_22's review
3.0
Irresistible reads like a Malcolm Gladwell book-- a lot of "a-ha's" and many interesting research studies explained to make a point. The text is about a lot more than the title makes it seem -- which can be a good thing, if you want a book about behavioral addiction across the board, or a bad thing, if you want a book focused solely on addiction to our devices. I found it to be a little misleading in that regard. In the end, it will make you think about the habits you've formed in relation to technology such as keeping your cell phone on your nightstand (ack, I've got to buy an alarm clock ASAP!)