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300 reviews for:
Irresistible: The Rise of Addictive Technology and the Business of Keeping Us Hooked
Adam Alter
3.7 AVERAGE
300 reviews for:
Irresistible: The Rise of Addictive Technology and the Business of Keeping Us Hooked
Adam Alter
3.7 AVERAGE
informative
fast-paced
This book is rich on information even if a bit shallow and repetitive on its insights. It'd be a great read for parents, I imagine, as navigating the digital world with kids has to be a real challenge. I didn't find many useful insights for myself as an adult, however.
Validating, certainly, but a bit more on the origin stories of random apps than I needed, and a bit light on the neuroscience I expected the book to contain!
Validating, certainly, but a bit more on the origin stories of random apps than I needed, and a bit light on the neuroscience I expected the book to contain!
Very accessible. Not especially groundbreaking, but the author presented research findings and case studies in a way that kept me engaged. I very much enjoyed his writing style!
As other reviewers have mentioned, the author devoted a sizable chunk of the book to the science of substance addiction before moving on to the ways in which it relates to behavioral addiction. This was fine with me, as I find it all pretty interesting.
I was slightly surprised that there were only a couple of mentions of eating disorders (and that’s precisely what these were: mere mentions). The author frequently emphasized how tech addiction is so different from many other addictions, because tech pervasiveness means a cold turkey approach is nearly impossible. Instead of avoiding the focus of the addiction entirely, as one could with a substance, it’s necessary to cultivate safe boundaries and a healthy relationship with tech. This is precisely the case with EDs— it’s not as though teetotaling with food is an option—and it’s curious that this parallel wasn’t drawn at all.
Overall, recommend! Easy, fun read, with plenty of content that’ll get a reader thinking and discussing with friends.
As other reviewers have mentioned, the author devoted a sizable chunk of the book to the science of substance addiction before moving on to the ways in which it relates to behavioral addiction. This was fine with me, as I find it all pretty interesting.
I was slightly surprised that there were only a couple of mentions of eating disorders (and that’s precisely what these were: mere mentions). The author frequently emphasized how tech addiction is so different from many other addictions, because tech pervasiveness means a cold turkey approach is nearly impossible. Instead of avoiding the focus of the addiction entirely, as one could with a substance, it’s necessary to cultivate safe boundaries and a healthy relationship with tech. This is precisely the case with EDs— it’s not as though teetotaling with food is an option—and it’s curious that this parallel wasn’t drawn at all.
Overall, recommend! Easy, fun read, with plenty of content that’ll get a reader thinking and discussing with friends.
Enlightening book explaining addiction and the trouble companies do through to keep us hooked often at the expense of our health and happiness. Also offers good tips on fighting this and reclaiming our lives.
Molto interessante. Saggio sulla dipendenza da cellulare e videogames e altro. 8
medium-paced
It was fascinating, and it didn't feel slow-paced at all.
This was a really great read from the library. The beginning was slow because it goes into the history of addiction from a psychology perspective, but it picked up a quarter of the way in. As someone who has a love/hate relationship with technology, I could relate to the addictiveness of devices and apps. I enjoyed the origin stories of some of the most addictive games and apps, as well as some of the experiments described.
Even though I try to stay away from pop-psychology books and I thought this would be in the same vein, I was pleasantly surprised at how informative this one was. I couldn't help feeling paranoid about if the author employed any of the tactics he researched to make this book more addictive to read.
Even though I try to stay away from pop-psychology books and I thought this would be in the same vein, I was pleasantly surprised at how informative this one was. I couldn't help feeling paranoid about if the author employed any of the tactics he researched to make this book more addictive to read.
informative
slow-paced
Fascinating book that really made me think about the ways I use technology and examine my own habits. (Reading resulted in me making a LOT of changes on my smart phone. #byetwitter)
informative
medium-paced
informative
medium-paced