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302 reviews for:
Irresistible: The Rise of Addictive Technology and the Business of Keeping Us Hooked
Adam Alter
3.7 AVERAGE
302 reviews for:
Irresistible: The Rise of Addictive Technology and the Business of Keeping Us Hooked
Adam Alter
3.7 AVERAGE
informative
medium-paced
Fascinating and insightful. Now, I did not come by the book accidentally. With a moderate tech addiction in these times, I wanted to learn more so that I can nip the problem in the bud. But I definitely did not realize the extent of this drastic shift. The book was an easy read in the sense that all of the information was very relevant. Honestly, I would recommend this to every person who owns tech devices (so basically, everyone). It is evidence-backed without being overbearingly dry and technical. Irresistible deals with addiction to our devices as a form of behavioral addiction, and covers everything you would want on the topic.
I wanted to like it more, but it's telling how it already feels dated having been published in 2017. It misses the ascendency of Twitter wielded by the former president of the United States, the sheer algorithmic power of TikTok to deliver an infinite scroll of short, personalized dopamine hits, the introduction of Meta as Mark Zuckerberg wrestles with how to hook a new generation of users as its Facebook base ages out. And all of this in the midst of a pandemic where we find ourselves increasingly online. Where parents, finding no other recourse, increasingly submit to relying on screens to occupy their children. Where children see little difference between their parents working hours, staring at a screen, and their off hours staring at another screen. The Internet in the midst of a pandemic becomes a human right, an absolute necessity. Irresistible become irreplaceable.
Still, there are fun little digressions into the history of Tetris, Steve Jobs' luddite tendencies when it came to his kids and Freud's obsession with cocaine. I would however like a word with the monsters that purposely induced visual amblyopia in kittens, permanently pickling their visual cortex.
Still, there are fun little digressions into the history of Tetris, Steve Jobs' luddite tendencies when it came to his kids and Freud's obsession with cocaine. I would however like a word with the monsters that purposely induced visual amblyopia in kittens, permanently pickling their visual cortex.
So negative I just couldn't stand it.
3.5 stars
Oooook so I wrote a long review for this a few minutes ago but it didn't save which is really sad but I'll just keep it short this time. I learned my lesson lol.
So the deal is is that I don't usually read non fiction for a number of reasons but mostly because I don't often feel as much pleasure reading them as I do reading fantasy or YA books, and pleasure is one of my main motivations for reading. I started this book in high school and knew that I wanted to finish it one day. Then, I heard people on booktube talking about finishing their 2019 books before the new year started and I tried to do that by way of a 24 hour reading challenge (which I failed miserably at by falling asleep 3 hours into it) and thus renewed my interest in this book. It is really satisfying to be done with it.
As for my thoughts on the book: I enjoyed it. Sometimes it was hard for me to read when I was tired or when I got zoned out, but it was very interesting. I think that is is about an important topic. Just because I believe that does not mean that this book has motivated me to change my habits regarding technology. It wasn't that kind of book. Instead of being a self help book it was more informational. So now I at least know what I am at risk for if I don't change. There were so many things mentioned in this book that I now want to look further into, which I think is a good sign. Even though the book was only published 2 or 3 years ago, I already feel like it could have an updated version. Technology moves so fast that not everything that I would have expected to get covered got covered. Overall, I enjoyed it and would recommend it for people who want to know more about this topic.
Oooook so I wrote a long review for this a few minutes ago but it didn't save which is really sad but I'll just keep it short this time. I learned my lesson lol.
So the deal is is that I don't usually read non fiction for a number of reasons but mostly because I don't often feel as much pleasure reading them as I do reading fantasy or YA books, and pleasure is one of my main motivations for reading. I started this book in high school and knew that I wanted to finish it one day. Then, I heard people on booktube talking about finishing their 2019 books before the new year started and I tried to do that by way of a 24 hour reading challenge (which I failed miserably at by falling asleep 3 hours into it) and thus renewed my interest in this book. It is really satisfying to be done with it.
As for my thoughts on the book: I enjoyed it. Sometimes it was hard for me to read when I was tired or when I got zoned out, but it was very interesting. I think that is is about an important topic. Just because I believe that does not mean that this book has motivated me to change my habits regarding technology. It wasn't that kind of book. Instead of being a self help book it was more informational. So now I at least know what I am at risk for if I don't change. There were so many things mentioned in this book that I now want to look further into, which I think is a good sign. Even though the book was only published 2 or 3 years ago, I already feel like it could have an updated version. Technology moves so fast that not everything that I would have expected to get covered got covered. Overall, I enjoyed it and would recommend it for people who want to know more about this topic.
challenging
informative
reflective
slow-paced
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction
informative
lighthearted
slow-paced
I'm partial to the subject because I have picked up phone-addiction habits that I would like to give up. Despite plenty of research and interesting interviews, Irresistible fails to come to any sort of cohesive conclusion. This may be due to the fact that it takes on too wide a subject. My understanding going into reading this was that I would be reading about technology addiction as it relates to smartphones, tablets, video games, and other technologies. Instead the book takes on all of behavioral addiction, be it addictions to gambling, exercise, or any other behavior. It seemed to have started with some core idea and kept expanding outward, which is maybe why the conclusion is so messy.
The author's solution to the pervasive technology in our lives, his solution to getting us to stop checking our phones or enlisting precise apps is to, get this, gamify our lives. In other words, he wants us to learn how to use less apps by using a different app to reward us for not using apps. Confusing? Yes.
There are some fun little tidbits, and there is some solid information about habit change and changing your environment to promote healthy habits and reduce the risk of addiction. I just wish it was better organized and had a more resounding conclusion.
The author's solution to the pervasive technology in our lives, his solution to getting us to stop checking our phones or enlisting precise apps is to, get this, gamify our lives. In other words, he wants us to learn how to use less apps by using a different app to reward us for not using apps. Confusing? Yes.
There are some fun little tidbits, and there is some solid information about habit change and changing your environment to promote healthy habits and reduce the risk of addiction. I just wish it was better organized and had a more resounding conclusion.
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Adam Alterin kirja puuttuu nykyajan nuorten vitsauksiin, digitaalisiin laitteisiin ja älypuhelimiin, joihin nykyihmiset ovat pahasti koukussa. Käyttäytymisperäisiä addiktioita ei ole tarpeeksi nostettu jalustalle ja monelle onkin ”ihan normaalia” viettää pelkän kännykänsä tai jonkun applikaation tai pelin kanssa viisi tuntia päivässä. Kirja tarkkailee ongelmaa loistavasti eri näkökulmista ja esimerkkien kautta.
Kuuntelin kirjan äänikirjana, mutta välissä luin sitä myös e-kirjaversiona. Kirja toimii niin luetussa kuin kuunnellussakin muodossa, jos englanti on hallussa. Äänikirjaversion lukee itse kirjailija, markkinoinnin ja psykologian professori Adam Alter, jonka brittiaksentti on omiaan tuomaan kirjaan omaa väriään.
Kirjan tyyli on tietokirjaksi mukaansatempaava. Se antaa oivalluksia älylaitteiden käytöstä ja muistuttaa siitä mikä tässä elämässä on tärkeää. En ennen kirjaa käsittänytkään miten ”sokeina” ja ”sumussa” me vietämme aikaa älylaitteiden ja appien kanssa siten, että emme osaa edes syödä tai viettää aikaa ilman niitä.
Loistava kirja, jota suosittelen luettavaksi ihan jokaiselle.
Adam Alterin kirja puuttuu nykyajan nuorten vitsauksiin, digitaalisiin laitteisiin ja älypuhelimiin, joihin nykyihmiset ovat pahasti koukussa. Käyttäytymisperäisiä addiktioita ei ole tarpeeksi nostettu jalustalle ja monelle onkin ”ihan normaalia” viettää pelkän kännykänsä tai jonkun applikaation tai pelin kanssa viisi tuntia päivässä. Kirja tarkkailee ongelmaa loistavasti eri näkökulmista ja esimerkkien kautta.
Kuuntelin kirjan äänikirjana, mutta välissä luin sitä myös e-kirjaversiona. Kirja toimii niin luetussa kuin kuunnellussakin muodossa, jos englanti on hallussa. Äänikirjaversion lukee itse kirjailija, markkinoinnin ja psykologian professori Adam Alter, jonka brittiaksentti on omiaan tuomaan kirjaan omaa väriään.
Kirjan tyyli on tietokirjaksi mukaansatempaava. Se antaa oivalluksia älylaitteiden käytöstä ja muistuttaa siitä mikä tässä elämässä on tärkeää. En ennen kirjaa käsittänytkään miten ”sokeina” ja ”sumussa” me vietämme aikaa älylaitteiden ja appien kanssa siten, että emme osaa edes syödä tai viettää aikaa ilman niitä.
Loistava kirja, jota suosittelen luettavaksi ihan jokaiselle.
This book was referenced a bit in Big Data, so I thought I would give it a try. It was very informative on addictive behaviors and actually made me put my phone down a bit more during the day
A professor of psychology and marketing, Adam Alter describes the rise of behavioral addiction in America - such as the unhealthy attachment to smartphones and social media, the out-of-control gaming, the desperate need to check email - and discusses the troubling problems such addictions foreshadow. Although only a few years old, Irresistible already felt outdated to me, probably because social media is evolving so rapidly. In all, Alter's research made for an interesting read but didn't teach me anything I didn't already know.