Addictions
If there is one thing I am good at it is addictions... and they say you should write about what you are good at.
I would imagine a good majority of the population has never actually been addicted to anything. They can't fathom what it is like to be addicted to something. They feel sorry for those who are addicted and try and get their loved ones to stop what they are doing. But one thing about being addicted to something that others will never be able to understand is that they truly enjoy what they are doing. I have a strong belief in the general economic assumption that everyone is a rational maximizer - that is to say that everyone rationally makes decisions that best maximizes their utility or enjoyment - no one makes themselves miserable on purpose (unless they derive pleasure from misery).
Being addicted to something is simply saying that there is nothing else that their time can be better spent on. Whether or not what they are doing is "healthy" is irrelavant. If someone tells them their addiction is unhealthy - the addicted simply says to themselves - "they just don't understand".
Now, I've never been addicted to anything classically destructive - but I cannot think of a time in my life where I havn't been addicted to something. I do everything to the extreme. In my mind, there is no need to dip your feet in anything you do, you should always get the most out of it by immersing your entire being into it.
The major addictions that have afflicted me have generally been digital in nature - from the internet, video games (everquest, world of warcraft, goldeneye) to poker (currently addicted to). For a while I was even addicted to playing guitar. But no matter the affliction - there are always the naysayers - especially now with poker. I can understand their posistion - they don't want me "wasting" my life by not doing what they deem is socially accepted. It is very hard to justify my position to my friends... but why should I have to? Almost everything everyone does is pointless.. especially what my friends do. When I am asked why I spend so much time doing one thing, I generally ask - what else is there to do? Most people arn't out there saving the world, so what exactly are they doing that is so much more productive that what I do? Most likely they watch a lot of tv, perhaps read, maybe go out to dinner or a movie.. random useless stuff. Simply because they vary their activities does not mean they have achieved some sort of enlightened status. How about this.. I'll do what I want, and you do what you want, and when we feel like it, we'll do things together - sound good? What an insight...
Simply put I don't think doing one thing in "excess" is necessarily a bad thing. If obtain the most amount of utility from doing it then you can't fault me - it is what gives me the most pleasure. I just wish I wasn't so damn likable that people get pissed off when I don't hang out with them...
I would imagine a good majority of the population has never actually been addicted to anything. They can't fathom what it is like to be addicted to something. They feel sorry for those who are addicted and try and get their loved ones to stop what they are doing. But one thing about being addicted to something that others will never be able to understand is that they truly enjoy what they are doing. I have a strong belief in the general economic assumption that everyone is a rational maximizer - that is to say that everyone rationally makes decisions that best maximizes their utility or enjoyment - no one makes themselves miserable on purpose (unless they derive pleasure from misery).
Being addicted to something is simply saying that there is nothing else that their time can be better spent on. Whether or not what they are doing is "healthy" is irrelavant. If someone tells them their addiction is unhealthy - the addicted simply says to themselves - "they just don't understand".
Now, I've never been addicted to anything classically destructive - but I cannot think of a time in my life where I havn't been addicted to something. I do everything to the extreme. In my mind, there is no need to dip your feet in anything you do, you should always get the most out of it by immersing your entire being into it.
The major addictions that have afflicted me have generally been digital in nature - from the internet, video games (everquest, world of warcraft, goldeneye) to poker (currently addicted to). For a while I was even addicted to playing guitar. But no matter the affliction - there are always the naysayers - especially now with poker. I can understand their posistion - they don't want me "wasting" my life by not doing what they deem is socially accepted. It is very hard to justify my position to my friends... but why should I have to? Almost everything everyone does is pointless.. especially what my friends do. When I am asked why I spend so much time doing one thing, I generally ask - what else is there to do? Most people arn't out there saving the world, so what exactly are they doing that is so much more productive that what I do? Most likely they watch a lot of tv, perhaps read, maybe go out to dinner or a movie.. random useless stuff. Simply because they vary their activities does not mean they have achieved some sort of enlightened status. How about this.. I'll do what I want, and you do what you want, and when we feel like it, we'll do things together - sound good? What an insight...
Simply put I don't think doing one thing in "excess" is necessarily a bad thing. If obtain the most amount of utility from doing it then you can't fault me - it is what gives me the most pleasure. I just wish I wasn't so damn likable that people get pissed off when I don't hang out with them...
posted by RikkiDee at 12:14 PM
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