[Jeff_Brown]

News, asynchronous communication, and other media have a payoff structure not unlike a slot machine's. It can be genuinely hard to determine whether one's consumption of any of them is irrational.

[nicbou]

I forgot who said checking notifications is like pulling the slot machine lever, but it's an apt comparison.

[klondike_klive]

Sounds like a Douglas Rushkoff-ism.