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by techblueberry 10 days ago
You’re implying there’s no distinction between addiction and use. And I think you’re excessive cynicism is just wrong in practical ways,

I always buy my nails from Home Depot. I’m not addicted to nails. Home Depot does not reasonably think they can get me addicted to nails.
1 comments
legitster 10 days ago
> I always buy my nails from Home Depot.

It's probably not the nails, but there's a reason people always stick with a particular hardware store.

(Also, I know that's a flip example, but there are absolutely brands of nails and screws I always get).

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techblueberry 10 days ago
But do you go out and buy nails and screws just for fun when you’re not working on a hardware project? Do you think Home Depot’s marketing suggests you should be building day in and day out? That the average person should have five projects going at the same time and compulsively start a new project even when they’re not feeling like it?

Addiction is a real thing with a real definition and real consequences and it’s not the same as love or admiration or even fanaticism.

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legitster 10 days ago
If you look up the medical definition of addiction I think you'll be surprised to see that in order for it to be considered a disorder the key is that is has to be past the point of self-abuse or adverse consequences.

You can say something is "addictive" without implying it's a substance abuse disorder.

When people at Microsoft say the goal of AI is to be addictive, they're clearly implying that they want their product to be habit forming in the same way that video games or food delivery is. And it's silly to imply Microsoft is trying to create physiological dependence.

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techblueberry 8 days ago
> And it's silly to imply Microsoft is trying to create physiological dependence.

I really truly, madly, deeply, in the big picture of this, think that you’re wrong. They could choose a different word and they don’t. We could debate the nuances and their are multitudes, but I think the actions of the industry align themselves much more with the accurate definition of addiction then something else.

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