Week 6

     Addiction, a term most commonly heard of in connection with drugs and alcohol. However, more recently it is being used in terms of internet addiction as well. Much of the topic of discussion in today's society revolves more specifically around video game addiction than just plain internet addiction. I definitely believe video game addiction is becoming a major problem in the world today, especially after watching the second part of the "Digital Nation" video. The fact that people in Korea actually died while playing video games is a sad, terrifying piece of information to now possess. However, I know it is not just video games that people are addicted to. They are addicted to social media, video streaming services, and much more. If the trend of internet addiction continues to increase, it may one day surpass the amount of drug/alcohol addictions out there.
     I can personally say that I have a "slight" addiction to binge-watching television shows on Netflix. I don't necessarily think is an actual addiction, because I can control myself for the most part and if I actually wanted to stop watching permanently, I could. Furthermore, I don't spend days upon days, with no sleep, watching Netflix. I actually take time to hang out with friends, eat, sleep, shower, go to class, etc. My thing with watching shows on Netflix is that I typically don't have time to watch the new episodes as they come out every week on television. Between school and work, television gets put on the back burner. Therefore, I tend to wait until the season comes out on Netflix and then watch the whole season at once. Or, I happen to catch an episode of a show on television and I decide I like it, but I started watching in the middle of like the fifth season or something. That is when I go on Netflix and binge multiple seasons so I am caught up to the current season. I also tend to have Netflix playing while I do school work because I can't just be doing one thing or I can't focus. When I do that, I tend to watch more episodes in one sitting simply because I have so much work that I can get through like five or six, sometimes more, episodes while doing homework.
     As long as it is done in a "safe" way, I don't think spending a lot of time on the internet is a totally bad thing. Yes, it sometimes alienates you from the real world, but sometimes everyone needs a little escape from reality. I think the real problem occurs when you get the people who don't do anything except play their games, watch videos, etc. If they don't even stop for food or to go to the bathroom, let alone stop to go to work/school, then I think they definitely have an addiction problem and need serious help. If they just like to use the internet to relax, for escape, to help them get through work, etc., then they aren't so much addicted as they are just a person who needs a way to get away from the everyday stresses of life.