Overhype

Overhype

by Carlo Longino


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Blame Your Parents For That iPod Lust

from the addict-alert! dept

Early adopters, fanboys and gadget freaks: it's not your fault. Apparently your need to have the latest and greatest shiny things is caused by your genes. Japanese researchers say that some people have a genetic predisposition towards neophilia, meaning they constantly need new things. What's perhaps most striking is how the article calls early adopters "victims", and says they have an "affliction" that's akin to "addiction disorders". Perhaps it's just an extension of labeling everybody an addict, but in any case, it shouldn't be too long before questionable treatments and cures for gadget lust -- since it's now an afflication, after all -- begin popping up. They'd better not use any electronics, though, so perhaps shock treatment's out.

31 Comments | Leave a Comment..

 

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  1. FIRST!!

    by Cisco - Jul 11th, 2006 @ 9:29am

    YIPEE!!

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  2. neophilia

    by DittoBox - Jul 11th, 2006 @ 9:31am

    I read that as "necrophilia" to start with. I play too many RPGs.

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  3. by evil - Jul 11th, 2006 @ 9:54am

    "necrophilia" is characterized by a sexual attraction to corpses

    what the hell kind of rpgs do you play?

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  4. Re:

    by hahaha - Jul 11th, 2006 @ 9:57am

    He must be a fan of GTA, since that is the "end of times" game for society....

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  5. Treatments and cures?

    by addict - Jul 11th, 2006 @ 10:09am

    I don't want/need someone to treat or cure my addiction to the latest tech.... I just want someone to fund it.

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  6. neophilia!=unchecked consumerism

    by A. - Jul 11th, 2006 @ 10:13am

    It's the reporter, not the scientist who translates a "significantly associated with higher scores of novelty-seeking" to "genetic predisposition to replace an existing gadget with the updated version". I don't see how the two are related, really.

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  7. Re: neophilia

    by joe - Jul 11th, 2006 @ 10:21am

    thats... umm.. wrong. seriously, what kind of rpgs do you play? now i could understand if you meant necromancing. that is a popular RPG skill. either way, you are an RPG N00B!

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  8. by anony mouse - Jul 11th, 2006 @ 10:31am

    neophilia? bullshit, i call that materialistic and shallow.

    that describes most ipod owners

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  9. I'm the VICTIM here!

    by phil - Jul 11th, 2006 @ 10:32am

    So... How long before I can sue apple, à la "Big Tobacco" for fostering my dependency?

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  10. Re: Re: neophilia

    by oldbear - Jul 11th, 2006 @ 10:36am

    Yes, he is a NOOB

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  11. Re: Re: Re: neophilia

    by Bob - Jul 11th, 2006 @ 10:39am

    N00b to the max.

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  12. neophilia

    by sickboy76 - Jul 11th, 2006 @ 10:41am

    he means neophilia... it is an actual word. it has nothing to do with rpg's in any way. check -http://www.tiscali.co.uk/reference/dictionaries/difficultwords/data/d0008814.html - if you are interested in anything having to do with the actual thread.

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  13. Re: anony mouse

    by Bender1012 - Jul 11th, 2006 @ 11:03am

    Materialistic, maybe. But shallow? Not necessarily. Just because you like having stuff doesn't mean you don't value friends and family more. And what about people that have a passion for music? Are you calling their dreams and ambitions "shallow"?

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  14. Everybody's

    by comments - Jul 11th, 2006 @ 11:05am

    Comments are ingenious :-)

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  15. Stop Blameing your Parents

    by bob - Jul 11th, 2006 @ 11:13am

    face it you are just a screwup and it is YOUR Choice to be one. if you cant handle that it is all your fault then stay out of the news and out of the way. Dont give me Ohh.. Boohoo it's all my parents fault. YOU are incharge of your own thoughts and actions. I've seen people with abusive drug addected parents turn out fine with no help from their family. and i've seen people with great parents turn out to be drug addected abusive people. it is all YOUR fault most people are just too lazy to take the blame for their own choices. so screw some FAG with a Microscope looking at genes saying Blame your Parents. the only thing you couldn't choose is how you look unless you are talking about your FAT butt that wont even getup off the couch to answer the phone.

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  16. FAT butt

    by Nadia - Jul 11th, 2006 @ 11:33am

    ha ha, i love mine :)

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  17. Bravo Bob

    by wolff000 - Jul 11th, 2006 @ 11:35am

    Got to see the last post or possibly the one above by the time I finish typing is dead on. Stop blaming everyone else for all your problems and deal with them like an adult. When i was a kid and I blamed things on others I got in trouble so how come when you are an adult and blame things on otheres you get a news artcle about it?

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  18. YES!!!

    by ForkBoySpam - Jul 11th, 2006 @ 11:43am

    Neophilia - I got a new buzz word!!!! Can't wait to start using it in memos...

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  19. Who Cares?

    by Raekwon - Jul 11th, 2006 @ 11:55am

    Neophilia? Does it need a name? I suppose. My uncle spends nearly every paycheck on a new this, or a better that and so far it has caused him to get a divorce, lose his home, lose his kids, and lose his job. Addictions are addictions, whether it be cocaine or an Ipod. Impulsiveness and a desire for instant gratification are the culprits. I would be willing to bet that most people with "Neophilia," also battle with other addictions (ex: gambling, drinking, etc.) or have at some point within thier lives. Not being able to be satisfied with your life, or being too lazy to fix it, chemical imbalances, or life-related trauma. I'm not saying you should blame your problems on someone else, all I'm saying is that addiction can be very serious and in any form grow beyond one's control.

    I've got my flame retardant suit on, proceed.

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  20. Greed

    by bendodge - Jul 11th, 2006 @ 12:47pm

    This is a problem with mankind since Adam sinned. It is pure and simple greed, and usually shows most in kids who are not made to work and be responsible for their actions.

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  21. Re: Re: anony mouse

    by anony mouse - Jul 11th, 2006 @ 1:18pm

    Materialistic, maybe. But shallow? Not necessarily. Just because you like having stuff doesn't mean you don't value friends and family more. And what about people that have a passion for music? Are you calling their dreams and ambitions "shallow"?

    Just my anecdotal experience, but there is no one I know that I consider intelligent, thoughtful, and caring that walks around with an iPod on in a home full of the latest gadgets rambling on incessantly about how he/she is going to buy this or that as soon as its available.

    I have a passion for music. It is expressed with a six-string guitar. Not with a basement full of crap that was just recommended to me as the hot new thing by the idiot salesperson at the local Guitar Center.

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  22. Re: Greed

    by Raekwon - Jul 11th, 2006 @ 1:28pm

    Yeah too bad that your "Adam" is a mthyological being. So is your "God" for that matter.

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  23. by Anonymous Coward - Jul 11th, 2006 @ 1:48pm

    There's necrophiliacs in Oblivion

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  24. by redFox - Jul 11th, 2006 @ 2:05pm

    in Oblivion theres necromancy

    http://www.tiscali.co.uk/reference/dictionaries/difficultwords/data/d0008774.html

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  25. Addict

    by Sam - Jul 11th, 2006 @ 2:31pm

    I just went through a 12 step program to cure my IPOD addiction. It was very effective. It turns out that I was able to cure my ipod addiction with heroin. It took only 6 of the 12 steps before I forgot that music even existed. I highly recommend it.

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  26. by Anonymous Coward - Jul 11th, 2006 @ 2:48pm

    I can attest to the legitimacy of this, gentlemen, by virtue of most definitely lacking any measure of this gene. I will use my black and white iriver and black and white kyocera phone and win2000 desktop theme until the day I die. New sucks. New and improved is ok but the two are not necessarily related.

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  27. Private Eye

    by Josef K. - Jul 11th, 2006 @ 3:02pm

    Neophilia isn't a new buzzword, Private Eye (UK satirical magazine) coined it a while ago. However, they meant it in the sense that:

    Neophilia is the new Road Rage.

    Or something like that. On another note, Bob, maybe you can blame yourself for the abysmal grammar/spelling there? People weren't actually blaming their parents (asides from passing it on), they were saying they have found evidence that this is caused by a genetic predisposition. Whereas you have anecdotal evidence and diatribe. You should co-write a book with Ann Coulter.

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  28. neocanaries

    by Anonymous Coward - Jul 11th, 2006 @ 3:11pm

    Early adopters perform a necessary and valuable service. They're like the canaries in mineshafts that get sacrificed for everyone elses benefit. Where would the world be if we didn't have suckers?

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  29. Re:

    by Anonymous Coward - Jul 11th, 2006 @ 6:22pm

    Well spocken... I can easaly say this because I just turned 14 and just got my first cell phone I have never owned an ipod in my life hopefully that will change befor the end of this year... but then again that is what I said last year.

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  30. Wow, that explains it then...

    by Louis - Jul 12th, 2006 @ 2:57am

    I wonder if you can get meds for this? ...man, I could sure go for a new notebook right about now.

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  31. by thecaptain - Jul 12th, 2006 @ 5:18am

    Personal Responsibility.


    R.I.P.

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

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