Addict

Last night, I repeated the nearly regular dinner routine during my outing in Kahala. I cleverly end up at the fast food joint in order to exploit the free wireless Net "hotspot." Once there, I deployed my cheap "smartphone" for the task. Then, I observed that nearly everyone else in the dining room was doing the same ... seated at a table and staring at a small rectangular slate. Yeah, I have mentioned the same observation repeatedly. I assumed that nearly everyone was preoccupied with Facebook®. And, I was correct. No matter where I look, I am always privy to espy Facebook® on the small screen. What exactly is there to do on Facebook® that requires constant attention?

I really have to wonder. I once had a Facebook® account. Of course, that was back in the "Dark Ages" when accounts were limited to members of academia. Nonetheless, people were still addicted to the Web site (i.e., no "app" was available then). So, what exactly causes people to spend a sum total of over six hours per day on Facebook®? My guess is that it panders to the narcissistic self, goading the ego, and boosting self-importance to megalomaniac levels. Frankly, I find Facebook® to be totally boring. Perhaps someone could educate me about what I am missing.

Net addiction, however, has always been a problem for users ever since the Net went commercial. Since then, Net addiction has reached epidemic levels. And, that's where the "smartphone" steps in. Having an uninterrupted data connection allows Net addiction to fester like a malignant tumor, at least until the device's battery needs to be charged. Naturally, even that hindrance doesn't squelch Net addiction for some people.

I was once a Net addict and, to some extent, still am. I waste a lot of time on the Net, but I am limited to the availability of wireless Net access. The cheap "smartphone" has a miniscule amount of data allocation, albeit high-speed 4G LTE. Yet, I only compose the "blog" and read (or view) trustworthy news sources. So, why is it so important for me to be on-line? Yeah, that's the big question.

For me, the Net addiction conundrum is the main issue after crossing the official senior citizen threshold. Why would an old codger waste so much precious time on the Net? Very few Web sites and social networking channels cater to the geriatric crowd. Perhaps the old folks spend most of their on-line time visiting medical sites to learn more about their onslaught of chronic maladies. Or, maybe the old codgers are perusing the young hotties featured in hurdy-gurdy video clips. That could lead to "dirty old man" syndrome. Sheesh!

I called and left a message for the landlord. The deadline is nearing for me to vacate Chaos Manor (read: rental housing). So, I am attempting to make the transition as smooth as possible later this week. I will be moving there "sight unseen," by the way. As for Alan, who knows? He has not mentioned anything about moving. In fact, he has acquired more "stuff" and more food. Sometimes I wonder if he's showing signs of early dementia. Oh well.