Genetic Reason for Your Gadget Habit 239
You can't help it if you need to get the latest gadgets. Well... perhaps it's not quite such a serious medical affliction, but scientists have found a genetic basis for some folks' burning desire to have the latest and greatest. There's even a name for it - neophilia. Apparently, some of us have elevated levels of a cellular enzyme, monoamine oxidase A, and are more in need of stimulation from new things.
neophilia huh? (Score:5, Funny)
as opposed to Necrophilia, which is wanting things that aren't really 'fresh' anymore.
What about my problem, Nudephilia? (Score:2)
Re:What about my problem, Nudephilia? (Score:2)
Re:What about my problem, Nudephilia? (Score:2)
Re:neophilia huh? (Score:2)
Re:neophilia huh? (Score:4, Funny)
A roll with ham in it? A round bready thing containing sliced processed pig? Or are you just querying the lack of chutney, pickle, mayo etc. in his luncheon choice?
Re:neophilia huh? (Score:2)
Re:neophilia huh? (Score:3, Funny)
Well duh - they should be making them watch the last two Matrix movies instead.
The culture of victimhood (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:The culture of victimhood (Score:5, Insightful)
Tell me, does your concept of free will allow for constraints? If not, I challenge you to breathe water. And I don't want to hear any crap about how your genetics predispose you to breathing air.
Re:The culture of victimhood (Score:2)
But that's beside the point. Oxygenation of the blood is essential to life. Buying new things is not. One defines who you are. The other defines who you can decide to be if you just follow your instincts. If your instincts enrich your life or are neutral, their's little need to change them. If they impact your life negatively, then change them. It's a simple and as difficult as that.
Yes, fighting
Re:The culture of victimhood (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:The culture of victimhood (Score:3, Informative)
typical (Score:2)
In fact, most of our behaviors will likely turn out to have a genetic basis. A genetic basis or predisposition doesn't say anything a priori about the personal responsibility to act in certain ways.
And, y
Eventually ... one would hope that... (Score:3, Insightful)
Either that, or everybody is on drugs to deal with their personal "disorders".
So, the worst case is that we live in a society where smoking is banned, but you can take all the doctor prescribed mood
Re:The culture of victimhood (Score:5, Funny)
Of course, if I'm doing important research like this, I'm going to have to have access to the latest technology. I'll need a hefty grant.
Re:The culture of victimhood (Score:3, Funny)
Then... I could afford MORE gadgets!
Re:The culture of victimhood (Score:3, Funny)
We get special disability handouts from the government at the expense of your fellow tax payers?
Handouts we can use to buy new gadgets? Awesome!
Re:The culture of victimhood (Score:2)
Re:The culture of victimhood (Score:3, Funny)
Re:The culture of victimhood (Score:2)
Who cares? (Score:5, Funny)
Is there a cure? (Score:5, Funny)
filling my house with crap from wal-mart and sams club. It isn't gadgets, but
I imagine that the need for new stuff would be filled via other means for
people that don't like electronics.
Re:Is there a cure? (Score:2, Informative)
Re:Is there a cure? (Score:2, Informative)
Re:Is there a cure? (Score:5, Funny)
The alternative to having all that "crap" in your house is a divorce, after which you will probably never have to worry about a home cluttered by possessions again.
Re:Is there a cure? (Score:2)
Re:Is there a cure? (Score:2)
Re:Is there a cure? (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Is there a cure? (Score:2)
If you think that's bad, try kids! I don't mind stuff on the walls, but random toys on the floor, hurt! You almost have to wear steel-tiped boots in order to safely get a midnight snack. Do yourself a favor and don't get your kids toys such as lincon logs, wooden bloc
Re:Is there a cure? (Score:4, Informative)
Re:Is there a cure? (Score:2)
Re:Is there a cure? (Score:2, Informative)
Re:Is there a cure? (Score:4, Funny)
yes! I have developed a brand new, never seen before cure for this affliction. I bet you want some now, don't you?
Re:Is there a cure? (Score:2)
Re:Is there a cure? (Score:3, Informative)
I'd imagine that such "neophiliacs" have a sort of addiction to nove
Re:Is there a cure? (Score:2)
Antidepressants (Score:2)
Too much MAO means that dopamine and serotonin are being broken down too fast, and those are both important neurotransmitters.
So, the interesting question here is: Has anybody noticed a connection between "neophilia" and any psychological affective disorders like depression or OCD?
Life would be great if... (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Life would be great if... (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Life would be great if... (Score:3, Funny)
Hmmmm, been there, done that. (Score:5, Funny)
I keep telling my girlfriend that, but she just won't go for it.
Re:Hmmmm, been there, done that. (Score:2)
Funny, the first thing I thought of when I saw the word neophilia is people who get restless in relationships after a short time and have difficulties with commitment.
But this is Slashdot, and the context we find it in is... Gadgets!
Hmmm (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Hmmm (Score:2)
Why do I think such a gadget would be very similar to the E-Meter [cmu.edu]?
Re:Hmmm (Score:5, Funny)
ADD of the new millennium (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:ADD of the new millennium (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:ADD of the new millennium (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:ADD of the new millennium (Score:3, Interesting)
Perhaps it works the other way around. Children who are spoiled and greedy DEVELOP elevated levels of monoamine oxidase A as a result.
Hmmmmm
Re:ADD of the new millennium (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:ADD of the new millennium (Score:2)
You've really hit the point, there. When I read the article, my first impression is that they've lumped together what I perceive as 2 separate gadget groups. One group really enjoys new gadgets, loves widgets and doodads and anything that clicks, whirrs, and blinks. The other group wants to be seen with the latest technology as a social status symbol. There's an overlap, sure, but just because people want something new doesn't mean they really like the new thing. It's par
Better Idea.... (Score:2)
Tell me that ain't a plan...
Re:ADD of the new millennium (Score:2)
Implications go beyond gadgets (Score:5, Interesting)
or perhaps one partner with.... (Score:2)
Extent (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Extent (Score:3, Funny)
Opposite (Score:5, Funny)
Biologists say... (Score:2)
Divorce Court (Score:2)
"I had to cheat on you. I have an elevated amount of monoamine oxidase A, and I needed someone new."
Response: "I don't care. I'm still taking half your crap."
This would also explain... (Score:2)
Grow out of it (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:Grow out of it (Score:2)
Re:Grow out of it (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Grow out of it (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:Grow out of it (Score:5, Insightful)
After having this happen a time or four, I've started really questioning what a product will bring me. For example, I've been really wanting to get an iPod to replace my $15 diskman that plays mp3 cds.
The Perception: said iPod would be new and shinny and cute and hip and hold 20,000 songs and I'd have it with me all the time and it would vastly improve my life.
The Reality: I'd only wear it to mow my fucking lawn, just like I do now with the diskman.
I think I just saved about $300.
Re:Grow out of it (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Grow out of it (Score:2)
My initial reaction was just like yours. It's called "maturity" or "growing up"! But I'm thinking about it right now, and realizing that's not a full answer (at le
News flash (Score:2)
Tell us something we didn't know.
OH Shiney! Have we got a medicine for you. (Score:2)
The problem lies in the Monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors, drugs designed to block degradation of the enzyme. These drugs interact with many foods, including beer, so they are of little clinical utility to the affected slashdotter.
It would have been nice to get a bit more detail. Much of the tim
Ah.... (Score:2)
So that's why she left me and the kids for that new guy. And to think, she blamed it on my need for new gadgets....
Not a flaw, a feature, really (Score:4, Insightful)
Yea yea yea.. (Score:2, Funny)
Looking for an antidote to the enzyme (Score:2)
Is there a word for people who like slightly used items?
I thought it was more or less age and not genetics (Score:2)
I'm buying more and getting more than I was a kid mostly because of my greater income.
However, my parents really weren't into gadgets that much so I don't know if this is passed on or just learned as a kid.
However, most kids are pretty quick to learn computers so perhaps if you can the "neophilia" bug as a kid that your mi
Please flip the bit (Score:2, Offtopic)
If just one gen to flip, please flip my girlfriends bit. She has the burning desire to buy new clothes and shoes.
Re:Please flip the bit (Score:2)
I am sure plenty of slashdotters would be happy to flip your girlfriend's bit.
Or... (Score:2)
Re:Or... BS!!! (Score:2, Informative)
Those people are frauds who are cheating the poor; they buy those stamps from poor people at half the face value. Poor people like beer and cigarrettes (and many are addicted), and that job at McDonald's just doesn
Re:Or... (Score:2)
Bit of a tangent, but the food stamp program starts to make more sense once you know that it's real purpose in 1939 wasn't so much "food for the poor", but "farm subsidy"-- Exhibit A: food stamps say across the to
Need a new thread (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Need a new thread (Score:2)
Will you settle for the same story being posted tomorrow?
So they finally did it... (Score:5, Funny)
I'm all for it as long as they come up with a disability program that helps us. You know, add's an additional $50,000.00 a year to your income for supporting the shiney habit or offering an insurance card that allows us to buy the items with a $20.00 co-pay to offset the costs of collecting new shiney objects with blinking lights.
Although I can see it now... "Im sorry sir but you have already bought a HD-DVD player this month on your plan, you will have to wait until next month. you can buy a new CD changer or GPS though with your monthly allowance."
Excuses (Score:2)
You know, if you were a real geek... (Score:5, Informative)
I mean, "neophilia" has been in the jargon file [catb.org] since, what, 1973?
Experience Junkie (Score:2)
Re:Experience Junkie (Score:2)
My girlfriend will be so excited to know (Score:2)
Oh lord, anything but this. (Score:2)
On the other hand, maybe it's treatable now that we know what it is that causes it. I have a friend who could use some 'deprogramming' before he winds up going broke - again.
Software (Score:3, Insightful)
Noisy (Score:2)
It's kinda true, but even more important is where those signals are present, what is detecting them, and how they got there.
That is me (Score:2)
1) have new challenges at my job
2) travel to new places
3) live in NYC where you're always meeting new people and going to new places
4) have the latest gadgets
Re:But... (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:But... (Score:2, Insightful)
Without being blatantly scientific... (Score:2)
Re:without being blatently sexist (Score:2)
Re:The Lab test is simple! (Score:2)
Re:The Lab test is simple! (Score:3, Funny)
Build a better moustrap, and only the Neophilic mice will beat a path to your door.
Re:Make the Old; New again (Score:2)