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audreychiao's review
DNF - this book talked a lot about the psychology behind habits and addiction, which are all very interesting, but I picked up this book to learn more about the tech side of things (such as what tech companies do specifically to get us addicted to their product).
mackellis's review
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
3.0
This made me consider the amount of time I was spending on Instagram every day. I was at 3 or more hours every single day. Ridiculous amounts of time wasted.
teekeita's review
3.0
I find the title slightly misleading: much of the book focuses on behavioural addictions and tries to make comparisons to technology/digital attention addictions, but there isn't enough review of studies on this yet to fulfil the titles argument.
Learned a few things, but wasn't what I was expecting.
Learned a few things, but wasn't what I was expecting.
smellbelle's review
5.0
A really in depth and interesting look at phenomena that rule our day to day lives.
Should be required reading for parents of children born in a post facebook and smartphone era, I know it's definitely given me some pointers when the time comes for me. May well be easier said than done however!
Keep them coming Mr.Alter, it's hard to find non fiction texts that are interesting and relevant and Irresistible is definitely those!
Also have to mention however that whenever I read the title I'd get Robert Palmer's Simply Irresistible stuck in my head for hours...not a bad thing really.
Should be required reading for parents of children born in a post facebook and smartphone era, I know it's definitely given me some pointers when the time comes for me. May well be easier said than done however!
Keep them coming Mr.Alter, it's hard to find non fiction texts that are interesting and relevant and Irresistible is definitely those!
Also have to mention however that whenever I read the title I'd get Robert Palmer's Simply Irresistible stuck in my head for hours...not a bad thing really.
slenkic's review
3.0
Overall I enjoyed this read, but I felt I got what I was mainly looking for in Parts 1 and 3 where I got ideas on how to handle my own internet and technology addiction. The second part of this book really dragged for me, it seemed the author was trying to pad it out with endless examples of technology and addiction research that didn't offer much for my own personal development. I found myself skim reading this part to get to the most interesting section Part 3, which gave me more practical ideas on how to use technology for good and how to break the most addictive parts of it.
Having said that, I think I'll be using techniques I learnt from Gretchen Rubin's book about habits 'Better Than Before' more than this one to help my technology habit.
After finishing this book I deleted the Facebook app from my phone, since I've been spending way too much time scrolling and getting distracted by it. Now if I want to check Facebook I have to go to my laptop, turn it on, wait 5+ minutes for it to load (it's a 5 years old computer) and then check my feed. Using this 'Theory of Inconvenience" (learnt in Rubin's book) has made my Facebook time plummet and when I do use it it's not for as long and much more enjoyable.
Having said that, I think I'll be using techniques I learnt from Gretchen Rubin's book about habits 'Better Than Before' more than this one to help my technology habit.
After finishing this book I deleted the Facebook app from my phone, since I've been spending way too much time scrolling and getting distracted by it. Now if I want to check Facebook I have to go to my laptop, turn it on, wait 5+ minutes for it to load (it's a 5 years old computer) and then check my feed. Using this 'Theory of Inconvenience" (learnt in Rubin's book) has made my Facebook time plummet and when I do use it it's not for as long and much more enjoyable.
sunnynacia's review
3.0
Learned some interesting facts about how behavioral addiction works but the way this book was marketed made it sound more like a self-help book to understand what makes us addicted to screens & how to steer away from those bad habits. Instead, it provides with a lot of information about behavioral addiction in general (not so much about the internet / smartphones / social media) and doesn't give outright advice.
memydogandbooks's review
3.0
3.5⭐️ Why do we keep checking our phones? Why do we scroll endlessly on Facebook/Instagram? Why do we always watch the next episode on Netflix? Why do we strive to walk more than our 10,000 steps? And why are the world’s biggest technocrats eg Steve Jobs, privately technophobes and wouldn’t let their kids have their own creations?
This book takes a very interesting look at the changes and growth in behavioural addictions to tech - games, phones, slot machines, fitness trackers, streaming services - addictions in a world where tech cannot be avoided.
I found this quite an enlightening, pretty frightening as well as helpful read on how you can become more aware of your behaviours/addictive tendencies that many of us have to our tech - would you go anywhere without your phone? What we don’t know yet is the true impact of these addictions on the digital natives who were born into the world of smart phones, tablets and steaming services as they are not adults yet, that will be a very interesting revelation.
Definitely worth a read! It might make you consider your own behaviours and those of the younger generations!
This book takes a very interesting look at the changes and growth in behavioural addictions to tech - games, phones, slot machines, fitness trackers, streaming services - addictions in a world where tech cannot be avoided.
I found this quite an enlightening, pretty frightening as well as helpful read on how you can become more aware of your behaviours/addictive tendencies that many of us have to our tech - would you go anywhere without your phone? What we don’t know yet is the true impact of these addictions on the digital natives who were born into the world of smart phones, tablets and steaming services as they are not adults yet, that will be a very interesting revelation.
Definitely worth a read! It might make you consider your own behaviours and those of the younger generations!
fmoreno's review
4.0
This book talks about behavioral addictions - how they originate, how they are maintained and, lastly, how they can be broken.
I found this book to be organized in a perfectly rational way, designed to help you understand how behavioral addictions have come to be regarded that way. Scientists have evolved from many different concepts of addiction and it was enlightening to read about how different times regarded different types of addictions.
In the 21st century we now are seeing the rise of what the author calls behavioral addictions, that is, behaviors that light up our brain pleasure center and become addictions.
I enjoyed reading about the different real life examples the author gives, the body of research he presents and ultimately, the solutions he provides.
I’d recommend this book to all people, not only because it’s carefully researched and simply explained but also because it is an important book - it might make us more conscious about our behaviors, our addictions and it might also be a call to action.
I found this book to be organized in a perfectly rational way, designed to help you understand how behavioral addictions have come to be regarded that way. Scientists have evolved from many different concepts of addiction and it was enlightening to read about how different times regarded different types of addictions.
In the 21st century we now are seeing the rise of what the author calls behavioral addictions, that is, behaviors that light up our brain pleasure center and become addictions.
I enjoyed reading about the different real life examples the author gives, the body of research he presents and ultimately, the solutions he provides.
I’d recommend this book to all people, not only because it’s carefully researched and simply explained but also because it is an important book - it might make us more conscious about our behaviors, our addictions and it might also be a call to action.
gwelliott's review
2.0
Lots of great data, seemingly random extrapolations from said data
Not particularly useful
Not particularly useful