Creating a society of neurological addiction needs to be criminalized as severely as that of promoting chemical addiction.
If I were to walk into a room and announce that cigarettes are nonaddictive, or that opiate-based pharmaceuticals are nonaddictive, I would — correctly — be laughed out of the room. We all know that certain products are specifically engineered to be addictive. We know that these products are harmful, to say the least. In fact, they are deadly and regulated as such. The opioid crisis is proof positive that chemical addiction is a cancer on society.
Plain language: A few months ago I was grabbing a drink at a social event, and crossed paths with a gentleman who had just obtained a PhD in neuroscience. Meaning, he is a literal brain scientist. This was remarkable, because every time I begin to think that I have my own life in order, I cross paths with someone who has far exceeded any ambitions or expectations that may have been thrust upon them.
As the joke goes, a farmer and a literal brain scientist walk into a bar. As it turned out, they became friends over a common interest in reality over artificiality. I talked about the farm, our outreach, and the educational component of agricultural-based tourism. I talked about our repeat clients, and how the realism of the farm is bringing people back, time and time again, for experiences that are — for lack of a superlative — simply real. The greatest feedback we ever received from a guest came from an ER nurse who visited the farm and exclaimed, “I can feel my blood pressure decreasing just being here!”
The brain scientist talked about smart-sounding stuff regarding behavioral patterns, cognitive function, euphoria, depression, and the things that happen “up there” that make us all similar — and also all unique.
As the evening wore on, I became comfortable enough to ask the burning question, “What exactly does someone with a PhD in neuroscience do for a living?” Meaning, how are you compensated for the wealth of knowledge you’ve obtained, and the new frontiers breached, with such a prestigious title?
I’m paraphrasing, but his answer went something like:
“Traditionally, someone with an education in neuroscience would pursue a medical-based career. We would go into the medical field and find some way to contribute to the understanding of the human brain and nervous-system. We would contribute to rehabilitation, and medical development.”
He continued: “However, in this day and age, companies like Google, Apple, Disney, etc. scoop us up so that we can specifically design their products to better interact with users. Since neuroscientists know how the brain is triggered, and wired, products and user experiences can be developed that feed directly into the subconscious. We are scientifically engineering electronic devices to be addictive, based on how we know the brain functions. Plus, they pay better than the medical field.”
The brain scientist and I both agreed that this was revolting, and parted ways.
No doubt, our phones listen to us. Our devices mine data from each and every twitch of activity we feed out. We all know that our conversations trigger algorithms that link us to things we don’t need, and promote lifestyles that are fictitious at best, and downright predatory at worst. Amazing, to intuitively know this, but then look someone dead in the eyes who offers proof that user experiences are far more sinister than innocent scrolling — your device is quite literally engineered to be addictive.
If possible, I encourage each of you to do an experiment. If the night sky is visible, and can be safely observed from wherever you happen to be located, take time to go outside in the evening and simply observe the stars. Look up at the moon. Take the time to witness a meteor shower. Stand underneath an oak tree and marvel in the strength of the branches.
The farm has offered me a unique opportunity, in that I can take long uninterrupted walks at night. Regardless of the season, I relish the chance to be alone with my thoughts. I enjoy the biting cold. I soak up the late summer sunsets. I long for the rustic aroma of autumn. When storm fronts pass through in the springtime, I stand in the face of weather patterns that are terrifying in their ferocity, yet soothing in their beauty and renewal.
We have lost touch with the natural world, to our own detriment. The greatest juxtaposition of all occurs when you pick up your device, open the home screen, and stare into the electronic world. What a contrast! The digital world sucks at the soul. It erodes individuality. It promotes artificiality and sameness. It sets unobtainable standards that convince the user to buy — consume — in a never-ending cycle. Actual fulfillment or satisfaction is consciously engineered to be impossible.
The plagues of today include clinical depression, quantifiable anxiety, and rising suicide. These are natural outcomes to neurological addiction. And this is why I say, neurological addiction needs to be treated with the same criminality as chemical addiction.
— Dan Wegmueller is the owner of Wegmueller Farms and his column appears regularly in the Times. His website is https://www.farmforthought.org.
