Genetic Reason for Your Gadget Habit

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.

The culture of victimhood

[DerekLyons]

So now geeks join the culture of victimhood - "it's not my fault, its my [genes|society|enviroment]!". Congratulations on finally joining the mainstream!

ADD of the new millennium

[milamber3]

Before it was, tell all the parents their child has ADD/ADHD and that's why he/she wont sit still or pay attention in class. Now doctors will be saying that the kids need all this new stuff and throw temper tantrums because of their genetically elevated monoamine oxidase A and not that they are spoiled/greedy/etc.

Extent

[trifish]

I wonder whether I suffer from neophilia too when I fall in love with a new girl each week...

Re:ADD of the new millennium

[rtobyr]

Perhaps it works the other way around. Children who are spoiled and greedy DEVELOP elevated levels of monoamine oxidase A as a result.

Re:But...

[uioreanu]

I hate to live in a world where every human trait sounds like a disease. If we could cure our need for new, and turn boredom into ever-lasting happiness; how long before we find a cure at being human?

Comment removed

[account_deleted]

Comment removed based on user account deletion

Not a flaw, a feature, really

[Bullfish]

This is a good thing and is part of all of our natures. Without it, we would never have left the caves, invented the spiky club, fire, beer or the refrigerator (in which you keep your beer).

Re:But...

[everett]

We already have a cure for being human, it's called Law School.

Re:ADD of the new millennium

[milamber3]

Very possible, I could see constantly exposing a developing brain to every new (toy, gadget, thing) might cause changes similar to that seen in drug addicts. There would be elevated MAO to get rid of the excess dopamine which was being released and then when the stimulation of new toys was cut off a resulting excessive down regulation of dopamine would cause some type of withdraw symptoms. This is somewhat of a strech, just as being addicted to video games and the internet is a strech, still its plausable.

Re:Grow out of it

[93,000]

I have the same feelings, and I think it's mainly a matter of realizing the whole 'perceived reward vs. actual reward'. I used to always long for gadgets, etc, just KNOWING that they would make my life great and imagining how cool/happy/satisfied I'd be if I only had one. Whatever the item is, no matter how great, it's never what I build it up to be in my head. The high of having this new shiny thing wears off in about a day -- the credit card balance sticks around quite a bit longer to rub it in.

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:The culture of victimhood

[wwest4]

Maybe there's a name to describe predictable knee-jerk reactions.

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:ADD of the new millennium

[ObsessiveMathsFreak]

Whatever the reason, they're going to need lots and lots of very expensive, and very patented anti-monoamine oxidase A to make them fit in at school.

Software

[bcmm]

I think I deal with this by getting new software all the time. It's a lot cheaper, especially on Linux :)

Eventually ... one would hope that...

[StressGuy]

The number of possible afflicitions, disorders, etc. begins to saturate the population such that it becomes apparant that everybody has *something* wrong with them. At that point, everybody becomes just like everyone else again and we can once again refocus on taking ownership/responsibility for our own issues.

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 altering drugs you want.

Re:The culture of victimhood

[DahGhostfacedFiddlah]

True, but recognizing a cause does not automatically make one consider oneself a victim. This knee-jerk crying of "culture of victimhood" whenever a new root cause is found helps no one.