are smartphones slot machines??

IM NOT SURE!!! this page is for me to compile videos i like about the design philosophy & algorithms behind both mobile smart devices and slot machines. i find both things to be independently very interesting but i'm also noticing a lot of overlap!!

I also know that Addiction by Design is kind of the textbook for all of this stuff, especially when it comes to machine gambling--i haven't managed to find a place to read it yet, but it's next up on my list! And hopefully I'll find a way to share it with yall as well!

key points of interest:

• intentional hacking of human psychology & physiology to keep us engaged. "You do not want to restore the gambler's cognitive state where they can make rational decisions." (Stop Predatory Gambling)
• "dark flow state". different from a crazy accidental all nighter working on art, your website, or any other kind of creative or complex task. the dark flow state is when you enter a flow state doing menial, repetitive tasks that aren't challenging and it leaves you feeling worse after. as opposed to a positive flow state, where you feel fulfilled and accomplished. (NPR),(Stop Predatory Gambling)
• algorithms that tease you on purpose. they show you something CLOSE to what you like, so you'll keep digging. similar to intentionally programmed "near wins" on slot machines. (Jimmy McGee), (Howtown)
• solitute is part of the equation. for both machine gambling and smartphones, the "dark flow state" is achieved easiest with no other people present. You are unable to pick up on social cues to see if you are in distress or not. (NPR), (Jimmy McGee)

i'm not a researcher or scientist but find the study of these topics super fascinating!! and personally, the solitde of it all really struck home. After i deleted all my social media and got a dumb phone, i was able to finally interrogate the feelings I was having that i was used to filling with social media. Usually i was just really lonely, and Social Media had not been helping fill that hole.

if you know of any more resources i should check out, please tell me here: boredomarchive@pm.me