The generally accepted definition of addiction is the dependency on a substance. However, addiction manifests itself in many different ways which are not discussed as regularly as they should be. Addiction can be understood as the inability to abstain from any activity which releases neurotransmitters in the brain; most commonly serotonin, endocrines, or dopamine.
Pornography, sex, television and video-games can fall into this category and can become the downfall of many. The underlying reason for addiction is a lack of happiness and fulfillment, leading the addict to compensate for the brain’s shortage of essential “feel-good” chemicals through unfulfilling, hedonistic activities.
Long-term happiness requires the stable foundations of strong relationships, a healthy body and a balanced mixture of work and leisure; addictive activities do not lead to long-term fulfillment. Short, excessive bursts of pleasure have the same effect on the brain as a short-circuit on an electrical current.
The presence of addiction seems to be increasing in the Western world. Modern society and, by extension, any civilization in decline begins to disregard long, fulfilling activities for shorter “hits” of chemical release through lazy, slovenly slurps of serotonin and dopamine. This is exacerbated by cultural collapse, neglecting the importance of family and the behavioral sink.
Lack of fulfilment leads people to seek easier and baser forms of pleasure. What was once achieved by long, arduous but rewarding victories, helped by strong family units, a proper economy and political system, has been sacrificed in favour of mindless indulgence.
Modern pleasure-seeking often lacks catharsis or insight and its addictive effects are exacerbated by broken families, stagnant economies, and a dystopian world drained of courage, virtue, or dignity. The result is increased rates of depression, which generally lead to more widespread addiction.
The only hope a modern man has is to ensure he does not fall into the same pitfalls as his idler, more miserable counterparts. He can also attempt the yet nobler goal of saving as many of his companions as he can through writing and teaching.
Addiction is more common that originally thought
Long-term addictions can lure the strong from the path to self-mastery to mediocrity, insignificance and worst of all, an ailing body and soul. Aside from the obvious examples, addictions that are less discussed such as pornography and idle activities like video-games can limit a man’s potential.
The effects of substance abuse, such as social alienation and atrophy of the body and mind, are widely known and discussed. The effects of addictions less widely recognized are, however, more subversive and can produce a wide range of symptoms; they can affect anyone, even strong, red-pilled men of the manosphere. Their effects are sometimes invisible in the short-term, and therefore self-awareness is critical: recognizing that a harmless habit is quickly developing into a mini-obsession is vital for maintaining discipline.
Excessive idleness is a leading contributing factor to developing addictions. This can be easily avoided by maintaining a rigorous routine and having goals. Neurotransmitters do not give a hard-working person a quick influx of hedonistic bliss like an idle pleasure will, but they will reward him every morning he wakes up to an active life, filled with fulfilling activities.
A strong man like this simply does not need excess indulgence. Hobbies and intellectual pursuits require effort and a great deal of time and investment. It is therefore unsurprising that the modern man tends to forego them for easier and more instantaneous forms of pleasure.
Effort is commonly what differentiates alphas from betas: alphas are stable, anti-fragile men who invest ample time and energy into long, difficult projects; whereas betas seek comfort through short, drip-like bursts of adrenaline and serotonin, becoming incapable of developing their own will and personality. The latter type is the ideal model for the corporate West: a soft, flabby child, hooked on superfluous products which cater to its self-gratifying, impulsive whims and infatuations, keeping the economy afloat (or just about).
The Solution
To overcome these addictions, the problem must be addressed at its roots: considerable time must be invested into long-term solutions such as strict regimes, discipline, exercise and intellectual pursuits.
Addictions stem from a desperate thirst in the brain for pleasure chemicals due to lack of fulfilment. A life that is well organized, varied and fulfilling is far less likely to be susceptible to such symptoms.
Addicts are not a marginalized sub-section of society; they make up today’s unfulfilled, depressed majority. The human brain is not designed to remain unchallenged, in a docile state of carefree existence like that of a sheep or a snail. Its intricacy and complexity is designed for continual self-improvement and expansion.
Over-indulging the brain with idle activities, saccharine substances, or superficiality will make its neurons cry out for stimulation, slowly wilt, and eventually recede into detritus. Man must abstain from deteriorating his brain by overcoming addiction in all of its forms.
Read More: Sex Robots Are Becoming A Better Option Than Western Women
“To overcome these addictions, the problem must be addressed at its roots: considerable time must be invested into long-term solutions such as strict regimes, discipline, exercise and intellectual pursuit”
This is an important idea, that fits well with the battle against ‘thirst’, (while extending it to any excessive appetite) and fits in well with the notion of developing frame, self-control and perhaps a more stoical attitude to life (as a means of controlling appetites). There’s a philosophy coming together here. I would like to see more articles on this theme.
I think that is not addiction problem. It is rather escape from real world and it’s challenges. When modern man meets obstacle has two options: quit and take some easy entertaiment (games, alkohol, drugs, TV, etc.) or face the reality and take hard work. Only second options bring some profits but it is far more demanding than quick entertainment.
Western civilisation has collapsed. The decadence and errosion of western society can be tied and correlated through the following signs:
-The economic collapse
-The growing unemployment and people dependent on food stamps/banks
-The rise of masculine women and feminine men
-The rise of the hipsters and metrosexuals
-The collapse and decay of music, games, film, fashion and literature
-The growing inequality between rich and poor
-The gay agenda and political correctness being shoved in our faces
-The rejection of religion and morality
-The breakdown of the family unit
-The manipulation and corruption of our political and economic systems
-The heavy dependence on technology and projection of narcissism
The list goes on and on. But it is proof that we have approached the end of our civilisation.
Excellent points.
Excellent post.
This is pure hyperbole. Western civilization has not collapsed. Sure there are problems but tell us which perfect civilization you are comparing us to?
Go read “oswald spengler decline of the west”. It will shake you out of your denial of the obvious.
Know all about it. Why don’t you make a cogent argument instead? It should be easy if it’s so “obvious”.
“Why don’t you make a cogent argument instead?”
Why should i when you clearly didn’t do so yourself? Truth(commenter) already made a few decent arguments. Why don’t you try refuting it with an ‘cogent argument’?
Stop being so childish. You actually have just revealed that you have no leg to stand on. “Make an argument.” No why should I?” Really.
*Claims the west isn’t in decline
*Makes no actually argument to defend his position
*Then *hypocritically* demands someone else make an argument while never stating what to make an argue for.
*The claims I don’t i have a leg to stand *hypocritically*
*In a fit or rage then calls me a child *ironically*
You haven’t even given me something to argue for or against so what the fuck where you expecting? Really? It is pretty obvious that you are just a troll at this point with nothing to actually say but insults and vague meaningless rhetoric Now get off the internet. Adults are speaking.
Why are you so defensive?
-Over 100 million americans out of work and growing
-Over 100 million americans on food stamps and growing
-Over 40 million americans without health insurance and the USA being the only Western industrial nation without universal healthcare.
-Over 8 million manufacturing jobs shipped abroad thanks to NAFTA
-USA having the highest incarceration rate per capita (prison industrial complex)
-Over $1 trillion dollars in student loan debt (surpassing the nation’s credit card debt)
-Since Clinton, Bush and Obama, we have seen nothing but deregulations, corporate bailouts, bonuses, industry written laws and tax breaks for the rich
-Inflation reaching point where cost of living has spiralled out of control
-Technology replacing more jobs
These are the REAL figures that politicans do not want the public to know.
You still want more proof that America has collapsed? Compared to other super power nations such as Russia and China (even though those places have their problems) America is the WORST off.
I do agree with on many points listed but I think you need to stretch that timeline back through Reagan and Bush Sr….and even in some cases back even more decades (through other administrations).
Manufacturing in this country started to erode away (jobs lost) long before NAFTA (so I agree with you on many points but this didn’t start on Clinton’s watch..it only continued before and through today).
The capital gains taxed has been slowly chipped away over many decades, through many administrations.
The rest is just the cause and effect (the devastation) of so many administrations (politicians) selling out this country for big money or a career after they’ve left Washington. It’s been happening for a long time.
True. Since Nixon removed the gold standard, things have been going down hill. NAFTA really was the final blow to manufacturing.
Every man needs to not fall into the corruption that is being spread by the mainstream media, politicans and pop culture.
I believe that despite what has happened to Western society, it is imperative to ensure that you as an individual do the following:
-Maintain a clean and healthy lifestyle
-Read books and educate yourself
-Always maintain a clean appearance, haircut, clean shave and dress smart
-Learn to be financially smart and responsible
-Learn to speak properly, have manners and respect
-Continue to learn and build new skills
The above points are essentially what every man needs to follow in order to maintain his self respect. Self respect- the most important element of being a REAL man and what the poisons in our society will always try to destroy.
Yep, good points….and all trade deals involving the U.S. have been bad (at least for the average working joe). I’m sure some people made quite a killing out of those deals but many have suffered (lost jobs) as a result.
It’s why they’ve been keeping the latest one (TPP) under wraps (secret) for so long. They know that the American people are fucking done with trade deals…because we always seemed to get fucked (trade deficit).
Absolutely agree. TPP may be the final nail to the coffin.
Very important points; one thing I would add. Do not accept data from any one source. From my experience, most sources of data are biased. Do your own research, and convince yourself. Edward Gibbons compiled the History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire from biased sources by comparing them, and with a good understanding of human nature, rationalizing what was most likely to be true. As truth-seekers, we need to do the same.
These are interesting facts but they are not proof for or against the “collapse”.
America’s been going downhill since they wrote the Constitution.
Yes they are. Sorry if I sound arrogant, but I do know what I am talking about.
On top of the above points, the endless printing of money by the central banks, will eventually lead to the final economic financial collapse.
My advice to all men out there is to prepare for it. I don’t know when it is going to happen, but we all know that it is going to happen.
This.
People that spend their time bitching about the current president on FB drive me fucking crazy, and I make a mental note that they’re dumb as shit. I’ve deleted several people that do this, it’s incredible how much energy some spend hating Obama.
Modern politics is driven by forces that have been in motion for decades, and the president has soo many different decision makers that influence his actions. That said, I still think we’re better off with the guy that has a loud bark but no bite, instead of the guy that believes his magic underwear will save him from bullets, knives, and fires.
You don’t sound like you know what you are talking about. You just present a laundry list of problems. The human race has faced worse in the past. Really you just make assertions and list facts but you make no argument.
I agree that there will be another financial collapse but I don’t think it will be any where near as apocalyptic add you seem to suggest. Most people will carry on as before. There will be no collapse of Western Civilization. America certainly has not collapsed.
There are those that argue that the that the Roman Empire never actually fell, it just evolved.
Actually what humans are facing now is worser than anything civilization has ever faced before. The above facts which I have mentioned are a strong indicator that society is collapsing.
Governments around the world are already prepping up for civil wars, militarising the police and the growing inequality between the rich and poor is the widest it has ever been.
I’m sorry to say this, but you are living in denial if you do not think that America has not collapsed. Over 1/3 of the nation’s population is unemployed and living on food stamps. And that does not sound like collapse to you? How about the fact that technology is replacing even more jobs than ever before or the fact that the middle class is now dying and eroding.
America HAS COLLAPSED.
Mostly all agreeable except this mythical ‘Deregulations’.
Indeed every disaster you’ve named has come from more Regulations rather than less.
Oh and universal healthcare is not really something to aspire to.Socialist’s utopia that cannot sustain itself.
Glass Steagal Act. The repealing of this legislation led to the housing crash and financial economic crash of 2008.
I would rather have universal healthcare than the backward system of the USA’s private health insurances who can all go to hell.
Not really sure where you were going with this one.
My point was in response to truth’s comment – that they are all involved (both parties) and everything is connected (believe it or not)…it stretches way back (many decades – up to and including Obama).
Politicians on the hill live in a totally different world versus today’s average family, worker, etc….They throw the people “crumbs” to keep people content because they all know that the people (if not happy and left out in the cold) will march on Washington. The current discussion on the gap between the “haves” and “have nots” has been bubbling just below the surface for years.
It’s only a matter of time before the people stop listening (to both sides) and come up with their own solution. History does repeat itself.
I agree that there are issues but I don’t think they are insurmountable. I have faith in human ingenuity to solve all of the problems in front of us. I think words like “collapse” are way too emotive and exaggerate the problem. I also think some of your statistics are a little suspicious. 33% unemployment rate? Are you including children and retirees in that?
That is completely untrue RE GSA. The roots of the crash are much deeper and more profound than that. You should also consider why the GSA was initially put in place.
It was one of the instrumental pieces of legislation that the repealing of, led to the housing crash in 08.
Trust me, the housing crash was going to happen anyway and you hit on a more important factor earlier (the closing of the gold window).
But the GSA should never have been put in place in the first place.
The problem is not the lack of separation of commercial and investment banking. It is the existence of fractional reserve banking, the Federal Reserve and fiat currency. I have sources if you are interested.
I didn’t dispute what you said, as I completely agree. I think both parties are mostly the same as well, I just think Obama was a better choice than Romney. I fucking hate the two party system, but after living in Utah I could never trust a mormon.
That’s the collapse of capitalism, not the collapse of the West. As for Russia, it’s a second-tier power now, most of whose people are poor by US standards. And China? Bubble burst.
> which perfect civilization you are comparing us to?
We are comparing it with Western civilization itself, decades (centuries?) ago.
In that case the argument falls flat on its face. We are much better off now than decades ago. As for centuries ago, my friend, the West could hardly be described as civilized.
All that comes from welfare-state, btw.
The welfare state is a byproduct of the decline. Not the cause. The west has been in decline since the end of the french revolution.
No. You should read Democracy, The God that failed. The leading western power, USA, developed a lote during 19th century, but the FED and welfarism set it on this destructive course.
Great book.
Not just the Welfare State ,but the State in general.All anti-civilizing behaviors are promoted and subsidized by the State. Feminism/Anti-Masculine-ism,Obesity,Degrading education,Perverse Female behavior encouragement,Thug Culture,Medication addiction.
In fact I don’t think it is a stretch to generalize and say that the State is behind or involved in every man made disaster.
Our current situation (U.S.) is another example of throwing bones to the masses to keep them happy (or distracted).
How many pissed off people do you think they would have on their hands if they didn’t, at least, throw out a few crumbs?
You only have corporate welfare (yes, it does exist) because politicians have been careful in throwing out regular welfare and programs (bones) to the masses.
Otherwise, the enemy (the people) would be at the gate.
IMO instant gratification is at the core of it all. I was watching a nature documentary yesterday, and it was about animal adaptive behaviour – as an example, one crow species “learned” how to fish, using bread as bait to lure fish in a pond etc. Normally, the crow would instantly eat the bread, but since discovering (maybe by accident) that fish like bread too, and fish is a better meal than bread, it is now capable of delayed gratification, for a better reward – also, it was said that only animal species with a superior brain function, such as humans and chimps, can achieve this.
Humanity is in dire risk of regression, apparently. These birds of carrion will soon pick the meat off our bones if we choose to remain slaves to our basest instincts.
Good observations. In terms of instant gratification, I too see a regression taking place. Apropos to this site, our understanding of human sexuality, for instance, and very much related to controlling impulses and gratification, has, in my opinion, already regressed. Ahem, PUA notwithstanding, I think ROK has an advanced understanding of human sexuality…I mean the blue pill, over-sex and, yes, homosexualized culture.
Given the strength of the male sex drive, and the absence of ways through which men could (historically) affirm themselves as MEN, it is hardly surprising.
In ages gone by, say in the Wild Wild West, I would wager that men were able to withstand the absence of sex, even refuse it, for longer than they can in the present western, whimsical wreckage.
Furthermore, any form of instant gratification should only be allowed sparingly, as it has pernicious effects when out of control:
-stunts development, both on a personal and societal scale
-reinforces laziness and entitlement behaviours
-organization, rule, law, structure, discipline, morals / ethics, tradition become eroded /corrupted
-…then Chaos.
Picture kids having unchecked access to the local candy shop keys in a small town. Soon, not only there will be an obesity epidemic along with related health issues, but also the shop will be in flames, and the fire will be spreading rapidly – threatening the whole town.
The West has been dead since the Allies won WW2, having destroyed a people who were most comitted to fighting those very things and the International forces that promote them.
That is our Thank You
“The West has been dead since the Allies won WW2, having destroyed
a people who were most comitted to fighting those very things and the
International forces that promote them.”
“The West” died when the Latin half of Europe under Rome split from Orthodoxy in 1054. The Nazis were the just the latest bunch of effeminate Western Europeans to get sent to their doom against the real center of history, Russia.
http://gaynazis.com/
The problem is that materialism is of primary importance in too many people’s lives. Everything else suffers.
Materialism is the consequence of being ungrounded – there is no longer an unshakable tradition for anyone to adhere to. There has to be proper support and channeling for the human energies. Addiction and fetishisms of all kinds including materialism have their proper sociological soil right now – the only solution I can see, which would be an utter tragedy, is a meltdown
It took awhile for us to get here…so it’s going to take awhile (and effort) to get back. I don’t really see us needing a meltdown…we just need to start slowly reversing the trends.
It didn’t get this way overnight, but I believe we can change it. This site (and all of us coming together) is a great start.
The ocean starts with a single drop of water…but in time it becomes the ocean. Let’s get to work, drops.
Here’s a challenge for all Western people. A better challenge than the Ice Bucket Challenge:
-No attention whoring. Zero. None at all. Not on Facebook or IG or Twitter. Not in real life. Stop taking and posting selfies or vines. For a whole week.
Even if some celestial being promised world peace and paradise on earth to mankind, under the condition that people stop being attention whores, there’d still be hundreds, if not thousands who’d fail that challenge.
so true.
Here is another challenge for the West:
-Give up on social media permanently. NO SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS.
-Give up on smartphones
I may be the only man in the West who’s already won this challenge.
I’m with you on this one. Lets share first place together.
Nope, count me in too.
I have a simple cell phone for emergencies and sometime convenience. I don’t use it to take pictures or text or whatever. (I have a camera for pictures.) I am not on Facebook. I do look at sites of interest to me but that’s like going to a library used to be.
I win this challenge every week.
Never had social media accounts never will, only use smartphone for technical capabilities/work.
You are not alone. I’ll never understand people who can’t put down their Smartphones. Ray Bradbury eerily predicted this in a 1953 short story titled “The Murderer”
The can’t stop the smart phones, it’s pretty much become a religion. Iphone 6 launches and other fuckery is now considered “breaking news”
I only have Facebook to stay in touch with family, no other social media. Only picture on my profile is 7 years old. Never taken a selfie, never bragged about anything. Did I pass the challenge?
LOL. Nope. No social media accounts or smartphones. Period.
Why not? I can’t see any virtue in deliberately cutting yourself off from social media. That’s just pointless hairshirt wearing for the sake of it.
Social media isn’t intrinsically bad, what matters is how it’s used.
Except for disqus right
Yes. The dominant position females have is the major source of our childish self-centeredness. I think women’s own selfishness, handled correctly, can lead to their willingly giving up political rights because they can be induced to believe that will make them safe and cared for.
Only a week? I go months.
So true
great article. could relate a lot to it. feeling changing behavior can either be negative or positive. it is just a choice, but a hard decision to make to want to be healthy. learning to recognize and feel feelings is as important as any other aspect in life. to neglect the spiritual side of life is to really neglect all else.
Capitalism is the core problem. Capitalism thrives on consumerism and consumerism in turn depends on people to be constantly addicted to food, objects, media, etc. Capitalism is also what brought about “empowering” women by flooding them into the workforce and turning them into consumers as well.
Men only have to disengage from consumerist behaviour and prepare for the inevitable collapse of the system.
Are you a communist?
I don’t think he knows. If he was, he would know that he is describing communism.
Let’s get the pitchforks.
No. Criticizing consumerist culture doesn’t equate to being a communist.
Capitalism is the worst economic system, except for all of the alternatives.
Don’t be so silly.
The word you’re looking for is consumerism, which has nothing to do with investing or building capital. Nor does it even have much to do with long-lasting businesses (except Walmart and the dollar store).
You have it completely backwards. Women’s suffrage was a key socialist plank. Without socialism you would not have the level of female freedom that you have today.
“collapse of the system”? That’s what happened in the USSR right?
No skoll, it was the communists of the Frankfurt School who gave rise to the type of women that we have today. What device are you using to type on? Where did you buy your clothes from? Like it or not, we live the lives we live because of capitalism. What we have today is crony capitalism, not capitalism in the true sense. Government is the problem. I do agree with you the vast majority of humans live slave like existences. Whether self induced or not.
You give communists way too much credit for how incompetent they actually are.
Think of it this way: Slavery was abolished not because of the abolitionist movement, but because the capitalist mode of production was much more efficient than slavery. (Which why the civil war was between the industrial North vs. the rural South.) Abolitionist movement was just a reflection of the changing social circumstances, not the actual precursor to change.
In the same way, women became “liberated” because it suited the capitalist system to have women in the workforce rather than being in traditional roles at home. The result is that today, the majority of consumerist products are purchased by women, which only benefits the corporations.
If you still think communism is responsible for women of today, then why is it that Eastern European women are more feminine than the Western counterparts despite having been under Communist rule for decades?
I don’t know if I can post links, but here’s an interesting read about the, “Torches of Liberty” campaign which “liberated” women by doing away with the stereotype that women who smoked were whores: (Just how many women died in the past 100 years from lung cancer? Yea, feminism worked out real well)
http://www.culturewars.com/CultureWars/1999/torches.html
Now, you just think about that. The people running these tobacco companies were not only capitalists, but they were communist in a cultural sense. If you actually take the time to look the individuals up, you will see that Jones’ conclusions are pretty accurate.
That seems like specious reasoning. Slavery ended simply because of the economic argument? All of the opposition to it was immaterial? Seems unlikely.
Capitalism does not make quality clothes. *People* make quality clothing.
Capitalism is a means of hording wealth all for yourself. It is a purely selfish endevour.
PS: Wall St bankers, investors, etc funded the red revolution. Now, just think about why they would do such a thing. Quite a quandary, isn’t it?
No, capitalism is the solution. All red pill men need to read Rothbard and Hans Hoppe.
Exactly right.
If capitalism was the solution this country would have no problems.
Do you even know what capitalism is? USA today is fascistic, not capitalist. Please study a bit of austrian economics (roosh has reviewed the excellent economics in one lesson in this site, for a start) before giving further opinions on this subject.
Mass media and Keynesian is what cause consumerism. Not capitalism it self. In the past consumers on only cared about the practicality(usefulness) of a product and the market adapted to that. Now a days since the advent of mass media propagandist figure out that they can sell more stuff if they appeal to the emotional, primal instinct of people instead of practicality of it. The market adapted to the need found ‘wants’ of consumers. It is the dumb masses(consumers) fault for falling for stupid, manipulative, advertisements.
Smartphones are zombifying everyone unfortunately. I even plead guilty to being overly caught up with doing things the more sophisticated the phones get; though I do not waste my time on retarted shit, I only am doing work with my devices be it phone or laptop. But even being addicted to work can not be good either.
Absolutely! I am a college student, and all I see are mindless men/women staring at their phones all day. It is pretty depressing. I minimize my time using my phone at school and only use my laptop for school work.
How do you know they are not reading this site or a book on advanced economics?
You give them too much credit.
Lol let’s be real. 99% of people on their phones aren’t doing that.
My point is that calling all these people “mindless” is a bit OTT. We don’t know what they are doing. Plus, many of these people are reading the news on their phones which means things have not really changed much.
For the record, when you see me looking at my device I am either reading the news, this site, or advanced economics or some similar science.
How did you come by that statistic? If they are not reading what do you think they are doing?
That’s a good start…put the phone down. I’ll check my phone now and then to see if family has called….but that’s it. It sits in my car or on my desk.
Life was happening all around me before the smartphone…and it will continue after the smartphone, too.
I truly believe that the smartphone is on those products designed to keep the masses dumbed down. Same for all the other techonology such as tablets.
lol designed by whom? The Illuminati? Conspiracy theory much?
Yes it was much better when people zombified reading newspapers or watching TV.
I’ve escaped video games, television, and porn. Only thing holding me back now is watching too much youtube.
I’m glad that I love exercise and music as much as I do. I have plenty of friends that tell me about TV shows that I should watch, or of video games that I should play. However, I just tell them I don’t have the time to indulge in them. In all honesty, I could make time, but that would require me to spend less time in the gym or in front of the mixing console.
I also never consider porn/masturbation. A lack of sex does not bring the desire to fap. It is all based on self worth. Being idle allows us to analyze how we aren’t taking care of our horniness, but if we aren’t idle then we don’t even think about it. I went two months without any sexual release just because I was too damned busy to think about it.
So you’re addicted to the gym?
Since the argument is that porn stimulates dopamine release and exercise also stimulates dopamine release, he must be.
Not only did losing weight cause me to stop with all the bullshit I did which caused my weight gain, but by some weird path I ended up taking the redpill pretty early on in college. After discovering how it felt to be on the other side of the coin.
I think that it is a mistake to consider people who access “porn” and video games “excessively” (according to whom?) as being addicts. Addiction implies some kind of substance or chemical dependency which you do not have with porn or video game use. If so, a so-called “addict” will experience physical withdrawal when access to their “drug” is prevented (sweats, cravings, headache, nausea. Not only that, drug addicts occasionally experience dangerous intoxication from over-doses on their particular drug usually leading to injury or death. I never heard of anyone dying from a porn over-dose.
What this article seems to betray is a prudish sense of guilt attached to accessing these particular pleasures. It is no accident that the two activities mentioned strongly divide opinion, which the media blames for sex or violent crimes frequently, often in the name of protecting “the children”.
Today you will have the guilty hand-wringing over little Timmy viewing tits and ass, or running people down in GTA while laughing hysterically. Tomorrow, you will have the government restricting responsible adult activities.
There is no need for feeling guilty here. Enjoy your porn and video games. You are not hurting anyone, least of all yourself.
I don’t think it’s about guilt, more about aspiring to something greater. Of course I agree that a little bit of hedonistic pleasure is no big deal and probably even necessary every now and then. The author though is talking of cases were someone indulges all the time in that stuff as a way to escape from tackling anything difficult and worthy in life.
I understand but I don’t know of anyone like that. Plus it always seems to be the usual suspects, porn and video games. Why not TV? Or drinking? I know far more people wasting their time on that than on video games. There’s only soon much porn you can look at in a day and he used the word addiction which is so unlikely it’s not worth mentioning. That’s different to spending all your free time on games rather than self improvement. We are not talking addiction here, just a lack of ambition.
Your right they aren’t hurting anyone else, but I wouldn’t say they are escaping harm. There are countless articles and accounts about how addictive porn is, and how much better mens lives have become after giving it up. If these men have trouble with women in the first place, should they be hurting their chance seen more by desensitizing themselves to the female body. Personally have felt 10x better since giving up porn, and i would only watch it once or twice a week.
Giving up porn has been significantly more difficult than kicking my 15 year pack a day smoking habit was. But yeah, I feel so much more energized and motivated when I go for 2 or 3 weeks without. But having self analyzed the addictive qualities of both, the wash of dopamine associated with porn feels almost identical to a nicotine rush. Same animal, different species.
Its not the same. See my comment above.
Why are you giving up porn? Just enjoy it. Don’t feel guilty because women want you to be.
I don’t think I’ve ever been guilted by a woman about watching porn. Most of the girls I dated watched it with me. Non-issue.
That said, I’ll tell you what I tell my guy friends who are hooked on porn: If it’s not addictive, then go for a month without it and tell me if you feel any differently. None of them make it past 3 or 4 days.
Give it a shot. If you’re capable of abstaining for a month, I guarantee you will feel more confident, more creative, more productive, and more responsive to subtle sexual stimuli such as the scent of a woman or a woman lightly brushing your arm. Food will taste better and sensations will be heightened–watching excessive porn resets your baseline dopamine receptors such that your senses become dulled to simpler pleasures. You will even look better–more masculine, more rugged, younger, less drawn and tired. And you will BE less tired; you will have significantly more energy. (If you can also give up refined sugar and processed carbohydrates these effects will be doubled–they work on your dopamine receptors exactly like porn does; obese people suffer from essentially the exact same affliction as porn addicts). I know you doubt my claims; but try going without for a month and see for yourself. What do you have to lose?
Its hard to be any more masculine than I already am. You are probably right about stimuli effects but then there are advantages to porn use (being able to go longer etc.) It is hard for me to imagine that not viewing porn will have all of those effects you describe but then I don’t watch that much of it. It is just that logically, it cannot be addictive. Obese people are addicted to a substance – that is very different to visual pleasure.
I don’t eat sugar or refined foods.
Most of the arguments I have seen against porn appear to be from women pushing the “moral” view. Most women I know either have no comment or say “its wrong!”
My friend, compared to most people I am super-powered. I get good sleep, good food and plenty of exercise. I am rarely tired by day. This is a major factor in my positive view to life.
Awesome, that’s great that it doesn’t negatively impact you. Many people drink who are not alcoholics. Many people smoke who are not addicted. This article and my comment is not geared towards those people.
Sorry I don’t understand. You gave up porn but only watch it twice a week?
Regardless, if you don’t like porn don’t watch it. I don’t have a problem with that. But just because countless articles have been written about it being “addictive” that doesn’t make it so.
I cannot think of a single good reason “to give it up”. And frankly, I am not yet desensitized to the female body. Anyone who is, should consider the possibility that they are gay.
Frankly, anyone who says men’s lives are better off without porn is probably a feminist or some other similar woman. It is women who are threatened by porn. No man should be bothered by watching some pussy nor should his appetite ever be sated.
i’m no an expert on brain chemistry, but there are natural opiates as well as the synthetics ones (drugs) which fit neatly into the same receptor cells – Dopamine is also highly involved in any ‘reward’ behaviour such as porn) http://thebrain.mcgill.ca/flash/i/i_03/i_03_m/i_03_m_par/i_03_m_par_heroine.html
maybe there are some brain-scientists hanging around who could explain this properly …(if they’re not too busy wanking over cranial surgery pics)
ab
interesting argument. As I say, I’m not an expert on neuro-chemistry. Drugs may block re-uptake into the receptor sells something that doesn’t happen naturally (unless there some fault whereby those receptor cells don’t do their job), so I presume that would be the difference. I think the issue is partly about defining ‘addiction’ – what I think happens with any repeated activity where there is a bio-chemical rewards system is that the synaptic connections become strengthened – potentiated. I think the anti-porn brigade make particular claims about how porn makes changes to brain chemistry and functioning – I will have to look those up – but if you have runners, or sportsmen who become addicted to the endorphins (or whatever) released when they exercise I’m pretty sure porn which involves perhaps the most basic reward beyond hunger / thirst etc., will also have considerable potential for ‘addiction’ – but yes, you’re probably right about there being differences in some of the mechanisms involved
The chemical dependency can come in the form of quick/easy dopamine/serotonin (chemical) release into the brain too. It shortcuts actually doing anything to achieve something, making real life activities kind of boring, or more to the point, the motivation required to make fun, real life activities happen is no longer there.
To use an oblique example, think of how your gaming experience changes when you enable god mode. You get bored WAY quicker and the game becomes less fun because there is no challenge anymore. No need to get better, rank up or unlock the best tools/weapons because with god mode you get instant gratification. Addiction works in a similar way, you get that instant gratification leaving you unmotivated to keep playing (in the real world).
Another, more direct example: with money being no object (lets be realistic, for most people it’s an issue), what’s more rewarding/fun? Playing Call of Duty or playing Paintball out in the woods?
Or another one: Jacking off to porn vs jacking jacking off into your neighbor’s hot, naughty mouth?
When you’ve already fapped off to porn, there usually is no desire to make the neighbor scenario happen, or the desire to get out of the house and onto the paintball field (or any other activity that has now being replaced by the quicker and easier addiction)
Porn/Gaming short circuits the reward system and before you know it, you’re old and the memories of fun times were all in the matrix as your body sat there motionless for days… SCARY STUFF.
I have covered elsewhere why there is no chemical dependancy relevant to pornography.
I have never played God mode.
My neighbour’s hot mouth is not available 24/7
Porn does not affect my desire to “get my neighbour”. If anything, it enhances it.
My reward system is fine. Don’t worry. 😉
Apologies englishbob, I made the post seem too personal through my sub-par English skills. It was more of an attempt to look at it outside yourself through the eyes of someone who is suffering those addictions, if that makes sense.
Don’t forget, people react differently to different stimuli/chemicals… one person can be totally addicted to alcohol whereas someone else might have no problems at all because their mind/body has different mental and physiological processing. Other people get addicted to cutting their wrists… no chemicals involved, until you look at the dopamine release that happens each time. You know this anyway.
Addiction and Hedonism has what i believe to have two main causes:
1)Lost of Religion. Say what you want about Religion, the fact of the matter is that the majority of people can’t not and will not find their own meaning in life, causing a inner void. As an result, an goddess people with only themselves to live for will turn to hedonism and basic animal pleasures in order to occupy the mind in a meaningless existence. For most people, an divine authority is the only thing that will give them an objective purpose beyond their own self-serving desires. Keeping hedonism at bay.
2)Lost of The Patriarchal family. The lost male authority and the direction and purpose it gave to the family along with the loss of the divine aspect of family means that the man has no real reason to have one. After all, what is the point in investing a huge amount of time, energy, and money into something that you don’t even own or control? Since men are now out of the modern family the ‘family’ is the just women and children. It is seen as nothing more that a group of people who share genetic material and nothing else, which makes it very easy to break up. Without a family, that something that gives you a reason and purpose to wake up every morning, the only reason to continue living is for self-serving and selfish reasons. Which always leads to hedonism.
The only way to become truly happy in life is to live for and to be apart of something beyond and greater than yourself, to become a better you. Both family and religion gives man that purpose, meaning and reason in life to become better than what they already are.
Excellent points. A man must have a mission.
A friend of mine, an angry Jamaican, once said to me: “EVERYBODY got an addiction mon. EVERYBODY”.
After much observation I have to agree he was right.
Why is he angry?
Pornhub was down. 🙁
😉
😀
Our relationship/dating culture in the west is a wonderful example of this. Everyone is chasing the high of new and exciting. No matter how desirable your partner is, the high is gonna wear off after you’ve spent months or years with them and you’ve seen them at their worst, their ugliest, their most stank, their boring moments. But we just move on to the next “exciting” thing and convince ourselves it was better than the last. This applies to both men and women.
A library of congress full of books could not cover all the problems of the western world. Feminism, narcissism, gays, pedophiles, racism, religion, lack of real education system in all sectors, social media, divorce laws, pornography, video games, attention whoring, emasculated male population, lack of male guidance, female hypergamy, fat acceptance, fat praising, pussy worship, pussy pedestalization…
FUCK THIS PLACE!
I think the author makes some good points about modern society over indulging and his practical advice is sound. Where I object is his attempt to define this as “addiction” as if addiction is a disease which you can catch simply by not being active enough. I tend to think that all this talk of dopamine and neurotransmitters, whilst being interesting science, ultimately acts as a smokescreen for lack of action. It allows lazy people to claim they have a medical problem that needs treating. We are all capable of making rational choices, any drug user, porn watcher, video game player can stop any time they choose. It might be hard but it’s possible, we need to stop hiding behind this word “addiction”.
I agree with this, but you have to understand the service model is what is used in the U.S to get more revenue/money.
This is why you see the dopamine/chemicals talk, while it may be true it pushes the concept of a monthly fee/service to get your drugs to feel better. While you have been given the gift of discernment many have not, and really do think that going on anti depressants/legal addictions is the right way to go because that’s what they have been told all their life, there literally have been very few people who have told them otherwise.
Pornography is probably the most insidious and detrimental addiction of our time. It’s far worse now than ever before because of the ease of a availability.
No it isn’t. Sugar might be though. Pornography is generally healthy. Certainly better than smoking method.
Hmm… Maybe ignorance is the most detrimental addiction…
You weaken your position when you resort to insults.
That wasn’t meant to be an insult. It was just an observation. I’d suggest doing more research into pornography and addiction thereof before claiming it is, “generally healthy.” Such a claim is laughably absurd.
Yep, porn addiction is harsher than sugar addiction English bob, but you are right, sugar comes BEFORE cocaine, fact very surprising.
German prostitutes are so much better than porn…
It hard to take it otherwise since you know nothing of me. But we’ll let that lie. The fact is you have made several assertions without proof. You compound this error by then telling me to do the research for you. That, my friend, is absurd.
Porn addiction doesn’t exist. It’s a myth spread by authoritarian busy bodies who wish to control the lives of others.
Sugar addiction results in chronic inflammation, cancer, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, obesity, etc. How does excessive porn use compare to that?
You won’t get herpes from porn though
True.
But German prostitutes are very clean, way cleaner than most sluts. They have mandatory MST controls in German brothels.
Deutschland über alles !
What you say e-bob is like saying alcohol addiction doesnt exists.
It’s not because I condemn porn, it’s because alcohol, sugar, or porn can be addictives.
They act on the brain system of action & reward, and in some people, this system or action & reward is screwed.
Denying porn or alcohol can be addictive, just because you love it – and it’s your right- doesnt mean it’s not true.
Don’t conflate alcohol and porn. Alcohol is a chemical substance, porn is not. Porn is the odd man out in your list there. I have made several fact and logic based arguments above which you can review at your convenience.
No disrespect to you but in my opinion worrying about porn is a woman/feminist’s position. They are always trying to guilt men out of the things they enjoy. There is no demonstrated harm here.
I don’t “love” porn but I am man enough to say I enjoy it and believe it is a harmless and beneficial activity. I think the guys on here need to stop fretting, stop letting feminist society dictate to you what is good or bad and just enjoy looking at some damn pussy!
Not all alcohols are the same ^^. Some fruits make natural alcool. Some yeast provokes alcoholisation too.
Anyway. Alcochol is a substance, like dopamine, endorphines are. The brain can be dependant to any kind of relaxants, somnifers, sugar, pleasure, etc…
And the more available it is.
Your comment here seems to be a little mixed up. What is your point?
Porn isn’t productive
use erotic energy
to worship, not waste.
Interesting topic, I don’t think the problem is capitalism, as others have pointed out in the comments. I think it’s more of a consumerism/materialistic culture that is at fault, I think this is a result of a weakening family structures and the top capitalists are taking advantage of it.
My wife wanted to a big consumer when she first arrived here from Mexico, she came at the age of 23 or so, I was strongly against it and now she is almost like me, spends very little compared to the average American woman. This is a gift I can never repay my father for giving me, while growing up he would take me with him to the agricultural fields he irrigated/worked on, also would expose me to the real world at times, I don’t know if he did it on purpose or not, but it gave me the insight to realize material objects will not bring lasting happiness. We had a very tight family growing up, in the rural Southwest U.S, family was the source of joy for us.
It’s something I’m trying to teach my kids today but it’s harder now, my father didn’t have anyone competing with him for my attention. He was my moral/cultural undisputed lead and my mother followed his lead. I would say most people in U.S society are addicted/checked out of life, it’s simply not very interesting if you follow the script.
Go to school -> college -> party a little bit -> get married -> have a family -> get a mortgage -> get divorced -> get the life sucked out of you -> die.
That’s the script that is hailed by government/society, it’s no wonder people check out to other things.
“Addiction is more common than originally thought”
That’ll happen as a natural consequence of expanding the definition to sweep up nearly everything.
Lolz and how many guys here are addicted to pussy?
I am. Can’t get enough. Only a woman or a male feminist is threatened by porn.
So addiction to work is okay. What we have here is a failure to communicate. Moderation in all things, even moderation itself.
Great, great article.
It’s possible to view the addiction pandemic from many angles, but the one I like best is the contemporary denigration of commitment. He who has committed to some substantial continuing pursuit will seldom spare the time for the “quick hit” distractions that can so easily expand to fill one’s whole life.
The pursuit itself must satisfy certain criteria:
— It must command the pursuer’s full attention;
— It must provide ongoing reinforcing feedback, most commonly a product of some sort in which the pursuer can take pride;
— it must be honorable, in the classical sense of the word;
— It must not be easy relative to the pursuer’s strength, skills, and intellect.
Agreeable, productive work is probably the best option for most of us, whether for profit or at a worthwhile charity. However, expressive undertakings, such as fiction or the arts, can serve the creatively inclined.
In their landmark book In Search of Excellence, Peters and Waterman noted that the best run companies make a point of filling the employee’s agenda with good, absorbing tasks that have definite payoffs. That also tends to result in the happiest and most committed employees — a double win.
When we contrast that approach to the contemporary notion that commitment, dedication, and passion are somehow “uncool,” it opens a world of insight into the nature of Man that the enemies of masculinity — indeed, the enemies of freedom — would prefer we never discover.
I’m addicted to browsing random websites on the Internet! Can’t stop I waste several hours each day on this :/
Brilliant article. Very clear, succinct points. Thank you.
I have another challenge to propose in addition to McPot’s. Every week, get one person you know to also stop using social media. Get them OFF of fartbook, trimmer, instagag, fuckphone, you name it. So far I had two people I know remove their accounts this week. What about the rest of you all?
DON’T EAT AND PLAY!
Trust me, just try it.
If you decouple eating and drinking from watching TV, gaming, youtubing, etc. You will mitigate the Pavlov’s dog response that you have created toward those things. Eventually porn becomes like trying to take down a cup of sugar, just too sweet, thus you don’t even want, much less sitcoms, and movies that don’t offer much substance.
“Effort is commonly what differentiates alphas from betas: alphas are
stable, anti-fragile men who invest ample time and energy into long,
difficult projects;”
-> You are confusing alpha with greater beta.
One of the best articles on RoK. There’s still a lot to say about the non-chemical addictions like pornography and video games – the society views “addicts” as drunken homeless people or heroin junkies, but in reality there are hordes of (at least seemly) functional addicts all around us.
American’s are getting exactly what we deserve..Our wicked and selfish desires are and will always be the reason for our decline.. So enjoy..Its all gonna burn in flames anyway..Appreciate our last few years in so called freedom..Its all coming to a swift and bloody end soon
Just one more article…
Yeah, speaking of giving up addictions, here’s a challenge for all you Playas out there.
Instead of talkin’ down to us about how we need to give up Video Games, why don’t you try giving up Game for a while?
Let’s see how long you can go without trying to impress the ladies before you tear yourself in two?
Adelante.
Contrary to popular belief, pornography can be productive, but only if you use it for MORE than just….jacking off in front of the computer all day.
For example, if you’re an artist, try drawing it. You see? That’ll keep your mind (and your hands) busy for a while. Stuff like that ^_^
Lost all credibility @ “Long term happiness.”
Human beings are hungry by nature, and hunger means a near constant state of dissatisfaction; this dissatisfaction is what compels them to hunt, and fuck and create. It is at the core of all human progress. Selling men an opiate of ‘long term happiness’ via feelgood buzzwords like ‘stable foundations of long-term relationships’ (lol the fuck? Marriage? Religion? Have you actually *read* this site?) is just as hollow and stupid as claiming that a product has ‘wholesome goodness’.
tl;dr your bullshit is just as stupid as the bullshit you’re fighting.
There’s just so little to live for anymore. The pursuit of excellence isn’t encouraged. And we don’t see ourselves as a group so that the individual may pursue the advancement of the whole group. If you actually try to lead the group into improving itself, it will destroy you. You can only lead this group toward more decadence because this society only glorifies stupid fucking shit like movies, video games, and other mindless pursuits.
People have different sorts of addictions; some of them may be good.
Such a good article! Really just common sense, but regular people so ingrained in social media and smartphones really ought to read this stuff.
I have a love/hate relationship with facebook. I love all of the pictures friends and family post, but I hate all of the other mindless drivel. Like every minute detail of some people’s lives is documented, even on vacation. I don’t know about you guys, but when we are on vacation as a family, we don’t use the internet at all! And I don’t even miss it. For that reason, I think it is more habitual rather than addiction. My fiance literally ONLY uses it for PMs, and articles of pages he likes and is subscribed to, etc.
I hate smartphones! I have a 5 year old old qwerty flip phone that isn’t even manufactured anymore, and I’ll use it until it’s dead and gone. I joke that the only way I’ll ever get a smartphone is if they are the only cell phones available.
One if the best articles I’ve read on ROK!
Debate: is there a such thing as information addiction? If so, how does it differ from being an avid consumer of information in order to boost one’s intelligence?
Either way stay obsessed about something that matters, addictively so.
What if my addiction is ROK? Just. One. More. Article.
The one thing that is important to mention…is how the SYSTEM we live in, pushes men into such addictions. Lets be honest…What is the value of men in society? All we must do is consume, so that the CAPITALIST CLASS, corporations, elites, etc’s wealth is enlarged. So what does the elite do? They encourage addiction to their products through the powerful medium of media. What about the products we consume? Sugar, pornography, alcohol & other substances, etc. Why these products? Why addictive products? Because addiction is the best tool for a salesman. THERE IS NO BETTER CLIENT THAN AN ADDICT. All dope dealers know this. Why do food companies sell chocolate bars (mars, kit kat, etc) not organic fruits? Because chocolate bars contain stuff which is addictive (psychotropic effect of chocolate, sugar, etc). Whilst fruits do not contain much psychotropic substance.
Same with energy drinks, sugar of all kind, etc.
We live in a system which seeks to zombify and make addicts out of us.
This is a ruthless and tough system.
So do not blame the masses who become victims of it.
We just do not live in an altruistic system, which seeks to better the human condition.
OK, I’m going to share some wisdom. From the demographic boxes we are all put into, I would be considered GEN X as I was born in 1965. Reality however, I was one of the early indoctrinated boys/men that swallowed the Baby Boomer “Sensitive Male” garbage, hook, line, and sinker. As boys became more aware of media(I being one of the first to be sat in front of the tv as the babysitter), and grew into men, they realized the culture was very anti male. Thus this blog.
I have lived a life of the beta, only to come to realize that it is a thankless position, and full of lies. This article speaks 100% truth. Video games, radio, professional sports, television, and especially pornography are all tools to program you into being a beta. If you are not with a woman(because you have standards) you must be gay. The world will try to shame you if you think freely(such as this site) You are supposed to fill your life praying to the four false Gods of Honour, Wealth, Power, and Pleasure. Take your pick. Speaking from experience, it’s no life. Follow what is said in this article, and above all DO NOT COMPROMISE YOUR VALUES!!! It will not lead to a fulfilled life, rather one filled with misery.