7 ms·

Do we have an epidemic of chess?

TheOtherHobbes 5y ago
You're getting downvoted for a perfectly reasonable question. No we don't - because chess is a super-minority niche interest. The danger of social media is that it's social mass media - designed to be as addictive as possible to as many people as possible in as many different ways as possible using as many different techniques as possible. And that's before getting into the dangers of targeted micro-niche ads used for political ends and/or individual belief and behaviour modification. Without regulation it's an absolutely toxic medium.
- simplestats 5y ago
  But isn't chess one subset within that network, which would indeed be covered by any law regulating addictiveness of social media? Or will you allow people to be caught up on their own "otaku" like obsession with whatever niche area, but it is simply verboten to notify them of the existence of a different niche? I also don't see how people can separate "optimizing addictiveness" (e.g. making your junk food too yummy or whatever) versus simply trying to make a better product that gives your customers what they want. The main criteria for who gets described in this way seems to be the corporate structure of the seller.
philipswood 5y ago
In the late 18-hundreds Chess was considered a bit of an undesirable epidenic. Check out this gizmodo article: https://gizmodo.com/chess-was-once-deemed-a-menace-to-society-1588675766 https://gizmodo.com/chess-was-once-deemed-a-menace-to-societ...
- drewcoo 5y ago
  A century ago in the USSR there was a comedic film about chess addiction. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0015673/?ref_=ttls_li_tt https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0015673/?ref_=ttls_li_tt
- Mezzie 5y ago
  Novels and bicycling were as well, particularly with women. People are weird.
  - docmars 5y ago
    God forbid we find pastimes we _like_ and stick with 'em, amiright?
    - Mezzie 5y ago
      Novel reading, it was 'the womenfolk are spending their time with ~frivolous~ novels instead of caring for their children and reading the BIBLE as God intended', and bicycling was 'the womenfolk are wearing pants to cycle and traveling without a male escort! I say!' No liking things. The Protestant work ethic demands no fun. Only anger and work. Play is of SATAN.
- nomadiccoder 5y ago
  This is a fascinating argument. I like the perspective of a game like poker having greater similarity to true war than traditional war games like chess or go due to ever-increasing information. This adds another dimension to the game.

You're getting downvoted for a perfectly reasonable question. No we don't - because chess is a super-minority niche interest. The danger of social media is that it's social mass media - designed to be as addictive as possible to as many people as possible in as many different ways as possible using as many different techniques as possible. And that's before getting into the dangers of targeted micro-niche ads used for political ends and/or individual belief and behaviour modification. Without regulation it's an absolutely toxic medium.

simplestats 5y ago
But isn't chess one subset within that network, which would indeed be covered by any law regulating addictiveness of social media? Or will you allow people to be caught up on their own "otaku" like obsession with whatever niche area, but it is simply verboten to notify them of the existence of a different niche? I also don't see how people can separate "optimizing addictiveness" (e.g. making your junk food too yummy or whatever) versus simply trying to make a better product that gives your customers what they want. The main criteria for who gets described in this way seems to be the corporate structure of the seller.

philipswood 5y ago

In the late 18-hundreds Chess was considered a bit of an undesirable epidenic. Check out this gizmodo article: https://gizmodo.com/chess-was-once-deemed-a-menace-to-society-1588675766 https://gizmodo.com/chess-was-once-deemed-a-menace-to-societ...

drewcoo 5y ago
A century ago in the USSR there was a comedic film about chess addiction. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0015673/?ref_=ttls_li_tt https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0015673/?ref_=ttls_li_tt
Mezzie 5y ago
Novels and bicycling were as well, particularly with women. People are weird.
- docmars 5y ago
  God forbid we find pastimes we _like_ and stick with 'em, amiright?
  - Mezzie 5y ago
    Novel reading, it was 'the womenfolk are spending their time with ~frivolous~ novels instead of caring for their children and reading the BIBLE as God intended', and bicycling was 'the womenfolk are wearing pants to cycle and traveling without a male escort! I say!' No liking things. The Protestant work ethic demands no fun. Only anger and work. Play is of SATAN.
nomadiccoder 5y ago
This is a fascinating argument. I like the perspective of a game like poker having greater similarity to true war than traditional war games like chess or go due to ever-increasing information. This adds another dimension to the game.