Redefining the Meaning of Gadget Addiction in Your Own Way

Author: Adipurwa Muslich – Graduate Communication, University of Indonesia

SALEMBA, January 2025

Try typing the keyword “gadget addiction” into a popular search engine, and you might get similar search results. My search results were flooded with similar titles. Seven out of ten electronic articles on one page led me to links containing tips on preventing gadget addiction. If you consider gadget addiction a serious issue and then use a smartphone to look up its signs and tips to overcome it, just a reminder, you are empowering the “enemy” to fight it.

“I stare at the screen day and night,” says Saykoji in the songs Online (2009) and ONLN (2022). Saykoji even had to refresh this song because it feels increasingly relevant. On the other hand, the term gadget addiction feels odd since we now live amidst the habit of always being connected through gadgets.

The term “gadget addiction” becomes ambiguous because gadgets are both a necessity and considered a threat, even labeled as an addiction.

The slogans “Digital Detox” and “No Smartphone Day” have emerged as forms of resistance against the “addiction” caused by gadgets. These slogans seem to glorify the idea that dependence on digital devices only brings negative impacts on humans and has become increasingly severe. It’s a paradox because we also declare ourselves a digital society. The term gadget addiction becomes ambiguous as gadgets are both a necessity and considered a threat, even labeled as an addiction.

Addiction is defined as an unhealthy habit that is self-destructive and hard to stop. According to Hesse (2006) in a medical journal, addiction is considered a mental illness that leads to health, economic, and social problems. We agree that the impact of gadgets on health has needed attention since the era of radio, television, and the internet. However, their connection to economic and social issues needs to be re-evaluated. Many sectors now have to transform into fully digital operations, meaning the intensity of gadget use correlates with professional demands. The same goes for the social environment. We are becoming more accustomed to digital interactions such as online meetings, online classes, and online shopping. Life has become gadget-centric because we are a digital society.

A digital society continuously interacts with digital technology to make life easier.

Inald Lagendijk, a professor in the field of computing-based society, stated that a digital society continuously interacts with digital technology to make life easier (Supadnomo, 2020). There are three factors that make our relationship with gadgets more intense. First, technological advancements have introduced a form of instant interaction. For example, scheduling meetings has become easier and more flexible through chat apps. Meetings can be arranged anytime, anywhere, with the ability to adjust details right before the meeting. This ease of scheduling is called “approximeeting” (Plant, 2000), made possible by gadgets. Approximeeting clearly changes the way we communicate.

Second, the proximity of technology to the body, such as smartphones, tablets, laptops, smartwatches, and other devices. Gadgets, which are almost always attached to the body, have altered how individuals connect with their social environment. The tendency for individuals to stay constantly connected is called “hyperconnectivity” (Lindgren, 2017). This connectivity is supported by the presence of portable devices. Due to their portability, we almost always carry gadgets with us, in line with the social conditions that also demand we stay attached to gadgets.

Finally, there is the intrinsic human factor—the enthusiasm for using technology. It’s undeniable that there is a unique excitement and attraction when relying on gadgets for many things. For example, people feel more confident and comfortable using map apps rather than asking locals for directions. This condition, where we feel more attracted, more compelled, and more eager to use machines or technology, is called “apparatgeist” (Katz & Aakhus, 2002). Apparatgeist shapes new social actions and changes social interactions to become more mediated.

Concepts like approximeeting, hyperconnectivity, and apparatgeist may sound unfamiliar, but we experience them almost all the time. This familiarity makes it difficult to detach from gadgets because both our personal needs and social conditions have changed. As a result, the meaning of gadget addiction becomes unclear. The term “gadget addiction” is sometimes overused because, on the other hand, it is gadgets that make us part of a digital society. Gadgets fulfill our personal need to stay connected with the environment. It is difficult to justify the threat of gadgets, as many people rely on them for work and social needs. If humans are separated from gadgets, it could disrupt their existence and create a new problem.

It is important to rethink and honestly define what gadget addiction means for yourself, not based on the panic-driven standards of others.

For those who have successfully done a Digital Detox or tried Living Without Gadgets, congratulations. However, be cautious when using the term “gadget addiction” for those who haven’t succeeded, as it may create moral superiority. This means that when someone manages to break free from gadgets (due to the belief that gadgets are a “disease”), others who still need to use gadgets might feel like failures, inferior, or anxious for not being able to meet the standard. In fact, the use and potential of gadgets differ from person to person. It’s important to rethink and honestly define what gadget addiction means for yourself, not based on the panic-driven standards of others.

Everyone needs to have a personal definition of gadget addiction. This is not to seek justification or ignore its potential threats, but because our social space has transformed. We have become part of a digital society that coexists with gadgets. The term gadget addiction may still be relevant for a decade or two ago when gadgets were seen as a tertiary need, when they hadn’t yet become attached to our bodies, and when social connectivity was still acceptable because of distance. There’s nothing wrong with rethinking what addiction means for each individual, while taking a brief break from gadgets. But don’t forget to bring a charger.