Coming Up: Mausoleum, playing tonight at the Garrison for The New Noise Live
Thursday is my day for what I call Tenacious Trends, but just maybe today I should go with Toxic Trends.
Because today I’m here to talk about a word I think has lost it’s meaning, or at least is getting serious overexposure: Addicted. I’ve been thinking about it for awhile, or at least every time someone exhibits bad behavior and instead of just apologizing, claims to have an addiction problem.
Case in point today: “Scarlett Johansson Hacker Was ‘Addicted’ to Spying on Celebrities” and also: “Video games an addiction for kids” Now I’m not saying that control issues aren’t a real problem, but I do think there’s a big difference between liking something a lot – even if it’s bad for you – and compulsively engaging in something that ruins your life.
I do realize that word meanings do evolve, but let’s all do our best to let addiction be a serious word and not one we cop to get out of admitting a guilty pleasure. I like terrible reality tv; I’m not addicted (though yes, that would help me explain knowing all about the Housewives of New York!)