Customer Reviews

Virtual Addiction: Help for Netheads, Cyber Freaks and Those Who Love Them

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

The title is relatively offensive and derogatory towards people who are addicted to the Internet. To call Internet-addicted users "cyberfreaks" or "netheads" minimizes the serious impact of what this condition does to people's personal and professional lives. However, despite the improper book title, I was hopeful the book would offer quality guidance for those who suffer from net addiction. But to my great disappointment, the book was full of dull, academic, and general theory about models of chemical dependency without any genuine attempt to understand how the Internet addiction differs from other compulsive disorders. While some of the chapters ended with brief checklists, none offered any concrete, constructive, and detailed exercises to help sufferers cope with the problem. Furthermore, the book is quite remedial as the author wastes a great deal of time to describe each Internet application (e.g., The Web, Chat Rooms, Newsgroups), as if readers would not already understand what many of these functions are from previous online exposure. The book is not enlightening and does not offer much more than would be common sense to an average person. Through his writing, Dr. Greenfield not only reveals his lack of Internet knowledge but shows that he clearly does not know his own subject matter. He bases his entire book on an online poll conducted at abcnews.com that provides some broad statistics but does little to reveal the depth of the problem. It seems that this book reflects the author's shallow attempt to gain notoriety rather than a sincere attempt to truly help people.

In the author's desperation to receive positive feedback, he even had to ASK someone to write a review on Amazon (see first review). If Dr. Greenfield were truly interested in understanding how his book impacts the public, he should try to read unsolicited and unbiased reviews.

As a technophobe, I had never expected to spend the kind of time online that I do. Dr. Greenfield's book helped me to finally understand why I was so drawn to this world, and whether or not I truly had a problem. I respectfully disagree with the previous reviewer. How much is too much is a very complicated question, especially in light of the mainstreaming of the net. But I think the author manages to answer it gracefully and intelligently, and offer some sensible steps for change. I recommend this book without hesitation.

i'm grateful to the author for offering such a comprehensive guide to net addiction. i picked it up because my brother just got a divorce because of his addiction to the internet. (also, the title and the cool cover really caught my attention.)once i'd read 10 or so pages i was completely absorbed. the writing is above-average for a self-help book, and the chapters have lively examples and practical help. i plan on buying it for my entire family for xmas!

Well I thought this book great. In reading the review of the person who didn't like it, unfortunately I think they were not ready to learn from it...sounds like a few issues that need to be worked otu. The book is titled for what the terms fellow webers call themselves (and it is a way for them to relate to the book and feel like this person knows them) and as the title says "and Those Who Love Them"...which is why the book goes so deeply into explaining chat rooms and the such. I would get the book, if only to try out some of the exercises and go from there.

It's really a must-read to better understand potential pitfalls of surfing on the Internet. As a writer, I came across Dr. Greenfield via the ABCNews online survey, and had occasion to write a story on that subject myself, grateful to have some of his comments and insights for the piece. We have become friends since then, and Dr. Greenfield honored me with his request for a quote from me for the inside cover of this book. It was as a business and technical writer that I provided the book liner quote, but it's now as a veteran Internet surfer and consumer that I write this comment for him on Amazon.com. Buy it, use it, memorize it, heed its warnings - - - whether you are the novice or the veteran on the Internet. Rand Holman Publisher/Editor www.newsschmooze.com