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Hooked: The Pitfalls of Media, Technology and Social Networking

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The New Addiction

What you start out controlling can end up controlling you. From Twitter to iPhones, from Facebook to tablets, we have an endless supply of media and gadgets to hook our interest, snag our wallets, and occupy our time. Think back over the last five years. How much of your time was devoted to online activities? How much of your real life has been gobbled up or googled up in your net life? 

In Hooked, counselor and addiction specialist Dr. Gregory Jantz speaks enthusiastically and frankly about the gizmos and gadgets, social media magnets, and Internet sidetracks we have at our fingertips. With real-life examples and biblical applications, he presents a celebration of the positives technology offers and a cautionary tale about the negatives it unleashes, including:  
     
The power and dangers of the web·       
The myth of multitasking·       
Overcoming disconnection anxiety·       
The psychology behind Internet addiction·       
Employing the ultimate filter and taking back control of your life 

256 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2012

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About the author

Gregory L. Jantz

76 books41 followers

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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
Profile Image for Adam Carlson.
200 reviews57 followers
December 4, 2013
Took me a while to finish this one. Probably because I was spending too much time on my smartphone and computer :) There are good things to think about and good suggestions on how to no let technology rule our lives in this book. Ultimately, though, I didn't find that it had much weight. It said a lot that I already know. It's just that I find it hard to make the right choice in the moment. Some suggestions on how to train our minds psychologically would have been more helpful I think. But perhaps I am just making excuses for my lack of willpower.
Profile Image for Jean.
192 reviews
December 22, 2015
Hooked is very well done and I highly recommend this to both teacher and parent alike. The ramifications for our students is chilling and time will tell whether consequences as yet unknown will show up as further ugliness.
Profile Image for Mrs..
328 reviews10 followers
April 2, 2020
Informative. This book causes you to engage in self-evaluation on personal digital use and its effects not only on your life but also on your relationships. I love that Jantz invites his readers to rethink what is most valuable while still acknowledging the benefits of technology. The last chapter gives a spiritual perspective which I initially felt should have been a common thread throughout the book but it is still effective.
12 reviews
January 14, 2020
Good book about the dangers and paradoxes of technology and the way we use it. Great for someone who has started to realize the "hook" technology has got on us. "Often the things we think we control, control us." Great book about screen and device addiction.
Profile Image for Gail Welborn.
609 reviews18 followers
April 3, 2013
Dr. Gregory Jantz, Seattle counselor and addiction specialist looks at the world of technology in #Hooked, where he writes a “cautionary tale” about the positives and negatives of the “digital umbilical cords” that tie users to technology. He writes about himself, his love for and use of techno gadgets to question if “technological tethers” need to be loosened.

“Technology is powerful,” writes Dr. Jantz. Whether using increasingly advanced devices or surfing social media each offers convenience, instant access and saves time, besides making users feel “in control, in charge and capable.”

Dr. Jantz’s descriptions reminded me of mythological Greek sirens that lured unwary sailors to their destruction with enchanting music and words: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siren As well as the power of seductive drugs to alter user’s worlds, expectations, even defines who they are. That’s why Dr. Jantz sees a strong relationship between addiction and technology where he notes, “The ability to control a thing lies in your capacity to abstain from it.”

However…Full Review: http://tinyurl.com/cgw5nyu

Profile Image for Bob.
342 reviews
June 29, 2016
The book is ok, good for parents who don't like to read. There are other books with better & more detailed information- with better analysis. The issues raised are more important & impactful than the author states, even though he does take them seriously.
Profile Image for Athena.
Author 8 books56 followers
December 10, 2012
Well written and researched, very convicting and practical.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews