Hacker News

points by ionwake 1 day ago | 0 comments

what if the greatest threat is simply there will be hedonistic experiences so great most humans will find them irresistible to the point of shorter lives.

Could be from a sandwich that tastes like the best sandwich ever, but is super bad for your cholesterol or something.

I dont know where Im going with this.

Actually did some research I think the term is "Wireheading" from a story/theory from the 50s

[–] arthurbrown 1 day ago

We have addictive and harmful drugs. Heroin, meth, cigarettes

[–] michaelhoney 1 day ago

From Larry's Niven's Known Space series, including Ringworld

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wirehead_(science_fiction)

[–] ImaCake 1 day ago

This is already true? Ultra processed foods and tiktok are both deleterious and both wildly successful. Maybe what you are concerned with is a theoretical sandwich that was unfailingly addictive so that no one could escape its effects.

[–] uvesten 1 day ago

Or a movie that’s so good anyone who can’t stop watching and gets reduced to a drooling vegetable?

(Infinite Jest)

[–] senderista 1 day ago

fentanyl exists