Podcast ideas and thoughts around my book

 

In the seminar this week, we discussed the podcast and how we should start planning for it. We listened to some podcasts and discussed as a group our likes and dislikes, we then shifted the discussion to our podcast: discussing who we would want our key audience to be; how we would like to conduct our podcast; what are the things that we liked in other podcasts that we could implement; and how to avoid the things we did not like. The aim of this blog post is to take a deep look at the book I chose for the course and explore which aspects I would like to discuss within the podcast. The book I chose for the course is: Addiction by Design by Natasha Schüll. I will begin by providing a brief synopsis. This will be followed by the key things that have stood out to me so far and thirdly, what key elements I would like to bring to the podcast from my book and lastly, key things that stood out to me from other podcasts that I would love to bring into our group podcast. 

 

Synopsis: 

The aim of the book is to explore why there is a widespread addiction to slot machines in the United States. It explores the concept of a machine zone (which refers to a trancelike state that individuals enter upon gambling) as well as exploring the social and economic themes that arise as a result.

The image below is from one of the participants (Mollie) who described a day in her life: a continuous loop of gambling. The buildings represent the areas she would go to gamble (showing how accessible gambling is in Vegas); the middle was her, playing on a machine in the machine zone. When the author enquired why there was no exit, she explained that - this was how having a gambling addiction felt, like a continuous cycle with no escape. The book is broken up in four parts: design, feedback, addiction, adjustment.

Part one explores how different forms of design contribute to the addictive culture of slot machines; this can be the intentional use of curves in the interior design and architecture, to the ambiance (the use of sound (music) and smell in the casinos) to the interface of the machines and how designers use knowledge on one’s senses and the body’s natural tendencies to engage individuals to play for longer. This chapter also explores how the switch from mechanical machinery to digital machinery increased the gamblers interactions to the machinery. 

Part two: discusses feedback which broadly looks at how technology is used and adjusted to track and improve the games in order to ensure increased time on the games. It looks at the design of the gambling technologies and how environments respond to the preferences and patterns of these players. Furthermore, there is an exploration of the relationship between the gaming software and the propensity of the players. 

Part three (addiction) takes a deeper introspection into what this machine play means for larger social forces, principles, and expectation in the lives of gamblers specifically looking at their social interactions, spending habits and time. Furthermore, the author looks at why this is a widespread phenomenon.

Part four examines adjustment, the very solutions set to solve the problem of gambling might also be associated with the problem. For example, chapter nine addresses how gambling addicts might try therapeutic techniques and find it difficult to differentiate between this and the self-medicating practices of their gambling. The last chapter explores the question of ethics and policy. Exploring discourses around responsibility (whose responsibility is it to ensure these machines are uses responsibly: gamblers, gambling industry and/ or the government). 

What I have found most interesting so far: 

• How well thought out it is to keep people addicted to the slot machines (all of the people involved: from the casino owners to the interior to the game developers and more). It is not something that has happened by change; rather through the intentional use of knowledge, people have worked to ensure that the machines are addictive (because if people keep playing, they get more money). 

• The intersection of various disciplines and how gamblers are influenced by this:

From a design perspective - learning about what is it about the physical games that draw people in; how the ambiance, interior and architecture are shaped to keep gamblers into the zone.

Psychological perspective: learning about addiction; the machine zone and how companies, developer, and more, make profit off of this zone. Learning that gambling was in the DSM-5. I found it particularly interesting to learn about how people can be so in the zone that someone can have a heart attack next to them and they are still zeroed in on the machine. Learning what it is about the game that gets one to this point. 

Sociological perspective: what makes gambling so widespread; learning about the accessibility of the machines in various areas (such as convenience stores, casinos and more); economic toll on individuals and how this is a common experience. 

From a technological perspective: how has the change within technology (from mechanical to digital) increased the use of machine gambling; furthermore, how designer uses their knowledge of humans and technology to ensure people stay in the zone. 

What I would like to talk about in the podcast:

• Brief Synopsis of the book (I wanted to provide a bit of context)

• Addiction to technology (speak briefly of how technology is so embedded in our daily practices; speak about addiction to technology {here, I could speak briefly about slots, but one can also extend this to other technologies and applications}). The machine zone and if this exists in other spheres.

• Technological design responsibility and ethics? I would like to explore whose responsibility it is to ensure that technology is used safely. Who is there to ensure that there is a balance between the consumers (of technology; their needs and wants) and the innovators/ producers of the technology (and their needs/ wants i.e. to make money or to keep people using the machinery created)

• How the book links to feminist science and technology

Some key things that stood out about other podcasts: 

Podcasts that took a more conversational note ( as opposed to a formal note); it allowed for one to engage with the topic in an interesting way, that didn't allow the mind to wander. 

Podcasts that had necessary sound effects (because there is no video, we want the audience to be able to visualise what we will be discussing). It is important not to have anything that will be too distracting; rather any music or sound effects that will supplement the listening experience. For example, when introducing my book - I could have a sound effect of a slot machine.