[News Terms] Doing Anything Fun: 'Dopaming'

Social Phenomenon Seeking Excitement and Pleasure
Trend Influenced by Development of Visual Language and Visual Efficiency
Dopamine Detox to Overcome Dopamine Addiction

Dofarming is a compound word combining dopamine and farming. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter secreted in the brain when experiencing excitement and pleasure, and farming refers to the act of collecting items in games. In other words, dofarming refers to a social phenomenon where people actively seek experiences that provide emotions such as excitement and pleasure.

Korea can be described as a dofarming society. People continuously consume stimulating content in a short amount of time through platforms like YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels, and TikTok. The spicier the food, the louder the cheers, and challenges arise over who can eat better. Beyond ordinary people, even terrestrial broadcasting programs themed around the love life of shamans have appeared.

[Photo by AI Image]

Why has dofarming become a trend? First, it is due to the development of visual language. As mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets have become the main media, the ‘visual language’ that conveys thoughts through videos rather than text has developed. The method of communication has become more intuitive and simpler.

In particular, the Zalpha generation, which has grown up with smartphones, is more accustomed to unique and scarce video content and platforms than previous generations. The Zalpha generation refers to those born in the late 1990s (Generation Z) and after 2010 (Generation Alpha). According to an analysis by the data analytics company WiseApp, as of August 2023, the average monthly usage time per person on short-form platforms such as YouTube and TikTok (46 hours 29 minutes) was five times higher than on OTT platforms including Netflix (9 hours 14 minutes).

Another factor is time performance ratio (Si-seong-bi). There are many things to enjoy but little time. Many people feel it is a waste of time to watch all the trending movies or dramas. According to a perception survey on time conducted by the market research company Embrain Trend Monitor in July last year, 82.4% responded that time is the greatest resource. The perception that time is money was also high at 77.7%. Interest in services that save time was also high at 60%.

As the value of time and the desire to consume diverse content rise, the time performance ratio has become a social phenomenon. People pursue efficient behaviors such as watching videos at double speed or viewing videos that summarize only the plot.

Not related to any specific expression in the article.
[Photo by Akyung DB]

However, dofarming can have side effects such as ‘dopamine addiction.’ Moderate dopamine secretion produces positive effects like happiness and a sense of reward. But if problems arise, abnormal behaviors such as hyperactivity and schizophrenia may occur.

It is also related to the formation of low self-esteem among adolescents. Through social networking services (SNS), adolescents tend to become pessimistic or feel deprived by comparing themselves to others. According to a survey by Embrain Trend Monitor, the response that “seeing others living well on SNS lowers self-esteem” was higher among younger age groups: 40.8% in their 20s, 34.4% in their 30s, 31.2% in their 40s, and 28.8% in their 50s. The rate of experiencing lowered self-esteem tended to be higher the younger the respondents were.

Accordingly, a new trend that has emerged is the ‘dopamine detox.’ Detox means ‘detoxification.’ It refers to intentional actions such as staying away from smartphones for a certain period to escape dopamine addiction. For example, ‘not looking at the smartphone before sleeping,’ ‘turning off messenger alarm settings,’ and ‘having meditation time.’ These small but meaningful attempts are evaluated as effective in preventing impulsive behavior and improving self-control abilities.