Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Provigil helps us to work longer, have less fun.



An article today in Techcrunch, in addition to the multitude that I've seen lately, is illustrating the high points of performance enhancing drug, Provigil. In an industry that rewards 24 hour blogs, the most current news available, and businesses that pop up and sell for millions overnight, I can't say I'm surprised. The internet is awesome, keeps our whole company in jobs and paid, and we have incredible access to all kinds of information anytime.
Yet there does seem to be a price to pay for all of this "currentness". I've written before on bloggers that stay awake until they collapse (and even die) and hotels that should think about not offering wireless. Even daydreaming about an online free vacation seems like a totally un-affordable luxury.
Will the emergence of the internet as a total lifestyle uncover new issues that we haven't even begun to think about? Could it bring us back to a kind of second adolescence? Peer pressure could suddenly rear it's ugly head in the workplace like it would a high school. If entrepreneurs are taking it and succeeding because they don't need as much rest, will others take it simply to keep up?
And what about the rest of our lives? What about, ummmm, fun? You know, hanging out at a cafe for hours with friends? Days at the beach? Bike rides? Provigil could be the cure to our urge to have a day off.
Here's my last question: If you knew about a performance enhancing drug with no side affects and wasn't habit forming, would you try it?

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