The present paper discusses psychological problems that result from the diffusion of information technologies and from the new social organization these technologies generate. It is argued that, while certain problems and conflicts are inevitable, or structural, others may be induced by negative interpretations of the new order of things. Such an argument is backed up by unexpected results of research on the intensive use of the Internet. These results reveal that the men and women who were interviewed resort to the discourse made public by psychologists and the media in order to make sense of their online experiences. In doing so, they are, however, faced with a view that insistently applies the addiction label to the intensive use of the Net. Given that there are no alternative views to guide them, these men and women, who simply enjoy a digital chat during their leisure hours, end up repudiating the pleasure derived from time spent on the Net.
Internet; Psychological conflicts; Pleasure; Productivity