this post was submitted on 25 Jul 2025
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117
From games to reminders to drink water: The rise of 'streaks,' rewards that keep you hooked (www.lemonde.fr)
submitted 1 day ago by Davriellelouna@lemmy.world to c/technology@lemmy.world
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[–] GhostlyPixel@lemmy.world 31 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

Streak addiction is real, I had one Snapchat streak years ago that was over 1500, the person it was with and I would send one snap a day of nothing really just to keep the streak going. It got to the point that the one snap was the only time I communicated with that person, and it was honestly a relief when the streak finally lapsed. I had a few times where I was camping with no signal and would literally go on hikes with no destination just to find phone signal to send my daily snap to them.

Number go up makes monkey brain happy, even when you’re aware of how dumb it is.

[–] jol@discuss.tchncs.de 9 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

My duolingo streak addiction made me fucking miserable, but I just couldn't stop. I knew that breaking it would plunge me into a horrible depressive state. I finally broke free after finishing the diamond league and make peace with "good enough". I haven't been able to use duolingo ever since, because there's apparently no way of just using duolingo normally without gamification.

[–] GhostlyPixel@lemmy.world 9 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I’m switching over to Babbel when my duo subscription lapses in the fall, much less gamified, actual human speakers for the language I want to learn, and they aren’t trying to shovel AI into everything like duo is

[–] rainwall@piefed.social 14 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (2 children)

Check out mango. Its pleasant and has a really nice interface.

You can use your library card for free premium access.

[–] GhostlyPixel@lemmy.world 3 points 1 day ago

My library district actually just got access to Mango in May, I downloaded it, but I haven’t had a chance to try it

Thanks!

[–] Passerby6497@lemmy.world 1 points 14 hours ago

Sucks that you have to create a login to search if your library is included. I don't care enough to create a login for something I might not use

[–] Obi@sopuli.xyz 20 points 1 day ago (2 children)

None of these ever worked on me. I see Reddit started doing it too btw.

[–] don@lemmy.ca 24 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Same. In fact, streaks tend to anger me because it feels like manipulation to me, which disincentivizes me from doing anything streak-related. I’m not rushing out to the supermarket just bc my points are about to expire, and I’m sure af not paying a subscription kits so they don’t expire.

[–] MumboJumbo@lemmy.world 12 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I will say, with Duolingo I do appreciate the manipulation to keep me going. I probably wouldn't have spent near as much time on another language if it weren't for keeping that streak going. I can definitely understand the harm in it being used for maligne purposes. With any tool, it's who wields it and for what intent.

[–] bluGill@fedia.io 5 points 1 day ago (1 children)

As I always say about duolingo, if you have not completed the course in 3 months you won't learn a language with it. Duolingo is a good introduction when you don't know anything about a language, but you need a lot of advanced materials they they don't really have to become fluent.

Though if your goal is just to play a game and feel like you are learning something - well at least you get some vocabulary. It won't teach you a language but that need not be your goal.

[–] MumboJumbo@lemmy.world 5 points 1 day ago

As a single tool, no, not a chance in hell of becoming fluent. It's definitely a good aide and introduction to branch out into more media and sources of another language though.

[–] yogurtwrong@lemmy.world 1 points 14 hours ago

I feel shame when I go to reddit because I hate seeing "Yaaaay!!!! 10 day streak!!! You are addicted woooohooooo!!!!"

[–] SSUPII@sopuli.xyz 3 points 1 day ago

The only difference is that Reddit's doesn't work. You can skip days it will resume counting just fine. It is just a counter of how many days you interacted with the site, for now.

[–] amotio@lemmy.world 13 points 1 day ago

Un-Paywalled link:

https://archive.is/2025.07.25-064258/https://www.lemonde.fr/en/pixels/article/2025/07/25/from-facebook-games-to-a-llama-reminding-you-to-drink-water-the-rise-of-streaks-the-rewards-that-keep-you-hooked_6743699_13.html

[–] BetaBlake@lemmy.world 6 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Man that headline was so hard for me to read for some reason

[–] LodeMike@lemmy.today 2 points 1 day ago

"Streaks" is a string but it would be easier for us to read if it was "streak"

[–] tehn00bi@lemmy.world 4 points 17 hours ago

I hated this when battlefield did this with daily missions to unlock things. Like, fml, I just want to enjoy a complete game. Trinkets and skins mean nothing to me.

[–] PhireFloofski@lemmy.world 3 points 13 hours ago

I just dropped my 600 streak in duolingo because it just made me feel like clicking through a chore instead of putting genuine effort into learning a language. I'm looking into some alternatives now

[–] ksigley@lemmy.world 3 points 1 day ago

Gamification.

Employers use it in lieu of paying living wages. Business employ the practice with rewards cards.

Humans physiologically crave competition and the sweet dopamine of accomplishment.

[–] 3aqn5k6ryk@lemmy.world 2 points 13 hours ago

I got hooked once. But its apple watch activity ring, at least my health is improved since then.

[–] ShawiniganHandshake@sh.itjust.works 2 points 18 hours ago

I uninstalled Duolingo the day they started offering to restore your streak for money.