Obsession

Joshua S. Fouts writes:

Part of what makes a space truly immersive for me is a story that draws me into its rabbit hole of adventure and intrigue -- like a good novel that you can't set down until you've read. Just. One. More. Page.

While there is no doubt that some people are addicted to video games, the same way they can be addicted [to] anything, the whole "addiction" accusation that is often used to deride the compelling narrative that can unfold in games is no different than calling the inability to put a book down, an "addiction" to the book.

In a similar vein, have you noticed how people interested in subjects not endorsed by mainstream culture are often considered to be "obsessed"? As someone who harbors an innate fascination with the marginal, I've always found it remarkable how a person who can spend days of every week mindlessly channel-surfing can casually inform me that I'm "obsessed" with, say, the search for Earth-like exoplanets, the certain perils of climate change, or attempts to resolve the UFO controversy because I dare to read an occasional book.