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Rav Moshe is very strict about this.

Stack Exchange has a points system, equivalent to "likes" on other platforms. This system has been demonstrated to be highly addictive as we get a dopamine rush every time we get a like1

So, would Rav Moshe be opposed to us participating in Mi Yodeya? Is there any mitigation because it is a cause of increased Torah learning?

1 eg Lindström, B., Bellander, M., Chang, A., Tobler, P.N., & Amodio, D.M. (2019). A computational reinforcement learning account of social media engagement. PsyArXiv, for one such study out of many

Rabbi Kaii
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    I'm tempted to upvote but don't want to exacerbate the problem. – shmosel Jan 18 '23 at 03:14
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    But on a serious note, the question makes no sense to me. The problem with addiction is that it takes you away from important things we're supposed to be doing. If you're addicted to learning, how is that a bad thing? Unless you conisder this not learning but a waste of time, in which case the addictiveness is beside the point. – shmosel Jan 18 '23 at 03:16
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    I propose a middle case. It's not a waste of time but it's not the best use of one's learning time, and is only considered appropriate in small amounts. Therefore, the addictiveness might cause a person to engage with it more than is healthy or appropriate. – Rabbi Kaii Jan 18 '23 at 03:19
  • P'sachim 50b: "אָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה אָמַר רַב לְעוֹלָם יַעֲסוֹק אָדָם בְּתוֹרָה וּמִצְוֹת אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹּא לִשְׁמָהּ שֶׁמִּתּוֹךְ שֶׁלֹּא לִשְׁמָהּ בָּא לִשְׁמָהּ". – Fred Jan 18 '23 at 03:24
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    @shmosel any addiction is bad, even learning. You may be ignoring other things you may need to do, such as taking care of your family, or maybe even eating. – Harel13 Jan 18 '23 at 04:08
  • Related: https://judaism.stackexchange.com/questions/98995/is-asking-questions-on-mi-yodeya-considered-learning-torah-lshma – Dov Jan 18 '23 at 09:11
  • And this: https://judaism.stackexchange.com/questions/9445/does-reputation-scoring-make-the-torah-a-crown-to-magnify-yourself-with – Dov Jan 18 '23 at 09:11
  • Thanks everyone for not upvoting the question:) Rav Moshe can be read that it's forbidden to start a new addictive hobby, so we are ok – Rabbi Kaii Jan 18 '23 at 09:44
  • Just so people know -- Rabbi Feinstein was talking about recreational marijuana use there. – Shalom Jan 18 '23 at 12:19
  • @Shalom Even if you can argue that he was limiting it to only that, many of the studies have likened the level of addiction social media causes to cocaine or heroine, so I suggest kal vchomer – Rabbi Kaii Jan 18 '23 at 12:24
  • Is studying Torah an "addictive hobby"? Isn't that what we are doing here? – Maurice Mizrahi Jan 18 '23 at 22:42
  • @MauriceMizrahi I'd say this might be more similar to a system where people are offered recreational drugs in reward for writing good divrei Torah or asking good sheilot – Rabbi Kaii Jan 19 '23 at 02:57

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