Kind of disagree that it isn't productive. If someone self destructs out of a social life due to consuming an artificial social life, doesn't that also mean that people that want and need human connection won't have to waste their time filtering through someone that won't provide them with what they want?
Sure, maybe, but it's not productive for themselves - it's self-destruction.
It's the equivalent of cutting off your legs so you can't enter the race so you don't lose the race. Well... mission accomplished, you won't lose the race. But at what cost?
Bonus points if you can believe it's everyone else's fault and none your own. Now you can't lose AND it's not your fault. Great! But you're not even playing.
I mean productive in the sense of helping yourself, not others.
Self-destructions and related behaviors such as poor self-esteem and self-hatred arent bad for society - they're bad for you.
The reason people do them is because they are bad for themselves. Some people want to punish themselves, others believe thats all they deserve, and many have such an innate fear of failure and disappointment they willingly forfeit themselves from the game