Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Why are Adults so busy?

debarghyadas.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

391–400 of 485 posts

Re: Why are Adults so busy?

#391

Post by SubiculumCode »

dennisgorelik wrote: post #389
SubiculumCode wrote: post #318

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I grew up in a neighborhood of dirt and chicken coops. My parents made less than 12k $ per year as I grew up. My parents never attended college and did not know the first thing about it. My privileges included a stable family that pushed me to succeed where they had not, and an above average IQ. I got through college with my family on student loans, stipends, and food stamps.And you know what, my kids will have oppor…

> my kids will have opportunities I never even dreamed of On another hand your kids are more spoiled with the wealth they were born into and potentially may have lower drive than you have. Hard to tell how they would turn out.

To be a parent is to worry :)

Re: Why are Adults so busy?

#392

Post by dennisgorelik »

criddell wrote: post #366
tim333 wrote: post #191

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I was about in the 70s and 80s. Still the same number of hours in the day and internet was largely replaced by reading and TV. I don't know if it was better or worse. I think I prefer the internet. At least you can type stuff into it unlike books and TV.

I tell my kids about how much TV I watched in the 70's and 80's. I loved TV! I still do. My kids (14 and 13) don't watch any TV. They don't even particularly like movies.

What do your kids do instead of TV?

Re: Why are Adults so busy?

#393

Post by randomdata »

branchless wrote: post #273
randomdata wrote: post #269

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Try explaining rent to kids. When it comes to kids, we often call it sharing. Billy has a toy truck you want to play with. You have a action figure he wants to play with. If you each share what you have, then everyone is happy. That is all rent is. Billy has a house, you have cash. He wants to play with cash, and you want play house. If you each share what you have with each other, everyone is happy. Pretty simple.

It's a very simple analogy that in no way reflects the real world complexity of fiat money and limited land supply.

You're right. If we're explaining this to adults, it is even simpler: Create something of value and you can exchange it for things other people have created of value.

Re: Why are Adults so busy?

#394

Post by mikepurvis »

AnimalMuppet wrote: post #317
ghaff wrote: post #293

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There are all-in one units using a single drum. I've never investigated but my understanding is that they're pitched primarily for more space-constrained situations. (Example: http://www.homedepot.com/b/Appliances-Washers-Dryers-All-In-... ) I'm not sure of the tradeoffs. If you have the space, doing laundry while you're in the house for other reasons and transferring manually is the least of the effort.

The problem with those units is that you can't start a new load in the washer before the previous load finishes in the dryer, because there's only one drum. So if you want to run several loads, it takes twice as long.

You waste a lot of energy heating up and drying the drum, too, compared with a conventional dryer, where you're only drying the actual clothes.

Re: Why are Adults so busy?

#395

Post by c22 »

nradov wrote: post #266
sapphireblue wrote: post #245

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I also wonder how we manage to stay busy given that most home tasks (dishwashing, laundry, cleaning (roombas) and even cooking - see multicooker devices) are already automated, with "doing laundry" meaning merely loading and unloading the washing machine. I think you have a good point about idle time being gadgeted away. Also I think there is a tremendous potential in automation of physical labor (including remaining…

Dishwashers only save a little time. Most dishes still have to be rinsed in the sink first or else the leftover food plugs up the machine. And then putting away dishes takes just as much time. Doing laundry is a lot more than loading and unloading. If you have small children then you have to check everywhere for stains and apply something like Spray 'n Wash first. And then folding takes a lot of time. (There is a fol…

My dishwasher drains into the garbage disposal, so chunks of food that come off are easily dispatched. Every once in awhile I have to run the same plate through twice.

Re: Why are Adults so busy?

#396

Post by pfranz »

retro64 wrote: post #355
SubiculumCode wrote: post #305

Earlier quoted context omitted.

To be fair to yourself, kids often disappoint their parents, but this is more on the parents. An anecdote: My dad was driven nuts by how much time I wasted as a kid and teen on gaming, and how it seemed that I had few productive interests,never built anything, and stopped projects as soon as I got bored.. He wanted me to be obsessed with something, but few teens are obsessed with anything but not being lonely, social…

To be fair to yourself, kids often disappoint their parents, but this is more on the parents. This is true, yes! But I am concerned about what this does to them as a person. Life will kick them down (and then in the head for good measure), and a time will come when they are truly standing alone. If they are lacking the inner self, will they have the fortitude and the wherewithal to navigate themselves back up, even w…

There's also value in having a shared culture when in social scenarios. Those hours of watching Simpsons episodes over and over give me points of reference and things to discuss with new people. Those social connections and the ability to make new social connections help when thrown into a new situation (going to college, starting a new job, moving to a new state, ending a relationship and rebuilding social connections).

I wonder if it's some innate drive for kids because it comes up in multiple generations; listening to music, watching tv, on facebook or youtube?

Re: Why are Adults so busy?

#397

Post by justinator »

anexprogrammer wrote: post #359
justinator wrote: post #316

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> So track record says whatever future inventions bring us > to save time, work (and chores) will expand to fill time > available, and we'll be even more fragmented, with even > more stuff. Well then, just don't buy the stuff! Exercise some self-control.

Self control vs £bns of advertising to give us new hangups and solutions. How's that working out for obesity?

I think it's important to realize that advertising is mostly lying. Once you realize that, you can be a much more careful purchaser of $stuff. Sure it takes time to figure out what you really need/want, but you've got a lifetime to do so. What is real, what is just some myth you've been following to make sense of the world (which does NOT make sense?) Sometimes you've gotta jump and latch onto another myth.

> How's that working out for obesity?

Personally? I am in tip top shape fellow gentle person. Tip top. I found that things don't make me happy, but experiences do.

Re: Why are Adults so busy?

#398

Post by mywittyname »

Jimmy wrote: post #168
thebigspacefuck wrote: post #152

I keep catching myself thinking or using the excuse I have no time, but I mostly spend my time on the internet or watching TV. Some nights I do the dishes or actually go for a walk, go grocery shopping, but mostly I'm just hanging on, making sure I'm ready for he next day. I'm freaking addicted to information and the internet, which leave me feeling frantic. I forgo sleeping for the internet and it brings me little p…

I've known that I've had an internet addiction for years. I've tried to break it multiple times but always relapse. Something that makes it hard is that there are real, tangible benefits to spending time online, even just aimless browsing and stumbling into things. I would not be the person I am today if it weren't for certain random links I clicked on at certain times. The important thing is that I need to always re…

> I would not be the person I am today if it weren't for certain random links I clicked on at certain times.

I have to imagine you'd say the same thing about whatever hobby you could use to fill this time with. Perhaps your hobby leads to new friends, business opportunities, skills, or other general improvements in your daily life.

Re: Why are Adults so busy?

#399

Post by khedoros »

MoosePirate wrote: post #339
AnimalMuppet wrote: post #317

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The problem with those units is that you can't start a new load in the washer before the previous load finishes in the dryer, because there's only one drum. So if you want to run several loads, it takes twice as long.

But you could have two of them in the same area.

If you've got space for 2 machines, you can increase energy efficiency by using the specialized machines.

Re: Why are Adults so busy?

#400

Post by branchless »

Tenhundfeld wrote: post #388
branchless wrote: post #70

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Try explaining rent to kids. We have to pay to exist? We have to pay how much? And they are right! I don't have a problem doing nothing. I don't care what others think. But I have to work far more than necessary because of the labour skiming rentiers. They are living off my back. Edit: landlords of HN unite to downvote!

I'm sure it's different in different markets, different countries, etc. That said, I know several people who own multiple homes and lease them out. They often barely break even with mortgage payments, maintenance, dealing with deadbeat tenants, etc. Sure, once a house is paid off, they have a nice source of income, but they're taking a decent amount of risk having so much of their money tied up in such a limited numb…

> They often barely break even with mortgage payments, maintenance, dealing with deadbeat tenants, etc. Sure, once a house is paid off, they have a nice source of income

So they get several hundred K for very little work that anyone could do.

There is no risk with the central bank land ramping. In urban areas they are limiting supply, forcing up prices and taking labour.

If someone does very little work and gets several hundred K that comes from somewhere.

Post reply on HN