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I Used to Be a Human Being

nymag.com

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Re: I Used to Be a Human Being

#71

Post by marmot777 »

CMYK5 wrote: post #11
resetting wrote: post #7

I'd be interested to hear everyone's strategies to combat this, as I assume many of us that work in the industry encounter similar problems of distraction and inundation. First, I don't use any devices directly after waking up. I meditate for about 20 minutes upon waking and then try to read fiction for 40 minutes. So, all in, somewhere around an hour of no device distractions before starting my day. Slack is one of…

One thing that has helped me is a "digital purge." I do mine on New Years Day, and I go through every app and ruthlessly un-follow/unfriend anyone who doesn't isn't contributing positively to me in some way (sometimes deleting entire apps). At the end of the day I'm offering these people direct access to me multiple times daily. If I don't get a positive outcome from these interactions, why keep them around?

That's something I do consistently but I've not really consciously thought it through. I just delete any apps or "unfriend" people that I determine to be a negative force in my life even in a small way. This one everyone should do even if they don't want to get into the digital 12 step program. I'm waiting to hit digital rock bottom before I quit.

Re: I Used to Be a Human Being

#72

Post by jsmthrowaway »

ryandrake wrote: post #52
te_chris wrote: post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Or, how about the writer has experienced something very personal which their editor thought would appeal to an audience as wide as that of NYMag? Perhaps, instead of just saying the writer is wrong, you could try and empathise with the position, see if you feel better after some time apart from the internet. Try and understand another perspective. Writing is 1 to many, the author was most certainly not writing just f…

It's fine to say, "Hey, I don't like this--here's the personal story about how I had a huge problem with it." It goes off the rails when he starts calling it "our" [collective] problem. Sorry, I just think that's assuming an awful lot about one's audience.

You're assuming that your ability to control this implies that everybody else in the audience is just like you, has the ability, and doesn't need or want the article. This is quite obviously false and a form of projection.

Again, you're not the audience.

Re: I Used to Be a Human Being

#73

Post by [deleted] »

Capt-RogerOver wrote: post #26
resetting wrote: post #7

I'd be interested to hear everyone's strategies to combat this, as I assume many of us that work in the industry encounter similar problems of distraction and inundation. First, I don't use any devices directly after waking up. I meditate for about 20 minutes upon waking and then try to read fiction for 40 minutes. So, all in, somewhere around an hour of no device distractions before starting my day. Slack is one of…

Since you already experiment with things like meditation and psychedelics, you should look more into finding out more about your psyche and feelings, and other self-development themes. Find out more about your inner being, about the structure of your (and in general, human) soul, what motivates you, what deep fears you have, in what ways are you still unconscious about yourself. There are tons of books, trainings, co…

[deleted]

Re: I Used to Be a Human Being

#74

Post by rpeden »

SolaceQuantum wrote: post #36
Capt-RogerOver wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Since you already experiment with things like meditation and psychedelics, you should look more into finding out more about your psyche and feelings, and other self-development themes. Find out more about your inner being, about the structure of your (and in general, human) soul, what motivates you, what deep fears you have, in what ways are you still unconscious about yourself. There are tons of books, trainings, co…

What do you do if the situation you are in do not allow time to sit down and perform deep introspective behavior? I find myself very easily falling into introspection to the point where my mind often cries out for it if I go without for a while. However, my current work and the balancing of multiple careers (as a programmer, as a writer) and social obligations mean I often don't have time and feel intense stress/dist…

The world can demand your time, but that doesn't mean you have to give it your time.

Your careers are social obligations are all things you do by choice. I'm not saying you can drop all your careers and live without money, but you have the power to make career related decisions that will give you more time for yourself. Can you temporarily pause one of your careers to give you more time with yourself? Are your social obligations all meaningful to you? If not, it's okay to say no when invited to events that aren't meaningful to you in some way. You end up with obligations because you choose to take them on. You have the power to choose yourself instead, at least some of the time.

At you end of the day, if you don't make time for introspection and relaxation, you might find yourself burned out and failing to meet your obligations no matter how hard you try to work.

Re: I Used to Be a Human Being

#75

Post by LeoPanthera »

marmot777 wrote: post #65
overcast wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've done the same. Facebook was closed last year, Reddit this year, Twitter never really used, but deleted the app. I've added comment blockers in all of my browsers to get rid of all of the negativity on websites, especially YouTube. I don't use any other social apps besides the occasional Instagram for business purposes. My phone goes into Do Not Disturb about an hour before bed, and I place it face down on the ni…

How do people survive without Facebook? How do I keep up with what everyone's up to? Sure, there's a lot of mindless posting on there but for me the good outweighs the bad.

I have a rule that I only friend people on Facebook who I have met, in the real world, a minimum of twice.

It really cuts down on the crap.

Re: I Used to Be a Human Being

#76

Post by marmot777 »

Capt-RogerOver wrote: post #26
resetting wrote: post #7

I'd be interested to hear everyone's strategies to combat this, as I assume many of us that work in the industry encounter similar problems of distraction and inundation. First, I don't use any devices directly after waking up. I meditate for about 20 minutes upon waking and then try to read fiction for 40 minutes. So, all in, somewhere around an hour of no device distractions before starting my day. Slack is one of…

Since you already experiment with things like meditation and psychedelics, you should look more into finding out more about your psyche and feelings, and other self-development themes. Find out more about your inner being, about the structure of your (and in general, human) soul, what motivates you, what deep fears you have, in what ways are you still unconscious about yourself. There are tons of books, trainings, co…

Thank you for this. This is something I could possibly pull off immediately. Going cold turkey's too high a mountain for me to summit at the moment. I'd imagine a lot of people could start here.

Re: I Used to Be a Human Being

#77

Post by marmot777 »

SolaceQuantum wrote: post #36
Capt-RogerOver wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Since you already experiment with things like meditation and psychedelics, you should look more into finding out more about your psyche and feelings, and other self-development themes. Find out more about your inner being, about the structure of your (and in general, human) soul, what motivates you, what deep fears you have, in what ways are you still unconscious about yourself. There are tons of books, trainings, co…

What do you do if the situation you are in do not allow time to sit down and perform deep introspective behavior? I find myself very easily falling into introspection to the point where my mind often cries out for it if I go without for a while. However, my current work and the balancing of multiple careers (as a programmer, as a writer) and social obligations mean I often don't have time and feel intense stress/dist…

Even people with careers and kids manage to fit it in. I'm not a person who's good at fitting things in but I've seen it done. :-)

Re: I Used to Be a Human Being

#78

Post by Torgo »

cushychicken wrote: post #53
Torgo wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is the daily reminder that technology is not politically or socially "neutral".

What was the origin of that quote? I mentioned it offhand in conversation the other day but couldn't remember where I'd heard it.

I improvised it from Michel Foucault.

Re: I Used to Be a Human Being

#79

Post by jonstokes »

The number one thing I've found to be effective in combatting this is sleep. I have to get 8 hours of uninterrupted, unmedicated sleep. 9 hours is even better. And I have to do it for a few nights in a row.

If I do anything at all that interferes with the quality of my sleep, I'm screwed, and The Stream will suck me in. Conversely, things that increase the quality of my sleep -- exercise, diet, not using gadgets after a certain hour -- all increase my ability to fight off Stream-induced distraction.

So that's my recommendation. YMMV.

Re: I Used to Be a Human Being

#80

Post by overcast »

marmot777 wrote: post #70
marmot777 wrote: post #65

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How do people survive without Facebook? How do I keep up with what everyone's up to? Sure, there's a lot of mindless posting on there but for me the good outweighs the bad.

To clarify, I know people survived before Facebook but I've been on it since I think about 2008. I really like it to be honest. It makes me sad to think of giving it up. A lot of people here are talking about a program of achieving balance. A common list item is "delete your facebook account." I can do without Twitter but Facebook I'd mourn the loss. Maybe that's part of growth though. Damnit!

I promise, you can have even more real, meaningful relationships without Facebook updates.
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