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Social Media Is the New Smoking

theroamingmind.com

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Re: Social Media Is the New Smoking

#31

Post by mrleinad »

voidifremoved wrote: post #24

I broke my phone about a year ago, and it took a few days to sort out a replacement. In that time I went through exactly the same process I did when I quit smoking. I became aware suddenly of all the time, all the gaps, all the moments that I had filled with a quick look at my phone. And once it passed - elation, freedom, seeing the world with open eyes and a clear head. I was sad when my new phone arrived, and looki…

Block the app in the phone. I did just that, and don't want to look back ever again.

I didn't close the account because it's actually useful for some situations (found a lost dog last week and need to post about it so I can find the owner). But other than that, it feels awful to log back into Facebook. I left messenger installed because of the same reason I have whatsapp. It's actual chat, not posting pics or whatever (and I don't care about the "status" that some contacts share).

Re: Social Media Is the New Smoking

#32

Post by rfrank »

Mediterraneo10 wrote: post #15
WheelsAtLarge wrote: post #13

If Social Media Is the New Smoking then I'm smoking 12 packs a day. HELP! Seriously,there is truth in this statement. People are sinking into their phones and computers and we all think it's amusing. Living peacefully in a society is hard enough when we have to learn to deal with one another. What will happen when we lack those abilities because all we need to do is interact with our technology? Red lights need to be…

"Living peacefully in a society is hard enough when we have to learn to deal with one another. What will happen when we lack those abilities because all we need to do is interact with our technology." Being wrapped up in social media might serve as a way of pacifying society. When unemployment is rising due to automation and policy, give the masses shiny websites they can spend all day on and lots of computer games,…

Man, this sentiment is so disturbing. Is this something people find desirable?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gR3lXEH80Nw

Re: Social Media Is the New Smoking

#33

Post by gaius »

dep_b wrote: post #14
oliv__ wrote: post #10

> "That the dude off in the corner consuming his Instagram feed will be looked at the same as the guy standing at the street corner sucking on a Marlboro." I don't think that's ever going to happen. Social networks, contrary to smoking, are built on the very nature of human beings: being social animals. And that's certainly not going away. It would be like wishing that the buddies socializing on the corner would be l…

> Social networks, contrary to smoking, are built on the very nature of human beings: being social animals. Bullshit. After quitting I still went to the smoking area at work just to hang out with the people that were taking a break there. Especially when it was completely accepted smoking was considered very social, like grabbing a beer together still is. The "hey let's grab a smoke" is what I miss about smoking.

I've never smoked (cigarettes) but I have often envied that a smoker could go and just sit, alone at the bar say, just a moment of peace and calm, and it wasn't weird that there was a guy there just staring into space, because he was "having a smoke" and that was an activity in and of itself. Or on a park bench or just anywhere. I sometimes fake playing with my phone, just so I can do it.

Re: Social Media Is the New Smoking

#34

Post by WheelsAtLarge »

Mediterraneo10 wrote: post #15
WheelsAtLarge wrote: post #13

If Social Media Is the New Smoking then I'm smoking 12 packs a day. HELP! Seriously,there is truth in this statement. People are sinking into their phones and computers and we all think it's amusing. Living peacefully in a society is hard enough when we have to learn to deal with one another. What will happen when we lack those abilities because all we need to do is interact with our technology? Red lights need to be…

"Living peacefully in a society is hard enough when we have to learn to deal with one another. What will happen when we lack those abilities because all we need to do is interact with our technology." Being wrapped up in social media might serve as a way of pacifying society. When unemployment is rising due to automation and policy, give the masses shiny websites they can spend all day on and lots of computer games,…

True there is more than one possibility but extremes in anything always bother me. I can't think of a time where it's good.

To your point Social Media reminds me of Soma in Brave New World. In the book it was a drug, now it's new technology.

By the way, I highly recommend the book. It's a bit boring now but it's worth reading. It's not too long. It gives lots of good food for thought.

Re: Social Media Is the New Smoking

#35

Post by xrange »

voidifremoved wrote: post #24

I broke my phone about a year ago, and it took a few days to sort out a replacement. In that time I went through exactly the same process I did when I quit smoking. I became aware suddenly of all the time, all the gaps, all the moments that I had filled with a quick look at my phone. And once it passed - elation, freedom, seeing the world with open eyes and a clear head. I was sad when my new phone arrived, and looki…

>...I wish I had found a way to stay clean.

Anyone have success stories to share? I've tried adding various sites to my hosts file. But I seem to lapse after a while, since I can restore the file anytime I want to. Any negative reinforcement ideas? Like an annoying sound (baby shrieking?) played or an electrical shock when browsing to particular sites? Any methods to prevent yourself from uninstalling things like that though?

Any ideas on how long it might take to get over any "withdrawl" period? Like you only need to "tough it out" for a month, and then it becomes more manageable?

Re: Social Media Is the New Smoking

#36

Post by bcook »

gaius wrote: post #33
dep_b wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Social networks, contrary to smoking, are built on the very nature of human beings: being social animals. Bullshit. After quitting I still went to the smoking area at work just to hang out with the people that were taking a break there. Especially when it was completely accepted smoking was considered very social, like grabbing a beer together still is. The "hey let's grab a smoke" is what I miss about smoking.

I've never smoked (cigarettes) but I have often envied that a smoker could go and just sit, alone at the bar say, just a moment of peace and calm, and it wasn't weird that there was a guy there just staring into space, because he was "having a smoke" and that was an activity in and of itself. Or on a park bench or just anywhere. I sometimes fake playing with my phone, just so I can do it.

Indeed. Since I quit smoking I miss the inarguable excuse (not just to others but myself as well) that smoking offered to leave a party, go outside, stare into the night's stars and just relax while pondering the universe and my own insignificance.

Re: Social Media Is the New Smoking

#37

Post by calebgilbert »

treve wrote: post #22
calebgilbert wrote: post #11

I've been developing since 2000 in some form or other and have gone from a true believer who thought the internet would save the world, to someone who thinks it's had an immeasurably negative impact on any number of levels. That said, comparing it to smoking is not broad enough. It's more like social media (and by extension the internet) is more like the 'new water' - a fundamental aspect of living whether we like it…

Sounds like every opinion you held both before and after 2000 are extremes. Some nuance might be healthy!

Well, I've reached 'resignation' if not nuance in any case. Or maybe that is a nuance.

Re: Social Media Is the New Smoking

#38

Post by jkeat »

bcook wrote: post #36
gaius wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've never smoked (cigarettes) but I have often envied that a smoker could go and just sit, alone at the bar say, just a moment of peace and calm, and it wasn't weird that there was a guy there just staring into space, because he was "having a smoke" and that was an activity in and of itself. Or on a park bench or just anywhere. I sometimes fake playing with my phone, just so I can do it.

Indeed. Since I quit smoking I miss the inarguable excuse (not just to others but myself as well) that smoking offered to leave a party, go outside, stare into the night's stars and just relax while pondering the universe and my own insignificance.

Can anyone think of a good non-carcinogenic substitute?

Re: Social Media Is the New Smoking

#39

Post by mrisoli »

> Will browsing your phone anticipating the next notification become a dirty habit that others will shun you for?

It is already frowned upon in some social circles, occasional browsing is okay but some people can go completely off reality when going through their Facebook feed, I have some friends like this(very introverted), when we met at a bar or restaurant we would make a "phones on the table" rule, first to reach for the phone pays the bill.

For me, the hyperbole of social media dependency is how it changed travel experiences. People always took photos of travels, but social media put that into comical territory.

It is bizarre watching other tourists around, how they navigate from spot to spot to get a picture in some of the most famous places on earth without ever stopping to absorb where they were, they never bothered to understand the history or the architecture behind some place, they have 75 pictures of the same place but probably couldn't tell you the color on the walls five minutes after the picture was taken.

I like to stay at hostels and meet other people(especially when traveling alone), there have always been people in their own bubble, but it is crazy how it changed in the last 3-4 years, everyone is so self-envolved on their phones that they are not even aware of their surroundings, you can come in and out of a room without being noticed, I've seen people spend their entire time locked in a room glued to their phones, sometimes even missing meals.

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