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Social Media Is the New Smoking

theroamingmind.com

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Re: Social Media Is the New Smoking

#41

Post by excalibur »

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.

Former smoker here, currently vaping. Weaned myself all the way down to zero nicotine, preparing to take the plunge and give it up altogether. I've already recognized that the physical act of having a smoke is more addictive for me than the nicotine. I've come to the same conclusion that you did. I need to find a phone number that I can call and listen to a recorded message or something, just so I will have an excuse to escape outside and disconnect for a few minutes.

Re: Social Media Is the New Smoking

#43

Post by pan69 »

Early January I removed the Facebook, Instagram and Twitter apps from my phone (don't really use any other social media). Since that time I think have have logged into Facebook twice (desktop browser) only to be presented with a barrage of gunk on which I closed the browser tab. See yasss...

Every once in a while I will scroll through my Twitter feed (desktop browser). I follow a lot of pixel art artists so I get to see some interesting things.

However, I don't want this on my phone anymore. My phone will only have the actually utilities I need. Phone, SMS, maps, email and a decent battery life.

Also, I turned off all notifications on my phone as well. I.e, don't interrupt me. I'll get to it when I get to it.

Re: Social Media Is the New Smoking

#44

Post by ccozan »

sjg007 wrote: post #26
martinald wrote: post #19

I often wonder if social media is the reason behind the dismal productivity gains we've seen in the last decade. I think this is a really well thought article. I can sort of see the equivalent of The Insider in 20 years time, with Zuck at a congress hearing saying that 'social media' is not addictive.

Facebook, Reddit, hacker news.. all are addictive. I started with slashdot in 96/97? then Reddit, now hacker news. Twitter might be the same but I don't partake. The fundamental problem is you read yesterday's news instead of inventing the future.

> fundamental problem is you read yesterday's news instead of inventing the future.

..and this my friend, is such an understatement. I wish everyone hooked on social media to read this phrase every hour.

I do, indeed, read HN, because it does offer some insights in the future. I had lots of ideas from the shared articles and associated comments.

Re: Social Media Is the New Smoking

#45

Post by hammock »

Kenji wrote: post #16
thinbeige wrote: post #4

I remember one vacation which was the first after many years: I was lying at the beach enjoying the view. I was so happy that I could afford some vacation after years of suffering and watching millions of vaction pictures from my friends on Facebook. Avid for revenge, I took a picture of the stunning beach view and wrote in big letters 'MY LIFE IS BETTER THAN YOURS'. At that moment I realized what Facebook is about (…

Did you know? Facebook stores what you write into the text box even if you don't send it.

He's getting downvoted but this is (was?) actually true, there was a study about it. Link: http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/future_tense/2013/1...

Re: Social Media Is the New Smoking

#46

Post by dave5104 »

xrange wrote: post #35
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 tha…

I hide the Facebook app in a folder on my iPhone to keep it out of sight and out of mind. I still keep it around just in case I need to hop on for an event invite or something.

You should also turn notifications off--once Facebook notices you haven't logged in lately, they'll start sending you random "activity" notifications to draw you back in.

As for my laptop, I just signed out of Facebook in my browser. That was enough of a deterrent to keep me away. (I also deleted my quicklinks to my feed as well.)

It took me about a month and now I don't even think about it.

Re: Social Media Is the New Smoking

#47

Post by xrange »

Mc_Big_G wrote: post #23
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…

I totally get it but, and I had this mild disagreement with my wife recently, what if I'm on duolingo learning Spanish? What if I'm checking my investments or making a trade? What if I'm texting with a friend who just lost a loved one? You can't make assumptions about what people are doing on their phones all the time. I spend too much time on my phone, but a lot of it is useful and productive. With that said, I'm fi…

>what if I'm on duolingo learning Spanish? What if I'm checking my investments or making a trade?

...ah, the Paul Erdos defense:

http://amphetamines.com/paul-erdos.html

> I spend too much time on my phone, but a lot of it is useful and productive.

Looks like we might need to an another item to the list:

http://www.magicmgmt.com/magic/abuse-excuse/

Re: Social Media Is the New Smoking

#48

Post by syphilis2 »

I feel it's clear the fad is waning, but that's my experience among my crowd. For young children, for grandparents, maybe for other countries it's not the same. For example Facebook's trendiness is in that familiar slow motion fall. The same one blogs experienced, or Instant Messenger. But "social media"? No, contrary to my experience, social media is still trending up. It should be interesting to see the backlash grow, the holdouts dig in, and the slow fade to irrelevance and memory. In ten years you might ironically send a foodie to your friends alongside a status update about how cute your cat is. Or a hamburger themed math problem presented by a Minion. Or maybe social media is the new jeans (long term) or the new beer (very long term).

Re: Social Media Is the New Smoking

#49

Post by EADGBE »

jkeat wrote: post #38
bcook wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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?

A non-smoking table. We have one at work.

It's mostly empty, though.

Re: Social Media Is the New Smoking

#50

Post by ThrustVectoring »

jkeat wrote: post #38
bcook wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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?

Vaping.
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