Are there any similar articles that are more simply written? I'd like to pass this kind of information on to the people in my life that aren't technically minded. At the moment when I try, I just sound like a conspiracy nut.
Modern Media Is a DoS Attack on Free Will
381–390 of 523 posts
Re: Modern Media Is a DoS Attack on Free Will
#382Stop carrying your smartphone. Leave it at home. If you must because your family/work depends on you, then delete every app. Use your laptop as your main driver. If you need to, get a laptop with better battery life. Start developing a personal philosophy of internet usage. Here is mine: Category 3 [Abstain from completely] Reddit (Yes, all of reddit), Facebook ... Category 2 [Check once every couple days ~15 min tot…
I don’t think smartphones are the main issue here — problem is people can’t delay gratification. I’m sure if we ran the Marshmellow experiment again, a higher proportion of people won’t be able to wait. Among my peers, I’m noticing an inability to study continuously for more than 30 minutes; even in my friend group, a couple can’t watch a whole movie without checking their phones. However, keeping your smartphone at…
Amusing anecdote: I started college in 1982, and couldn't study continuously for more than 30 minutes. Still can't. I've gotten to where I am in my career -- for better or worse -- with virtually zero attention span. There are some exceptions: I can concentrate on math or programming for hours.
Re: Modern Media Is a DoS Attack on Free Will
#383Stop carrying your smartphone. Leave it at home. If you must because your family/work depends on you, then delete every app. Use your laptop as your main driver. If you need to, get a laptop with better battery life. Start developing a personal philosophy of internet usage. Here is mine: Category 3 [Abstain from completely] Reddit (Yes, all of reddit), Facebook ... Category 2 [Check once every couple days ~15 min tot…
It's rather telling that you say "delete every app", but you really mean "delete every social media app" (for many people, these are, indeed, equivalent).
Re: Modern Media Is a DoS Attack on Free Will
#384Earlier quoted context omitted.
I love this, I love this, I love this. Right now, I am about a month along with no Facebook or Messenger. Previously I spent hours per day on both, running a pretty large community group and supporting its members. I disappeared; no explanation. Stress levels are down, I have so much more time to do things, and I have so much more attention for the things that really matter. Anybody that needs me, has my phone number…
interesting. I would have thought a watch would be worse because it's basically a "hey, look at your phone alarm". I spend too much time futsing around the internet but I have almost all notifications turned off. no Twitter notifications, no Facebook notifications, no Instagram notifications. I only have messenger like app notifications on.
This ends up being the case for me for my Android Wear watch. The thing keeps vibrating and I am more tempted to check it out even while I'm in the presence of others. When the phone was in my pocket it took more effort and was a bigger gesture than it is to just furtively look down at my wrist and swipe a few things away.
Re: Modern Media Is a DoS Attack on Free Will
#385Earlier quoted context omitted.
Much of our news media is currently designed to be sports-like, so if your goal is to be informed then this strategy is very wise. To make news more sports-like news channels like CNN offer generous pay to people that are willing to spout controversial cartoonish opinions on national news as explained here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4pS4x8hXQ5c It is very questionable if these controversial opinions are represe…
Great points. If you stop consuming cable television and take a step back, you can see that pundit news shows and professional sports have so much in common. It's "right" vs "wrong", "red" vs "blue", "stupid" vs "smart", "weak" vs "strong", etc. There's a winner. There's a loser. You aren't a loser, are you? Don't forget to buy Doritos. Since media isn't going way, we really need to create alternative systems that st…
Is there any international coverage of US news that follows a better format?
Re: Modern Media Is a DoS Attack on Free Will
#386Everyone on this thread, including me, proves their powerlessness over these sentiments. But, let's still work towards a better world.
Re: Modern Media Is a DoS Attack on Free Will
#387Ofcourse all real hackers saw this coming already 25 years ago :) I did not get a mobile phone because I wanted to be off when I wasn't working. When mobile internet came I kept only the nokia I was forced to have, just so I could not get email when I was off work. Still do not use twitter or anything else. Recently bought a tv but nothing on so seldom used. Kids friends visiting always says "oh, what a small tv!" (3…
Re: Modern Media Is a DoS Attack on Free Will
#388Earlier quoted context omitted.
I think this is addressed in the article: > Isn’t it our own fault that we’re too easily distracted? Maybe we just need more self-discipline. > That kind of rhetoric implicitly grants the idea that it’s okay for technology to be adversarial against us. The whole point of technology is to help us do what we want to do better. Why else would we have it? ... > Does personal responsibility matter at all? > I don’t think…
Its funny because these points sound exactly like the ones I've heard made by former casino developers whom worked on any number of slot machines or video poker. In any case, I'd have to disagree and say that even though you can't escape ads or even 100% avoid the lure of electronic clicks and taps, its ultimately up to you to decide what you do with your time and money and if you cannot do this yourself, then you ne…
> ...and if you cannot do this yourself, then you need to seek help.
> Just because a corporation has unlimited resources committed to targeting a person with ads or tappy and clicky stuff, it does not mean they should be held accountable for people's addictive habits or tendencies, just as you can't hold any existing casinos liable for a person's poor gambling choices.
You know, in my country there is a self-exclusion register for gambling. You put yourself on it knowing that you have a problem and as a result you're barred from entering a gaming establishment.
In doing so, gaming establishments now have a responsibility to keep you from gambling on their premises and there are consequences and liability transfers if they knowingly allow you to continue.
Re: Modern Media Is a DoS Attack on Free Will
#389Stop carrying your smartphone. Leave it at home. If you must because your family/work depends on you, then delete every app. Use your laptop as your main driver. If you need to, get a laptop with better battery life. Start developing a personal philosophy of internet usage. Here is mine: Category 3 [Abstain from completely] Reddit (Yes, all of reddit), Facebook ... Category 2 [Check once every couple days ~15 min tot…
I have a similar strategy and highly recommend Self Control App: https://github.com/SelfControlApp/selfcontrol/ Once I started blocking sites from myself I realized I was reflexively jumping over to distraction sites, particularly when I felt stuck or discouraged. Don't fall into the trap of thinking that willpower is the only way to get more focused. Use software to level the playing field. Another thing that's help…
StayFocused on the Chrome App Store is another great one, and a bit easier to install.
Re: Modern Media Is a DoS Attack on Free Will
#390Earlier quoted context omitted.
I love this, I love this, I love this. Right now, I am about a month along with no Facebook or Messenger. Previously I spent hours per day on both, running a pretty large community group and supporting its members. I disappeared; no explanation. Stress levels are down, I have so much more time to do things, and I have so much more attention for the things that really matter. Anybody that needs me, has my phone number…
> Previously I spent hours per day on both, running a pretty large community group and supporting its members. I disappeared; no explanation. I'm glad you're feeling better, but I'm not sure why you'd choose to leave people in the lurch rather than even a brief message.
If I'm not wrong, the message would disappear after the person deleted their Facebook so for people to see it the parent would have needed to stay on Facebook long enough for people to see it (which is an easy way to get sucked back into staying)