Despite being a techie, I never got a smartphone, never made a facebook account (or any other social media account). The downsides seemed just as abundant and clear to me all those years ago as they do today (despite the benefits). There is plenty of time to be "connected" while I sit in front of my computer - which is already the majority of my day. I relish having time to myself, with my thoughts, without being barraged by all sorts of (mostly useless) information. It just doesn't seem appealing at all to be constantly in contact with everyone, all the time. Read a book, write a letter, sit down with a newspaper.
The growing body of evidence that digital distraction is damaging our minds
271–280 of 478 posts
Re: The growing body of evidence that digital distraction is damaging our minds
#272I am terrified about giving smartphones to my kids. France's new rule (no smartphones in schools - no exceptions) is genius, and I applaud them for that. What is a supercomputer in your pocket, with access to a significant portion of the sum total of human knowledge, good for, for most people? Playing fucking candy crush. We wish that we, humans, were better, but we are not. So what can we do about it? I have no idea…
> I am terrified about giving smartphones to my kids. Hey smartphone makers, if you're listening: Let me set an alternate PIN that unlocks the phone in a limited access mode, or "kid mode." Only pre-approved apps are available. Only pre-approved contacts can be called/texted. In-game purchases require the more secure PIN. Maybe when the phone is in this mode I can track its location easily, and make it emit a noise.…
There are a number of apps which provide a mode with features like that, including some first-party ones from handset manufacturers like Samsung's Kids Mode.
Re: The growing body of evidence that digital distraction is damaging our minds
#273This is what stuck out to me in the article: > Lactation consultants in Canada and the United States have begun noticing the prevalence of women texting and scrolling through their phones while they breastfeed, breaking valuable eye contact with their baby. Normally I'm in the skeptic camp on this issue. That screens are just the new generation's version of comic books or rock and roll rotting the minds of our youth,…
We didn't breastfeed, so we're already outsiders.
But eye contact? That seems like a very new problem. At that age, all of my children just end up falling asleep while eating most of the time.
I feel like all those dirty looks from nurse and Lactation Consultants being refused could have at least been appended by "you know, you really should at least look at your kid all the time while they're eating".
Re: The growing body of evidence that digital distraction is damaging our minds
#274Earlier quoted context omitted.
If you read the article, it did mention Socrates warned about writing. Maybe Plato did say it as well. Anyways, your point was brought up in the article. Did you read the article?
> If you read the article, it did mention Socrates warned about writing. Maybe Plato did say it as well. All the saying attributed to Socrates are by way of Plato's writing in which Socrates is used as a mouthpiece, and are more properly attributed to Plato. So, the references are probably to the same thing.
This claim is, at best, highly contested: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/plato/#HisSocEarMidLatDia.
Re: The growing body of evidence that digital distraction is damaging our minds
#275Earlier quoted context omitted.
I don't know what age your kids are, but it'll be a difficult struggle when the time does come. I've got 4 step kids, who are 11, 13, 16 and 18. All aside from the eldest have smartphones, (they have each had them when they have gone to secondary school), and it's a constant problem - probably the thing where I have the biggest disagreements with them (I have an excellent relationship with all four of them, and they'…
> "I'm particularly concerned about the 13 year old, as she appears to be going backwards in terms of reading age and ability, and her attention span is dismal." Definitely not limited to 13 year olds. I've notice this myself the last couple of years, and it seems to have coincided with an increase in my usage of Reddit and HN apps (ie. feed-based news apps with comments). I'm finding that sitting down to read a good…
Oh, I felt much the same about a year ago - hence quitting Facebook and any other social media, and drastically cutting down the amount of time I spend using my phone. I think it's probably worse for children who've not had a life without it, but it's definitely a real thing, and takes a while to get anywhere near back where you were before.
I had to make a really conscious effort to not use my phone at times of low attention, and now actually revel in the time I get when I used to get my phone out and just browse stuff (stood in queues, while waiting for anything for any length of time, etc), and enjoy actually daydreaming or thinking about things. I find it a bit sad that this is a novelty!
Re: The growing body of evidence that digital distraction is damaging our minds
#276Earlier quoted context omitted.
Why don’t you prove it and delete the 60 unnecessary apps . Goodness knows every single one is tracking you in some way or another or waiting to trick you with some dark pattern. This isn’t meant to be sassy or to criticize you. I have similarly trimmed back all of the apps I don’t regularly use or rely on.
No. Throw the baby out with the bathwater; they said. I've deleted and re-installed Facebook countless times. It doesn't make me any holier, but having the choice of it there and choosing to go without seems like a stronger fight.
I've told this to a lot of people around me... unfollow everyone on Facebook.
This does two things: 1. No more facebook feed 2. No more facebook ads
You still get to keep messenger as an extended contact book, people can still tag you in stupid things and pictures, you don't have to have that awkward conversation telling people you're no longer on facebook. I guarantee you'll never feel like you miss your feed. Nobody even has to know you've unfollowed them.
I've quit facebook twice and they didn't last. But I've had no feed for months now and I don't see myself going back.
Re: The growing body of evidence that digital distraction is damaging our minds
#277I am terrified about giving smartphones to my kids. France's new rule (no smartphones in schools - no exceptions) is genius, and I applaud them for that. What is a supercomputer in your pocket, with access to a significant portion of the sum total of human knowledge, good for, for most people? Playing fucking candy crush. We wish that we, humans, were better, but we are not. So what can we do about it? I have no idea…
My wife and I are going to have a son in a couple weeks. We literally were discussing today. We came to the conclusion we don't want them to have a cell phone until they are fairly old. We plan on actually installing a landline instead. We subscribe to the theory that, to some extent, we need to struggle to grow. So, I've actually convinced her to pretty much let our son (and additional children) get free access to a…
I have kids and they will get phones soon. They already have some tablets and a Chromebook.
I don't care if my daughter ever memorizes a phone number or leaves the house without a map any more than I care if she learns to write in cursive. She plays games, but is also reading Kindle books and learning to code. I even chat with her on Slack.
And not to pile on, but please be aware that whatever plans you make for how you want your future children to be are 100% guaranteed to go off the rails and your kids will probably be fine anyway :)
Re: The growing body of evidence that digital distraction is damaging our minds
#278Earlier quoted context omitted.
Why don’t you prove it and delete the 60 unnecessary apps . Goodness knows every single one is tracking you in some way or another or waiting to trick you with some dark pattern. This isn’t meant to be sassy or to criticize you. I have similarly trimmed back all of the apps I don’t regularly use or rely on.
No. Throw the baby out with the bathwater; they said. I've deleted and re-installed Facebook countless times. It doesn't make me any holier, but having the choice of it there and choosing to go without seems like a stronger fight.
That's true, the general recommendation for drug addicts is to keep their drug of choice in their home and within an arm's reach, so that they can exercise their willpower for the sake of the stronger fight. Someday you'll be strong enough to break free! Keep at it!
Re: The growing body of evidence that digital distraction is damaging our minds
#279Earlier quoted context omitted.
Our teenage son carries a flip phone. Always has, always will, until he can pay for something else.
Same for mine. I figure if he displays the maturity and initiative to get a job, then he's qualified.
For us, that's part of it.
The main reason is how worried we are about the impact unfettered, always on, modern Internet/technology will have on the developing brains of teenagers, and beyond.
Re: The growing body of evidence that digital distraction is damaging our minds
#280Or in the words of the ancient philosopher plato upon learning about the written textbook """If men learn this, it will implant forgetfulness in their souls; they will cease to exercise memory because they rely on that which is written, calling things to remembrance no longer from within themselves, but by means of external marks.""" And just as Plato had a point but missed a greater one something similar might be sa…
> Were kind of seeing a kind of trend where every new media invention goes though a cycle of hype and fear towards a new normal and usually a new political and cultural structure. And i suspect that a lot of the "fear" is at least partially a part of that process.
That doesn't make this fear unjustified. The radio made Nazism more powerful. Trump doesn't become president without the current 24-hours news culture. ISIS doesn't gain nearly as much influence without social media.
Also, where exactly are you getting "decentralized authority free media landscape" from?