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I let a stranger watch me work for a day and I've never been more productive

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Re: I let a stranger watch me work for a day and I've never been more productive

#31

Post by BurningFrog »

systemizer wrote: post #25
drdeca wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> For me, guilt/shame is something to be overcome, not used as a tool. Wow, I think I quite strongly disagree. What do you think it exists _for_ ? It is good for society that people have the capacity for guilt and shame. If we did not, I cannot see any other recourse other than fear!

Okay, so shame exists because it is good for a society that is built on shame? I don't mean to be derogatory in anyway, but the fact something is stabilizing doesn't mean it is good. I believe there are better ways to build relationships with others

I think OP is saying you should feel guilt and shame if you treat others badly, steal or break their stuff, murder or rape them etc.

You were probably thinking of completely different contexts.

Re: I let a stranger watch me work for a day and I've never been more productive

#33

Post by travisjungroth »

StaticRedux wrote: post #29

Now do that for a month. Or even a week. You may be more productive bc you don't want to be seen as slacking off with someone watching, but maintaining that kind of pace is untenable. Did you ever get stuck and check your email or Facebook just to give your brain a little break? Did you ever sit, unsure of your next move? Or did you do the first thing you thought of, even if it was wrong, so you didn't look like you…

That’s fine. Having a tool I can use a few hours a few week to get me through things that are the highest product of important and annoying is super valuable. Doesn’t have to be a lifestyle.

Re: I let a stranger watch me work for a day and I've never been more productive

#35

Post by dmix »

hobs wrote: post #28
drdeca wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> For me, guilt/shame is something to be overcome, not used as a tool. Wow, I think I quite strongly disagree. What do you think it exists _for_ ? It is good for society that people have the capacity for guilt and shame. If we did not, I cannot see any other recourse other than fear!

Love, kindness, empathy, etc. You dont have to build your society as a goad to make people do what you want.

You’ve tapped on the fallacy of assuming it’s all about shame. Accomplishment is very rewarding to plenty of people.

Re: I let a stranger watch me work for a day and I've never been more productive

#36

Post by kylek »

systemizer wrote: post #8

Anybody else get an immediately negative visceral reaction from this? If I'm understanding this correctly, the aim is to manipulate our sense of shame/guilt to boost productivity. After sitting with the feeling for a bit, here are some ideas that come to mind: 1. Maybe we should ask why we feel shame/guilt in the first place. Is it "normal" to feel this? If it isn't we should not rely on it for our happiness (or prod…

Interesting! Shame and awareness seem to have always been pretty tightly linked[0]. I think it's normal.

[0] Genesis 3:7

Re: I let a stranger watch me work for a day and I've never been more productive

#38

Post by coldtea »

travisjungroth wrote: post #33
StaticRedux wrote: post #29

Now do that for a month. Or even a week. You may be more productive bc you don't want to be seen as slacking off with someone watching, but maintaining that kind of pace is untenable. Did you ever get stuck and check your email or Facebook just to give your brain a little break? Did you ever sit, unsure of your next move? Or did you do the first thing you thought of, even if it was wrong, so you didn't look like you…

That’s fine. Having a tool I can use a few hours a few week to get me through things that are the highest product of important and annoying is super valuable. Doesn’t have to be a lifestyle.

You won't be the one choosing when and for how long to use the tool...

Re: I let a stranger watch me work for a day and I've never been more productive

#39

Post by BurningFrog »

My first month of pair programming was utterly exhausting, but once I got into the pace, it was the best thing I've ever done.

The mutual focus is definitely a big part. You're in a social context, and there is no place to stray from the mutual task, and that discipline is very liberating, weird as it may sound, for someone prone to procrastinating like myself.

Re: I let a stranger watch me work for a day and I've never been more productive

#40

Post by coldtea »

systemizer wrote: post #25
drdeca wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> For me, guilt/shame is something to be overcome, not used as a tool. Wow, I think I quite strongly disagree. What do you think it exists _for_ ? It is good for society that people have the capacity for guilt and shame. If we did not, I cannot see any other recourse other than fear!

Okay, so shame exists because it is good for a society that is built on shame? I don't mean to be derogatory in anyway, but the fact something is stabilizing doesn't mean it is good. I believe there are better ways to build relationships with others

>Okay, so shame exists because it is good for a society that is built on shame?

Yes. Shame exists because it gave some evolutionary benefits to the primates who had it, like being able to live in a society and cooperate and don't cheat/kill/fuck over each other as much (if you think we do bad stuff too much, wait till you see what we can do without shame).

>I believe there are better ways to build relationships with others

The problem is that made-up (e.g. of our own making, requiring us to think about them and follow them rationally), not instinctual, ways, are none effective at all compared to innate, evolutionary, feelings like shame...

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