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Technology has created a barrage of notifications and interactions

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Re: Technology has created a barrage of notifications and interactions

#31

Post by mellowdream »

xnyan wrote: post #19

As a software developer I am absolutely in a privileged position that allows me to have this freedom, but I simply don’t accept jobs that send constant notifications, require me to be online and available all the time, constant after hours work, etc. etc. I make a little bit less money for that privilege, but I work a very nice schedule and have almost no job stress. It’s been one of the best decisions of my life, an…

What kind of work do you do? I've heard nice things about working for the government (in terms of QOL, anyway), though of course the work is nothing sexy.

Re: Technology has created a barrage of notifications and interactions

#32

Post by cortesoft »

hurrdurr2 wrote: post #29

The irony of this story being posted to HN, where the majority of users are in professions likely contributing to the worsening of internet and social media addiction. Read the comments and it's a bunch of folks making fun of the author for "opting in". What a surprise there.

I don’t think it is irony to want to reexamine the work your industry has done with a critical eye.

Learning from your mistakes is not irony.

Re: Technology has created a barrage of notifications and interactions

#33

Post by clairity »

honkycat wrote: post #21

> “It looks like you are driving.” I lie to my phone. This is such a shitty, irresponsible thing to do. People die every day from car accidents and this author thinks it is funny.

agreed, there is a kia commercial that also disturbingly normalizes this kind of behavior (the driver and her friends are playing with phones, as the narrator dings a cowbell to simulate the driver monitor warning), the implicit message being that you can continue being distracted, because your car will bail you out (it won't).

then we try to regulate speed as a poor, misdirected proxy for accidents to ameliorate ourselves, because most folks don't really want to decontaminate the driving environment to be as dstraction-free as possible, which would actually reduce accidents and save lives.

Re: Technology has created a barrage of notifications and interactions

#36

Post by ryandrake »

gitpusher wrote: post #27
outworlder wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> But I can't see past the author's terrible personal habits that magnify every single one of them. Keep in mind that this may or may not be an accurate reflection of the author's personal habits. We have no indications that this is true, that each one of these actions is not exaggerated, or that they even happened in the same day. Or even, more likely, that these are actually the habits of a fictional person that's…

Sure, she likely exaggerated things for narrative effect. I sympathize with those who are enslaved to their devices. It's an addiction, and it often correlates with mental health issues. Such people need help and guidance – not sarcastic dismissal. But, like any other addiction, the first step is taking responsibility. Instead of blaming the world for "hacking" your brain and sub-dividing your attention ad infinitum…

Part of the solution is just turning off notifications. Half of what the author described is apps interrupting what she was doing, demanding her attention. All smartphones provide the option to turn off these interruptions and badges. Just do it and never look back. I've gone even farther in that I run Do-Not-Disturb mode 24/7, so no notifications of any kind, no texts, even no phone calls. You can take back your attention when it's being stolen.

You're totally right about the other half though, it's got to be some kind of addiction. Her compulsion to keep "checking" things online. Checking facebook, checking instagram, checking the news, checking the likes on this, checking messages on that, checking Slack, checking E-mail, even checking her frequent flyer mile count (WTF?). What is all this checking? What on earth is so important that you keep needing to poll for status updates? This behavior seems to be beyond what one could rationally explain and I agree with you that some professional help and guidance is probably in order!

Re: Technology has created a barrage of notifications and interactions

#37

Post by qppo »

gitpusher wrote: post #6

There are real problems here. But I can't see past the author's terrible personal habits that magnify every single one of them. Nobody forced them to: - start their day by reviewing COVID numbers - allow push-notifications from "news" apps - listen to NPR while showering - generally allow social media to dictate their mood/schedule All of these habits are as easy to change as they are damaging. Edit to add: In no way…

It's hard to square this take against the billions of dollars spent optimizing dopamine feedback loops on social media and dark patterns to trick users into falling victim.

Re: Technology has created a barrage of notifications and interactions

#38

Post by easytiger »

bryanrasmussen wrote: post #2

Yes it was much better in the old days when I used to work at Sunshine Desserts with those unbelievable idiots and had to brown nose C.J about what a genius he was, and then later when I had that great career swilling pigs until my back gave out. Back then, Work was an inescapable paradise.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fall_and_Rise_of_Reginal... ?

Re: Technology has created a barrage of notifications and interactions

#39

Post by qzervaas »

honkycat wrote: post #21

> “It looks like you are driving.” I lie to my phone. This is such a shitty, irresponsible thing to do. People die every day from car accidents and this author thinks it is funny.

The author is painting a picture of behaviour that a large number of people engage in.

Separately, when I read this paragraph, it prompted me to check my “DND while driving” settings, which for some reason were no longer enabled.

Authors can write about controversial / bad things.

Re: Technology has created a barrage of notifications and interactions

#40

Post by samatman »

gitpusher wrote: post #27
outworlder wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> But I can't see past the author's terrible personal habits that magnify every single one of them. Keep in mind that this may or may not be an accurate reflection of the author's personal habits. We have no indications that this is true, that each one of these actions is not exaggerated, or that they even happened in the same day. Or even, more likely, that these are actually the habits of a fictional person that's…

Sure, she likely exaggerated things for narrative effect. I sympathize with those who are enslaved to their devices. It's an addiction, and it often correlates with mental health issues. Such people need help and guidance – not sarcastic dismissal. But, like any other addiction, the first step is taking responsibility. Instead of blaming the world for "hacking" your brain and sub-dividing your attention ad infinitum…

The AA twelve-step program isn't Gospel, and it wasn't handed down on tablets at Sinai.

But it does encapsulate a lot of wisdom, and the first step is to admit powerlessness over the addiction.

That's what you're missing here, is that by definition addicts feel out of control of their own behavior. Without that loss of control, it's not an addiction, it's just a habit you spend a lot of time on.

Look, it's obvious this isn't a subject you know anything about, and congratulations on that. But maybe stop making confident pronouncements which don't work.

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