How to overcome Phone Addiction • Hacker News Board

Re: How to overcome Phone Addiction

#201

Post by bumby » Sun, Jan 03, 2021, 3:57 AM UTC

scotty79 wrote: post #161

bumby wrote: post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Marines do have an answer, although with a great cost. Do you mean an individual cost or societal cost? I think one of the ironies about the human condition is that we value things that we’ve sacrificed toward much more than the things we have not. E.g., Marines have esprit de corps in part because of their sacrifices not despite them. The strongest connections are often made through hardship. To think we can have…

I'd say individual. You are letting people to condition you into becoming obedient killer and believing it's a virtue and worthwhile skill.

The society they are a part of does consider it a worthwhile skill, which is why they’ve created a niche for it.

There may be disagreements on the individual level, but society creates institutions (like the military) and the policies they execute based on their aggregate values. Or in cliched terms, people get the government they deserve

Re: How to overcome Phone Addiction

#202

Post by werber » Sun, Jan 03, 2021, 3:58 AM UTC

I bought a knock off ipod clip player and being able to go listen to music and walk without distraction is my "meditation". But, I smoke and used to be a drug addict and none of that compares to the impulse to be with my phone.

Re: How to overcome Phone Addiction

#203

Post by tartoran » Sun, Jan 03, 2021, 4:01 AM UTC

username90 wrote: post #198

yeos_ wrote: post #195

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Personally, I would rather spend my time doing things I find fulfilling instead of killing an hour+ scrolling through Reddit and getting distracted by the internet. I don’t care that if I’m spending all my time on my computer if Im doing things I find meaningful. Compulsively checking my phone and scrolling Reddit is in no way meaningful to me anymore.

Similarly I'd rather spend my time doing things I find fulfilling instead of killing an hour+ talking about the weather with acquaintances. I don't see the difference.

Who mentioned talking to relatives about the weather? Is that the only alternative you have to being on the computer all the time? How about spending some time outdoors?

Re: How to overcome Phone Addiction

#204

Post by hliyan » Sun, Jan 03, 2021, 4:02 AM UTC

maqp wrote: post #146

Bakary wrote: post #112

Some ideas on this topic: 1. Inconvenience based solutions don't address the problem: using apps to restrict phone use, physically hiding the phone etc. Once you leave those carefully constrained conditions, you are more vulnerable than ever. Not to mention the contradiction with the core issue that it's a symptom rather than a cause. 2. Turning abstinence as an ongoing status condition (e.g. "X days since I did Y")…

Few more ideas: 1. When I quit Facebook, I first started disabling my account but that didn't work, at all. It just brought me back. Every time. I realized it wasn't a feature for deleting account, it was a pressure relieve valve for people who need a quick break because they felt the service had taken control of too large a portion of their lives. FB didn't want people to quit and they didn't offer such feature. I s…

Thank you for #6. I just discovered https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Current_events. So much more peaceful to read world current events in this format.

Re: How to overcome Phone Addiction

#205

Post by username90 » Sun, Jan 03, 2021, 4:02 AM UTC

tartoran wrote: post #200

username90 wrote: post #190

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Which is what you get from computers? The only bad thing about them is the low social status associated with it. There is some weird bias in society that you are a lesser human somehow if you spend a lot of time in front of computers instead of doing more "rich" things like reading books. At least for me all anxiety related to spending a lot of time with computers disappeared once I stopped caring about what others t…

Being sedentary is not very good on your body, muscles atrophy, joints become stiff, your body tires easier and from there it’s a downward slope. If you have enough physical activity then you need not worry about this but there are other factors. Like muscles all other faculties atrophy as well without use. Physical activity is good for the brain as well. I think of the computer as a tool at the end of the day. It is…

I'm not sedentary. You just have to get up and move a few minutes regularly throughout the day.

Re: How to overcome Phone Addiction

#206

Post by latexr » Sun, Jan 03, 2021, 4:02 AM UTC

andai wrote: post #179

originalvichy wrote: post #143

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I definitely have a browsing addiction. Learning things as an information junkie is addictive. What’s funny is that when I go for trips in the mountains with little to no internet I do fine. It is less like a chemical addiction and more like a habitual craving. If I have more interesting things to do I will not browse. If I’m bored though...

Reminds me of the experiments on rats, where they couldn't even convince them to try heroin (-laced water) if they were living in a natural environment, whereas the rats stuck in cages became addicted to heroin immediately.

For anyone interested in learning more, search for “rat park”: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rat_Park

Re: How to overcome Phone Addiction

#207

Post by username90 » Sun, Jan 03, 2021, 4:07 AM UTC

tartoran wrote: post #203

username90 wrote: post #198

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Similarly I'd rather spend my time doing things I find fulfilling instead of killing an hour+ talking about the weather with acquaintances. I don't see the difference.

Who mentioned talking to relatives about the weather? Is that the only alternative you have to being on the computer all the time? How about spending some time outdoors?

> Who mentioned talking to relatives about the weather?

Who mentioned spending all time on reddit on new? We can't just take the good non computer activities and compare them to crap computer activities. I don't see why unfulfilling computer activities would be more worse than the unfulfilling non computer activities and vice versa.

Re: How to overcome Phone Addiction

#208

Post by [deleted] » Sun, Jan 03, 2021, 4:08 AM UTC

earthboundkid wrote: post #138

dopylitty wrote: post #86

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I did the bookmark thing too and all I found out is that it’s a bitch to spell yxombinatoe on an iPhone keyboard.

N plus autocomplete

[deleted]

Re: How to overcome Phone Addiction

#209

Post by valuearb » Sun, Jan 03, 2021, 4:09 AM UTC

hammock wrote: post #32

valuearb wrote: post #6

I’m waiting to watch or read the first story to postulate making smartphones illegal like drugs. Chinese Triads smuggling phones across border, massive gun battles between rival “phangs” fighting over turf, etc.

Why would anyone do that? Smartphones make a whole lot of the economy a whole lot of money. I imagine there'd be a much bigger fight that over say, drugs or even AR-style rifles.

Well cocaine makes the economy a whole lot of money too...

Re: How to overcome Phone Addiction

#210

Post by intrasight » Sun, Jan 03, 2021, 4:12 AM UTC

This article and the HN thread were two of the most informative and entertaining things I've read in a while. And it led to some immediate action. I deleted Instagram (the only social media app I had) and I deleted or unpinned the browsers. I already had all notifications turned off. Honestly, if you're going to do just one thing do that. My friends who haven't honestly look like Pavlov's dogs.

For HN, I use 'noprocast' with maxvisit at 10 and minaway at 160. HN has become the home page of the internet for me. Is both entertaining and informative and therefore very addictive.