Live data from Hacker News

Doing something is better than doing nothing for most people: study (2014)

news.virginia.edu

111–120 of 217 posts

Re: Doing something is better than doing nothing for most people: study (2014)

#111

Ever since reading Bertrand Russell's "The Conquest of Happiness", I've thought a lot about the importance of being able to sit inside my own head. One quote that I wrote down: > A life too full of excitement is an exhausting life, in which continually stronger stimuli are needed to give the thrill that has come to be thought an essential part of pleasure. A person accustomed to too much excitement is like a person w…

>substituting titillations for profound organic satisfactions, cleverness for wisdom, and jagged surprises for beauty... ...And porn for relationships and intimacy. If there's any modern ill that has exacerbated our inability to be comfortable with boredom (which is essentially inner loneliness) it's porn. It's an escape for loneliness and a terrible salve that leaves the intrinsic desires for intimacy and connection…

Porn is the fastfood of relationships. The proper food is just out of reach for most of the people.

Re: Doing something is better than doing nothing for most people: study (2014)

#112
post #104

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>substituting titillations for profound organic satisfactions, cleverness for wisdom, and jagged surprises for beauty... ...And porn for relationships and intimacy. If there's any modern ill that has exacerbated our inability to be comfortable with boredom (which is essentially inner loneliness) it's porn. It's an escape for loneliness and a terrible salve that leaves the intrinsic desires for intimacy and connection…

While many functioning porn users will dismiss your comment as nonsense, I believe it really is a massive problem in society. Porn in its current iteration, is similar to social media in that it literally programs your brain. We program computers but are ignorant to the fact that computers can program our behaviour if we are not careful. Yes, it is a poor substitute for intimacy but it also creates dangerous thought…

Preaching posts like yours are more dangerous than whatever excess porn consumption may do to people's brains.

Re: Doing something is better than doing nothing for most people: study (2014)

#113
post #104

Earlier quoted context omitted.

While many functioning porn users will dismiss your comment as nonsense, I believe it really is a massive problem in society. Porn in its current iteration, is similar to social media in that it literally programs your brain. We program computers but are ignorant to the fact that computers can program our behaviour if we are not careful. Yes, it is a poor substitute for intimacy but it also creates dangerous thought…

Preaching posts like yours are more dangerous than whatever excess porn consumption may do to people's brains.

I don't expect everyone to get it but if my insight helps a few people then it's worth sharing.

Re: Doing something is better than doing nothing for most people: study (2014)

#114
post #104

Earlier quoted context omitted.

While many functioning porn users will dismiss your comment as nonsense, I believe it really is a massive problem in society. Porn in its current iteration, is similar to social media in that it literally programs your brain. We program computers but are ignorant to the fact that computers can program our behaviour if we are not careful. Yes, it is a poor substitute for intimacy but it also creates dangerous thought…

Preaching posts like yours are more dangerous than whatever excess porn consumption may do to people's brains.

True.

While I think that the porn industry has inherent problems and some people get addicted to it. For me its preachers like GP that are doing our society a great disservice by moralizing and putting perfectly normal humam behaviors down as "perversion".

Re: Doing something is better than doing nothing for most people: study (2014)

#115
post #62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>substituting titillations for profound organic satisfactions, cleverness for wisdom, and jagged surprises for beauty... ...And porn for relationships and intimacy. If there's any modern ill that has exacerbated our inability to be comfortable with boredom (which is essentially inner loneliness) it's porn. It's an escape for loneliness and a terrible salve that leaves the intrinsic desires for intimacy and connection…

Meh. I've been watching porn since forever. My taste in porn has informed my real-life taste, and vice versa (in particular, I detest make-up / fakeness, both in porn and in real life). Still, I find real people infinitely more fulfilling and have always put effort into seeking real relationships, sexual and romantic. (I estimate porn is similar to gambling - some people's psychology makes them more susceptible to ad…

Yes I think what is not a problem for some can be a massive problem for others.

Re: Doing something is better than doing nothing for most people: study (2014)

#116
post #93

Ever since reading Bertrand Russell's "The Conquest of Happiness", I've thought a lot about the importance of being able to sit inside my own head. One quote that I wrote down: > A life too full of excitement is an exhausting life, in which continually stronger stimuli are needed to give the thrill that has come to be thought an essential part of pleasure. A person accustomed to too much excitement is like a person w…

This is a profound realisation that is usually preceded by experiencing the sickness and suffering that comes with unrestrained desire. How it takes over one's discriminating faculties until one becomes blind to everyday beauty. I cannot recommend meditation enough to train the mind to stay calm when desires want to run rampant. No mantras or music, just sit in silence and boredom. Thoughts will come and go and event…

> I cannot recommend meditation enough to train the mind to stay calm...

Actually came here to just say that. After reading the piece and just trying to sit tight, I was pleasantly surprised how meditation changed me over the years, in a good way.

My path also has no mantras or music. Just inner reflection. Sometimes things got tough, but it transformed me dearly.

Re: Doing something is better than doing nothing for most people: study (2014)

#117

The funniest part: "[The researchers] then asked, “Would they rather do an unpleasant activity than no activity at all?” ... Participants were given the same circumstances as most of the previous studies, with the added option of also administering a mild electric shock to themselves by pressing a button. Twelve of 18 men in the study gave themselves at least one electric shock during the study’s 15-minute “thinking”…

[deleted]

Re: Doing something is better than doing nothing for most people: study (2014)

#118

Ever since reading Bertrand Russell's "The Conquest of Happiness", I've thought a lot about the importance of being able to sit inside my own head. One quote that I wrote down: > A life too full of excitement is an exhausting life, in which continually stronger stimuli are needed to give the thrill that has come to be thought an essential part of pleasure. A person accustomed to too much excitement is like a person w…

This is basically why I prefer living in a location with seasons. Yes, CaliFlorida weather is nice. But I appreciate what all of the seasons have to offer so much more for the variation. I could do with a 25% shorter winter and summer, though ;)

> I could do with a 25% shorter winter and summer, though ;)

I also love spring and fall, spring the most. On the other hand, after reading a piece about how euphoric is spring for nature and it's actually very tiresome for living things, I learned to appreciate other seasons.

I'm a cool weather guy and more resistant to cold than hot weather, I don't dislike winter too.

Re: Doing something is better than doing nothing for most people: study (2014)

#119
post #28

Our society isn't exactly set up for "doing nothing", either. If you're just sitting somewhere without doing anything, you might be loitering, you'll start getting funny looks if this goes on for extended periods of time. On the other hand, if you're sitting somewhere and you're smoking, or reading, none of that seems to happen. I wonder if we're uncomfortable with other people's ability to do nothing .

Funny looks don't bother me too much, but someone is bound to ask if you're okay. Depending on the level of foot traffic, possibly several someones.

Re: Doing something is better than doing nothing for most people: study (2014)

#120
post #104

Earlier quoted context omitted.

While many functioning porn users will dismiss your comment as nonsense, I believe it really is a massive problem in society. Porn in its current iteration, is similar to social media in that it literally programs your brain. We program computers but are ignorant to the fact that computers can program our behaviour if we are not careful. Yes, it is a poor substitute for intimacy but it also creates dangerous thought…

Preaching posts like yours are more dangerous than whatever excess porn consumption may do to people's brains.

It’s acceptable to have a position or opinion, civilly stated.

Any of the common “vices” like gambling, porn, Skinner box games, some drugs are difficult for people to manage. That dopamine hit burns behavioral pathways into the brain and is tough to undo.

Post reply on HN