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Why do you waste so much time on the internet?

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Re: Why do you waste so much time on the internet?

#461

Post by santa_boy »

synergy20 wrote: post #456

811 points 428 comments so far and staying at the top at HN for a full day, that alone explains "why do you waste so much time on the internet?" :) I spent about two hours online daily for job-unrelated stuff, on average: 30 minutes youtube, 30 minutes twitter, 30 minutes HN, and 30 minutes email/general news etc. Half of the time is wasted. As software developer we're trying to optimize our code for the CPU all the…

Seriously! Now, I will end up spending 3 hrs trying to figure out why `807 points and 426 comments` for such a trivial and common experience!

Re: Why do you waste so much time on the internet?

#463

Post by slkdk32 »

JackFr wrote: post #401
senjin wrote: post #322

I know exactly why I do it and it feels impossible to stop. I scroll endlessly to avoid the pain of everything else in life. Doing work, doing chores, doing hobbies, talking to anyone, making decisions even about projects I'm excited to work on, it all causes a small hit of emotional pain. I don't really know where this pain comes from either. Maybe some childhood trauma that I can't even remember? I don't know. The…

From a philosophical perspective that Wikipedia article covers a lot. I truly want to do A, but I do B instead. How is that possible? The Wikipedia article offers a couple of classical and modern takes on the problem but I'd offer one more. That we misunderstand our own intentions. When I say “I’d like learn to speak Italian” that’s not what I mean at all. What I mean is “I’d like to be able to speak Italian.” and I…

No post body was provided.

Re: Why do you waste so much time on the internet?

#464

Post by rootusrootus »

331c8c71 wrote: post #336
ketzo wrote: post #328

Earlier quoted context omitted.

ADD/ADHD are very much a spectrum. If someone is having trouble focusing for a few hours a day, even if it’s not literal days on end, I don’t think it’s crazy to investigate ADD/ADHD as the cause/name of the problem.

Agreed. Especially if slacking for days would quickly lead to negative consequences. ADHDs are often distracted until the very last moment when the failure becomes imminent -- and then work to avoid it.

Some times I go through periods where I do that repeatedly. Distracted and unproductive, to the point where it physically hurts, until there's no possible alternative but to work hard or fail.

Re: Why do you waste so much time on the internet?

#465

Post by a_square_peg »

Perhaps it's just a series of dopamine hits but there is some strange feeling of being satiated from consuming new information while browsing. It's only when I switch off I realize that there is no substance to it or even worse, I have information embedded in my head that I would rather not know but even knowing this, when I'm back online, it's almost like I'm being hypnotized and in a trance, in a much weaker way, but one where it's become addictively comforting.

It's become a real struggle for me.

Re: Why do you waste so much time on the internet?

#466

Post by warabe »

sarsway wrote: post #124

Because we humans have a lot of idle time. We feel like we're wasting it, and we feel we should instead spend time archiving goals, to better ourselves, to do something more meaningful. But that is not how life works. You are just unnecessarily burden yourself with guilt. Thinking you should be doing something else. There are so many things to learn about, so many things to experience, right? We fear on missing out o…

agreed. We are not a robot, but a living creature.

However, I think key part is how to shorten that idle time.

I am trying meditation for now, but I cannot see any improvement, unfortunately. Maybe I am missing something.

Re: Why do you waste so much time on the internet?

#468

Post by hipjiveguy »

mise_en_place wrote: post #430
senjin wrote: post #322

I know exactly why I do it and it feels impossible to stop. I scroll endlessly to avoid the pain of everything else in life. Doing work, doing chores, doing hobbies, talking to anyone, making decisions even about projects I'm excited to work on, it all causes a small hit of emotional pain. I don't really know where this pain comes from either. Maybe some childhood trauma that I can't even remember? I don't know. The…

I’d recommend you get your testosterone levels checked. One of the symptoms of low total testosterone is depression in males. When I was checked I was on the lower end at 200 ng/dl and had the symptoms you describe. My doctor prescribed me first stanolone (DHT) and then switched me to regular testosterone. All I can say is it has changed my life. It may not be applicable to your situation but it might help.

thank you for your suggestion. I think talking to your doctor to see if it's reasonable, is a great idea. Much appreciated!

Re: Why do you waste so much time on the internet?

#470

Post by westoncb »

eckza wrote: post #422
rchaud wrote: post #413

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Much like making new friends past university, therapists are a crapshoot. Some simply aren't a good fit or have poor sofa-side manner or fail to develop a sense of trust. If the therapy is part of an employer funded benefit, you also only get a limited number of sessions, and only with the employer-approved provider.

Plug for Lacanian psychotherapy. Lacanians are focused, disciplined, and smart. There aren't many of them, either. Dig around, read a little about Jacques Lacan; if it piques your interest, give it a shot.

Interesting. Though I've got very little interest in Lacan's work itself, I could see this being a pretty good filter for finding smart/disciplined therapists who are able to address more... abstract concerns (then again, maybe it's better for some of us to be forced out of abstract territory for therapy).
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