I don't. These days I try to be online only to do something specific: searching for specific, writing, email etc. I am online for 2/3 hours/day. I use Facebook Twitter etc. but not that much. Here's a trick: turn notifications off on all your devices and you'll be happier. The idea is to "consume" only the content you want and only at the time you want.
Why do you waste so much time on the internet?
531–540 of 685 posts
Re: Why do you waste so much time on the internet?
#532I don't. These days I try to be online only to do something specific: searching for specific, writing, email etc. I am online for 2/3 hours/day. I use Facebook Twitter etc. but not that much. Here's a trick: turn notifications off on all your devices and you'll be happier. The idea is to "consume" only the content you want and only at the time you want.
Turning off notifications is extremely effectual. I did this years ago for FB and really all apps on my iPhone and it’s the best thing I ever did.
The point about consuming what and when you want is right on.
Re: Why do you waste so much time on the internet?
#533Earlier quoted context omitted.
The issue isn't discord, discord is in essence just IRC again. IRC wasn't exactly a bastion of intelligent conversation in all corners, but one of the biggest issues I think the internet currently faces is that everyone is here now. Every brain with a thought no matter how vapid or vile is now joining the conversation. But just like with IRC, it's all about the specific community you've joined, not the platform. You…
In the real world we have a natural protection from these idiotic or demeaning posts: shame. It is a very important component and mechanism in social connections that is completely missing online (unless your handle is tied to your real identity like VIP Twitter). How could it translate online where anonymity is like a shell protecting you from shame?
In small online communities that is still how it works, people don't want to disappoint their peers and their handle is their identity with built up socia capital to lose, so they behave or get excluded in some fashion.
The internet really enables large groups and strangers to join those without any kind of social capital buy in to the community. I think one of our biggest mistakes in online communities was thinking you could just open the doors, invite thousands of people in, and expect that to go well. That doesn't go well in the real world when there are real world consequences. Any concert or protest or big sporting event always has bad eggs in it. Think soccer fan riots or protests turned sour or concerts with heaps of assault going on.
I think you're right in some sense it's just that the influences of social mechanisms are different online. Anonymity is often just psuedo-anonymity inside small online communities. People still don't want their online handle tarnished as they use that persona to be part of communities, and they would lose their social capital with that handle if it went south. But it's also possible for strangers with worthless handles to show up and be horrible with zero consequences.
Re: Why do you waste so much time on the internet?
#534I don't. These days I try to be online only to do something specific: searching for specific, writing, email etc. I am online for 2/3 hours/day. I use Facebook Twitter etc. but not that much. Here's a trick: turn notifications off on all your devices and you'll be happier. The idea is to "consume" only the content you want and only at the time you want.
Worked only partially for me. I still go to aggregate sites and just browse when I'm bored (or anxious, or both).
Re: Why do you waste so much time on the internet?
#535Earlier quoted context omitted.
Discord is most likely the most phallocentric large scale platform ever made. It is an abysmally terrible place to go to meet people, and particularly to go argue. Ever seen what the most popular politics server on discord looks like? 4chan is tame by comparison...
The issue isn't discord, discord is in essence just IRC again. IRC wasn't exactly a bastion of intelligent conversation in all corners, but one of the biggest issues I think the internet currently faces is that everyone is here now. Every brain with a thought no matter how vapid or vile is now joining the conversation. But just like with IRC, it's all about the specific community you've joined, not the platform. You…
> everyone is here now
Maybe we need a communication medium that requires technical skills to operate again.
Re: Why do you waste so much time on the internet?
#536I don't. These days I try to be online only to do something specific: searching for specific, writing, email etc. I am online for 2/3 hours/day. I use Facebook Twitter etc. but not that much. Here's a trick: turn notifications off on all your devices and you'll be happier. The idea is to "consume" only the content you want and only at the time you want.
Mindlessly reading news or watching videos you would get dopamine, while making effort for studying, exercising and programming can give you endorphins
Endorphins can make you calm and feeling peaceful and truly satisifed, it is meant for long term while dopamine is for short term gratification
I'm unsure whether the English definition of these two hormones are correct or not, but in my native language, it is as how I describe above
Re: Why do you waste so much time on the internet?
#537I don't. These days I try to be online only to do something specific: searching for specific, writing, email etc. I am online for 2/3 hours/day. I use Facebook Twitter etc. but not that much. Here's a trick: turn notifications off on all your devices and you'll be happier. The idea is to "consume" only the content you want and only at the time you want.
Turning off notifications is extremely effectual. I did this years ago for FB and really all apps on my iPhone and it’s the best thing I ever did. The point about consuming what and when you want is right on.
Next step is delete the fb app.
Next delete the account.
Profit.
Re: Why do you waste so much time on the internet?
#538I wonder if this is because we're lonely..? Just wondering out loud here. E.g. Twitter - feels like many of the "thought leaders" I follow, their "friends" are also on Twitter. And they tweet/respond so much I often wonder if they're really ever "building a business". And are they ever interacting with their real-world friends or family? Or if their lives just consist of a constant refresh of their feed. Even at dinn…
It's loneliness in my case.
I have no one to talk to that's close to my age,
I do use it more when I'm depressed though.
Books never did it for myself. I would read, but my mind would wander to negative thoughts, and my problems.
That is fiction though. I have my 1000 plus book library of non-fiction books I thumb through every day. A book is usually right near my computer. I fall asleep with a non-fiction book.
I also have a portable radio with me when walking, or waiting. I just need someone yacking in the background. Without it my mind wanders.
When I was younger and had friends; I was never like this.
When I'm done with the internet, around this hour; I don't want to think about the time I wasted on my devises until the next day.
Would I rather be talking to people on a friday night--hell yes, if it's not get to know you speak.
I'm tight on money, but I could go to a bar tonight, and talk to strangers.
A beer is $8 bucks plus a dollar tip.
I need a car to get to the bar.
I need to white knuckle driving home because I have an old car, and cops love to pull over poor people. Cops know they are easy pickings. Plus--they think we all drink to excess like they do. If they can't nail you on a marginal DUI; they can find something wrong with your car. (If you are ever in Marin County after 10 pm, expect a pullover. 99% are for no reason other than profiling. Even you rich boys who look like Elon Musk sometimes get pulled over too.
It's just easier to pull out the ipad in the end. If you work the internet right, you can avoid the negativity. Here, or on FB, I never come back to a post I commented on.
I do use social sites, like this webpage, as a journal. I say what's on my mind, and it feels good some days. I never get into arguments because I never return to a discussion.
Re: Why do you waste so much time on the internet?
#539Earlier quoted context omitted.
As a married husband (almost 20 yrs) and father of five kids, allow me to share some wisdom. Spouse time is vital to a healthy, strong, vibrant, lasting relationship. Reddit doesn't care about you like your spouse does. And kids grow up way too fast. Treasure every moment.
could not agree more with this. social media exists out there, but spouse and kids are right in front of you each and every day. when done correctly, seeing the growth of your family and spending time with them can be extremely rewarding, even more than the dopamine produced by interacting with the social media
The danger is that the social media provides a moderate dopamine hit but at nearly no “risk” - whereas many other situations provide a higher hit but at a much larger risk: the kid may be cranky, your spouse might be having a bad day, etc.
We tune our activities for the minimization of risk. Perhaps adding a random chance to ban you for browsing would help add some risk back in.
Re: Why do you waste so much time on the internet?
#540I don't. These days I try to be online only to do something specific: searching for specific, writing, email etc. I am online for 2/3 hours/day. I use Facebook Twitter etc. but not that much. Here's a trick: turn notifications off on all your devices and you'll be happier. The idea is to "consume" only the content you want and only at the time you want.
Try Daywise. It was developed in collaboration with Duke University, and I've at least in my anecdata found that most notifications even if relevant, can be addressed when sent in batches every X hours. Also has reduced my spending on "deals" online.