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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?

#541

Post by bombcar »

asdff wrote: post #527
bvinc wrote: post #375

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Everyone else replying to you is trying to convince you with arguments that reddit isn't a good use of your time. As you already know, this won't work. You're already convinced. The only thing that works is a site blocker. It actually works. Convince yourself that the block is permanent. Delete the app. This of course won't completely stop you, because you could always unblock yourself. But it'll stop you from mindle…

If you can't control your reddit consumption already I'd expect that the site blocker will end up disabled before long. I'd try to involve a therapist if the goal is getting to the bottom of this beyond even reddit or websites in general.

Even just blocking everything but old.reddit was enough to help cut it out, though I suspect HN has replaced it now as the “waste time machine”

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

#542

Post by hackernewds »

jwmoz wrote: post #537
indigodaddy wrote: post #532

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

Middle ground.

Delete the app.

Browse on mobile-web. Facebook unfortunately is still important to maintain real world connections. Once you stop letting Facebook monitor your usage, the feed is not as tempting either.

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

#543

Post by hackernewds »

ebingdom wrote: post #524
comboy wrote: post #523

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I think these products are mostly poison for my soul. You spend time on reddit because you want to. It seems unproductive to tell yourself that you don't. You have a cognitive disonance, logical contradiction that you just need to bring to the surface and follow through. When you are about to reddit ask yourself whether you want to or not. Not some idealized version of yourself in your head. Just what do you want r…

> You spend time on reddit because you want to. It seems unproductive to tell yourself that you don't. This seems like a mischaracterization of how addiction works.

Replace "reddit" with "heroine" and not much changes, except to the same effect.

I like to think of it as "I can't stop scrolling Reddit despite knowing I'm not enjoying Reddit". I deleted the Reddit app, and blocked reddit.com (which I found myself using next) to 0 minutes on Digital Well-being (on stock Android).

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

#544

Post by uuyi »

aurizon wrote: post #419
incrudible wrote: post #406

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is a very low effort, unsourced listicle, that is probably wrong on several points. Disregarding that, I was more curious about how this particular person managed to get hospitalized.

True enough, but it does outline the potential nutritional shortfalls of extreme food regimes, most of which I was aware of. It seemed to sum up most of the obvious shortfalls - I was only passingly interested and this was a low hanging answer. I have seen numerous extreme diets. Many of which are OK in the short term - but not in the longer term. Unless the OP replies - I have no idea in detail what befell him?

Perforated bowel.

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

#545

Post by hackernewds »

darkerside wrote: post #371
chrsig wrote: post #228

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There are a lot of incredibly frustrating, problematic, and exasperating opinions and personality types to be found on HN. The particular members of any of those sets will differ based on the eyes of the beholder. There's no shortage of passive aggression, angst, oneupsmanship,virtue signaling, dogwhistling, etc. It just so happens that there's a sufficient about of incredibly useful opinions and comments from subjec…

I find HN with its moderation to be night and day difference from many other forums.

100% agree, which I do not take for granted. Niche communities in reddit used to be that way. Not it's an overwhelming abundance of low effort content like "me too", "tree fiddy", "and then I took an arrow to the knee"

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

#546

Post by comboy »

ebingdom wrote: post #524
comboy wrote: post #523

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I think these products are mostly poison for my soul. You spend time on reddit because you want to. It seems unproductive to tell yourself that you don't. You have a cognitive disonance, logical contradiction that you just need to bring to the surface and follow through. When you are about to reddit ask yourself whether you want to or not. Not some idealized version of yourself in your head. Just what do you want r…

> You spend time on reddit because you want to. It seems unproductive to tell yourself that you don't. This seems like a mischaracterization of how addiction works.

Addiction is just a pattern, a framework of looking at reality. You could say you are suffering addiction withdrawal when you are away from somebody or some place you love.

Addiction framework and associated solutions seem to be pretty effective for things like stopping heroin usage.

Quite likely it can work for reddit too, but I'm guessing PC already tried it.

I'm just offering a different framework and way of looking at things, which works great for me - or to be even more precise, removes some suffering. One may just decide she wants to spend a lot of time on reddit, but being honest with oneself and trying not to hold logically contradicting things in one's head seems like a good thing.

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

#547

Post by hackernewds »

asdff wrote: post #527
bvinc wrote: post #375

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Everyone else replying to you is trying to convince you with arguments that reddit isn't a good use of your time. As you already know, this won't work. You're already convinced. The only thing that works is a site blocker. It actually works. Convince yourself that the block is permanent. Delete the app. This of course won't completely stop you, because you could always unblock yourself. But it'll stop you from mindle…

If you can't control your reddit consumption already I'd expect that the site blocker will end up disabled before long. I'd try to involve a therapist if the goal is getting to the bottom of this beyond even reddit or websites in general.

Start a habit tracker tracking # of days not browsed reddit. you can trick your brain, since it loves streaks. also tie it to some reward mechanism so it seems like you're earning something by not browsing vs a punishment.

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

#548

Post by CapsAdmin »

Crabber wrote: post #330
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…

>Watch some livestreams of lions on youtube, what do they do? 99% of the time they just sit under a tree doing absolutely nothing, and I bet they don't feel guilty about it Lions are at peace with the world. They sit around with clear minds, watching nature go by. They are content with the world and their place within it. This is absolutely not the same as a human who spends 4 hours a day doomscrolling through twitte…

Maybe they're doomscrolling the environment or their own mind?

Do lions ignore prey if they're not hungry? I know younger cats usually want chase something if given the opportunity, regardless of whether they've eaten or not, or have access to food 24/7.

Older cats tend to just sit around and watch the environment, perhaps waiting for something to happen?

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

#549

Post by hackernewds »

tayo42 wrote: post #85
spir wrote: post #29

I am addicted to twitter and reddit. Especially reddit. It often takes the place of reading, hobbies, quiet moments, improving my home, talking with my spouse, and playing with my baby. When reddit records a click or an upvote, it thinks it has been a Good Product, and created Engagement. Reddit then takes those feedback loops and tunes the algorithm and feedback loops to create further engagement. But in reality, th…

my problem with reddit (and here i guess?) is idk what else to do with like 5-30minutes of down time. I dont really have my life optimized for constant activity and idk what else to fill that with now.

start a hobby. exercise. music. a side hustle. something that has a positive reward loop

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

#550

Post by hackernewds »

codq wrote: post #56
spir wrote: post #29

I am addicted to twitter and reddit. Especially reddit. It often takes the place of reading, hobbies, quiet moments, improving my home, talking with my spouse, and playing with my baby. When reddit records a click or an upvote, it thinks it has been a Good Product, and created Engagement. Reddit then takes those feedback loops and tunes the algorithm and feedback loops to create further engagement. But in reality, th…

I am absolutely caught in a loop between refreshing reddit, hopping to twitter, hopping to Instagram, and then back to reddit — a cycle that takes just long enough for all three platforms to re-popluate with more content. It's not healthy, and I feel bad about it. They have got me exactly where they want me. And like you, it's very clear that this is not conducive to human flourishing. Unfortunately, I've been caught…

that is the distinction.

I scroll reddit obsessively but I don't enjoy it.

I read books obsessively but I enjoy it.

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