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How to stop being “terminally online”

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Re: How to stop being “terminally online”

#61

Post by crims0n »

raptorraver wrote: post #10
timellis-smith wrote: post #6

Honestly, I'm an information addict. I'm online far too much mainly reading news etc. I think I've forgotten how I lived without a constant stream of information. I'm seriously tempted to get a dumb phone to remove temptation to browse when I have a few minutes to spare. The stupid thing is for all my reading, I don't feel any wiser or even knowledgeable. At the same time I think I'm less able to engage in normal con…

I was like you few months ago. When summer started I decided to stop reading news from online. It was hard at first but quite fast I started seeing the benefits. More focus, more happiness, not being so worried all the time. Now I only read HN (way too often of course :)) and I ordered a newspaper to my home which is published 3 times a week. I get distilled look on whats going on in the world but it’s not eating my…

I tried to do this as well... bought a year subscription to the local paper. Unfortunately I live semi-rural and it is written so egregiously its only worth is feeding the firebox each week.

Re: How to stop being “terminally online”

#62

Post by synu »

rco8786 wrote: post #39

A lot of good questions to ask yourself here. But, > have you ever used/applied "internet slang" (cringe, based, cuck, chad) in/to real-life situations? I take slight issue with this one. To me, there is no difference between “internet slang” and just “slang”. The internet is ubiquitous and the language we use online and offline is largely the same now. Didn’t always be this way. I still remember the first time I hea…

That’s true for many words, but also sometimes you meet someone who talks like Reddit comments or in memes and it comes across really strange to me. It doesn’t sound like how people generally talk to each other in real life otherwise, at least in my experience.

Re: How to stop being “terminally online”

#63

Post by mxkopy »

mattgreenrocks wrote: post #59

Author alludes to such, but the chief distinguishing factor I see is whether one prefers real life, or the unreal life offered by the Internet.

This.

Sometimes being "terminally online" is better than the alternative until life circumstances change.

Re: How to stop being “terminally online”

#64

Post by thenerdhead »

These are great questions. The process of introspection can lead to many new discoveries beyond internet addiction. Why are you the way you are? Why are you in the career you chose? Why are you living the life you live today?

Not that you should overly become self-aware, but when you are aware of something you are or do without knowing previously, you can change your life in a positive way.

Some of my favorite reads this year about the topic of the internet are:

Four arguments for the elimination of television

and

Amusing ourselves to death

These are great books to help you introspect on your technology habits.

Re: How to stop being “terminally online”

#65

Post by codethief »

nonrandomstring wrote: post #33

Health and online activity are inextricably linked at this point. Mental health. Cardiovascular health. Health of interpersonal relationships. Work life balance. I sincerely think we are at an equivalent situation as the tobacco industry in the 1970s. The decisions we make now will affect the lives of generations to come. Cal Newport's site has a Ledger of Harms [1] at the Center for Humane Technology, and I wrote wh…

> Cal Newport's site has a Ledger of Harms [1] at the Center for Humane Technology

Sorry, I'm not following. Could you elaborate on the connection between Cal Newport and the site you linked to?

Re: How to stop being “terminally online”

#66

Post by XorNot »

innocentfelon4 wrote: post #11

Recently I was arrested and had all my electronics seized by the police. The whole experience was a wake-up call, not just in terms of being arrested but being without a computer or any way to get online for a couple of weeks. It really made me realize how 'addicted' I was to the internet, and going cold turkey was horrible, time slowed down and I was sure I was missing out on everything. But I read so much more and…

> But I read so much more

You're reading all the time on the internet, it's literally the foundational enabling skill of it.

I find it very weird when people say the benefit of being offline is they "read more".

Re: How to stop being “terminally online”

#67

Post by glitchc »

XorNot wrote: post #66
innocentfelon4 wrote: post #11

Recently I was arrested and had all my electronics seized by the police. The whole experience was a wake-up call, not just in terms of being arrested but being without a computer or any way to get online for a couple of weeks. It really made me realize how 'addicted' I was to the internet, and going cold turkey was horrible, time slowed down and I was sure I was missing out on everything. But I read so much more and…

> But I read so much more You're reading all the time on the internet, it's literally the foundational enabling skill of it. I find it very weird when people say the benefit of being offline is they "read more".

Online reading is all sizzle and no steak. It’s akin to making a meal out of condiments: Each individual element is tasty but the overall meal leaves you dissatisfied.

Re: How to stop being “terminally online”

#68

Post by workingon »

Aromasin wrote: post #48
iasay wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My ex wife is an ex wife because she zoned out into Facebook constantly and stopped doing anything with the family. Then she went bananas and ran away with someone who ironically she split up with because he was always on Facebook. It can go pretty bad. I’m super happy though as the kids stayed with me :)

I'm struggling with this currently. My partner spends 3+ hours a day scrolling Instagram (I know, I checked it in her Apple phone metrics). When we watch movies, it's me watching it and her scrolling. When we're in the car listening to music, it's just me listening to music and her scrolling. I'm starting to struggle initiating conversations because she's simply not paying attention. Whenever we're out, half her time…

No post body was provided.

Re: How to stop being “terminally online”

#69

Post by iasay »

dewclin wrote: post #55
Aromasin wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm struggling with this currently. My partner spends 3+ hours a day scrolling Instagram (I know, I checked it in her Apple phone metrics). When we watch movies, it's me watching it and her scrolling. When we're in the car listening to music, it's just me listening to music and her scrolling. I'm starting to struggle initiating conversations because she's simply not paying attention. Whenever we're out, half her time…

I'm sorry to read this, I also have a similar same situation with my father. He's in his late 70's and a year ago bought himself an iPhone. He now spends ~4 hours a day reading a tabloid newspaper app, which has endless content. His attention span has fallen noticeably and he can't keep up with conversations that happen in the same room while he's "scrolling". When I visit he's on his phone, and we go out for a walk…

Ah sounds like my father. He’s currently going through Musk is Jesus’ second coming and covid is a hoax phase.

Re: How to stop being “terminally online”

#70

Post by papito »

silisili wrote: post #2

One thing I've noticed about 'terminal online' is that people vastly underestimate how much it affects them. Myself included. It seems if I ever call out a loved one, whether my brother or wife or friend, for being on their phone too much, they immediately get defensive and argue they were just doing some one task. Even if this was initiated after them being zoned out for an hour or longer. And I've done the same whe…

Having done a fair share of substance abuse, I can tell you that screen and social media addiction is exactly like any other addiction. The brain mechanics behind it are the same. "Just another hit and then I am done".

The Power of Habit (the book) helped me identify my bad habits the moment they triggered.

Also, what's fascinating is that addictions seem to bundle together. If I get off the sauce, start working out, etc, it becomes immediately easier to ignore the phone, social media, and other reflexive behavior, like snacking for no reason.

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