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Why Waiting Is Torture

nytimes.com

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Re: Why Waiting Is Torture

#41

Post by gcr »

nightpool wrote: post #9
gcr wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

At least processing them linearly gives a reasonable upper bound on the wait time. With random waits, some customers would be processed instantly ("WHY do THEY get to skip the entire line when I'm still sitting here?") and others would never be processed.

I think what the GP meant was that the numbers on the slip would be randomized, but the queue still ordered like a queue with the numbers in some database.

Same problem. "Why did $PERSON get a number lower than I did? I'm even paying more for the service than he/she is!"

Re: Why Waiting Is Torture

#42

Post by yason »

btipling wrote: post #37
yason wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Personally, to the contrary. With a smart device you'll end up going and doing something all the time , and you get used to that keeping you going and going through the day. And this means you never stop doing and start being. I don't have a smartphone and I probably won't get one until I need some of its functions desperately enough. I like waiting and doing nothing: it's the time to be, it's time for myself. I neve…

> "it's the time to be, it's time for myself" This seems like a weird and arbitrary use of the word be that is not defined in the dictionary that I have. So I do not understand what it is you are saying. When it's time for myself I like to use my smartphone. Because it's interesting to me. I can read interesting articles, I can distract myself with books, catch up on emails and online discussions. I like these things…

This seems like a weird and arbitrary use of the word be that is not defined in the dictionary that I have. So I do not understand what it is you are saying.

Thanks for pointing it out! I meant "being" as opposed to "doing". Some people use "not-doing" instead but that sounds even weirder.

Being means... well, just that. You just are, you don't have anything to work on or focus on. You just be and see later what came out (if anything). It might sound like zen stuff but most people do that naturally if only they occasionally stop themselves from doing something.

If I'm sitting in a bus I'm likely to just be: I don't think anything in particular, I just watch and observe without analyzing, I might think about something but then I gleefully forget about it. An internet connection or a smartphone in general would just distract me. The moments of just being are worth a lot of gold in my life and I'm enough aware of them that I actively try not prevent them. Thus my smartphone policy.

Re: Why Waiting Is Torture

#43

Post by troygoode »

philwelch wrote: post #30
kqr2 wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Maybe those restaurants should use people's names instead; on the other hand the article indicates that people like feedback on their wait times. Perhaps people would be happier if they were instead given time estimates that the restaurant could reliably beat.

Nicer ones do: "Dufresne, party of two." (But if no one answers they'll just go right on to the next name...)

Who can eat at a time like this? People are missing!

Re: Why Waiting Is Torture

#44

Post by gbog »

yason wrote: post #42
btipling wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> "it's the time to be, it's time for myself" This seems like a weird and arbitrary use of the word be that is not defined in the dictionary that I have. So I do not understand what it is you are saying. When it's time for myself I like to use my smartphone. Because it's interesting to me. I can read interesting articles, I can distract myself with books, catch up on emails and online discussions. I like these things…

This seems like a weird and arbitrary use of the word be that is not defined in the dictionary that I have. So I do not understand what it is you are saying. Thanks for pointing it out! I meant "being" as opposed to "doing". Some people use "not-doing" instead but that sounds even weirder. Being means... well, just that. You just are, you don't have anything to work on or focus on. You just be and see later what came…

Your not doing it just being state is very well known in the East, you might want to check the Zhuangzi. But your explanation is not very accurate. You'd go to this state more easily if you do something you don't need to think about, like housework, hiking, or even coding - but when you're in the zone. The main thing ifs to be without intention, without internal mental supervision. Then you are your real self, and you are happy, like fishes in the river.

It is good to you to be able to be yourself in the lines, and shows you will be able to handle the "distractions" of a smartphone easily.

Re: Why Waiting Is Torture

#45

Post by btipling »

gbog wrote: post #44
yason wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This seems like a weird and arbitrary use of the word be that is not defined in the dictionary that I have. So I do not understand what it is you are saying. Thanks for pointing it out! I meant "being" as opposed to "doing". Some people use "not-doing" instead but that sounds even weirder. Being means... well, just that. You just are, you don't have anything to work on or focus on. You just be and see later what came…

Your not doing it just being state is very well known in the East, you might want to check the Zhuangzi. But your explanation is not very accurate. You'd go to this state more easily if you do something you don't need to think about, like housework, hiking, or even coding - but when you're in the zone. The main thing ifs to be without intention, without internal mental supervision. Then you are your real self, and yo…

I think I actually achieve this state playing Temple Run, which is an utterly mindless game that involves no thought at all, just doing.

Re: Why Waiting Is Torture

#46

Post by infinite8s »

One point in the article, that "uncertainty magnifies the stress of waiting, while feedback in the form of expected wait times and explanations for delays improves the tenor of the experience", is definitely true for anyone waiting for mass transit. For example, NYC has recently been installing train arrival signs on some of their subway lines (and also some bus routes). I can say from first hand experience that waiting is much more tolerable when I know roughly when the next train will arrive.

Re: Why Waiting Is Torture

#47

Post by jtheory »

peacebeuntoyou wrote: post #38

For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard. And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And the…

...I suppose that's an example of a business owner with unhappy employees because he's technically "correct" but completely ignorant of human psychology?

Re: Why Waiting Is Torture

#49

Post by SpectralShards »

Very interesting read. This reminds me back when sometimes loading up a flash video or anything that required a loading sequence sometimes the author would include a quickly loadable little mini-game or activity of sorts to keep the audience occupied as they wait for the full video to finish loading. Seems like a pretty useful concept that can still be applied in today's websites to keep users more engaged.
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