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Social Media Is the New Smoking

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Re: Social Media Is the New Smoking

#161

Post by grecy »

nether wrote: post #141
grecy wrote: post #134

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have a dream to open a bar (or hostel) that is a massive Faraday cage so that phones and laptops on wifi simply don't work. I'd call it "The Stone Age" or some similar pun. (Yes, I would put up a sign to that effect notifying people - if they don't like it they can go elsewhere)

This is basically wilderness backpacking. It is sublime to hang out with likeminded folks, just focused on staying warm by a campfire, talking about your days.

Yep. I live in the Yukon (when I'm not driving around Africa) and have spent much of my life outside cell signals.

It's when I do go into a town that it slaps me in the face, and I think it would be cool to have a "refuge" in the town.

Of course the place would have no TVs either, and likely only very quiet chill music. Everything about it would be to encourage conversation with the people actually in the same room.

Re: Social Media Is the New Smoking

#162

Post by morecoffee »

grecy wrote: post #134
mrisoli wrote: post #39

> Will browsing your phone anticipating the next notification become a dirty habit that others will shun you for? It is already frowned upon in some social circles, occasional browsing is okay but some people can go completely off reality when going through their Facebook feed, I have some friends like this(very introverted), when we met at a bar or restaurant we would make a "phones on the table" rule, first to reac…

I have a dream to open a bar (or hostel) that is a massive Faraday cage so that phones and laptops on wifi simply don't work. I'd call it "The Stone Age" or some similar pun. (Yes, I would put up a sign to that effect notifying people - if they don't like it they can go elsewhere)

The DNA lounge tried something similar, but to the other extreme. They put computers with internet access in their club.

Re: Social Media Is the New Smoking

#163

Post by grecy »

airza wrote: post #136
grecy wrote: post #134

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have a dream to open a bar (or hostel) that is a massive Faraday cage so that phones and laptops on wifi simply don't work. I'd call it "The Stone Age" or some similar pun. (Yes, I would put up a sign to that effect notifying people - if they don't like it they can go elsewhere)

Even though i don't care for it in a movie theatre, the FCC has traditionally taken a pretty dim view of trying to block someone's authorized radio communications.

Happily, I'm not in the US

Re: Social Media Is the New Smoking

#164

Post by nether »

notliketherest wrote: post #158
nether wrote: post #141

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is basically wilderness backpacking. It is sublime to hang out with likeminded folks, just focused on staying warm by a campfire, talking about your days.

I've been looking for people like that, are you in the bay area?

Seattle. I was living in Bishop, California for a while though. I've wondered if there's a market for taking engineering types on these trips, if I emphasize them as tech-free escapes. You can always go through Meetup or sign up for the trips run by REI, Sierra Club etc.

Re: Social Media Is the New Smoking

#165

Post by Bakary »

xrange wrote: post #35
voidifremoved wrote: post #24

I broke my phone about a year ago, and it took a few days to sort out a replacement. In that time I went through exactly the same process I did when I quit smoking. I became aware suddenly of all the time, all the gaps, all the moments that I had filled with a quick look at my phone. And once it passed - elation, freedom, seeing the world with open eyes and a clear head. I was sad when my new phone arrived, and looki…

>...I wish I had found a way to stay clean. Anyone have success stories to share? I've tried adding various sites to my hosts file. But I seem to lapse after a while, since I can restore the file anytime I want to. Any negative reinforcement ideas? Like an annoying sound (baby shrieking?) played or an electrical shock when browsing to particular sites? Any methods to prevent yourself from uninstalling things like tha…

As you have found out yourself techniques which revolve around setting an artificial block don't work well. That's because they fail to really address the problem. As soon as you move into an environment without those blocks the addiction will return instantly and your willpower "training" will have be a waste of time.

Unfortunately it seems the only real method is indeed "toughing it out". Books help a lot in this regard as whenever you feel the pang you can start reading. Since this activity involves concentration over longer periods of time and no task switching, it's tremendously helpful to rewire your brain over time. You definitely feel the effects after a few weeks.

Re: Social Media Is the New Smoking

#166

Post by Bakary »

goalieca wrote: post #8

Smoking causes self-harm through use. But do cigarette companies build a giant FBI file on you in order to sell it for profit to others? others who believe Information is power and want to manipulate you for political and economic success? As you can tell, I'm on the cynical side of things. It hurts my social life no doubt. Perhaps this is similar to being a non-smoker in the 40s. Hell, I bet that I'm a victim of sec…

Interestingly my social life suffered both from a lack of social media and a lack of smoking, since smoking breaks were an ubiquitous form of bonding at my high school.

Re: Social Media Is the New Smoking

#167

Post by crucialfelix »

grecy wrote: post #134
mrisoli wrote: post #39

> Will browsing your phone anticipating the next notification become a dirty habit that others will shun you for? It is already frowned upon in some social circles, occasional browsing is okay but some people can go completely off reality when going through their Facebook feed, I have some friends like this(very introverted), when we met at a bar or restaurant we would make a "phones on the table" rule, first to reac…

I have a dream to open a bar (or hostel) that is a massive Faraday cage so that phones and laptops on wifi simply don't work. I'd call it "The Stone Age" or some similar pun. (Yes, I would put up a sign to that effect notifying people - if they don't like it they can go elsewhere)

There is one in Berlin named Funkloch. Literally translates as radio hole, meaning an area where you can't get a signal. There's a pun in there too in that Lokal means pub, so you can read it as Funk Pub.

Re: Social Media Is the New Smoking

#168

Post by Bakary »

kartan wrote: post #20

Today I'm going to answer cynism with cynism: > will social media become the new smoking? No. Smoking produces cancer, that makes some people really worried. It is even worst if you are pregnant. > Will browsing your phone anticipating the next notification become a dirty habit that others will shun you for? No. Unless there are other more cool ways of social media. If you are still using My Space, maybe you already…

If social media produces widespread depression (based on the studies posted by other commenters) it can well become a health hazard, albeit not as damaging as smokes.

>Or he can be educated to understand for what is useful, and for what not, and what are the risks. Abstinence education doesn't work.

I don't disagree outright but unfortunately all the education in the world still makes a person vulnerable against societal pressure. If you are a non-smoker in the 1940s, you still have to breathe smoke wherever you are. If you are a non-user in the 2010s, your social life (especially if you are young) is highly likely to be negatively impacted.

Re: Social Media Is the New Smoking

#169

Post by my_first_acct »

mrisoli wrote: post #39

> Will browsing your phone anticipating the next notification become a dirty habit that others will shun you for? It is already frowned upon in some social circles, occasional browsing is okay but some people can go completely off reality when going through their Facebook feed, I have some friends like this(very introverted), when we met at a bar or restaurant we would make a "phones on the table" rule, first to reac…

General rule of tourist photography:

When you look at photos you took 10 years ago, you discover that photos of places are boring. Photos of people you know are precious. Aim your camera accordingly.

Re: Social Media Is the New Smoking

#170

Post by blubb-fish »

my_first_acct wrote: post #169
mrisoli wrote: post #39

> Will browsing your phone anticipating the next notification become a dirty habit that others will shun you for? It is already frowned upon in some social circles, occasional browsing is okay but some people can go completely off reality when going through their Facebook feed, I have some friends like this(very introverted), when we met at a bar or restaurant we would make a "phones on the table" rule, first to reac…

General rule of tourist photography: When you look at photos you took 10 years ago, you discover that photos of places are boring. Photos of people you know are precious. Aim your camera accordingly.

I made the same observation. If I want to take a pic of a building or a monument, I try to get my girlfriend somewhere on the photo. It does make a difference.
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