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YouTube addiction, one month sober

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Re: YouTube addiction, one month sober

#171

Post by wahnfrieden »

data_ders wrote: post #38
wahnfrieden wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Only check it on a schedule, keep it closed, and turn off all notifications

If knowledge were the only requirement, everyone would have six-pack abs and millions in the bank? I agree that your suggestion is rational, but the article brings up addiction and lack of control which I feel describes me. I’d love a “just block it”, escape hatch of a solution but maybe I’m SOL and have to learn mindfulness

One actionable thing is to organize your department and more widely to accept more async style communication and non-urgent/urgent style communications where you can comfortably disconnect without fear of missing out on something urgent

Re: YouTube addiction, one month sober

#172

Post by slater- »

sp332 wrote: post #88
SamBam wrote: post #63

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think that suggesting it's no different from people thinking that reading books was going to rot people's minds ignores the very real increases in teen depression, loneliness, and suicides over the past decade, as well as increases in adult depression and isolation, and the credible research that says that social media and screens are probably strongly contributing to it.

Teen suicides went down when schools were closed at the beginning of the pandemic. They went back up when schools re-opened. https://www.nber.org/papers/w30795 I don't think teens were spending less time on "social media and screens" during this time.

But it’s kind of hard to kill yourself if you’re at home with your parents all day and so is everyone else.

Re: YouTube addiction, one month sober

#173

Post by rightbyte »

data_ders wrote: post #11

I’m so addicted to the internet that when I block social media, I find I get quite the similar fix from work Slack. Like browsing channels I have no business being a part of and constantly checking for validation of my comments via emoji reactions. Does anyone know of ways to be a successful work-from-home knowledge worker while also locking down Slack to not be another slot machine?? Does anyone else feel conflicted…

> I’m so addicted to the internet that when I block social media, I find I get quite the similar fix from work Slack.

Install "LeechBlock" in Firefox and "AppBlock" for apps. Block Reddit, Facebook, Twitter, CNN or whatever bad habit feedscrolling sites you use.

Limit it to like 2200-2300 in the beginning and then just set a total ban after one or two weeks.

It helped me alot. It was ridiculous how I had like muscle memory to open these things for no reason at all, all the time. I noticed first after I got the block message I set myself.

After a month or two the bad habit was gone.

Reddit got some third party mirrors for specific threads I want to read in search results (with a clunky high bar to reach) and there are plenty of alternatives to CNN. Etc.

Re: YouTube addiction, one month sober

#174

Post by epivosism »

WheatMillington wrote: post #157
winternett wrote: post #146

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It feels like I haven't logged onto it in ages... Chrome pushed an update that made me have to log in and do TFA each time I opened the browser, and that was a nail in the coffin. The best content on YouTube is berried behind a wall of Mr Beast and Pewdie Pie style fluffery that I can't find any real value in most of the time. They dictate what is favorable, and that ruins the entire experience for me. The search has…

>The best content on YouTube is berried behind a wall of Mr Beast and Pewdie Pie style fluffery that I can't find any real value in most of the time. They dictate what is favorable, and that ruins the entire experience for me. The search has been flooded with SEO title spam, which makes finding specific content damn near impossible and/or very tedious. This is not my experience at all. The recommendations engine is w…

Yes, literally every time this comes up, people who never click "don't show this" keep posting "recommendations don't work", which does nothing more than reveal that they actually DO watch really basic videos.

Even if you would watch things like that, you can STILL just say "never show this channel". You should review your feed periodically, imagining you are at a trial, being asked "why didn't you eliminate this feed from your life? was it really helping you?" If not, just nuke it by banning that source. You won't regret it.

Shorts are another story - the org behind that does NOT care about letting you keep yourself clean from memetic trash, and has been given the right to pollute the YT feed. My policy there is "not even once; resist watching them and definitely never let a short automatically transition you to the next video; have some self-respect."

Re: YouTube addiction, one month sober

#175

Post by rightbyte »

mvdtnz wrote: post #107
RajT88 wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> There is some really first rate content but most of it is total junk. A lot of the gaming-related stuff is just pure garbage. "Secret gaming room" channels are especially egregious. Saw one where a kid bought a used boat (the kind with a below-deck area with a bed, kitchen, etc.), the kind you can get for ~20k or less if it is ~30 years old. Made a "secret gaming den", and then intentionally sunk the boat just to a…

I just searched "secret gaming room" and watched the first result. That is one of the worst things I have ever watched. 5 million views. Unbelievable.

It seems like the Youtube algorithm somehow reinforces the spread of stupid videos.

Like, people maybe watch them for an average of 15s instead of 10s before zapping since they are so stupid.

I got the same theory about the Facebook feed. Where "car accident videos" or "disgusting things" get more spread than they should since people stop scrolling for 12% more time while blocking the poster or something ...

Re: YouTube addiction, one month sober

#176

Post by burnished »

sbergot wrote: post #18
srvaroa wrote: post #8

I haven't needed to be so drastic, but removed the YT app from my phone. There is a fair amount of good content that I find very worth consuming from YT (mainly educational videos) and would not like to miss. But, the mobile app makes a very strong effort to push you to shorts, which is the real danger. Shorts are proficiently engineered to just suck my brain into a doom scrolling comma. I tried removing shorts from…

This is something that I see mentioned by a lot of people but I really cannot relate. If a video is shorter than 10 minutes I usually don't bother clicking. There is something that I find unappealing about short videos. That said I am 100% victim of reddit doom scrolling. But just seeing a short video makes me close the app or scroll faster.

I used to feel the same way, I got 'hooked' when I finally clicked on a short made by some tremendous nerd demonstrating a sword fighting technique and in some ways it was the perfect video - short, self contained, and interesting. After that I started watching more and my assessment is: probably not worth it. Its a good format for gags or quick demos but I find that too many that get recommended to me are base emotional appeals (pretty lady thumbnail, cute animal, rage bait, context free 'discord memes', etc) compared to the long form stuff.

Just in case it wasn't clear; not trying to change your mind, more a heads up that they might find bait you find to be shiny.

Oh but shoutout to one of the series with short-form content (2-5 minutes typically, not a 'short') that truly respects your time; no intros, no talking, just purely answering the question; 'what happens when I put this red hot nickel ball on this?' [1] red hot nickel ball.

[1] https://youtu.be/wxyKA5dea5U?si=gNOow9LBT1BCcPpX

Re: YouTube addiction, one month sober

#177

Post by oliwarner »

I'm tempted to follow. Doomscrolling YouTube Shorts seems fun at the time, but wastes hours of my life. When I stop, I feel like I've lost control; regret.

Google want my eyeballs for 2 solid hours, but I wish they'd let users focus their viewing time with a few basic controls. I'd disable Shorts in a heartbeat.

What an I waiting for? There's still plenty of long format content I genuinely enjoy. Perhaps it's time for an alternative client.

Re: YouTube addiction, one month sober

#178

Post by dcchambers »

I am beginning to go on a tirade against short-form and never-ending-video content/social media. TikTok, Insta/FB Reels, YouTube Shorts, etc.

This stuff is dangerous for a large percentage of individuals. And AI generated video content is only going to make it worse.

Imagine you're wearing your Apple Vision Pro or Meta Quest or future VR headset, watching a 180 degree "immersive" AI generated video. The eye tracking system notices your eyes fatigue slightly and it determines your attention is lacking. The algorithm instantly tweaks some settings and modifies the inputs to the AI video generation tool based on what it thinks (knows) will make you pay more attention, as it inserts subtle adverts here and there. AI video generation isn't free after all.

Five years ago this sounded like dystopian science fiction - but it's basically already possible with today's technology.

Re: YouTube addiction, one month sober

#179

Post by aequitas »

One issue for me is that everything leads me back to YouTube. When I want to cook a meal, there was this great YouTube video with a recipe from a while back I need to rewatch. Do some crafting work? Gotta check these videos about woodworking first to make sure I know what I’m doing. Somehow the visual content can bring the right information and nuances that a cookbook or manual can’t. Especially with food, like when does it look done. A video is like the picture of a thousand words, but times a thousand frames.

Re: YouTube addiction, one month sober

#180

Post by buildsjets »

Almondsetat wrote: post #125
amarant wrote: post #61

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This might be controversial, but I've found that micro-dosing psilocybin removes the urge of such distractions, and allows me to focus on what needs to be done. I've been told I might have undiagnosed ADHD tho, not sure if relevant. Anyway, YMMV, but it could be worth a shot! Probably a good idea to combine with exercise and/or mindfulness exercises.

And what happens when you don't have access to the drug?

As long as he has access to Uncle Ben's instant rice, he will have access to his medication.
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