Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

The unbearable joy of sitting alone in a café

candost.blog

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

51–60 of 456 posts

Re: The unbearable joy of sitting alone in a café

#51

Post by raddan »

jrmg wrote: post #13
soared wrote: post #3

This reminds me of the “techbro discovers very common x thing” meme. Going to a coffee shop (that is 75% solo remote workers) without your phone and pretending it’s some divine experience feels conceited. Do things you like, sometimes don’t check your phone. Very well written title though.

The ‘thesis statement’ at the top ( It’s contradictory to sit alone in a café. It’s against the reason cafés exist. ) is entirely incorrect - and it’s odd that the author thought like that. But I don’t think they deserve to be denigrated. The post is eloquently written, and if it inspires people to take a little time for themselves the world will be a little of a better place because of it. And posting it makes the a…

I agree. This was evidently a new experience for this person, and maybe the reason is that they’re… a new adult? Anyway, even old people have new experiences all the time. At least this person is putting themselves out there and doing something active. Good for them.

Except the dog thing. PLEASE do not bring your dog into a cafe. Somehow people like me are in the minority though so I will stop here.

Re: The unbearable joy of sitting alone in a café

#52

Post by lanfeust6 »

moooo99 wrote: post #25
delis-thumbs-7e wrote: post #9

I didn’t quite understand why sitting alone in a café makes you a weirdo (is it an American thing?), but the piece was very well written. We all should learn how to be without electronics for every now and then, accompanied only our thoughts. It is good for the soul. I think the important part is leaving your phone and other devices home. Be alone, without even a possibility of connecting (apart from the old-fashione…

> I think the important part is leaving your phone and other devices home. The annoying part is that this becomes increasingly difficult to impossible. For example, I can't use public transport without my phone anymore, because my ticket is bound to my phone and the provider does not issue paper tickets or smartcards anymore. Less severe but equally frustrating, many restaurants choose to use QR codes for menus rathe…

I don't see any reason you need to continue using your phone once boarded. But yes parting the home without is impractical.

Re: The unbearable joy of sitting alone in a café

#53

Post by estearum »

VLM wrote: post #46
delis-thumbs-7e wrote: post #9

I didn’t quite understand why sitting alone in a café makes you a weirdo (is it an American thing?), but the piece was very well written. We all should learn how to be without electronics for every now and then, accompanied only our thoughts. It is good for the soul. I think the important part is leaving your phone and other devices home. Be alone, without even a possibility of connecting (apart from the old-fashione…

Its a social class thing. Homeless people sit alone, especially the crazy ones. No brand new iphone or new macbook means poverty which is usually not cool. It blows peoples minds if you read a book. Not a college textbook but something for fun. Homeless people don't read so they get confused. Its like riding the bus. There's nothing wrong with public transit, its just that its somewhere warm for poor homeless people…

This doesn't fit at all with my perception.

Re: The unbearable joy of sitting alone in a café

#54

Post by tayo42 »

ramon156 wrote: post #45
aappleby wrote: post #8

This author has never been alone with their thoughts before....

Is it surprising to you that not everyone has experienced the same thing? Half of my friends have never been in a gym, is that bad?

Except for some weird circumstances like you have 2 friends or your part of a nomadic tribe, yeah that sounds like an issue. People should work out

Re: The unbearable joy of sitting alone in a café

#56

Post by lanfeust6 »

delis-thumbs-7e wrote: post #9

I didn’t quite understand why sitting alone in a café makes you a weirdo (is it an American thing?), but the piece was very well written. We all should learn how to be without electronics for every now and then, accompanied only our thoughts. It is good for the soul. I think the important part is leaving your phone and other devices home. Be alone, without even a possibility of connecting (apart from the old-fashione…

I often would go to local coffee shops with a book and journal. Leaving a device at home has nothing to do with it.

One of the reasons I don't see much value-added from meditation is that it seems like a ritualistic wrapper around something I already do and value: clearing one's head, quiet time without consuming visual stimulus and without brooding. We are prone to bombarding ourselves constantly and wonder why we're fatigued partway through the day.

I like to reserve the "thinking" component to journaling time, as that seems to help organize thoughts. Or else, do it while walking.

Re: The unbearable joy of sitting alone in a café

#57

Post by bdangubic »

tayo42 wrote: post #54
ramon156 wrote: post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Is it surprising to you that not everyone has experienced the same thing? Half of my friends have never been in a gym, is that bad?

Except for some weird circumstances like you have 2 friends or your part of a nomadic tribe, yeah that sounds like an issue. People should work out

people work out without paying $200+/month to go to the gym :)

Re: The unbearable joy of sitting alone in a café

#58

Post by danielfalbo »

I feel you.

> I decided to leave my phone at home

I used to do this too but soon I realized I wanted my phone for payments (say, coffee) and/or unlocking public bikes (like Lime).

Now I have 2 phones: - Phone A with my SIM, internet, payment cards, but unlogged from any internet account - Phone B, no SIM, usually connected to Phone A via hotspot, with email, messaging apps, logged into hacker news and everything.

When I want to take an offline walk/ebike-ride I only bring Phone A with me.

Re: The unbearable joy of sitting alone in a café

#60

Post by hexbin010 »

jmkni wrote: post #40

I love sitting alone in Wetherspoons, and working, it's actually perfect because: - None of my colleagues, and nobody in any of my social circles, would ever be seen dead there - You meet the best people, everyones really nice - Nobody judges anybody, we're all just there go get a bit pissed, lots of people socialising, some people are there doing a crossword, I'm just a guy sitting on my laptop coding, nobody cares…

I recommend only sitting on a leather seat, or laying a waterproof jacket over a cloth seat. Too many times I've come out of Wetherspoons itching - and not from knackering my liver!

Worth it though for ~£1.30 unlimited tea and coffee.

Post reply on HN