Era of Distraction
raymundtamayo.com
Era of Distraction
1–10 of 54 posts
Re: Era of Distraction
#2I would say the author's point about buying things and distraction from being connected is pretty weak. There's actually a tension there: why buy other stuff when you only ever interact with your phone?
You can be a complete minimalist, live in a house with nothing in it, and just lay on the floor in the dark surfing the internet on your phone, chatting with friends on facebook etc, and all of the problems the author complains about will still exist.
Re: Era of Distraction
#3I would say the author's point about buying things and distraction from being connected is pretty weak. There's actually a tension there: why buy other stuff when you only ever interact with your phone? You can be a complete minimalist, live in a house with nothing in it, and just lay on the floor in the dark surfing the internet on your phone, chatting with friends on facebook etc, and all of the problems the author…
I agree. The link/extrapolation here to general consumerism is tenuous at best.
Re: Era of Distraction
#4Consumerism is destroying society!
Buy my book about it for more dazzling critiques!
Re: Era of Distraction
#5The first half of the article is a genuine problem. There's just so much distraction going on right now, I wonder how people are being productive.
Re: Era of Distraction
#6The first half of the article is a genuine problem. There's just so much distraction going on right now, I wonder how people are being productive.
I know HN sure isn't helping me be productive from minute to minute! I'm checking it compulsively for new posts. Hopefully its teaching me enough to compensate...
Re: Era of Distraction
#7Consumerism is destroying society! Buy my book about it for more dazzling critiques!
We're told to refrain from lazy gratuitous negativity on HN.
Re: Era of Distraction
#8Focus is a more valuable trait in this era. We spoil our mouth and stomach first. And it's mind's turn. Information diet might be a solution for most information consumers.
Re: Era of Distraction
#9I would say the author's point about buying things and distraction from being connected is pretty weak. There's actually a tension there: why buy other stuff when you only ever interact with your phone? You can be a complete minimalist, live in a house with nothing in it, and just lay on the floor in the dark surfing the internet on your phone, chatting with friends on facebook etc, and all of the problems the author…
I agree. The link/extrapolation here to general consumerism is tenuous at best.
There is a very real problem of people not being aware of their impulse to buy. In fact, it's the foundation for all advertising: plant messages in the buyer's mind well before the buying occurs.
I know that sounds Manchurian Candidate-ish but that's the nature of Marketing and Advertising.
So perhaps the author is not entirely wrong in positing that distraction is, in a way, fueling meaningless purchases?
Re: Era of Distraction
#10I've recently given up a big temptation/distractor in my life. I packed up my gaming desktop and gave it away, and now I just use my laptop which I long ago set aside as school-only. This thing couldn't even play games if I wanted to, but it CAN ssh and compile code.
I mean, after 9.5 years of playing DotA, what's the point? My grades have improved and I'm overall happier as I invest more time learning skills that I truly want to gain, all while traveling lighter.
I think I hit a breaking point when I was living in my last apartment. I had too much junk around that I didn't want, need, or use. And because there was enough of it, I didn't have a real place for anything and didn't feel like cleaning it. My apartment wasn't dirty, but it was perennially untidy. I did not like that at all.