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I don’t think smartphones are the main issue here — problem is people can’t delay gratification. I’m sure if we ran the Marshmellow experiment again, a higher

by QML 9y ago

I don’t think smartphones are the main issue here — problem is people can’t delay gratification. I’m sure if we ran the Marshmellow experiment again, a higher proportion of people won’t be able to wait. Among my peers, I’m noticing an inability to study continuously for more than 30 minutes; even in my friend group, a couple can’t watch a whole movie without checking their phones. However, keeping your smartphone at home in my opinion is a non optimal solution. My recommendation is to specially allot a time for checking your phone and reading the news; and forcing yourself to work on a single task otherwise.

analog31 9y ago
Amusing anecdote: I started college in 1982, and couldn't study continuously for more than 30 minutes. Still can't. I've gotten to where I am in my career -- for better or worse -- with virtually zero attention span. There are some exceptions: I can concentrate on math or programming for hours.
- terminalcommand 9y ago
  I found that if I distract myself enough, I can start doing a task and the time just flies. Currently my solution is to listen to classical music full volume. That way I can concentrate 1-1.5 hours a day. On the other hand I too can focus without any problems when I'm programming. The problem is that I'm studying law :/.
acobster 9y ago
I agree with you on some level, but tech has no small part to play in this phenomenon. It's not just the presence of the technology itself, it's the technology's essential design and purpose. The article's thesis, as I see it, opposes your point head-on: > That kind of rhetoric implicitly grants the idea that it’s okay for technology to be adversarial against us. The whole point of technology is to help us do what we want to do better. Why else would we have it? ... I don’t think personal responsibility is unimportant. I think it’s untenable as a solution to this problem ... It’s not realistic to say you need to have more willpower. That’s the very thing being undermined!
tonyedgecombe 9y ago
problem is people can’t delay gratification If you accept that is the case then you shouldn't be surprised when people look for a working solution such as leaving their phone at home. forcing yourself to work on a single task otherwise Which clearly doesn't work for many or maybe even most people.

by QML 9y ago

analog31 9y ago

Amusing anecdote: I started college in 1982, and couldn't study continuously for more than 30 minutes. Still can't. I've gotten to where I am in my career -- for better or worse -- with virtually zero attention span. There are some exceptions: I can concentrate on math or programming for hours.

terminalcommand 9y ago
I found that if I distract myself enough, I can start doing a task and the time just flies. Currently my solution is to listen to classical music full volume. That way I can concentrate 1-1.5 hours a day. On the other hand I too can focus without any problems when I'm programming. The problem is that I'm studying law :/.

acobster 9y ago

I agree with you on some level, but tech has no small part to play in this phenomenon. It's not just the presence of the technology itself, it's the technology's essential design and purpose. The article's thesis, as I see it, opposes your point head-on: > That kind of rhetoric implicitly grants the idea that it’s okay for technology to be adversarial against us. The whole point of technology is to help us do what we want to do better. Why else would we have it? ... I don’t think personal responsibility is unimportant. I think it’s untenable as a solution to this problem ... It’s not realistic to say you need to have more willpower. That’s the very thing being undermined!

tonyedgecombe 9y ago

problem is people can’t delay gratification If you accept that is the case then you shouldn't be surprised when people look for a working solution such as leaving their phone at home. forcing yourself to work on a single task otherwise Which clearly doesn't work for many or maybe even most people.