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We should remember that not all time is interchangeable; just because you're up to spending 4 hours zonked out watching TV in bed does not mean you are up for s

We should remember that not all time is interchangeable; just because you're up to spending 4 hours zonked out watching TV in bed does not mean you are up for spending 4 hours doing useful cognitive work. Maybe you're tired, hung over, sick, not feeling it, etc. However, even given this caveat, the author's point still stands. Because even if 4 hours of TV watching only translates to 1 hour of useful creative work and 3 hours of blah, that's still a huge amount of cognitive surplus. But I think that it is like exercise - just because you watch TV for 4 hours, doesn't mean you could have jogged or rode a bike for 4 hours straight instead; your body isn't up to it. Why isn't it up to it? Because you're used to watching TV. So even if we only get a very poor 4:1 conversion rate at first, as we exercise our minds or bodies at doing other things besides TV, as a society we'll improve that exchange rate.

davi 18y ago
Along this line: when people say, "I would <x>, but I don't have the time" (where <x> is some creative, interesting thing), usually one can substitute the word "energy" for "time" in their statement, and learn a lot more about them: they are essentially asserting that they are too energy depleted to <x>.
- zasz 18y ago
  Along this line: when people say, "I would <x>, but I don't have the time" (where <x> is some creative, interesting thing), usually one can substitute the word "Vespene gas" for "time" in their statement, and learn a lot more about them: they are essentially asserting that they are too Vespene gas depleted to <x>. I don't understand this post. If you substitute a word that's essentially the same, that's a synonym and you therefore gain no meaning. And it makes no sense to say people are essentially asserting something when you put an assertion in their mouths. I think it's more complicated than energy and time; generally, I don't think people actually like <x> enough to want to invest some time and energy or Vespene gas in it. I just went to an energy efficiency event today. 45 people had signed up and only 27 showed up to install energy-efficient things today. It would have taken 5 hours and very little energy. I think a lack of interest, causing a lack of commitment, explains it better.
- Xichekolas 18y ago
  I think when people say they "want to do <x>, but don't have time" it really translates to: "I feel like I should do <x>, but I don't really want to." Exercise is the classic example.
  - nradov 18y ago
    Right, that's common behavior. And "I don't have the time" can also just be a polite excuse to get out of doing something unpleasant. When something is truly important people find a way to make it happen, regardless of how little time they have.
m0nty 18y ago
"Because you're used to watching TV." I watch very little TV, so I can confirm your idea that you get used to doing more creative things if you cut it out. I do watch DVDs which I rent from Amazon, but that's different because I get to choose the shows and when I watch them. A lot of it is very non-mainstream so I get something more out of them as well. And no time wasted watching ads, what's not to like? :) I also find most of the Internet very boring, until I start putting something back in. I've recently grown a bit tired of my main project for the last few months (surftrackr.net) so I'm starting another one as soon as I get a break from work, which has been tough recently. I think the "Here Comes Everybody" guy has a real point about changing patterns here. I only hope there's a lot more to come and we haven't peaked already. Sometimes I feel not so optimistic.

davi 18y ago

Along this line: when people say, "I would <x>, but I don't have the time" (where <x> is some creative, interesting thing), usually one can substitute the word "energy" for "time" in their statement, and learn a lot more about them: they are essentially asserting that they are too energy depleted to <x>.

zasz 18y ago
Along this line: when people say, "I would <x>, but I don't have the time" (where <x> is some creative, interesting thing), usually one can substitute the word "Vespene gas" for "time" in their statement, and learn a lot more about them: they are essentially asserting that they are too Vespene gas depleted to <x>. I don't understand this post. If you substitute a word that's essentially the same, that's a synonym and you therefore gain no meaning. And it makes no sense to say people are essentially asserting something when you put an assertion in their mouths. I think it's more complicated than energy and time; generally, I don't think people actually like <x> enough to want to invest some time and energy or Vespene gas in it. I just went to an energy efficiency event today. 45 people had signed up and only 27 showed up to install energy-efficient things today. It would have taken 5 hours and very little energy. I think a lack of interest, causing a lack of commitment, explains it better.
Xichekolas 18y ago
I think when people say they "want to do <x>, but don't have time" it really translates to: "I feel like I should do <x>, but I don't really want to." Exercise is the classic example.
- nradov 18y ago
  Right, that's common behavior. And "I don't have the time" can also just be a polite excuse to get out of doing something unpleasant. When something is truly important people find a way to make it happen, regardless of how little time they have.

m0nty 18y ago

"Because you're used to watching TV." I watch very little TV, so I can confirm your idea that you get used to doing more creative things if you cut it out. I do watch DVDs which I rent from Amazon, but that's different because I get to choose the shows and when I watch them. A lot of it is very non-mainstream so I get something more out of them as well. And no time wasted watching ads, what's not to like? :) I also find most of the Internet very boring, until I start putting something back in. I've recently grown a bit tired of my main project for the last few months (surftrackr.net) so I'm starting another one as soon as I get a break from work, which has been tough recently. I think the "Here Comes Everybody" guy has a real point about changing patterns here. I only hope there's a lot more to come and we haven't peaked already. Sometimes I feel not so optimistic.