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All our tools promote this approach to information consumption. Just today I took some time to seriously reconsider my use of electronics—for a couple of months

All our tools promote this approach to information consumption. Just today I took some time to seriously reconsider my use of electronics—for a couple of months I was able to sustain a very disciplined use of tech: no picking up the phone unless I have an explicit reason, and I have first questioned that reason. No starting an internet browser right away when using my laptop, no phone on the toilet, in bed, etc. But sure I’ve lapsed and find myself wasting tons of time once again...like commenting on hacker news when I could be thinking about serious problems. Oh well. Time to try again. It’d be nice if our tools promoted disciplined, focused use instead of combatting focus. The internet is a huge component in this.

allthecybers 7y ago
Good books on this are 'Digital Minimalism' and 'How to break up with your phone'. I get worried that at some point toddlers growing up with tablets from day one will be unable to function as in normal society and most interactions will be completely made up of people staring at a screens.
- colechristensen 7y ago
  Can you really drill down into the specifics for why that is a bad future?
  - onion2k 7y ago
    Social anxiety disorders like 'telephone phobia' are far more common now then they were a decade ago, and while there hasn't been enough study around precisely why that's the case the leading theory is that social media is making people more prone to anxiety in general. That has a negative impact on how effectively we communicate, and communication is important in pretty much everything.
    - coldtea 7y ago
      Another thing could be inventing anxieties where none exist -- e.g. people just don't want to be bothered to use the phone, and "doctors" of psychology etc are all too ok to call it a "phobia".
  - dTal 7y ago
    Depends what you ultimately value. For example, is it a bad future if humans go extinct? I value, quite a lot, all the different forms of interaction that aren't mediated through a screen. I worry that in a world of omnipresent entertainment and connection to the mega-mind, we'll lose our individuality and in the process, the things that make being human fun. Why would you ever learn to play the guitar if you have infinite access to every guitar recording ever? How could you ever develop independent political thought, if you're plugged into the matrix 24/7?
  - coldtea 7y ago
    Because I value human bodies, companionship, and real world interaction. I don't consider the body inferior to the mind (or sex a sin).
rezahandzalah 7y ago
I'm active on social media because my idol Elon Musk is too.
Chirael 7y ago
I recently noticed that Windows 10 helpfully automatically opens up your browser(s) when you restart your computer so you can pick up right where you left off [1]. That’s great because you don’t need to question whether going right into your email and web browser is the most productive thing you can do to start your day. [1] https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/internet-browser-opens-on-startup/062b6108-22a8-4c79-b5fc-6f11247e31b4 https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/intern...
- stronglikedan 7y ago
  > Use my sign info to automatically finish setting up my device after an update or restart. Oh, great, so not only can choose to not resume where you left off when you intentionally shut down, but that choice will force you to completely lose your place after an unintentional restart due to an update. Genius!

allthecybers 7y ago

Good books on this are 'Digital Minimalism' and 'How to break up with your phone'. I get worried that at some point toddlers growing up with tablets from day one will be unable to function as in normal society and most interactions will be completely made up of people staring at a screens.

colechristensen 7y ago
Can you really drill down into the specifics for why that is a bad future?
- onion2k 7y ago
  Social anxiety disorders like 'telephone phobia' are far more common now then they were a decade ago, and while there hasn't been enough study around precisely why that's the case the leading theory is that social media is making people more prone to anxiety in general. That has a negative impact on how effectively we communicate, and communication is important in pretty much everything.
  - coldtea 7y ago
    Another thing could be inventing anxieties where none exist -- e.g. people just don't want to be bothered to use the phone, and "doctors" of psychology etc are all too ok to call it a "phobia".
- dTal 7y ago
  Depends what you ultimately value. For example, is it a bad future if humans go extinct? I value, quite a lot, all the different forms of interaction that aren't mediated through a screen. I worry that in a world of omnipresent entertainment and connection to the mega-mind, we'll lose our individuality and in the process, the things that make being human fun. Why would you ever learn to play the guitar if you have infinite access to every guitar recording ever? How could you ever develop independent political thought, if you're plugged into the matrix 24/7?
- coldtea 7y ago
  Because I value human bodies, companionship, and real world interaction. I don't consider the body inferior to the mind (or sex a sin).

rezahandzalah 7y ago

I'm active on social media because my idol Elon Musk is too.

Chirael 7y ago

I recently noticed that Windows 10 helpfully automatically opens up your browser(s) when you restart your computer so you can pick up right where you left off [1]. That’s great because you don’t need to question whether going right into your email and web browser is the most productive thing you can do to start your day. [1] https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/internet-browser-opens-on-startup/062b6108-22a8-4c79-b5fc-6f11247e31b4 https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/intern...

stronglikedan 7y ago
> Use my sign info to automatically finish setting up my device after an update or restart. Oh, great, so not only can choose to not resume where you left off when you intentionally shut down, but that choice will force you to completely lose your place after an unintentional restart due to an update. Genius!