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I don’t agree. Watching tv and browsing social media just temporarily heightens the mood, but then tampers of very quickly. That time could be spend doing somet

I don’t agree. Watching tv and browsing social media just temporarily heightens the mood, but then tampers of very quickly. That time could be spend doing something useful like following a hobby, because that increases overall happiness.

deleted 7y ago
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dageshi 7y ago
People have said this about every media since the book was invented.
- Minor49er 7y ago
  Is it wrong, though? If you spend all day doing nothing but reading books, you're not using the time to apply anything that you have read in a book
  - vidanay 7y ago
    That's how I feel about programming books.
- josinalvo 7y ago
  Did someone measure it and proved them wrong? I am not saying you are wrong, or he is, but the ancientness of the claim is not an argument in favor or against it
SolaceQuantum 7y ago
Arguably, framing someone's life behavior as functions of usefulness is antithetical to the need to engage in recreation. The following of TV is useful if your social sphere is amongst other people who watch TV. It builds a canon in which to socialize, discuss, invite people for watching parties, etc. (I myself do not watch tv but I also have no desire to presume anything of people who do. I at least personally acutely feel a loss of culture because TV and movie watching is very common in socialization rituals and I am unable to engage in them.)
- oklol123 7y ago
  There are better ways to socialize and watching television should be the last one. Talking with other people about movies and television shows is superficial and won’t help in bonding with them, because your personality lacks depth.
jfengel 7y ago
Both function much like a drug: pleasant in small quantities, but easily creating a feedback loop that results in it dominating your behavior. Some people appear to be more susceptible to it than others. The neural mechanisms have a lot in common. Video games, I would note, also share that mechanism.

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dageshi 7y ago

People have said this about every media since the book was invented.

Minor49er 7y ago
Is it wrong, though? If you spend all day doing nothing but reading books, you're not using the time to apply anything that you have read in a book
- vidanay 7y ago
  That's how I feel about programming books.
josinalvo 7y ago
Did someone measure it and proved them wrong? I am not saying you are wrong, or he is, but the ancientness of the claim is not an argument in favor or against it

SolaceQuantum 7y ago

Arguably, framing someone's life behavior as functions of usefulness is antithetical to the need to engage in recreation. The following of TV is useful if your social sphere is amongst other people who watch TV. It builds a canon in which to socialize, discuss, invite people for watching parties, etc. (I myself do not watch tv but I also have no desire to presume anything of people who do. I at least personally acutely feel a loss of culture because TV and movie watching is very common in socialization rituals and I am unable to engage in them.)

oklol123 7y ago
There are better ways to socialize and watching television should be the last one. Talking with other people about movies and television shows is superficial and won’t help in bonding with them, because your personality lacks depth.

jfengel 7y ago

Both function much like a drug: pleasant in small quantities, but easily creating a feedback loop that results in it dominating your behavior. Some people appear to be more susceptible to it than others. The neural mechanisms have a lot in common. Video games, I would note, also share that mechanism.