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I've been seeing a lot of these sorts of articles recently (time online is ruining your life; here are 17 ways to disconnect), and I have to say I simply reject

I've been seeing a lot of these sorts of articles recently (time online is ruining your life; here are 17 ways to disconnect), and I have to say I simply reject the premise. Once again, it's binary thinking creeping in and human brains generally being far more receptive to arguments along the lines of "this technology/concept/ideology/whatever is bad and you should reject it" over ones that say "this technology/concept/ideology/whatever is a tool and its value is dependent on how its used and when it's applied". I've seen the binary thinking problem applied to the internet/online life quite a bit recently, and it bothers me because growing up my experiences of the internet/web were almost overwhelmingly positive, constructive, and developmental in nature. It was instrumental in my development as a person because it's a tool that allows you to read constantly. For people with lots of innate curiosity there really is nothing more powerful than that. The encroachment of the social media/video streaming/adtech companies into the space doesn't negate that use case, so I'm extremely hesitant to say if everyone would just unplug the world would magically be better.

whytaka 5y ago
This may seem snarky but you should apply similar thinking to the article itself. It might be written in a certain but you don’t have to read it as it’s intended. I’ve learned, grown, and profited a lot around screens but now I’m looking for hobbies outside screens. While I reject the premise that time spent looking at screens are wasted, this article may help with finding my next hobby.
suketk 5y ago
While I agree that completely "unplugging" is not the ideal solution, doing so occasionally helps you understand how to use technology intentionally (i.e as a tool, not an escape). You realize what you miss and what you don't, which allows you to reallocate your usage. What's missing for most people is some structured way to reflect about this, so I created a free* accountability group program [0] that helps them do this alongside others who want to use technology in a healthy way. (Very open to feedback!) [0] https://themoai.org/intentional-technology https://themoai.org/intentional-technology * Free to join, but requires a credit card to enforce financial accountability - we donate money to charity (not us) on your behalf if you don't complete the program. Time commitment is only 15 min/week.

whytaka 5y ago

This may seem snarky but you should apply similar thinking to the article itself. It might be written in a certain but you don’t have to read it as it’s intended. I’ve learned, grown, and profited a lot around screens but now I’m looking for hobbies outside screens. While I reject the premise that time spent looking at screens are wasted, this article may help with finding my next hobby.

suketk 5y ago

While I agree that completely "unplugging" is not the ideal solution, doing so occasionally helps you understand how to use technology intentionally (i.e as a tool, not an escape). You realize what you miss and what you don't, which allows you to reallocate your usage. What's missing for most people is some structured way to reflect about this, so I created a free* accountability group program [0] that helps them do this alongside others who want to use technology in a healthy way. (Very open to feedback!) [0] https://themoai.org/intentional-technology https://themoai.org/intentional-technology * Free to join, but requires a credit card to enforce financial accountability - we donate money to charity (not us) on your behalf if you don't complete the program. Time commitment is only 15 min/week.