6 ms·

This is cute, but in all seriousness it would be much more effective to shout "I'm a winner" Research: - https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3354773/ htt

by GavCo 1y ago

This is cute, but in all seriousness it would be much more effective to shout "I'm a winner" Research: - https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3354773/ https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3354773/ – Low self-esteem + rejection hurts self-control - https://selfdeterminationtheory.org/SDT/documents/2007_PowersKoestnerZuroff_JSCP.pdf https://selfdeterminationtheory.org/SDT/documents/2007_Power... – Self-criticism predicts less goal progress - https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9916102/ https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9916102/ – Social exclusion slows inhibitory control - https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1191134/full https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1191... – Low teen self-esteem → poorer self-control - https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8768475/ https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8768475/ – Meta-analysis links shame to regulation drops - https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28810473/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28810473/ – Self-compassion boosts self-regulation - https://www.researchgate.net/publication/312138882_Self-Control_and_Ego_Depletion https://www.researchgate.net/publication/312138882_Self-Cont... – Ego threats deplete self-control resources - https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21632968/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21632968/ – Self-criticism tied to worse goal progress - https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-96476-8 https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-96476-8 – Low self-respect → low self-control → problems Remember to be kind to yourself.

hodder 1y ago
But the point is you aren't a winner if you are unlocking social media. You are opening the gate to loserdom. I'm not sure how the I'm a winner concept would apply here using one of the four methods of operant conditioning. The research stands, but the practical application of his app is based on a Positive Punishment operant conditioning.
- jigarjain 1y ago
  I imagine what the OP meant is that when you feel you are wasting time on Social Media, if you say "I am a winner / I am better than this" (or something more positive), it will block the social media for you. So basically the reverse.
  - 9rx 1y ago
    What suggests that shouting "I am a winner" is less annoying than shouting "I am a loser"? In fact, not just less annoying, but it has to be pleasant as in that scenario you would have to scream it while you are already struggling with impulse control. Even the slightest reason to not to do so would see you not do it in that type of situation.
- deleted 1y ago
  [deleted]
- haswell 1y ago
  > you aren't a winner if you are unlocking social media. You are opening the gate to loserdom That is not a psychologically healthy way to frame this. And I think it’s a stretch to say that screaming “I’m a loser” is positive punishment, which seems just as likely to reinforce negative self beliefs that lead to the outcomes described in the parent comment’s research and opposite of what the user presumably wants. To your point, just flipping this around to “I’m a winner” doesn’t seem quite right either. But more importantly, reinforcing the idea that “I’m a loser” seems counterproductive either way.
  - doublerabbit 1y ago
    Just because surveys say X = Y it doesn't necessary mean it has to apply to everyone's mindset.
    - latexr 1y ago
      Of course not everyone. That goes without saying, everyone is different and you’ll always find someone who is an exception. But when you build something for other people to use, it is useful to understand what is the most common mindset for your audience.
    - haswell 1y ago
      In practice, I have never encountered a person who benefits from such negative self beliefs in the long term, or anyone who would claim they were beneficial. My perspective on this is driven by many years of real world experience with addiction and related communities, and more personal exploration of the negative bias than I can quantify. There’s a good reason addiction recovery is now often focused on the underlying issues of shame and other negative self beliefs. They tend to be at the root of the issue, despite being the default reaction people feel towards themselves due to social conditioning.
      - doublerabbit 1y ago
        Your not wrong, I do agree. But for a pet-project, it's a bit of fun? Or should we just face it. Everyone is a loser for using social media?
- stared 1y ago
  Yes - but then you go into the vicious cycle. Something in the line of The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry: Why are you drinking? — the little prince asked. - In order to forget — replied the drunkard. - To forget what? — inquired the little prince, who was already feeling sorry for him. - To forget that I am ashamed — the drunkard confessed, hanging his head. - Ashamed of what? — asked the little prince who wanted to help him. - Ashamed of drinking! — concluded the drunkard, withdrawing into total silence. --- What helps is self-forgiveness and being gentle towards oneself. (I also was in the mode of guilt-tripping myself; and still, I do that often. But it does not help.)
- jlongr 1y ago
  You're on social media.
- snek_case 1y ago
  Then the command should probably be "I summon you to open the gate to loserdom!"
- ljm 1y ago
  If you’re addicted to scrolling social media then you’ll just get used to calling yourself a loser to get another fix. Or you just uninstall the extension. There needs to be a healthier alternative to that replaces the social media habit, that is reinforced by enjoying it. I do this by reading books I wouldn’t normally read, which also gives me a reason to browse indie bookshops.
- packersville 1y ago
  “Don't speak negatively about yourself, even as a joke. Your body doesn't know the difference. Words are energy and they cast spells, that's why it's called spelling. Change the way you speak about yourself, and you can change your life.” - Bruce Lee
- janalsncm 1y ago
  Punishments need to follow unwanted behavior, not precede them. This is a technically interesting demo but it isn’t effective.
jerf 1y ago
I have on some occasions been tempted to wire up a shock collar to myself (or equivalent) and do some experiment for things like not visiting social media websites during certain times, but I find myself concerned that I may be reaching way, way further down the metaphorical "brain stack" than I really intend with that and could do some seriously weird things to myself in the process. So far I've always judged that risk as greater than the reward. Yelling "I'm a loser" too much reminds me of that, though on a different level of the "brain stack". I get the sentiment, and I understand the somewhat playful intent, but quite seriously I'd suggest something more neutral at the very least. Maybe it's completely harmless, but that's clearly the best case scenario, and it goes down hill fast after that. "First, do no harm" strikes me as relevant here, and important as ever.
serial_dev 1y ago
Then it would be even simpler to build an app, because if you shout "I'm a winner", the extension doesn't need to do anything at all, just keep everything blocked as before... Be kind to yourself, but think through the problem before sending a week worth of research articles.
toss1 1y ago
For sure, important to be kind to yourself. But screaming "I'm a winner" doesn't do it either, and is perhaps even more undermining Everyone knows if you yourself have to say "I'm randomPositiveAttribute", whether it is "winner", "genius", "brilliant", "good-looking", etc., you are NOT that — you are just a loser trying to tell everyone you are somehow a winner. Perhaps the best thing to yell is the most straightforward — "Unlock Social Media Now!". It doesn't overtly characterize you, it honestly exposes your weakness, which is probably a more powerful shaming de-motivator.
egypturnash 1y ago
hmm, maybe "social media is for losers, and I'm a winner!" might be both comedic and positive? Maybe that's a little too close to the WINNERS DON'T USE DRUGS! splash screens that dominated the video games of my youth. We all snickered at those and I don't think it made a bit of difference. Dunno. Heck of a thing to holler when you're on the bus or whatever before you can get your fix, that's for sure.
patcon 1y ago
If only there was an API to only allow closing an app on a specific condition. Then you could make it so the pain was in leaving to go back to other work, so you'd enter knowing it would not be an easy exit. (But you'd get to yell self-affirming things on exit :) )
janalsncm 1y ago
It could work if they were rewarded for not opening social media. Otherwise that doesn’t make sense.

by GavCo 1y ago

hodder 1y ago

But the point is you aren't a winner if you are unlocking social media. You are opening the gate to loserdom. I'm not sure how the I'm a winner concept would apply here using one of the four methods of operant conditioning. The research stands, but the practical application of his app is based on a Positive Punishment operant conditioning.

jigarjain 1y ago
I imagine what the OP meant is that when you feel you are wasting time on Social Media, if you say "I am a winner / I am better than this" (or something more positive), it will block the social media for you. So basically the reverse.
- 9rx 1y ago
  What suggests that shouting "I am a winner" is less annoying than shouting "I am a loser"? In fact, not just less annoying, but it has to be pleasant as in that scenario you would have to scream it while you are already struggling with impulse control. Even the slightest reason to not to do so would see you not do it in that type of situation.
deleted 1y ago
[deleted]
haswell 1y ago
> you aren't a winner if you are unlocking social media. You are opening the gate to loserdom That is not a psychologically healthy way to frame this. And I think it’s a stretch to say that screaming “I’m a loser” is positive punishment, which seems just as likely to reinforce negative self beliefs that lead to the outcomes described in the parent comment’s research and opposite of what the user presumably wants. To your point, just flipping this around to “I’m a winner” doesn’t seem quite right either. But more importantly, reinforcing the idea that “I’m a loser” seems counterproductive either way.
- doublerabbit 1y ago
  Just because surveys say X = Y it doesn't necessary mean it has to apply to everyone's mindset.
  - latexr 1y ago
    Of course not everyone. That goes without saying, everyone is different and you’ll always find someone who is an exception. But when you build something for other people to use, it is useful to understand what is the most common mindset for your audience.
  - haswell 1y ago
    In practice, I have never encountered a person who benefits from such negative self beliefs in the long term, or anyone who would claim they were beneficial. My perspective on this is driven by many years of real world experience with addiction and related communities, and more personal exploration of the negative bias than I can quantify. There’s a good reason addiction recovery is now often focused on the underlying issues of shame and other negative self beliefs. They tend to be at the root of the issue, despite being the default reaction people feel towards themselves due to social conditioning.
    - doublerabbit 1y ago
      Your not wrong, I do agree. But for a pet-project, it's a bit of fun? Or should we just face it. Everyone is a loser for using social media?
stared 1y ago
Yes - but then you go into the vicious cycle. Something in the line of The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry: Why are you drinking? — the little prince asked. - In order to forget — replied the drunkard. - To forget what? — inquired the little prince, who was already feeling sorry for him. - To forget that I am ashamed — the drunkard confessed, hanging his head. - Ashamed of what? — asked the little prince who wanted to help him. - Ashamed of drinking! — concluded the drunkard, withdrawing into total silence. --- What helps is self-forgiveness and being gentle towards oneself. (I also was in the mode of guilt-tripping myself; and still, I do that often. But it does not help.)
jlongr 1y ago
You're on social media.
snek_case 1y ago
Then the command should probably be "I summon you to open the gate to loserdom!"
ljm 1y ago
If you’re addicted to scrolling social media then you’ll just get used to calling yourself a loser to get another fix. Or you just uninstall the extension. There needs to be a healthier alternative to that replaces the social media habit, that is reinforced by enjoying it. I do this by reading books I wouldn’t normally read, which also gives me a reason to browse indie bookshops.
packersville 1y ago
“Don't speak negatively about yourself, even as a joke. Your body doesn't know the difference. Words are energy and they cast spells, that's why it's called spelling. Change the way you speak about yourself, and you can change your life.” - Bruce Lee
janalsncm 1y ago
Punishments need to follow unwanted behavior, not precede them. This is a technically interesting demo but it isn’t effective.

jerf 1y ago

I have on some occasions been tempted to wire up a shock collar to myself (or equivalent) and do some experiment for things like not visiting social media websites during certain times, but I find myself concerned that I may be reaching way, way further down the metaphorical "brain stack" than I really intend with that and could do some seriously weird things to myself in the process. So far I've always judged that risk as greater than the reward. Yelling "I'm a loser" too much reminds me of that, though on a different level of the "brain stack". I get the sentiment, and I understand the somewhat playful intent, but quite seriously I'd suggest something more neutral at the very least. Maybe it's completely harmless, but that's clearly the best case scenario, and it goes down hill fast after that. "First, do no harm" strikes me as relevant here, and important as ever.

serial_dev 1y ago

Then it would be even simpler to build an app, because if you shout "I'm a winner", the extension doesn't need to do anything at all, just keep everything blocked as before... Be kind to yourself, but think through the problem before sending a week worth of research articles.

toss1 1y ago

For sure, important to be kind to yourself. But screaming "I'm a winner" doesn't do it either, and is perhaps even more undermining Everyone knows if you yourself have to say "I'm randomPositiveAttribute", whether it is "winner", "genius", "brilliant", "good-looking", etc., you are NOT that — you are just a loser trying to tell everyone you are somehow a winner. Perhaps the best thing to yell is the most straightforward — "Unlock Social Media Now!". It doesn't overtly characterize you, it honestly exposes your weakness, which is probably a more powerful shaming de-motivator.

egypturnash 1y ago

hmm, maybe "social media is for losers, and I'm a winner!" might be both comedic and positive? Maybe that's a little too close to the WINNERS DON'T USE DRUGS! splash screens that dominated the video games of my youth. We all snickered at those and I don't think it made a bit of difference. Dunno. Heck of a thing to holler when you're on the bus or whatever before you can get your fix, that's for sure.

patcon 1y ago

If only there was an API to only allow closing an app on a specific condition. Then you could make it so the pain was in leaving to go back to other work, so you'd enter knowing it would not be an easy exit. (But you'd get to yell self-affirming things on exit :) )

janalsncm 1y ago

It could work if they were rewarded for not opening social media. Otherwise that doesn’t make sense.