Also, reference this
What he talks about in the video about the total boredom after quitting the internet sounds a lot like psychological withdrawal symptoms among other addictions.
So, worth considering: Is America now, or soon becoming,
entertainment-addicted? (Is everyone? No. Are most people? Probably yes. Also worth realizing: Not thinking you're addicted to something may just mean you're OK with being addicted to it)
Are we so trained to constantly be entertained, distracted,
and connected to things going on, that many of us (case in point the younger
generation with smartphones) are in fact addicted to the internet/constant entertainment/stimulation?
When I had cable I would sit sometimes for hours at a time
channel surfing. Especially after 2am there was almost never anything good on,
and yet I kept searching. Surely in 80 channels (only 80, I know) there's
SOMETHING! (I *did* get a nice set of knives from an infomercial once)
So now I don't have cable, and I've realized I channel surf
Facebook. I keep hitting the home button, scroll down the page to see new
comments, check people's profile pages for pictures, all in pursuit of the new,
the entertaining, the thought-provoking.
And books, games, other things...all these are boring.
I submit that the modern internet and especially social media is an addictive phenomenon just
as is gambling, just as is alcohol and shopping and cable TV and so many other
things. I think TV and social media/internet are two of the MOST addictive phenomenons available today. Our brains want more entertainment, more good things, more stimulation.
With all this stimulation, we cease to see less active pursuits such as
reading, which takes longer to present new things to our brain, as being
exciting.
I know this: Beyond the borders of utter boredom lies a
powerful need for productiveness. So, I'm going to explore a complete absence
of electronics. I'll post my last pictures of Minecraft to Facebook later
today, and then I'm off. My phone number is on my facebook page. My email address is Kevinmbratcher@hotmail.com.
I'm not deleting Facebook, I'm just ignoring it.
Quietly.
No facebook announcement, just a couple of videos posted and anyone who may have heard of this blog at some point may read this and know. I have found that publicly announcing a plan is one of the surest ways to avoid following through with it, because the peer reward is gained before the required ensuing work.
The first couple weeks are going to be mind-numbing. But on the other side I know the minutes and hours will become full of good things, because I can't stand to sit still.
It's time to totally reduce the comfortability-inducing aspects of my life, to see where being uncomfortable can carry me.
And maybe, occasionally, I'll type something and post it up here. :)
I'm not deleting Facebook, I'm just ignoring it.
Quietly.
No facebook announcement, just a couple of videos posted and anyone who may have heard of this blog at some point may read this and know. I have found that publicly announcing a plan is one of the surest ways to avoid following through with it, because the peer reward is gained before the required ensuing work.
The first couple weeks are going to be mind-numbing. But on the other side I know the minutes and hours will become full of good things, because I can't stand to sit still.
It's time to totally reduce the comfortability-inducing aspects of my life, to see where being uncomfortable can carry me.
And maybe, occasionally, I'll type something and post it up here. :)
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