I'm leaving the Internet for a year(theverge.com)
theverge.com
I'm leaving the Internet for a year
http://www.theverge.com/2012/4/30/2988798/paul-miller-year-without-internet
112 comments
This person loves the limelight so much that staying away from the Internet for a year will be a tremendous challenge for him.
The author is doing an AMA on reddit right now: http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/szzm7/iama_technology_...
I think not getting a data plan for your smartphone (or using a dumbphone) is a pretty good balance nowadays. I can't think of a single thing I've been missing after my iPhone contract ran out. I still have the internet when I focus on it and work, but I don't run around like a short-sighted, Facebook-addicted zombie on the subway anymore.
Two years ago, I read the same thing (by a different author, of course): http://www.slate.com/articles/life/offline/features/2010/lif...
It inspired me to make Hacker Monthly.
It inspired me to make Hacker Monthly.
Wouldn't a better and easier solution be to simply practice restraint and limit yourself to several websites like Google Maps, Wikipedia, Email (once a day), Calendar (in the morning)? Then you can include other sites one-by-one to see which are most distracting, and block them.
“I went to the woods because I wanted to live deliberately, I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life, To put to rout all that was not life and not when I had come to die Discover that I had not lived.”
I honestly can't comprehend how he plans on doing his job without the internet. He's a tech-reporter for crying out loud! Relying on magazines & phone calls only to do that job in 2012 seems near impossible.
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gee...i wish i was wealthy enough to pull this off....seems pretty inconsiderate....if you hate the internet and it makes your life terrible then stop....for good....but I bet you come back because the internet has allowed you to get to this point of un-appreciation. why hate on it?
Filling some of the time with a bit of dial-up Trade Wars wouldn't be all bad.
That's a fascinating experiment. I just tried 30 days without the internet (at home). But I still used it in cafes, whereas Paul is disconnecting completely.
I think he's going to find many little points of friction that he wasn't expecting. So many non-internet exchanges now end with "sure, send me an email" or "Sure, just go to our website and..." The infrastructure to serve non-web users still exists, but it's fading.
I personally decided to go back to the internet. I'm doing an online course with Udacity; cafe bandwidth didn't cut it.
If I were just doing writing, I actually would go without a home internet connection. It's a much more productive system if your work doesn't require access. But my work now does, and there was too much friction.
If I were doing technology writing, like Paul...well, I'd love to know how this turns out.
I think he's going to find many little points of friction that he wasn't expecting. So many non-internet exchanges now end with "sure, send me an email" or "Sure, just go to our website and..." The infrastructure to serve non-web users still exists, but it's fading.
I personally decided to go back to the internet. I'm doing an online course with Udacity; cafe bandwidth didn't cut it.
If I were just doing writing, I actually would go without a home internet connection. It's a much more productive system if your work doesn't require access. But my work now does, and there was too much friction.
If I were doing technology writing, like Paul...well, I'd love to know how this turns out.
For many things (In the UK at least) there is still a non Internet infrastructure for interfacing with things like Government departments and banks.
But many other times there simply is not, I remember a few years ago (maybe around 2007) job hunting and asking for an application form and being told that all applications had to be made online.
Also for some of the systems I have developed we have ended up using email address as a uniquely identifying piece of information for each customer which basically means that it is a mandatory field whenever a record in the DB is created and I would guess many others have done so too.
But many other times there simply is not, I remember a few years ago (maybe around 2007) job hunting and asking for an application form and being told that all applications had to be made online.
Also for some of the systems I have developed we have ended up using email address as a uniquely identifying piece of information for each customer which basically means that it is a mandatory field whenever a record in the DB is created and I would guess many others have done so too.
Maybe some day we'll have public phone-to-Internet relays where you call an operator and tell them to navigate a website and read it back to you, like the text-to-phone relays the deaf use.
I like this idea. However, one must take into account the cost of having a human-operator read back a website to you.
Maybe as synthesized speech improves you could have a viable service like this using computer programs as the operator.
It'd be one way to cut back on your Internet addiction. You'll certainly reevaluate the worth of online discussions when you have to actually listen to them play out while you sit there.
Maybe as synthesized speech improves you could have a viable service like this using computer programs as the operator.
It'd be one way to cut back on your Internet addiction. You'll certainly reevaluate the worth of online discussions when you have to actually listen to them play out while you sit there.
Maybe he should ditch electricity and plumbing too? I mean, if you're going to figure out how this one technology has infested your soul, why not go all the way?
I'm sure there are some Amish* communities that would take you in and let you hammer some nails while you get back to your non-technological inner being.
* That's always what they seem to do in movies to the point of being a cliche.
I'm sure there are some Amish* communities that would take you in and let you hammer some nails while you get back to your non-technological inner being.
* That's always what they seem to do in movies to the point of being a cliche.
The internet is pretty distinct. It changes how we think and perceive the world.
Electricity is very impactful. But most things that it provides had analogues, at least for the middle to upper classes. Servants fulfilled the role that appliances now play. Horses provided fast enough transport, because the scale of cities were smaller, etc.
All analogies will break down somewhere, but most modern electrical conveniences have fairly close analogues in the past. But nothing seems like the internet.
Electricity is very impactful. But most things that it provides had analogues, at least for the middle to upper classes. Servants fulfilled the role that appliances now play. Horses provided fast enough transport, because the scale of cities were smaller, etc.
All analogies will break down somewhere, but most modern electrical conveniences have fairly close analogues in the past. But nothing seems like the internet.
I think it was Milton Friendman who pointed out that other than transportation, communication and medicine the increasing standard of living had almost exclusively benefitted those who weren't rich -- and had benefitted those who were in the bottom of that society the most.
You don't need indoor plumbing once you have servants; You don't need read-to-eat dinners when you have cooks and you don't need a dish-washer or vacuum-cleaner when you have maids.
This even goes to entertainment. When you can afford to hire a musician you don't need a music player.
You don't need indoor plumbing once you have servants; You don't need read-to-eat dinners when you have cooks and you don't need a dish-washer or vacuum-cleaner when you have maids.
This even goes to entertainment. When you can afford to hire a musician you don't need a music player.
Imagine a culture that was pre-electricity. Bring someone from that culture to 1990. Show them cell phones, televisions, space travel, etc. Imagine the cultural shock... the "advanced technology == magic" effect.
Now imagine showing someone from 1990 what things are like in 2012 with the internet we have today. While they would think it's "neat" and even "amazing", the magic effect would not be there.
The internet is cool, no doubt, but it's not the leap that electricity has been.
Now imagine showing someone from 1990 what things are like in 2012 with the internet we have today. While they would think it's "neat" and even "amazing", the magic effect would not be there.
The internet is cool, no doubt, but it's not the leap that electricity has been.
It's a good point. Energy's changes are highly visible and impactful, especially on a societal level. I would argue they're less impactful when we consider how an individual actually lives day to day.
The effects of the internet are largely invisible. Some people today still don't get the internet at all. The world around them changed, but they can't notice. But for someone who does get the internet, it can completely change how you live your life.
The effects of the internet are largely invisible. Some people today still don't get the internet at all. The world around them changed, but they can't notice. But for someone who does get the internet, it can completely change how you live your life.
> Now imagine showing someone from 1990 what things are like in 2012 with the internet we have today. While they would think it's "neat" and even "amazing", the magic effect would not be there.
I wonder what the biggest "future shock" for (let's say) a 1995 web user visiting the 2012 web? Video and bandwidth seem like the biggest differences, but as you point out, neither are "magic" from a 1995 context.
I wonder what the biggest "future shock" for (let's say) a 1995 web user visiting the 2012 web? Video and bandwidth seem like the biggest differences, but as you point out, neither are "magic" from a 1995 context.
Video and bandwidth are impressive - 1995 was still painfully slow for many people. People maybe had 56 kbit/s, but perhaps that dropped back to 33.3 kbit/s because of noisy lines. (v90 was approved late 1998). I was stuck on 14.4 kbps for ages. Oh god. ("Sloppy" is apparently a modem speed simulator. (http://www.dallaway.com/sloppy/) )
But I think the magic would be video and bandwidth on a handheld device?
But I think the magic would be video and bandwidth on a handheld device?
I've noticed that the web has gotten more useful. Google has an answer for more and more things. Wikipedia covers more topics. The qualitative difference is real, but hard to measure, because we can't search the web as it was in 2004, using the google of 2004.
I know I only went halfway back. If you go to 1995, there's a whole class of services that didn't exist.
I know I only went halfway back. If you go to 1995, there's a whole class of services that didn't exist.
Yeah, Wikipedia would be a pretty big "future shock" (though more social than technological).
And another social surprise would be Facebook because of the number of non-techies using the Internet.
And another social surprise would be Facebook because of the number of non-techies using the Internet.
It's useful to keep in mind McCluhan's adage "the medium is the message". It's the way a new medium influences culture in and of itself that has the greatest impact on us, not the content it carries.
Perhaps a better analogy for the Internet would be the printing press, but either way, it was arguably the ubiquity, accessibility and automation of electric power that changed society the most. Similarly, the fact that we can whip our phones out and query Wikipedia over a lunch discussion to settle a bet is much more revolutionary than the content of the article, or even the breadth of Wikipedia itself.
Perhaps a better analogy for the Internet would be the printing press, but either way, it was arguably the ubiquity, accessibility and automation of electric power that changed society the most. Similarly, the fact that we can whip our phones out and query Wikipedia over a lunch discussion to settle a bet is much more revolutionary than the content of the article, or even the breadth of Wikipedia itself.
The problem with that famous line is that it is absolutely devoid of any meaning. The actual line is "The Medium is the Massage" -- NOTE: MASSAGE -- and it was largely criticized as being incoherent [1]. A lot of post-modern non-sense that was well-timed to a period of social and cultural upheaval among idealistic youth culture.
For anyone interested in media commentary I recommend Niel Postman's "Amusing Ourselves to Death. Published in 1986 it is a eerie and lucid look into media and its measurable effects on society. I find it more relevant today than when it was published.
[1] - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Medium_Is_the_Massage
For anyone interested in media commentary I recommend Niel Postman's "Amusing Ourselves to Death. Published in 1986 it is a eerie and lucid look into media and its measurable effects on society. I find it more relevant today than when it was published.
[1] - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Medium_Is_the_Massage
I'm afraid you're mistaken. The book you mention does exist, but as graeme pointed out, it's an "unintentional" parody of the original phrase "the medium is the message", which is indeed widely attributed to McCluhan.
It's worth pointing out that McCluhan never wrote a book titled "The Medium is the Message", as the phrase is actually taken from his book "Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man", which was published in 1964. I highly recommend it, if you're interested in challenging your preconceived notions of "post-modern" thought, whatever it is you take that to mean. This text covers many topics seminal to media theory, which I won't summarize here, but the line you casually discard as meaningless (as well as the greater context surrounding it) is by far the most influential portion.
Seeing as though I explained the meaning of the phrase for you above, I won't repeat myself here, but on a somewhat lighter note I think were he alive today, he would probably be intrigued by your comments, and the medium by which you derived them. The irony would not be lost on him.
It's worth pointing out that McCluhan never wrote a book titled "The Medium is the Message", as the phrase is actually taken from his book "Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man", which was published in 1964. I highly recommend it, if you're interested in challenging your preconceived notions of "post-modern" thought, whatever it is you take that to mean. This text covers many topics seminal to media theory, which I won't summarize here, but the line you casually discard as meaningless (as well as the greater context surrounding it) is by far the most influential portion.
Seeing as though I explained the meaning of the phrase for you above, I won't repeat myself here, but on a somewhat lighter note I think were he alive today, he would probably be intrigued by your comments, and the medium by which you derived them. The irony would not be lost on him.
I haven't read McLuhan and have no opinion on his work. But from the article you linked to, the original phrase was "the medium is the message"
Your linked source also doesn't say anything about criticism of the phrase.
"The title is a play on McLuhan's oft-quoted saying "The medium is the message"."
"Why is the title of the book The Medium is the Massage and not The Medium is the Message? Actually, the title was a mistake. When the book came back from the typesetter's, it had on the cover 'Massage' as it still does. The title was supposed to have read The Medium is the Message but the typesetter had made an error. When McLuhan saw the typo he exclaimed, 'Leave it alone! It's great, and right on target!' Now there are possible four readings for the last word of the title, all of them accurate: Message and Mess Age, Massage and Mass Age."
Your linked source also doesn't say anything about criticism of the phrase.
"The title is a play on McLuhan's oft-quoted saying "The medium is the message"."
"Why is the title of the book The Medium is the Massage and not The Medium is the Message? Actually, the title was a mistake. When the book came back from the typesetter's, it had on the cover 'Massage' as it still does. The title was supposed to have read The Medium is the Message but the typesetter had made an error. When McLuhan saw the typo he exclaimed, 'Leave it alone! It's great, and right on target!' Now there are possible four readings for the last word of the title, all of them accurate: Message and Mess Age, Massage and Mass Age."
What was the quote I heard recently on NPR.. something like:
"Without internet it is back to 1970, without electricity, its back to 1890"
something like that anyway.
"Without internet it is back to 1970, without electricity, its back to 1890"
something like that anyway.
Is this a serious suggestion? It reads like you're mocking him, which is pretty uncalled for, but I can't be sure.
I wouldn't call it serious or mocking, rather I'd call it whimsical speculation designed to generate conversation. I find your attempt to suppress my whimsical speculation designed to generate conversation to be pretty uncalled for.
I didn't read it as whimsical; I was originally going to write something like "You're quitting smoking? Are you going to quit coffee, too?" It struck me as pretty harsh.
I do think there's legitimate value to the idea-- I'd bet most people would be a lot happier without electricity or indoor plumbing than we'd imagine.
But I think if somebody decided to try it for a year, a guy saying "No electricity, huh? Are you gonna stop cooking your food, or are you just doing like a halfway thing?" would sound like an asshole.
Also, what gives with calling my good-faith request for clarification an "attempt to suppress" you? I could have just downvoted you and moved on if that's what I wanted.
I do think there's legitimate value to the idea-- I'd bet most people would be a lot happier without electricity or indoor plumbing than we'd imagine.
But I think if somebody decided to try it for a year, a guy saying "No electricity, huh? Are you gonna stop cooking your food, or are you just doing like a halfway thing?" would sound like an asshole.
Also, what gives with calling my good-faith request for clarification an "attempt to suppress" you? I could have just downvoted you and moved on if that's what I wanted.
> I do think there's legitimate value to the idea-- I'd bet most people would be a lot happier without electricity or indoor plumbing than we'd imagine.
I think only someone who has grown up with both of those advances would be able to make this comment with a straight face.
Ask anyone who has nearly frozen to death in the winter because they couldn't afford their electricity bill what they think of that statement.
Or anyone who nearly died from cholera because of drinking from the nearest river due to no water utilities what they think of that statement.
I'm not writing this to be hostile. It is simply a statement that the "good ol' days" were not really so good afterall.
I think only someone who has grown up with both of those advances would be able to make this comment with a straight face.
Ask anyone who has nearly frozen to death in the winter because they couldn't afford their electricity bill what they think of that statement.
Or anyone who nearly died from cholera because of drinking from the nearest river due to no water utilities what they think of that statement.
I'm not writing this to be hostile. It is simply a statement that the "good ol' days" were not really so good afterall.
You're not talking about going without electricity or indoor plumbing. You're talking about being poor. Of course there's a great deal of overlap, but don't mistake the two.
I haven't done it myself, but I have a good friend who spent a couple winters in a cabin in rural Vermont. It's not that bad. You buy enough firewood to last, and get water from the well. It gets cold at night, but you've got a roof and a fire and a sleeping bag, you're not going to die. You can walk and hitchhike to the hospital in the nearest town, if you get sick. Really, the biggest issue is loneliness.
Sure, you give up a lot of comforts which I wouldn't want to, but people lived that way in good spirits for thousands of years. Empirical evidence suggests we have more or less the same capacity for unhappiness regardless of circumstance.
I haven't done it myself, but I have a good friend who spent a couple winters in a cabin in rural Vermont. It's not that bad. You buy enough firewood to last, and get water from the well. It gets cold at night, but you've got a roof and a fire and a sleeping bag, you're not going to die. You can walk and hitchhike to the hospital in the nearest town, if you get sick. Really, the biggest issue is loneliness.
Sure, you give up a lot of comforts which I wouldn't want to, but people lived that way in good spirits for thousands of years. Empirical evidence suggests we have more or less the same capacity for unhappiness regardless of circumstance.
The biggest issue is you spend a great deal of time just doing the things that automation can do in a fraction of the time. If you have a family, "laundry day" is literally a whole day and it is brutal, backbreaking labor. That is already 1/7 of your live devoted to something that is a solved problem.
Taking the absurd seriously...
I dabble in a blog featuring $1 meals. I get snide quips from people criticizing "oh, but are you taking costs of running a gas/electric stove into account? betcha haven't taken THAT into account!" So...several meals posted (or coming soon) are indeed cooked over an open fire of random deadwood.
So lighten up. The query is a half-serious challenge to go a step further. Those of us who HAVE lived without Internet for significant periods know it's not that big a deal (though not trying to trivialize it either) and think a good comparable exercise IS to shut off the main breaker, shred the credit cards, and shift into a lower gear for a while. Sounds harsh to some, sounds like a delightful challenge to others.
I dabble in a blog featuring $1 meals. I get snide quips from people criticizing "oh, but are you taking costs of running a gas/electric stove into account? betcha haven't taken THAT into account!" So...several meals posted (or coming soon) are indeed cooked over an open fire of random deadwood.
So lighten up. The query is a half-serious challenge to go a step further. Those of us who HAVE lived without Internet for significant periods know it's not that big a deal (though not trying to trivialize it either) and think a good comparable exercise IS to shut off the main breaker, shred the credit cards, and shift into a lower gear for a while. Sounds harsh to some, sounds like a delightful challenge to others.
"Lighten up"? Come on, man. I thought you were mocking the guy, but I could see how you might not mean it that way, so rather than run off and accuse you, or drive-by downvote, I asked what you meant. Which I guess you took as a slight against your honor?
Clearly I need to stop taking everything so serious.
Clearly I need to stop taking everything so serious.
Can't it be both? Paul should seriously abandon these other technological changes. It'll make his year much more of an experience!
Meanwhile, we'll be laughing about it.
Meanwhile, we'll be laughing about it.
I spent 20 years without Internet. I'll give it up when you pry my unlimited-3G iPad from my cold dead fingers. (Until then, I'll be figuring out how to have it surgically implanted.)
It's been done before:
http://www.slate.com/articles/life/offline/features/2010/lif...
http://www.slate.com/articles/life/offline/features/2010/lif...
I will be running the marathon under three hours.
Top comment: It has been done before
Sheesh, what a pain in the ass this will be. Not paying bills online, not making plans over email, etc., etc. The idea of not letting "the Internet" into unknown corners of your life is fine but I do the same thing by _paying attention_. This reminds of the regular Information Overload articles that get written about how the writer has too much stuff to pay attention to. When I read those I always think "you're doing it wrong". Control your technology, don't let your technology control you.
Control your technology, don't let your technology control you.
Or the lack of it.
Or the lack of it.
My bills pay themselves via variable direct debit, most of which I set up over the phone.
> Not paying bills online, not making plans over email, etc., etc.
If he's married, I'd wager 90% of those things will still get done over the internet; but instead of clicking a mouse, he'll ask his wife.
If he's married, I'd wager 90% of those things will still get done over the internet; but instead of clicking a mouse, he'll ask his wife.
I think the part where he says: ["Internet use" includes web browsing from any device, asking anyone to web browse for me, surfing the internet over someone's shoulder] means that he won't ask someone to do it for him...
He also mentions it in the very first paragraph:
I just won't use the internet in my personal or work life,
and won't ask anyone to use it for me.The following services are best done via internet and will be full of friction to substitute an alternative:
1. Remote desktop sharing and web conference calls
2. Remote learning / webinars
3. Bank transactions (web banking) for bill pay, instant wires and archived bank statements, etc. Yes, a phone call to the 1-800 could work, except for payments and immediately available bank statements.
4. Music video of the latest Rebecca Black hit exclusively available on Youtube only (lol right?)
4.
4.
3. Bank transactions (web banking) for bill pay, instant wires and archived bank statements, etc.
We used to put these things called checks into little paper envelops. We then put an inexpensive stamp onto them an deposited them in mailboxes. About 3 days later our bills were magically paid.
In all honesty does anyone actually have hard numbers on the number of people that actually use online bill pay? I'll willing to bet that a larger number of people still pay via a mailed check.
We used to put these things called checks into little paper envelops. We then put an inexpensive stamp onto them an deposited them in mailboxes. About 3 days later our bills were magically paid.
In all honesty does anyone actually have hard numbers on the number of people that actually use online bill pay? I'll willing to bet that a larger number of people still pay via a mailed check.
Maybe in the US and for business transactions, but the remainder of the world seems to have taken to online and automated phone payments almost exclusively.
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Couple of years back I hiked in Himalayas and there was no access to Internet for 15 days. Not just Internet but no cell phones, TVs, iPod etc. For first 3-4 days when we were still in rural towns of India, we had electricity but after that we had no access to electricity. I must say it was the best experience of my life. I don't think I missed anything at all. As far as author goes, 1 year is a really long time. I'd love to hear after 1 year.
I don't think 15 days is enough to get over the initial novelty and "honeymoon period" to be really sure it's so great.
After all, you're here now, back on the internet, posting on HN.
It is a good indicator that all of us could probably stand to gain from unplugging for a while every now and then.
After all, you're here now, back on the internet, posting on HN.
It is a good indicator that all of us could probably stand to gain from unplugging for a while every now and then.
but how did you plan the vacation? I imagine you used the Internet pretty extensively.
You didn't give up the Internet, you just went somewhere that didn't have it. Your time was spent doing something else, and you (probably) had plans on how to get around already.
If you gave up the Internet before you planned your trip, could you have gone?
You didn't give up the Internet, you just went somewhere that didn't have it. Your time was spent doing something else, and you (probably) had plans on how to get around already.
If you gave up the Internet before you planned your trip, could you have gone?
No. I went with the specific purpose of living life in its purest form. No technology to interrupt life. I did it as an experiment too. The only thing that I missed was GPS but rest other things were superfluous. So I've realized only GPS is a "painkiller". Rest other things are vitamins.
Or if he used the Internet to schedule a one-way trip there, how easily could he get home without using the Internet?
In fact I did exactly that. I scheduled one way trip using Internet. But I came back home without any help from web. Asking indigenous people solved that problem. And I also had those good ol' printed maps (instead of Google Maps) of that area.
I highly recommend this type of adventure. Its a lifetime experience.
I highly recommend this type of adventure. Its a lifetime experience.
It's one thing to go on a vacation and cut yourself off. It's another thing to cut yourself off for the day to day grind.
Here's one guy's experience of life (5 months of travels through Africa) before cell phones and, in general, most modern technology.
http://www.quora.com/Mobile-Phones/What-was-daily-life-like-...
http://www.quora.com/Mobile-Phones/What-was-daily-life-like-...
That's a great story. I went to Nairobi in 2004 and had the opportunity to stay with host families for three months. In 2004 there, slow Internet was available in Internet cafes for about $1/hr and some people had cell phones but mostly a family would have one and share it amongst them.
Because the landline phones were so poor due to government monopoly, many people didn't even bother using them. It was common for friends to just suddenly show up at your home. It would have been the same way in the Western world before telephones. For me, it was pretty nice. Everything seemed much more social and there was much more spontaneity on a daily basis instead of everything requiring planning.
Now that cell phones are more common there, I have no idea if people still just show up at friend's homes. Unfortunately, I would assume it would be something that will die away.
Because the landline phones were so poor due to government monopoly, many people didn't even bother using them. It was common for friends to just suddenly show up at your home. It would have been the same way in the Western world before telephones. For me, it was pretty nice. Everything seemed much more social and there was much more spontaneity on a daily basis instead of everything requiring planning.
Now that cell phones are more common there, I have no idea if people still just show up at friend's homes. Unfortunately, I would assume it would be something that will die away.
Having followed Paul's writing for awhile, I feel like I get where he's coming from and what he hopes to do with this endeavor. I really respect that.
But I still have to question the viability, and ultimately the value, of this honestly rather extreme abstentionism. If he were moving to a village in Thailand, things would be different – he'd be surrounded by people who don't need the internet, and the society he'd be living in wouldn't expect him to use it.
But, as far as I can tell, he's staying in NYC. The penalty for disconnecting is going to be disproportionately greater there than it would be in a society that doesn't expect even its homeless to be able to get government forms from an internet-connected computer in a public library. He can try to live in New York circa 1992, but he's ultimately going to be expected to live in New York 2012.
I think a more productive self-denial would be to limit one's internet usage to libraries and internet cafes. Cancel the FiOS and 4G, divorce yourself from Twitter and email, but leave the option open of making a trip down to the library to take care of the things in your daily life that actually require the internet.
But I still have to question the viability, and ultimately the value, of this honestly rather extreme abstentionism. If he were moving to a village in Thailand, things would be different – he'd be surrounded by people who don't need the internet, and the society he'd be living in wouldn't expect him to use it.
But, as far as I can tell, he's staying in NYC. The penalty for disconnecting is going to be disproportionately greater there than it would be in a society that doesn't expect even its homeless to be able to get government forms from an internet-connected computer in a public library. He can try to live in New York circa 1992, but he's ultimately going to be expected to live in New York 2012.
I think a more productive self-denial would be to limit one's internet usage to libraries and internet cafes. Cancel the FiOS and 4G, divorce yourself from Twitter and email, but leave the option open of making a trip down to the library to take care of the things in your daily life that actually require the internet.
It is pretty interesting to list everything internet-related (from VOIP to bill payments to search) and realize that we're in a period similar to the era in which electricity became a utility. In the early 20th century, electricity was still uncommon in many places; Lenin's slogan[1] in the 1920s was that "Communism = Soviet Power + Electrification of the whole country".
Paul David[2] is an economic historian who pointed out that factories were completely redesigned once people realized they didn't need to be centered on a steam engine:
The overall phenomenon is really just Marc Andreessen's thesis[3] in another guise. Today, "Software is Eating the World", and software engineers + the internet are automating processes and arguably obsolescing many jobs. But if we warped back 80-90 years or so, we'd say that "Electricity is Eating the World", and electrical and mechanical engineers were the ones automating processes and obsolescing jobs.
[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GOELRO_plan
[2] http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/the_undercover_economist/...
[3] http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000142405311190348090457651...
Paul David[2] is an economic historian who pointed out that factories were completely redesigned once people realized they didn't need to be centered on a steam engine:
Electric light bulbs were available by 1879, and there
were generating stations in New York and London by 1881.
Yet a thoughtful observer in 1900 would have found little
evidence that the "electricity revolution" was making
business more efficient.
Steam-powered manufacturing had linked an entire
production line to a single huge steam engine. As a
result, factories were stacked on many floors around the
central engine, with drive belts all running at the same
speed. The flow of work around the factory was governed by
the need to put certain machines close to the steam
engine, rather than the logic of moving the product from
one machine to the next. When electric dynamos were first
introduced, the steam engine would be ripped out and the
dynamo would replace it. Productivity barely improved.
Eventually, businesses figured out that factories could be
completely redesigned on a single floor. Production lines
were arranged to enable the smooth flow of materials
around the factory. Most importantly, each worker could
have his or her own little electric motor, starting it or
stopping it at will. The improvements weren't just
architectural but social: Once the technology allowed
workers to make more decisions, they needed more training
and different contracts to encourage them to take
responsibility.
The overall phenomenon is really just Marc Andreessen's thesis[3] in another guise. Today, "Software is Eating the World", and software engineers + the internet are automating processes and arguably obsolescing many jobs. But if we warped back 80-90 years or so, we'd say that "Electricity is Eating the World", and electrical and mechanical engineers were the ones automating processes and obsolescing jobs.
[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GOELRO_plan
[2] http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/the_undercover_economist/...
[3] http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000142405311190348090457651...
Removing constraints (aka increasing flexibility) seems like a good bet, even if you don't know exactly how it will be helpful (all things being equal - i.e. you don't add new constraints/trade-offs) . There are forces/demands applied to everything, and things settle into an equilibrium of trade-offs between those forces (provided you don't add onerous new constraints). If you release some constraints... you can enable a shift to a new equilibrium of trade-offs.
The greater the number of constraints you can release, to a greater degree, the more likely you are to prompt a revolution.
The greater the number of constraints you can release, to a greater degree, the more likely you are to prompt a revolution.
Thanks for sourcing your article!
Could you also provide a link to more information about "Honda's dark factories"? I have no idea what it is, and Google did not help me.
Could you also provide a link to more information about "Honda's dark factories"? I have no idea what it is, and Google did not help me.
"If he were moving to a village in Thailand"
Having spent a few months in a village in Northern Thailand, I was quite happy on the speed our internet connection was usually providing us. Generally used for checking email, skype, news and that passive income sources were still working.
Going rural in more remote places, where the area is cut off by rain or snow for some months of the year is far more challenging and interesting, at least for me. It shouldn't be, its the lives of the folks who live there everyday, we're just rather more lucky, most of the time.
When I lost house connected internet for a week, having to use libraries and cafes in Canada was far more challenging, in terms of scheduling time to go and use, than it was using the internet in a rural Thai village.
Good luck paying bills and checking your bank account (ATMs are an alternative) & investments when you can't use the internet & they now issue e-bill/e-statement, unless you pay extra for paper.
Having spent a few months in a village in Northern Thailand, I was quite happy on the speed our internet connection was usually providing us. Generally used for checking email, skype, news and that passive income sources were still working.
Going rural in more remote places, where the area is cut off by rain or snow for some months of the year is far more challenging and interesting, at least for me. It shouldn't be, its the lives of the folks who live there everyday, we're just rather more lucky, most of the time.
When I lost house connected internet for a week, having to use libraries and cafes in Canada was far more challenging, in terms of scheduling time to go and use, than it was using the internet in a rural Thai village.
Good luck paying bills and checking your bank account (ATMs are an alternative) & investments when you can't use the internet & they now issue e-bill/e-statement, unless you pay extra for paper.
If you combine the fraction of my FIOS and Cellphone bills that go to internet connectivity I am probably spending over 100$ a month. While ATM's and checks are annoying on net I would probably save money.
Actually, I've gotten 3G coverage in the remotest parts of Thailand, places that only got electricity this year. I had more trouble staying connected in small towns and such in the US!
I have not been to Thailand but can vouch for the problems of small town America. I crossed the country this year, on foot and accepting rides. In parts of rural Texas, my Verizon service either could not be connected at all or would announce to me that I was in Mexico and "additional charges" would apply for getting online. Oy.
[deleted]
Oh absolutely.
My parents moved to city that they had never been to at about that time. My mom had to call the directory to ask for realtor so they could find some place to live.
It was back when people actually used the phonebook to look up phone-numbers. It is that long ago.
Today almost none of the tech in available. Payphones still exist, but you have to know where they are -- and they are not exactly cheap.
Heck he can't even buy stuff at a supermarket, since those computers are almost certainly wired to send the purchase information back to be mined for data. And that wasn't unheard of back then. Today? Do they even have a directory anymore?
My parents moved to city that they had never been to at about that time. My mom had to call the directory to ask for realtor so they could find some place to live.
It was back when people actually used the phonebook to look up phone-numbers. It is that long ago.
Today almost none of the tech in available. Payphones still exist, but you have to know where they are -- and they are not exactly cheap.
Heck he can't even buy stuff at a supermarket, since those computers are almost certainly wired to send the purchase information back to be mined for data. And that wasn't unheard of back then. Today? Do they even have a directory anymore?
Agreed. If he's looking to "disconnect" it'd be more interesting to see him also go rural for a year.
I disagree.
I think we all know that it's possible to "go rural". Many have done it.
What Paul is doing is far more interesting and valuable to him as a tech journalist. I see this as a research project, not as a rejection of the web. To quote:
> Now I want to see the internet at a distance. By separating myself from the constant connectivity, I can see which aspects are truly valuable, which are distractions for me, and which parts are corrupting my very soul. What I worry is that I'm so "adept" at the internet that I've found ways to fill every crevice of my life with it, and I'm pretty sure the internet has invaded some places where it doesn't belong.
He will still live in NYC, still write tech articles, but by disconnecting he will constantly have some distance from the material. I will be happy to read his observations on the field around him through his new perspective.
I think we all know that it's possible to "go rural". Many have done it.
What Paul is doing is far more interesting and valuable to him as a tech journalist. I see this as a research project, not as a rejection of the web. To quote:
> Now I want to see the internet at a distance. By separating myself from the constant connectivity, I can see which aspects are truly valuable, which are distractions for me, and which parts are corrupting my very soul. What I worry is that I'm so "adept" at the internet that I've found ways to fill every crevice of my life with it, and I'm pretty sure the internet has invaded some places where it doesn't belong.
He will still live in NYC, still write tech articles, but by disconnecting he will constantly have some distance from the material. I will be happy to read his observations on the field around him through his new perspective.
Life before the internet was incredibly boring most of the time. You spent the majority of your free time figuring out ways to wring the most value from the 10% of time spent doing actual things with actual people.
A lot of it was filled with TV and moving around needlessly (to get things, to send things, to be somewhere at a certain time to pick up the phone...). It really sucked.
A lot of it was filled with TV and moving around needlessly (to get things, to send things, to be somewhere at a certain time to pick up the phone...). It really sucked.
One thing about life before the Internet was that social connections were used for finding out information. Nowadays people just go on the Internet and find it. Knowing a lot about a lot of things doesn't really count for much. I used to program Macs in the 90s and you'd get these big old Inside Mac books and maybe a good Primer book and if you got stuck, there was no stack overflow. You just had to go ask somebody. People maintained friendships because they might need information from that person. Now that's become totally obsolete.
I just find the questions I get asked are more interesting.
I used to get asked things that were effectively trivia, now I get asked things that are more about discernment.
It all depends on you and your lifestyle. I know a lot of people who rarely use computers and when they do they get what they need and shut it down again. I'm guessing you (,like me,) spend most of your work day and free time on a computer. Other people go outside, play sports, build physical things, play music etc. There are many opportunities for entertainment away from a computer.
I think this is important though. I was part of the last generation that spent most of my childhood without computers (born 1990). We didn't have our first computer until I was 6 (my uncle built it as a gift for me - it ran MSDOS + had 2 games on it). Most of my time was spent outside playing sports and building things. As I got older and go my first games console (N64) I spent more time using computers but most of it was still spent outside.
When I look at my younger family members who have grown up with the internet it surprises me how little time they spend outside. When they visit friends they play games on the computer. Being 'grounded' and not allowed out is no longer a punishment. Being made to go out and not use the computer is.
I think it will be very interesting to look back 50 years from now and see how much of an impact this has on peoples' development. Will people born with computers evolve significantly differently from those born without them?
I think this is important though. I was part of the last generation that spent most of my childhood without computers (born 1990). We didn't have our first computer until I was 6 (my uncle built it as a gift for me - it ran MSDOS + had 2 games on it). Most of my time was spent outside playing sports and building things. As I got older and go my first games console (N64) I spent more time using computers but most of it was still spent outside.
When I look at my younger family members who have grown up with the internet it surprises me how little time they spend outside. When they visit friends they play games on the computer. Being 'grounded' and not allowed out is no longer a punishment. Being made to go out and not use the computer is.
I think it will be very interesting to look back 50 years from now and see how much of an impact this has on peoples' development. Will people born with computers evolve significantly differently from those born without them?
It's not really a reversible change, but i do think it will eventually make people less reliant on each other, and societies will be much more diversified and fragmented than the current, mass-media-driven post-industrial city culture.
I grew up without the internet; i don't think we are that far apart or disconnected from the first internet generation.
I grew up without the internet; i don't think we are that far apart or disconnected from the first internet generation.
It was incredibly inconvenient you mean?
In the mid-90s, before broadband proliferation, I managed to get from London to Manchester via train (200 miles) which takes bloody forever. When I got there, I realised I'd forgotten the damn software I was supposed to be installing (100Mb of deployables). That resulted in an additional 400 mile round trip to London and back via slow train.
A 2 day install job took 4 days and several hundred pounds.
Now I'd just log in to their kit and install it from the comfort of my favourite chair in 10 minutes :)
In the mid-90s, before broadband proliferation, I managed to get from London to Manchester via train (200 miles) which takes bloody forever. When I got there, I realised I'd forgotten the damn software I was supposed to be installing (100Mb of deployables). That resulted in an additional 400 mile round trip to London and back via slow train.
A 2 day install job took 4 days and several hundred pounds.
Now I'd just log in to their kit and install it from the comfort of my favourite chair in 10 minutes :)
I tried Tim Ferris' "media fast" idea recently, though I only lasted 2 days (he recommends a week). No surfing, magazines, books, newspaper, TV...
I noticed I was bored, but I also felt that maybe it was good to be bored, at least once in a while. Having your desire for entertainment/attention constantly satisfied is just as unnatural as having your desire for sugar/fat/carbs constantly satisfied. Practicing meditation maybe helped me see that boredom can be beneficial.
Two other things I noticed: I suddenly had masses of free time. Previously, spare time was mopped up by surfing or reading books on my iPad. And while at the station I got the urge to look up something on my smartphone, remembered I wasn't allowed to, and rediscovered the forgotten experience musing about a question I had no way of finding the answer to.
I noticed I was bored, but I also felt that maybe it was good to be bored, at least once in a while. Having your desire for entertainment/attention constantly satisfied is just as unnatural as having your desire for sugar/fat/carbs constantly satisfied. Practicing meditation maybe helped me see that boredom can be beneficial.
Two other things I noticed: I suddenly had masses of free time. Previously, spare time was mopped up by surfing or reading books on my iPad. And while at the station I got the urge to look up something on my smartphone, remembered I wasn't allowed to, and rediscovered the forgotten experience musing about a question I had no way of finding the answer to.
Life before the internet was incredibly boring most of the time.
I constantly switch sides. The internet makes me think we're heading toward the Huxley scenario. And the government, with their SOPA/CISCPA actions make me thing we're heading toward the Orwellian scenario. And it is still to be decided which direction we end up.
What I meant was the internet helps me do things in the real world.
I thought that this attitude was sufficiently funny that I decided to put it into a Philosoraptor image, which I think is reasonably appropriate: http://drostie.org/before_lolcats.jpg
You've been here long enough to know that this kind of stuff is not desired here.
The reactions still seem to be pretty random -- about as random as reactions on reddit, to be perfectly honest. If I were really focusing on points, I suspect I would adopt a strategy like "don't ever reply to a comment, nobody ever up-votes conversation" -- and then this comment wouldn't have been authored.
Just to quantify the above statement: there is a group of "typically good" posts which I often get 6 or 7 points for: this included 7 for explaining what a plasma is, 7 for explaining how to do square roots and complex numbers with 2x2 matrices; 7 for discussing WTFs on the IRS tax forms, 6 for re-encoding hard-to-read XML as easy-to-read JSON, 6 points for explaining how French copyright law doesn't recognize the public domain.
That's a pretty esoteric set right there. It pales in comparison to the "big hitters." I got an unexpected 27 points for rickrolling Hacker News. I got an unexpected 20 for speculating non-constructively on whether there is a programming "voltage" equivalent to match the metaphor that most programming instructions are like force fields.
Apparently overloading the words "life" and "lolcats" to metaphorically refer to a quality living and the distractions on the internet, and doing it in the only appropriate way possible, is offensive. Okay, I can accept that. The other thing I've discovered was offensive was pulling out a Linus Torvalds quote and saying "this is insanely important, here's why" is offensive if those reasons are ultimately religious in nature.
Those boundaries are not possible for me to know unless I test them, and no, I don't pretend to know what all of them are. It is again a bit of a religious thing, and sorry. It boils down to this: basically, I suck. I will make mistakes, cross boundaries, and not know what the hell I'm doing.
That is a most important thing for me. It means that I have room to grow. And that's what I strive to do whenever I see a comment getting modded steadily downward.
Just to quantify the above statement: there is a group of "typically good" posts which I often get 6 or 7 points for: this included 7 for explaining what a plasma is, 7 for explaining how to do square roots and complex numbers with 2x2 matrices; 7 for discussing WTFs on the IRS tax forms, 6 for re-encoding hard-to-read XML as easy-to-read JSON, 6 points for explaining how French copyright law doesn't recognize the public domain.
That's a pretty esoteric set right there. It pales in comparison to the "big hitters." I got an unexpected 27 points for rickrolling Hacker News. I got an unexpected 20 for speculating non-constructively on whether there is a programming "voltage" equivalent to match the metaphor that most programming instructions are like force fields.
Apparently overloading the words "life" and "lolcats" to metaphorically refer to a quality living and the distractions on the internet, and doing it in the only appropriate way possible, is offensive. Okay, I can accept that. The other thing I've discovered was offensive was pulling out a Linus Torvalds quote and saying "this is insanely important, here's why" is offensive if those reasons are ultimately religious in nature.
Those boundaries are not possible for me to know unless I test them, and no, I don't pretend to know what all of them are. It is again a bit of a religious thing, and sorry. It boils down to this: basically, I suck. I will make mistakes, cross boundaries, and not know what the hell I'm doing.
That is a most important thing for me. It means that I have room to grow. And that's what I strive to do whenever I see a comment getting modded steadily downward.
There is no set type of post that gets votes. But the general rule is: Is it helpful? Does it teach? Does it detail interesting points? (If you notice all but one of the things that you posted that got points match those.)
Basically discourse. You don't always have to have super comments. You can just talk, and argue - you may not get points for it, but that's OK, and sometimes you'll be pleasantly surprised. And you won't usually get downvotes. Unfortunately sometimes you will (like the Linus comment). I've had it happen to me too, it's not pleasant but you have to ignore it. If you know your comment was good, then just accept it and move on.
(Small message to newcomers: Don't post anything provocative until you build up a Karma cushion or you may end up with a killed account. And you won't be told if that happens!)
Things like that picture you posted are just stupid. Reddit makes you think people like it, but actually people find it annoying. Or perhaps people like it sometimes when they are in the mood. But that's not what this site is for - different sites for different purposes.
Jokes also don't go over well, except in rare cases (apparently your rickroll was - but don't do it often, it's rare). The reason people dislike jokes is that they have a tendency to take over sites, and people are very worried about that happening here. But they are accepted rarely - which is exactly what people want - mostly good stuff with a small smattering of levity.
So when you have a joke, combined with a stupid sentence like the one in the picture you get massive downvotes. You may think that overloading the meaning of the words is the problem. But if you had written "Was there quality of life before the internet?" you also would have gotten downvotes since it's an empty sentence - if you want to talk about that then keep going, don't just raise the question (if you notice other people did in fact talk about this very topic). Putting that in a image instead of in text made it much worse, using "lolcat" made it worse. Combine everything (joke, image, empty sentence, lolcat) together and the downvotes are quite expected.
Basically discourse. You don't always have to have super comments. You can just talk, and argue - you may not get points for it, but that's OK, and sometimes you'll be pleasantly surprised. And you won't usually get downvotes. Unfortunately sometimes you will (like the Linus comment). I've had it happen to me too, it's not pleasant but you have to ignore it. If you know your comment was good, then just accept it and move on.
(Small message to newcomers: Don't post anything provocative until you build up a Karma cushion or you may end up with a killed account. And you won't be told if that happens!)
Things like that picture you posted are just stupid. Reddit makes you think people like it, but actually people find it annoying. Or perhaps people like it sometimes when they are in the mood. But that's not what this site is for - different sites for different purposes.
Jokes also don't go over well, except in rare cases (apparently your rickroll was - but don't do it often, it's rare). The reason people dislike jokes is that they have a tendency to take over sites, and people are very worried about that happening here. But they are accepted rarely - which is exactly what people want - mostly good stuff with a small smattering of levity.
So when you have a joke, combined with a stupid sentence like the one in the picture you get massive downvotes. You may think that overloading the meaning of the words is the problem. But if you had written "Was there quality of life before the internet?" you also would have gotten downvotes since it's an empty sentence - if you want to talk about that then keep going, don't just raise the question (if you notice other people did in fact talk about this very topic). Putting that in a image instead of in text made it much worse, using "lolcat" made it worse. Combine everything (joke, image, empty sentence, lolcat) together and the downvotes are quite expected.
Hehe, I have that old Nokia he was looking at in the shop. Dumbphones rock!
For the past couple of months I've lived without iPhone (with Prompt and Textastic) or phone for that matter (except for the occasional Skype call). I've tried to restrict my development and general Web usage to ~2 hours a day. I recall bumping into a colleague at around 3-4a.m. We had a smoke and then he got called away to do tech support on some web app he had been contractually obligated to support.
Given experiences like that, and my previous work schedule: In the meantime, I've played in the park; re-learned futball to where I can perform advanced, intensive dribbling; re-experienced my long distance running regimen with old friends; progressively mastered the track bike (in complex traffic scenarios, track standing, skid stops, heel stops, etc.); re-organized my thoughts in ordinary language philosophy, contemporary neuroscience, quantum mechanics, Wittgenstein and Spinoza; I've begun a semi-daily writing activity; longboarding; road tripping; skipping stones; befriending animals; etc.
These are the activities which contrast with $ pip install -r reqs.txt or reading another API or vim or bash scripting.
But what else have I noticed?
Daily I sit underneath the Texas sun, and watch. I watch people use these devices. I see IE everywhere and hours upon hours of people fumbling with that. Or texting. Playing some app or Twitter.
It's beautiful, as I sit under the sun, silent. It upsets me how so many able bodies opt for such narrowly prescribed lifestyle.
This argument often turns into ad hominem or red herring involving luddites, Amish, throwbacks, vintagers, etc.. But this text-based lifestyle is a choice too, you know, regardless of how "technologically savvy" or "liberated" or "autonomous" or "anonymous" one is.
Given experiences like that, and my previous work schedule: In the meantime, I've played in the park; re-learned futball to where I can perform advanced, intensive dribbling; re-experienced my long distance running regimen with old friends; progressively mastered the track bike (in complex traffic scenarios, track standing, skid stops, heel stops, etc.); re-organized my thoughts in ordinary language philosophy, contemporary neuroscience, quantum mechanics, Wittgenstein and Spinoza; I've begun a semi-daily writing activity; longboarding; road tripping; skipping stones; befriending animals; etc.
These are the activities which contrast with $ pip install -r reqs.txt or reading another API or vim or bash scripting.
But what else have I noticed?
Daily I sit underneath the Texas sun, and watch. I watch people use these devices. I see IE everywhere and hours upon hours of people fumbling with that. Or texting. Playing some app or Twitter.
It's beautiful, as I sit under the sun, silent. It upsets me how so many able bodies opt for such narrowly prescribed lifestyle.
This argument often turns into ad hominem or red herring involving luddites, Amish, throwbacks, vintagers, etc.. But this text-based lifestyle is a choice too, you know, regardless of how "technologically savvy" or "liberated" or "autonomous" or "anonymous" one is.
Lots of applause lights in there (http://lesswrong.com/lw/jb/applause_lights/). I'm pretty sure things are not nearly as bad as you seem to believe.
It's largely anecdotal, personal writing. So your description of my style may be technically accurate, but I feel your point suffers as a Mary-the-Color-Scientist observation.
Take Paul Grice's Maxims for conversational exchange: Many maxims are at play, and we shouldn't expect for anyone to be "in control" of their execution of a maxim (maxim of relevance, truth, etc.). And an important point is that Grice notes a maxim of relevance: relevant _information_.
Do I aim to supply anyone with _information_ with my post? Am I giving you information? From my post, does it seem like I, the author, would see _information_ as imperative to my point? Yes, naturally programmers expect an optimally informative state such that transaction might occur, but...
Please, just read the sentences. I'm not a politician trying to convince you. I am a human being with an approximate grasp of Academic English. I mean, you're re-labeling my style with "UNINFORMATIVE."
How do you expect me to take that?
And "as bad as you seem to believe." Please point to anywhere in what I have written that suggests I have described an overarching state of affairs to which we should all direct our attention.
My point is nothing more than "it is a lifestyle choice amongst many". Of course as someone who works out daily, as my anecdotal bits clear emphasize, I am at once suggesting my own bias. But "things"... I'm nowhere in that post talking about _things as they are_ or "the grand scheme."
You've applied that concept, not me. I'm mainly interested in this idea that _Everything before the Internet is boring_. I am thinking in terms that we have all well acknowledged: hours spent in front of a screen. The 5:01 developer intuits this. When I consider my hours not spent in front of a screen, I have sport, books, travel, etc. Others have this as well. Sometimes family or quite simply that too-sunny-fucking-idyllic-sunday feeling that tells you: What I am discussing here, with this poet, must be more interesting than work. So my point is actually a request for us to halt the discussion. Before we talk about values (good, bad, etc.), let's first acknowledge that it is a lifestyle. We should understand the values of the lifestyle (notably the one the original author seems to reject).
And as a follow-up: What motivates this linguistic policing?
Take Paul Grice's Maxims for conversational exchange: Many maxims are at play, and we shouldn't expect for anyone to be "in control" of their execution of a maxim (maxim of relevance, truth, etc.). And an important point is that Grice notes a maxim of relevance: relevant _information_.
Do I aim to supply anyone with _information_ with my post? Am I giving you information? From my post, does it seem like I, the author, would see _information_ as imperative to my point? Yes, naturally programmers expect an optimally informative state such that transaction might occur, but...
Please, just read the sentences. I'm not a politician trying to convince you. I am a human being with an approximate grasp of Academic English. I mean, you're re-labeling my style with "UNINFORMATIVE."
How do you expect me to take that?
And "as bad as you seem to believe." Please point to anywhere in what I have written that suggests I have described an overarching state of affairs to which we should all direct our attention.
My point is nothing more than "it is a lifestyle choice amongst many". Of course as someone who works out daily, as my anecdotal bits clear emphasize, I am at once suggesting my own bias. But "things"... I'm nowhere in that post talking about _things as they are_ or "the grand scheme."
You've applied that concept, not me. I'm mainly interested in this idea that _Everything before the Internet is boring_. I am thinking in terms that we have all well acknowledged: hours spent in front of a screen. The 5:01 developer intuits this. When I consider my hours not spent in front of a screen, I have sport, books, travel, etc. Others have this as well. Sometimes family or quite simply that too-sunny-fucking-idyllic-sunday feeling that tells you: What I am discussing here, with this poet, must be more interesting than work. So my point is actually a request for us to halt the discussion. Before we talk about values (good, bad, etc.), let's first acknowledge that it is a lifestyle. We should understand the values of the lifestyle (notably the one the original author seems to reject).
And as a follow-up: What motivates this linguistic policing?
[deleted]
I specifically signed up to express my appreciation of your post - thanks for taking the time to comment. You very effectively articulate my own apprehension about our emersion in digital technologies and the compromises we possibly make as a consequence. It would be foolish (and futile) to extol a new luddistism; I fully appreciate the benefits of internet technologies working in the field myself but I think maybe we would all benefit from a more acute awareness of how and why we are using such services as FB and Twitter to determine when they are becoming counter productive. I have personally found terminating accounts for both these services profoundly beneficial.
What's your job / how do you pay your bills?
Freelance front-end development. Python mostly.
Good luck!
I get the part about not using the internet. Easy enough. But not using the internet & still getting stuff done? That I'd like to see.
I recently spent 5 days without cable and internet connection (that's not quite true, I had internet connection of a total 4 hours) but I have activities so I'm not bored to death.
It feels, relieving at that time. It feels that life can be simpler.
Maybe I'll do that again soon....
It feels, relieving at that time. It feels that life can be simpler.
Maybe I'll do that again soon....
This reminds me of that guy about 10 or 15 years ago, who made some amazing claim that that he was going to live in his house, sustaining himself entirely from work he did and things he bought from the internet for a year. And then basically everyone forgot about it. I don't even know how that ended. The truth is nobody really cares. Stay on the internet, don't use the internet... nobody cares.
The first time I moved to the US I always thought I would learn a lot about the states.
What I realized is that it taught me more about Denmark where I came from.
By leaving the internet my suspicion is that he will learn a lot about it and probably get his priorities straight.
If you can afford it, clever move.
What I realized is that it taught me more about Denmark where I came from.
By leaving the internet my suspicion is that he will learn a lot about it and probably get his priorities straight.
If you can afford it, clever move.
Every few months I see a grand announcement on Facebook from someone or another about how they are closing their account. It always strikes me as a plea for their friends to beg them to stay.
In this case obviously he is a writer so he probably has the idea that he will write a pulitzer-prize winning article about his year spent offline.
I think if you're truly fed up with technology, just drop out. No need to make a big announcement about it.
In this case obviously he is a writer so he probably has the idea that he will write a pulitzer-prize winning article about his year spent offline.
I think if you're truly fed up with technology, just drop out. No need to make a big announcement about it.
I suspect a year writing a book of some kind, perhaps not about the Internet absence. Given the nature of this gentleman's job, I suspect a chunky advance to live off and some kind of plan.
I know this is a very small gesture in comparison, but I now spend time at a small cafe with no wifi and poor mobile phone signal for a couple of hours between commitments on Mondays. Mind mapping on paper and writing on a small netbook. Very productive of ideas.
I know this is a very small gesture in comparison, but I now spend time at a small cafe with no wifi and poor mobile phone signal for a couple of hours between commitments on Mondays. Mind mapping on paper and writing on a small netbook. Very productive of ideas.
I'm totally in favor of unplugging for a bit, although I never seem to do it!
I think you should live blog the whole thing. Wait. Nevermind.
Funnily enough, I started doing this last week when I realized that I'm on the Internet instead of learning the things I want to be doing -- martial arts, dancing, woodwork, metalwork, mechanics, hunting, chemistry, making friends, learning to fly, adrenaline rushes, etc. The only difference is that I allow the use of Internet cafes.
You do get physical and psychological withdrawals. I've been having fucking night terrors -- I've only had those once in my life, and that's when I gave up a drug addiction. There's an overwhelming feeling of loneliness and emptiness, but I knew this would happen since I don't have much of a social life.
Everything is slow.
At the moment it's not going well, because it's dawned on me that I can't afford the things I've been missing out on -- can't even afford martial arts classes. I've had no motivation to increase my income since I've just been spending time on the Internet.
However, this is what I've been banking on. The deep emptiness will hopefully motivate me to make a real change, as opposed to the shallow and medicated emptiness I felt thanks to the Internet.
Good luck.
You do get physical and psychological withdrawals. I've been having fucking night terrors -- I've only had those once in my life, and that's when I gave up a drug addiction. There's an overwhelming feeling of loneliness and emptiness, but I knew this would happen since I don't have much of a social life.
Everything is slow.
At the moment it's not going well, because it's dawned on me that I can't afford the things I've been missing out on -- can't even afford martial arts classes. I've had no motivation to increase my income since I've just been spending time on the Internet.
However, this is what I've been banking on. The deep emptiness will hopefully motivate me to make a real change, as opposed to the shallow and medicated emptiness I felt thanks to the Internet.
Good luck.
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