#117

You’re right - my comment was glib. But I think we’re in agreement for the most part here - ANY addiction needs to be taken seriously and I think we’re still learning about what smartphone/internet addiction is and looks like.

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#118

Nah

#119

Gonna throw what I have going on:

  • getting in an argument with someone on the internet can be incredibly stressful, especially when you realise that people are just looking for a rise out of you

  • It has changed my enjoyment of music- I now constantly look for new stuff to explore, but I might do something like listen to an artists discography over a week or 2 weeks and then never return to it

  • I am very bad at concentrating on reading stuff for uni on my laptop as it is too tempting to flick on here or look at something (anything) else

  • It has made me very skilled at wasting time- I make lunch and watch an episode of IASIP, and start a second one while I do the dishes, so I effectively double the time it takes to do that!

sure, what’s the worst that could happen…
Gonna start blocking social media on my laptop for a month to get some assignments done. Should make it better.

2 Likes
#120

Some absolute objectively wrong opinions in this thread

#121

Got suuuch mixed feelings about this

The internet has made me a funnier, more knowledgeable person and far more open to perspectives outside of my experience, I’ve met so many of my friends/my last 2 bfs through it, Countdown success never would have happened without it.

But I am addicted. I get incredibly twitchy and anxious when my phone dies or I can’t check it, I’ve nearly been sacked from one job for using it on work time and told off at another job, I get very emotionally involved in discussions or arguments often in a more intense way than in person as tone is so hard to gauge. My attention span and productivity are non existent and I rarely do anything after work in my house that isn’t internet related. I carry my laptop or smartphone EVERYWHERE. I check my phone if I wake up during the night. It’s incredibly unhealthy and I dread to think how much I could have done with my life without that compulsion.

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#123

Yesterday I was discussing abuse allegations about an ahem, litigious, musician via FB message, and then my feed was covered in adverts for his tour. Same thing happened to my friend.

#125

Way too good at extracting keywords from things. No ability whatsoever to glean context.

#126

Yep, the positives are definitely very positive for me if that makes sense. I would probably still hold some of the very odd political opinions of my parents if it wasn’t for the internet. I also wouldn’t have had the same literary ‘education’ if it wasn’t for the internet and my kindle. The exposure to intelligent people and wildly differing perspectives is great.

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#127

Like if I weren’t addicted to the internet/smart phones I doubt I would have used my time that much more constructively, I’d have been addicted to other things, tv, films, books. But think I don’t consider those things bad (except films), I don’t consider smartphones/internet bad either but could get almost the same out of it if I checked once or twice a day, instead I reach for my phone in between any other thought, I once stopped what I was doing to check the internet on my phone even though I was already on the internet on my laptop. I didn’t used to switch books mid sentence, or read the same page over and over, or change change channels mid programme. It’s clear for me the Internet had high jacked the short term rewards centre of my brain, and abstaining causes a sense of agitation I never got if the TVs reception went down. Sure it may not affect everyone the same but there are enough people it does to not dismiss it as “not a thing”

#128

Interesting to me that Facebook gets so many mentions here. It’s probably the website/form of social media that has the least impact on me, personally

I barely check it, and 90% of my use is messenger. I feel like most people my age very rarely actively use or update it, especially compared to 7-8 years ago.

#129

Or mock them as being morons

#132

Don’t forget DiS!!

Speaking of which… has anyone ever logged on via Patreon? I might do that just to see what happens. Some proper Dark Web shit hopefully.

#133

Bit weird, it’s a big issue for a lot of people

#135

To expand on this, this seems like a fairly universal thing? The more it’s grown, the more likely you are to have grandparents and aunties and uncles or whatever, and naturally feel the need to share less.

Feels like Facebook of 2010 was a pretty different experience entirely. Writing on people’s walls as a very public way of communicating (rather than just messaging) just seems really odd now. Now it almost seems like a glorified RRS feed of content, comments, brands etc + aggregated content from whatever else, like Instagram. [I suppose this reflects the business model and profitability]

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#136

How can you know which is which though

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#138

Seems like the same kind of argument as some overweight people just eat too much, and doubt many would be comfortable saying that nowadays. Should really look at the societal/technological factors and not in terms of individual poor character

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#139

I think there is some addictive elements of the internet but its used to conveniently as a reason for worsing mental health in young people.

There is a lot of anxiety about the fact that people are on the smartphones I do not believe is at all the major reason. In fact it can help in so many ways. People claim it creates loneliness but in many ways it helps prevent it. You can reach out to people and have chats and reconnect when you feel isolated and alone. This can make people more socially lazy irl though.

I do believe that jelous people react badly tonseing people do well on facebook but I know that its just an illusion and ive never been career focused like that. When I’m horny the internet can make me feel more lonely though.

I also think online dating can be damaging for building longer relationships as the buzz of matching with someone can make you belive that you could hook up/do better. But at the sane time as someone who used to be intensely shy it gave me a lot of expirence with going on dates in a way which I just would not have if I had to ask people I knew out.

There is also the gamified indorphones bit. Chasing likes and retweets. This isnt healthy particularly in children.

There is also much subtler changes in perceptions both of people and place. Socail media is a curated space and I used to like it when the internet was anonymous but it was fun and you could reflect different personas and characteristics which you wouldnt in front of people you know. Now its a hyper curated space with a lot of posturing and signaling. Its like pushing the idea of a concreate self. But these are interesting curiosities that are sad imo but not actually damaging.

I really belive that Twitter gives too much self validation abd after a few successful tweets it makes you feel important and clever when really you are just writing poorly reaserched snappy takes to confirm peoples beliefs.

I think its a big transformation but probably more good then bad. There are also a little confusion between the changes that were already happening due to digital technology and are actually not really due to the internet.

#142

for me

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#144

Nah really think the evidence is against you on this one, it is have an affect across the board and affects some more than others

#146

I mean I am part of a football facebook group and am pretty regular on there. Now when I travel through out England or parts of Europe and am alone at a hotel I just do a call out on there and end up having a nice drink with someone new. Its pretty amazing!

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