Digital Minimalism Discussion Thread
- Thread starter Luxuria
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Haha, thanks for the tip. I agree. Not reading it is the best way to go about not reading it. I think I need to go back to the model I had in the beginning of the year. Which was 'I'll hear what I need to hear about the news' from other people in real life. I have to TRUST those around me to tell me important things and then, the other thing is 'don't investigate it'. Because I end up going down the news rabbithole. Haha.
Thanks. It really is the same shit all the time. So, I guess I can try and tell myself 'I've read everything' and finished 'the book of the news,'. Haha.
I not only don't read it, I unfollow/unfriend accounts that spend a lot of time trying to hype people up over things or constantly post news. If it's someone I genuinely don't want to unfriend (like family) I just mute them for a bit. Like Homer and DLC said, it's all same shit different day to me and I do not have the brain space to get worked up over things that I can't do anything about.Also, does anyone have any tips for avoiding news and stupid stuff? It's the one area I am currently struggling with. Also, feel free to post your DM stories here, too. I want to hear them!
I also unfriend/unfollow people who post constant sympathy porn. Meaning the "help us save this dog", "these poor people were murdered by..", "donate here for blah blah". It's not that I don't care, I do. I care too much. And everyone and their brother has their hand out for something. It's exhausting and the implied guilt makes me angry when so many can barely make their rent. I just can't do it.
refuin talmann
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i leave my house without phone as much as i can
I don't know too much about reddit (I only ever use the askhistorians channel when researching stuff), but youtube ... it depends. Much of it is dross, but there are good things on youtube too.
Reddit and YouTube are just tools. What people do with those tools is up to them. Giving up YouTube also means giving up on glittering gems like this:
Get yourself a browser that can’t block YouTube ads (unless you’re one if those people who don’t mind the ads…). That killed YouTube for me. I can’t stand the constant ads so I just don’t go back unless I actually need a video guide for something.
As to how to avoid news: I find it difficult to avoid something interesting, but easier to find something else to do instead. I got a library card and now I always have interesting books. Those help keep me away from doomscrolling.
This is an awesome idea. I love it. I have the most trouble with Youtube on my phone, because I can't block shorts. I ended up spending 2-3 hours on shorts yesterday and felt like I was had a a casino. Which most likely, isn't far from the truth. I will try unblocking ads. Because I am very anti-ads at the moment and it might kill my enjoyment. Which would be great.
YES! I love the library. I am doing a lot of reading for school right now, but I will see what I can get from the library. Even a manga book is better than the phone. I think that might be nice.
What about ad-blockers?
I use Adblock Plus, in conjuction with NoScript (for blocking potentially dangerous scripts), and have never had any trouble with YouTube ads.I have three library cards, but I haven't been to any of those libraries for years. It's not that I don't want to borrow books - it's just that, having been a member for so long, I've read everything that interests me. *shrug*
Yes, that's the problem. I did have the ad-blockers working just fine originally, and then after a Youtube update they stopped working. During the time that I was too lazy to look for an update, I discovered how much I hate the ads but also how much they pushed me away from Youtube (which I was happy about), so I just never got around to properly updating. I never feel the urge to browse Youtube now.What about ad-blockers?
(Also, changing my settings so it never saves my history means there's never anything interesting shown...)
Not even any new books?
Sorry. When I see a new book that interests me, I want to grab and read it immediately ... but alas, if it really interests me, I also want to own it. *
@ Self* That's why I had three fully stuffed bookcases at home, and even that's not enough -- because I'm reading a book now (about scientists who made poor decisions or behaved badly), and I have another half-dozen books on my "to read" list.
Aggh! Too many books, not enough time -- the curse of the bibliophile!
twiget
If it's stupid but it works, it aint stupid.
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Honestly, I don't remember the last time I purpousely left my house without my phone. I'm old enough to remeber rotary telephones at my grandparents house, so I do remember a time before cell phones where mandatory.
That would be brutal. I'd give up YouTube in half a second if I couldn't block in video adds.
I've de-Googled my life as much as I can. YouTube is one site I spend too much time on, and I do have a Google Pixel phone, which ironically is currently the only phone that runs GraphineOS, a de-Googled version of Android.
I had an awesome morning!
I woke up, made hot chocolate, did singing practice, made story notes. Relaxed with crochet, so many things. I am just now getting on my computer. My phone rang earlier so I checked the forum. But I am going to be trying to check here at noon. So, no computer until noon.
I was also wondering if I should and could make a progress journal for what my family and I are calling, 'Vintage Lifestyle.'. Which is technically a more in-depth digital minimalism. Also, a major tip that I have is: 15 minutes is a LOT of time. Way more than you think. I challenge you to set a timer and sit for 15 minutes, doing nothing. It really opens the eyes to how much time we really have.
I woke up, made hot chocolate, did singing practice, made story notes. Relaxed with crochet, so many things. I am just now getting on my computer. My phone rang earlier so I checked the forum. But I am going to be trying to check here at noon. So, no computer until noon.
I was also wondering if I should and could make a progress journal for what my family and I are calling, 'Vintage Lifestyle.'. Which is technically a more in-depth digital minimalism. Also, a major tip that I have is: 15 minutes is a LOT of time. Way more than you think. I challenge you to set a timer and sit for 15 minutes, doing nothing. It really opens the eyes to how much time we really have.
I’m currently reading The Anxious Generation. It’s about how growing up on smartphones and social media is changing developing young minds.
There are a lot of books like this out there describing the things social media sites do to keep you (literally) addicted and always coming back. Reading about it might help.
There are a lot of books like this out there describing the things social media sites do to keep you (literally) addicted and always coming back. Reading about it might help.
I will look and see if the library has it.
TL;DR - I would love to cut down even more on internet use. Or my phone in general. Or simply use it for an e-reader. Easier said than done.
I'm torn between being on social media, any kind, even forums, and using fiction reading for the lonely feeling I have. Fiction lessens loneliness in people, because we develop "relationships" with the characters, and *see* more of them than we do of the average human. We really get into their heads.
The fact is I'm socially awkward in real life. And on my "normal days", I'm not doing great at making true friends either. I have family I exchange messages with; all the usual how's-the-weather questions. Less than 20 minutes of connection with them in the morning and it's over and they're off to work.
Living so remotely from everyone doesn't help, and there's not much I can do about it right now, or for the next 5-10 years. I *know* it'll be a massive challenge for me to find something to speak about once I'm around a group of people again. You know, beyond the rain.
Scrolly social media makes me more anxious. It's too fast, and I feel there's no connection even for a moment. At least in a forum the message sits there and there's time for someone to read or react to it.
But I suppose it's the all or nothing part of my mind wondering, can I possibly put this aside too? I currently have Whatsapp for family, and this forum. And my SO. That's it.
I would love to be less on the internet too. But I seem to have an ongoing trivia in my mind, my own version of Who Wants to Be A Millionaire, barring Jeremy Clarkson's voice, asking random stuff that I simply must look up as soon as possible. I could be in the middle of spraying invading ants when he sounds out a question. Drop everything. Google the answer. Sometimes Google the answer for 20 minutes.
My hobbies are all low cost/free/low space by necessity. Reading, writing, walking, gardening. Reading is done on the phone or kindle. Writing CAN be done by hand purposely, but I cannot then edit what I've typed. So I spend, unfortunately, lots of my day in front of a screen, some of it at least before an e-ink one with airplane mode perpetually activated.
I'm torn between being on social media, any kind, even forums, and using fiction reading for the lonely feeling I have. Fiction lessens loneliness in people, because we develop "relationships" with the characters, and *see* more of them than we do of the average human. We really get into their heads.
The fact is I'm socially awkward in real life. And on my "normal days", I'm not doing great at making true friends either. I have family I exchange messages with; all the usual how's-the-weather questions. Less than 20 minutes of connection with them in the morning and it's over and they're off to work.
Living so remotely from everyone doesn't help, and there's not much I can do about it right now, or for the next 5-10 years. I *know* it'll be a massive challenge for me to find something to speak about once I'm around a group of people again. You know, beyond the rain.
Scrolly social media makes me more anxious. It's too fast, and I feel there's no connection even for a moment. At least in a forum the message sits there and there's time for someone to read or react to it.
But I suppose it's the all or nothing part of my mind wondering, can I possibly put this aside too? I currently have Whatsapp for family, and this forum. And my SO. That's it.
I would love to be less on the internet too. But I seem to have an ongoing trivia in my mind, my own version of Who Wants to Be A Millionaire, barring Jeremy Clarkson's voice, asking random stuff that I simply must look up as soon as possible. I could be in the middle of spraying invading ants when he sounds out a question. Drop everything. Google the answer. Sometimes Google the answer for 20 minutes.
My hobbies are all low cost/free/low space by necessity. Reading, writing, walking, gardening. Reading is done on the phone or kindle. Writing CAN be done by hand purposely, but I cannot then edit what I've typed. So I spend, unfortunately, lots of my day in front of a screen, some of it at least before an e-ink one with airplane mode perpetually activated.
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Once upon a time there was a social norm to visit someone uninvited and dwell with tea and don't talk about anything. Usually there was more of someones there already doing the talking, so you could pretend being a listener and simply enjoy the company.
There was a common friend in our circle, who owned a larger than normal space. He was cool educated, always glad to explain the first principles of anything related to history and anthropology. His place was always full with friends and friends of friends, in our 20s-30s. And amazingly there was no alcohol, or excess of food, or TV even. It was the time of 80s-90s. Everyone, who was minimally related to college level of education was like this.
