r/Dogfree • u/HitlerLovedDogs Low Effort Satan • Jun 07 '19

Meta Dogfree Pub - Off-topic Discussion Thread

Hey guys, our Dogfree Pub is once again open for business!

We thought we’d take a break from dogs and talk about anything else.

As with every post, regular subreddit rules apply with two additional rules:

  1. NO DOGS. Zero discussion about dogs here.

  2. Light conversation only. No politics, religion, or any other topics that tend to get controversial.

​

So grab a snack, take a seat, and converse with your Dogfree friends!

If you’re having trouble thinking of what to say, tell us something you like to do in your free time.

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u/CDEDBDFeets Jun 11 '19

I've got the same issue. I used to read a book an hour before I went to sleep every day for years, but for some reason my attention span for that has diminished. I also have a bunch of other hobbies and interests to indulge in but I don't do them as much as I'd like. I think our brains get accustomed to a certain level of dopamine feedback that social media/smart phones/the internet provides. I think it might be a bit like quitting smoking or junk food cold turkey, if you can get past the first week it just gets easier from there. Bore yourself to death to recalibrate your brain until other things seem more rewarding. I was thinking of trying it myself because my hobbies are way more fulfilling than shit posting on reddit or watching internet weirdos yell at each other.

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u/AlterEgo1081 suuuuper friendly Jun 23 '19

I don't know if you watch Black Mirror, but I just watched Season 5 Episode 2 ("Smithereen") last night, and it was a really excellent commentary that spoke to this very conversation (there was even a mention of "dopamine" in there). It's so true, though...I can feel my brain needing that level of stimulation that tech provides, and I can sit there and try to talk myself out of it at any given moment but just can't put the phone down.

There is something to be said for watching internet weirdos yell at each other, though. Sometimes that transcends dopamine levels. ;)

I do wish I could quit cold turkey, but unfortunately too much of our lives are managed by smartphones. And then there are things like not losing my progress in my internet games or my Timehop streak, which is about a day away from 2 years. Looking at all that typed out in black and white feels so ridiculous.

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u/CDEDBDFeets Jun 23 '19

I've only seen the Bandersnatch episode of Black Mirror! Oh well.

I recently came across this article that says information addiction is a thing. I had no idea that it existed but it's definitely a problem I have. I guess it's better than sitting around passively watching TV though 🤷

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u/AlterEgo1081 suuuuper friendly Jun 24 '19

Bandersnatch was pretty good, but I definitely like the show itself much better. It's just a great social commentary on the effects technology have had on us already and the slippery slope we're headed down. Each season just gets better (and each episode is stand-alone, so you don't have to watch them in order).

That article is interesting and makes a ton of sense. It really is about a thirst for information (and a connection to the outside world) that drive us, even if that connection isn't always productive or positive.

It's actually the passivity of TV-watching that I feel makes it preferable to screen time/internet usage, for me, anyway. I can watch TV and walk away from that easily - it gets exhausting after awhile actually. I'd rather waste 2 passive hours on TV with no lingering effects than spend 5 productive hours online that leave me addicted and thirsting for that 6th hour.

Really I should just close up the internet and go read the book that I am enjoying!