"And the internet has turned us all into irresponsible drug users."
Recently, I've asked a few of my close friends to show me their daily screen usage time. None agree to do so. They know it's horrible. They know they spend hours on doomscrolls and all the other types of scrolls. They are addicted. Addicted drug users.
It's reassuring to read your piece which see's the issue cleary - sometimes I wonder if other people are as worried about phone/internet/social media usage as I am.
This was a seriously deep and investigative piece. Very good writing Justin. I'm subscribing so I can hang around for the next ones!
I love the advice you give here so much about keeping your identity small and leaving the internet for the real world. One thing I have struggled with while develop myself is that everyone has strong opinions about what I should or should not do as a young man. Marry early, marry late, don't date at all, save when you are young, spend when you are young, learn X programming language, no learn Y.. on and on.. it didn't help that I am the kind of person who is always trying to fit into a group and feel that I belong.. it was not until I kept following advice and ending up unhappy that I learnt that all that matters is what works for me or what is practical for my specific situation.. You've made me understand what was happening
Did you read that post he linked to about keeping your identity small? Whether or not, if you scroll all the way down to the bottom, he thanks a certain Sam Altman for helping him edit it... all the way back in 2009.
Love this post! I find so much truth in what you write. People say things on social media that they would never say in a face to face conversation with someone. They love feeling important. People who make grand, sweeping statements about everyone in a political party for example. They feel so self-righteous and relevant. In reality, they appear petty, small, and uninformed. In trying so hard to look relevant, they make themselves into someone you view as not even worthy of having a conversation with.
"I was sort of friends with the popular kids, sort of friends with the burnouts, sort of friends with the upper classmen, sort of friends with the nerds, and sort of friends with the outdoorsy guys. By spreading myself so thin, I only confused myself more.
I lacked a real identity, and what I did in response gave me even less of an identity."
Or... you were onto something. There's no such thing as a "real identity". You could have been full-on friends with all of those groups, and full-on yourself sans any filtering, without any inherent conflicts.
"Going on the internet and getting into hateful discussions is an American pastime now."
Weird minds think alike sometimes...
I have a ton of partial posts in a large queue I've been collecting as I've zeroed in on what my stack will be about and how to start it right. One of them only has a working title, that goes a little something like:
"And the internet has turned us all into irresponsible drug users."
Recently, I've asked a few of my close friends to show me their daily screen usage time. None agree to do so. They know it's horrible. They know they spend hours on doomscrolls and all the other types of scrolls. They are addicted. Addicted drug users.
It's reassuring to read your piece which see's the issue cleary - sometimes I wonder if other people are as worried about phone/internet/social media usage as I am.
This was a seriously deep and investigative piece. Very good writing Justin. I'm subscribing so I can hang around for the next ones!
It really is taking us to a dark place. I've been an addict, and this is no different.
Cheers man, thank you for the feedback
I love the advice you give here so much about keeping your identity small and leaving the internet for the real world. One thing I have struggled with while develop myself is that everyone has strong opinions about what I should or should not do as a young man. Marry early, marry late, don't date at all, save when you are young, spend when you are young, learn X programming language, no learn Y.. on and on.. it didn't help that I am the kind of person who is always trying to fit into a group and feel that I belong.. it was not until I kept following advice and ending up unhappy that I learnt that all that matters is what works for me or what is practical for my specific situation.. You've made me understand what was happening
100% understand. I was doing a lot of the same things as a young man.
I hope you find more and more things you're interested in and can make decisions you're happy with. That's all we can do. Cheers man
Could be why Jung said life starts at 40, and up until then it's research XD
That's a clever line
Certainly a different one, but I'm only 3 years in.
Did you read that post he linked to about keeping your identity small? Whether or not, if you scroll all the way down to the bottom, he thanks a certain Sam Altman for helping him edit it... all the way back in 2009.
Neat.
cool! hadn't seen it the first time
Love this post! I find so much truth in what you write. People say things on social media that they would never say in a face to face conversation with someone. They love feeling important. People who make grand, sweeping statements about everyone in a political party for example. They feel so self-righteous and relevant. In reality, they appear petty, small, and uninformed. In trying so hard to look relevant, they make themselves into someone you view as not even worthy of having a conversation with.
Yes. Exactly that.
And the people who are informed can tell how silly it is, but most people aren't informed so they respond in kind... and on and on it goes.
"I was sort of friends with the popular kids, sort of friends with the burnouts, sort of friends with the upper classmen, sort of friends with the nerds, and sort of friends with the outdoorsy guys. By spreading myself so thin, I only confused myself more.
I lacked a real identity, and what I did in response gave me even less of an identity."
Or... you were onto something. There's no such thing as a "real identity". You could have been full-on friends with all of those groups, and full-on yourself sans any filtering, without any inherent conflicts.
"Going on the internet and getting into hateful discussions is an American pastime now."
Weird minds think alike sometimes...
I have a ton of partial posts in a large queue I've been collecting as I've zeroed in on what my stack will be about and how to start it right. One of them only has a working title, that goes a little something like:
'Oak Tree-Up-Ass: The National Pastime'
Another gem. thank you.
My pleasure. Thanks for reading.