Think of the internet as a buffet. Most people skip the meat and go straight for the dessert bar (social media) where they spend countless hours vainly arguing with people in the comments section, watching porn and/or gaming. The net result being a body made of jello, doomerism and a constant supply of SSRIs. The meat section contains all the good stuff: how to get fit, resulting in weight loss and greater self confidence, options for self employment from the people who have become successful actually doing it, and tips on how to improve your life through a healthy marriage/ family life. The only way to become more than what you are is by doing hard things. For example: set goals for your exercise of choice. Run a 5k, 10k or better yet, run a marathon or an ultra. Bench press your own body weight. Always set a progressive program of advancement. Efficiency is the enemy of achievement. Always be uncomfortable and uncertain. In terms of employment, there are too many people looking for a career and not enough people providing a career for themselves and other people. Speaking personally, I’ve discovered a lot more room at the top than at the bottom. There’s always a better you waiting to be discovered. Not easy at all but worth it.
I couldn't agree more. And I too have always found more room at the top. Even for jobs. Aiming high is sometimes easier.
I do think social media addiction and related observations just make widespread sloth visible. If they weren't being sucked in there, they would find something else.
We are the choices we make. Go to the gym or binge watch Netflix etc.
I would add to this that even the competitive or challenge dynamic that you diagram is itself being shunted off into computer games (the good ones anyway), which are to life challenges as online porn is to the pursuit of a rewarding sexual & romantic relationship.
The corner of my mind where the "Dark Triad"-traits reside responds with glee at the downfall of the mentally weak.
Which to my cultivated and cultured mind is deeply unethical and unfair an attitude.
From that conflict a sort of "energy" is created: a drive to delve into and resolve from whence these conflicting emotions stem, and where they all lead if transformed into actions, both in the individual and collective sense.
A process known as meta-cognition, which is something us academics of the social sciences and especially the humanities and arts used to uphold as an ideal to strive for - absolutely so when teaching the "fuzzy subjects" to students.
The intent of which was to inoculate (or perhaps I should say inculcate given what we now associate inoculation with) said students against the evils of blasé cynicism as an outlook, against the siren call of totalitarianism's Promised Land of mechanistical perfection if only the Creed is adhered to rigorously enough.
(Turns soapbox to tinder)
"Real ladies cannot compete with the strength of a closed fist"
Put that on a t-shirt and the Andrew Tate-generation of boys will make you rich.
Anyway, and in a way, giving in to weakness is a choice. Identifying your own weakness is a chore and a challenge. And overcoming your own nature is what makes you a human rather than a hairless ape.
I too sometimes feel this is all a cosmic test to weed out the hopeless. Then I remember we can all be lost, and we are all human with our weaknesses and foibles.
But in the end we must work to bring about our own salvation. No one else can do it for us.
I do a lot of hillwalking, and some people find it odd when I tell them I don't actually "enjoy" that first hour of slogging up the hardest part of a steep hill, before the shoulder of the mountain is reached and the going gets gradually easier towrds the summit. Then it might be crap visibility so you don't even get the "reward" on that occasion. That seems a lot of work for nothing, they reason. Why bother? I don't really have an answer, other than : just do it. Not once, but a few times. Occasionally you WILL get the spectacular views at the top, and maybe even a rainbow sometimes. But whether you do or not, getting home and relaxing (maybe with a small libation) after a long day away from the virtual world is the best feeling there is. Because of the effort you made. And a re-connection made with something.
Yes, it is the effort and our willingness to embrace it that seems to create the deep satisfaction we need. Helicoptering you to the summit would not have this effect.
We seem to easily fool ourselves in this way. I feel I have had to explicitly learn this lesson multiple times in different domains, and also to hear it from others too.
The resolution is amazing; it almost looks real, lol.
Alas, reality reality is SLOW; it requires effort. Your avatar is prone to get fat and out of shape too. And it doesn't come with all its powers in place. You have to go out there and get them.
And time. It all takes time. The time passes slowly. It is tedious. It is boring. And we all know the addicted have an aversion to boredom.
Yes they don't use that term anymore. But they used to talk about "sticky" websites. But that was just to get you to buy stuff then go away; a more innocent time.
Now it is more like entrapment. And they know what they are doing. I fear huge swathes of society are lost and are not coming back.
Very interesting that ibuprofen was derived from ginger.
When I ran out of ginger gravol a few years back, I reasoned that I might as well just use real ginger instead of an expensive pill the next time I had a bout of nausea. I worked out that 500mg (1/4 teaspoon) of powdered ginger was equal to one gravol pill, and taped that info on a bottle of powdered ginger (along with the adult doseage instructions from the gravol bottle: 2 pills every 4 hours, 1-2x/day).
Works like a charm.
Now, the next time I'm tempted to use ibuprofen for a seized muscle, I'll try the ginger for that too. Thanks!
Go rural. Dig. Plant. Grow. Create a garden. Raise poultry and livestock for your nourishment. Nature is cleansing to the soul.
It sure is.
Think of the internet as a buffet. Most people skip the meat and go straight for the dessert bar (social media) where they spend countless hours vainly arguing with people in the comments section, watching porn and/or gaming. The net result being a body made of jello, doomerism and a constant supply of SSRIs. The meat section contains all the good stuff: how to get fit, resulting in weight loss and greater self confidence, options for self employment from the people who have become successful actually doing it, and tips on how to improve your life through a healthy marriage/ family life. The only way to become more than what you are is by doing hard things. For example: set goals for your exercise of choice. Run a 5k, 10k or better yet, run a marathon or an ultra. Bench press your own body weight. Always set a progressive program of advancement. Efficiency is the enemy of achievement. Always be uncomfortable and uncertain. In terms of employment, there are too many people looking for a career and not enough people providing a career for themselves and other people. Speaking personally, I’ve discovered a lot more room at the top than at the bottom. There’s always a better you waiting to be discovered. Not easy at all but worth it.
I couldn't agree more. And I too have always found more room at the top. Even for jobs. Aiming high is sometimes easier.
I do think social media addiction and related observations just make widespread sloth visible. If they weren't being sucked in there, they would find something else.
We are the choices we make. Go to the gym or binge watch Netflix etc.
So, so, SO good. Another spectacular article, great job.
Thank you. Glad you liked it.
I would add to this that even the competitive or challenge dynamic that you diagram is itself being shunted off into computer games (the good ones anyway), which are to life challenges as online porn is to the pursuit of a rewarding sexual & romantic relationship.
Yes I would agree. As they become more immersive they pull in even more young men. I don't believe video games are healthy, especially for adult men.
The corner of my mind where the "Dark Triad"-traits reside responds with glee at the downfall of the mentally weak.
Which to my cultivated and cultured mind is deeply unethical and unfair an attitude.
From that conflict a sort of "energy" is created: a drive to delve into and resolve from whence these conflicting emotions stem, and where they all lead if transformed into actions, both in the individual and collective sense.
A process known as meta-cognition, which is something us academics of the social sciences and especially the humanities and arts used to uphold as an ideal to strive for - absolutely so when teaching the "fuzzy subjects" to students.
The intent of which was to inoculate (or perhaps I should say inculcate given what we now associate inoculation with) said students against the evils of blasé cynicism as an outlook, against the siren call of totalitarianism's Promised Land of mechanistical perfection if only the Creed is adhered to rigorously enough.
(Turns soapbox to tinder)
"Real ladies cannot compete with the strength of a closed fist"
Put that on a t-shirt and the Andrew Tate-generation of boys will make you rich.
Anyway, and in a way, giving in to weakness is a choice. Identifying your own weakness is a chore and a challenge. And overcoming your own nature is what makes you a human rather than a hairless ape.
I too sometimes feel this is all a cosmic test to weed out the hopeless. Then I remember we can all be lost, and we are all human with our weaknesses and foibles.
But in the end we must work to bring about our own salvation. No one else can do it for us.
I do a lot of hillwalking, and some people find it odd when I tell them I don't actually "enjoy" that first hour of slogging up the hardest part of a steep hill, before the shoulder of the mountain is reached and the going gets gradually easier towrds the summit. Then it might be crap visibility so you don't even get the "reward" on that occasion. That seems a lot of work for nothing, they reason. Why bother? I don't really have an answer, other than : just do it. Not once, but a few times. Occasionally you WILL get the spectacular views at the top, and maybe even a rainbow sometimes. But whether you do or not, getting home and relaxing (maybe with a small libation) after a long day away from the virtual world is the best feeling there is. Because of the effort you made. And a re-connection made with something.
Yes, it is the effort and our willingness to embrace it that seems to create the deep satisfaction we need. Helicoptering you to the summit would not have this effect.
We seem to easily fool ourselves in this way. I feel I have had to explicitly learn this lesson multiple times in different domains, and also to hear it from others too.
As my want of saying - “if you think virtual reality is good, you should try reality reality!”
The resolution is amazing; it almost looks real, lol.
Alas, reality reality is SLOW; it requires effort. Your avatar is prone to get fat and out of shape too. And it doesn't come with all its powers in place. You have to go out there and get them.
And time. It all takes time. The time passes slowly. It is tedious. It is boring. And we all know the addicted have an aversion to boredom.
And the mosquitoes, don't forget the bloody mozzies!
"The digital world ... is the Vegas slot machine in our homes, always promising alluring riches, and everything just a click or two away."
Great metaphor. "Sticky" - as in, it will stick in my mind! Thanks.
Yes they don't use that term anymore. But they used to talk about "sticky" websites. But that was just to get you to buy stuff then go away; a more innocent time.
Now it is more like entrapment. And they know what they are doing. I fear huge swathes of society are lost and are not coming back.
Masterful work 👏✨
Thank you. Glad you enjoyed.
I had a rant similar to dis
Very interesting that ibuprofen was derived from ginger.
When I ran out of ginger gravol a few years back, I reasoned that I might as well just use real ginger instead of an expensive pill the next time I had a bout of nausea. I worked out that 500mg (1/4 teaspoon) of powdered ginger was equal to one gravol pill, and taped that info on a bottle of powdered ginger (along with the adult doseage instructions from the gravol bottle: 2 pills every 4 hours, 1-2x/day).
Works like a charm.
Now, the next time I'm tempted to use ibuprofen for a seized muscle, I'll try the ginger for that too. Thanks!
The Indians have used it for thousands of years to treat period pain. Turmeric too, but that is pretty hardcore.
"Observe due measure; moderation is best in all things."
Greek poet Hesiod