Computers Are Great Distractors
This article from the NY Times continues something I’ve touched on before: people need to be free from distractions of they’re going to put sustained thought into a thing. (That’s pretty obvious.)
But so much about the way software programs operate: pop-ups, notifications, reminders, bells, whistles, updates, upgrades, patches, etc. - while trying to be helpful - ends up being very distracting.
Granted, not every job requires such sustained concentration. But really: to “only” spend 15 minutes an hour checking e-mail? That’s 25% percent of your work time, for crying out loud!
Is that good for us these days? I’m talking beyond mere office productivity here. Is this good for us as human beings, this trained inability to sustain thought for long periods of time.
Afraid of our own thoughts?
This iPod culture is growing more and more afraid to be alone with its own thoughts. We are being trained to not be alone with our own thoughts. Whenever something difficult (or gasp: painful!) comes along, we rush to block out “feeling bad” by turning up the volume or searching for the latest deal so that more “stuff” can make us feel okay.
Personally: I like silence. I like meditation. And I like the peace I feel when the voices of distraction lose their power to tell me what I should fill my life with.
What started as a reference to an interesting article just turned into a longer rant about the whole subject of peace and happiness. (: Sheesh.
While I do use music to block out my thoughts, it’s not to escape bad feelings, but rather to just have a moment where I don’t have anything going through my mind. I spend my days, and often my nights, thinking about what goes on around me and what I should be doing. Those few moments during my commute when I can just shut everything out are truly needed.
I love just going out to dance for the same reasons, it actively blocks out everything you might have to think about. Rest is needed for us to function, that’s a fact of life. While my body rests at night, my mind usually just goes on thinking normally. As I see it, it’s far less harmful than the people around me who are binge drinking to get the same effects.