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A comment on The internet changed my life. Parent comment

Re:The internet changed my life by slothtrop on Thursday January 20, 2022 @09:13AM (#30009129)
I've forgotten what the alternative is like. Most of my hobbies, notwithstanding the minimal social media use, rely on the computer. I use it to write, to manage and search recipes to cook with, to use music notation or tabs, to game. I've had to deliberately schedule some low-tech/low-fi activities for myself but they are few in number: there is a barrier of inconvenience in the form of travel, cost, and timing for social activities. Therefore they are relegated to the weekends if anything. I wonder if historically after working hours and time with family, were people primarily engaged in social activity owing to the dearth of ways to amuse ourselves alone? I say this not really wanting or missing more of a social life than I have, I have my needs met with just family and occasional friends. On the other hand I recognize a kind of saturation point with electronic use, that if I rely on them too long it is to the detriment of my well-being.

All of which to say I have no idea how I ought to organize life around computers differently.

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Re:The internet changed my life by basisword on Thursday January 20, 2022 @09:57AM (#30009645)
>> All of which to say I have no idea how I ought to organize life around computers differently.

I'll give you an example of something I've done recently which has made a big difference. Although, I don't have ideas on how to apply this to other aspects of my computer use (but open to ideas).

I listen to a lot of music. My teenage years/20's revolved completely around music. But I've gotten to a point where Apple Music/Spotify have become like Netflix to me - I have so much choice I don't know what to choose. I like to buy vinyl but it's expensive and not practical for most of my daily listening. I thought about it and realised that, for me, the time when music and technology merged for the best overall experience was the iPod (pre-Touch). I would mostly listen to albums I bought via iTunes (i.e. I cared enough about them to spend money and would listen to them a lot) and I checked out new music via Spotify (which was available in the UK in maybe 06/07) and then bought the stuff I liked on iTunes so I could take it with me on my iPod.

So I bought an iPod Classic on eBay. I deleted all the music I'd 'added' to Apple Music over the years leaving only my pre-streaming purchases (I also signed up for iTunes Match to backup and sync all my Bandcamp purchases + vinyl download card tracks). I've went back to my system of Spotify for new stuff, purchasing new stuff on iTunes, and syncing it to my iPod. It weirdly feels like a burden has been lifted having so much unnecessary choice removed. It's giving me a chance to get obsessed with the stuff I like again instead of quickly moving on to the next thing the algorithm throws at me. I highly recommend it. Currently thinking of ways I can apply this elsewhere in my life (e.g. purchasing TV/movies on iTunes instead of using streaming services but this could get very expensive very quickly).

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:The internet changed my life by slothtrop on Thursday January 20, 2022 @11:06AM (#30010671)
Personally I don't rely on Spotify for recs, or even regular listening. I like finding things through online communities (including old ones), college radio, and in lesser cases the youtube algorithm.

My only purchases now are through bandcamp or at concerts.

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Re:The internet changed my life by basisword on Thursday January 20, 2022 @11:30AM (#30011077)
Likewise. The Spotify listening I do is to check out albums I've discovered elsewhere before putting down some money for them. So typically new releases from artists I already know, recommendations from friends, or support acts at concerts I'm planning to attend. I should try to purchase through Bandcamp more as a first option before iTunes.
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