> The radical solution to avoid that addicting design is to avoid it entirely, but there is still so much good information in there that it probably doesn’t make sense.
I think you've already lost half the battle at this point. I think that if people actually did go without their favorite internet kick for a few weeks they'd find that they're really not missing much, if anything.
I've done it multiple times, traveling abroad with low data or censored internet, e.g. in China, and can confidently state at least for myself that I can live happily without Youtube / social media for a long time, probably even indefinitely.
When you're traveling you're usually stimulated much more than when sitting at home in a rut, being slightly depressed and unable to decide what to do next. That's when you start missing [your favorite addictive distraction] and give in to the lure of it.
I can spend three weeks on holiday and not even notice that I spend no time on a screen. I might feel repelled, even. Back home after a few days, not so much.
Talking about being stuck in a depressing non-stimulating environment: I've done it in a Chinese quarantine hotel for 2 weeks. You really really don't need Youtube / social media / your other "essential" vices as much as you think.
I don't think I need them. I'm just more inclined to use them in an well known environment that offers nothing new or interesting to experience without putting in at least some effort.
I didn't mean the environment had to be depressing. I meant feeling a bit low.
This is exactly why those things are dangerous. You get used to them and your brain starts needing the distraction and constant empty entertainment.
It's only when you stop using it for a few days/weeks, that you notice how much your brain needs that constant feed of stuff. When you get over that short amount of "withdrawal" and no longer need it as a filler of empty time, you can use that time for more healthy things.
Equating video with social media and internet fix is misleading considering what a great format it is to visualise when teaching something. As mentioned in the blog post, it only takes a few seconds to remove the social media aspect from YouTube. No ads, no recommendations, no comments. Just pure video related to the problem you're trying to solve.
> The radical solution to avoid that addicting design is to avoid it entirely, but there is still so much good information in there that it probably doesn’t make sense.
I think you've already lost half the battle at this point. I think that if people actually did go without their favorite internet kick for a few weeks they'd find that they're really not missing much, if anything.
I've done it multiple times, traveling abroad with low data or censored internet, e.g. in China, and can confidently state at least for myself that I can live happily without Youtube / social media for a long time, probably even indefinitely.