Personal Development for Smart People Forums - View Single Post

Cron · 11-09-2006, 03:34 PM

Yes, I am aware of the irony in posting about forum ab/use in a forum.

Lets leave that behind, from what I have seen it seems like most people here are aware of how forum use can be a waste of time and still handle using forums productively.

Compulsive, non-productive forum use is a cyclical problem of mine. I get better, then worse, then better again and so on.

I've noticed that while I have kicked the TV habit, non-productive forum use ( lets call it "surfing") has taken up the time saved from kicking TV and then some.

I've noticed that many other people have the same problem. I've also noticed that comments people used to make about television use they now make about surfing

1. The internet(tv) has some rewarding, good content
( usually said by people who watch 1 hour of PBS a month while watching 100 hours of sitcoms and reruns ).

2. I don't have time for _______ ( yet they may spend more than an hour a day on surfing )

Steve, pre-forum, had some interesting thoughts on forum use. I always wanted to discuss those thoughts, but at that point in time he shut comments off on his blog, seeing them as a time waster and this forum did not yet exist:

From:
http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/200...e-forum-usage/

“My name is Steve, and I’m a recovering online forum addict.”

“Hi, Steve.”

I posted a new article called “Effective Online Forum Usage”:
http://www.stevepavlina.com/articles...orum-usage.htm

in the free articles section. This is a straightforward piece with 8 tips on using forums productively, with an emphasis on avoiding (or recovering from) forum addiction.

For years I was a heavy user of online forums, newgroups, and message boards (most of them software-related), figuring it to be a relatively benign habit. I even met my wife on a computer bulletin board system in 1994. But in 2004 when I figured out how much time it was actually costing me to support this habit and what I was giving up in order to maintain the perceived “benefits” of participation, I dropped it like a rock and never looked back.

I've brought this issue up on other forums and I got reactions similar to what an alcoholic might get if he started questioning his drinking while sitting in a pub with his drinking buddies ( hostility, rationalizations, and denials ).

I'm thinking this forum will have some interesting and different comments to make.

So lets talk!

11-09-2006, 03:34 PM	#1 (permalink)
Cron Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 420	Internet Forums: The new television? Yes, I am aware of the irony in posting about forum ab/use in a forum. Lets leave that behind, from what I have seen it seems like most people here are aware of how forum use can be a waste of time and still handle using forums productively. Compulsive, non-productive forum use is a cyclical problem of mine. I get better, then worse, then better again and so on. I've noticed that while I have kicked the TV habit, non-productive forum use ( lets call it "surfing") has taken up the time saved from kicking TV and then some. I've noticed that many other people have the same problem. I've also noticed that comments people used to make about television use they now make about surfing 1. The internet(tv) has some rewarding, good content ( usually said by people who watch 1 hour of PBS a month while watching 100 hours of sitcoms and reruns ). 2. I don't have time for _______ ( yet they may spend more than an hour a day on surfing ) Steve, pre-forum, had some interesting thoughts on forum use. I always wanted to discuss those thoughts, but at that point in time he shut comments off on his blog, seeing them as a time waster and this forum did not yet exist: From: http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/200...e-forum-usage/ “My name is Steve, and I’m a recovering online forum addict.” “Hi, Steve.” I posted a new article called “Effective Online Forum Usage”: http://www.stevepavlina.com/articles...orum-usage.htm in the free articles section. This is a straightforward piece with 8 tips on using forums productively, with an emphasis on avoiding (or recovering from) forum addiction. For years I was a heavy user of online forums, newgroups, and message boards (most of them software-related), figuring it to be a relatively benign habit. I even met my wife on a computer bulletin board system in 1994. But in 2004 when I figured out how much time it was actually costing me to support this habit and what I was giving up in order to maintain the perceived “benefits” of participation, I dropped it like a rock and never looked back. I've brought this issue up on other forums and I got reactions similar to what an alcoholic might get if he started questioning his drinking while sitting in a pub with his drinking buddies ( hostility, rationalizations, and denials ). I'm thinking this forum will have some interesting and different comments to make. So lets talk!