Are we all over stimulated.

ScumLord · 27-02-2014 05:47PM

Adamantium wrote: »

The parallels between the late Ancient Roman Empire and are too similar.
I'm afraid a few centuries or maybe 7-8 decades will see it through

I don't think it is, while the gap between the super rich and poor in the world today might seem similar it's fundamentally different in many ways, at least that's the case in Europe. If you compare Rome's Europe to modern Europe we're living in a utopian society, next to no slavery, human rights, electricity, there's enough cheap stuff that even the poorest people can afford technology that would have looked like magic to people in Roman times.

The most saddening thing is that we stopped looking up at the stars,

While the average man can't see the stars due to light pollution they know a hell of a lot more about the stars. The only difference now is we're looking at the stars in a more managed and productive way. We not using them as a setting for our own fantastic stories but telling the actual stories of the stars.

Humanity is currently more productive than it's ever been, more sympathetic to the needs of more people, more open, more equal and it's improving daily. For the past 2000 years of human history war has been a common and natural state for us to be in. While there are still wars today it seems apparent the big nations have developed their war machines into redundancy. They're so powerful they can't be used practically to vanquish an enemy without taking everyone else out in the process.

mickrock · 27-02-2014 08:51PM

The constant need for stimulation becomes addictive and can cause people to become more jittery and on edge. This has gotten a lot worse over the last 10 to 15 years.

I think it's important to have the ability to periodically be able to connect with inner stillness and peace. It's good to be able to be comfortable in your own company not doing anything.

In the short term lots of stimulation seems very exciting but in the longer term it's just very draining and not really satisfying.

Akrasia · 27-02-2014 08:53PM

Bambi wrote: »

So just a whole lot of background noises then

Yeah, cows and pigs etc

Stavros Murphy · 27-02-2014 09:13PM

Under-stimulated is over-rated.

FudgeBrownie · 27-02-2014 09:16PM

All of these developments just mean we like things faster now, i.e. information via the web, music at the touch of a button and so on. But we get used to this and future generations grow up with it more so, therefore there's nothing wrong with it in my eyes.

Mint Aero · 27-02-2014 09:44PM

Akrasia wrote: »

Less than a hundred years ago we had no radio.
Before this, people in rural communities spent most of their time in silence or with only background noises, left with their own thoughts.

As opposed to sitting in silence staring at Facebook for hours? No they didn't, they went to each others houses, played cards, told stories of their sexual exploits and played the fiddle in the fiddling circle.

donegal__road · 27-02-2014 10:09PM

I was in a newly refurbished bar in a neighbouring town last Monday, and there were no less than 11 large screens positioned around the walls so that no matter where you turned, you were looking at a screen.. and even at that, half the pub were sitting staring into their phones.

It has definitely reached saturation point.

Aethan Dor · 27-02-2014 11:59PM

Both sides of this argument are agreeable !

On the 'For' side I'm concerned about its effect on kids, my own and all kids in general. It reminds me of how my mother always gave out to me for playing my Sega Megadrive too much even though I was always very outdoorsy and I'd scoff at her as I'd only play it for a couple hours before bed but seriously look at kids now, I see a lot of young kids/relatives always glued to an iPad/iPhone/Games console, it can't be good. Even though he's 17 now my little Bro would always annoy us with the 'can I have your phone' plea ever since there were games on them !

On the 'against' side though when you are responsible and can control your use and access versus being physically active and healthy then I see no problem and it's of course amazing that you can look up almost anything in the blink of an eye !

Legs.Eleven · 28-02-2014 12:02AM

Mmmm. Stimulation.

Sir Arthur Daley · 28-02-2014 12:03AM

All these fancy coffees and lattes and americanos and espressos are making us over stimulated.

Dempsey · 28-02-2014 12:10AM

The same thing was probably said about the printing press, books & newspapers

Butterface · 28-02-2014 12:48AM

It seems to have happened so quickly. I only got my first smart phone last year and now I take it out even when I'm on a ten minute bus journey to check the news or whatever.

My browser constantly has several tabs open, and I jump between what I'm reading for college, Facebook, Boards, Youtube and various articles I've followed links to.. half the time I don't even feel like I'm processing the information properly.

wil · 28-02-2014 12:52AM

Akrasia wrote: »

Are we all over stimulated. ?

I'm browsing AH, watching TV, listening to music, thinking about a recent conversation, and I can still hear cars outside.
So I suspect not.

JerCotter7 · 28-02-2014 12:53AM

First real smartphone was the N95. Forget the iphone. That baby was something special. The dual sliding was the coolest thing ever.

Stained Class · 28-02-2014 01:21AM

Tis funny the way things go.

My Dad was born on a farm in the '30s. No electric, running water, WiFi, etc.

People visited each other then. walked acrosed the fields to their neighbours to socalise.

It was known as 'Rambling'.

They played cards, told storys, talked of local issues, warmed themselves by the fire.

We had a power-cut during the storms & didn't have the means to make a cup of Tea!

I was out the next day to buy a Camping stove. Better use in a power cut than a Laptop!

Joe Doe · 28-02-2014 02:14AM

don't forget ghost stories around the fireplace too...

For better or worse technological super-advancement will within 10-30yrs see most of the following: inter-planetary settlements, off-the shelve stem cell purchasing*, bio-upgrades, drone wars, pandemics, super-city-urbanisation, global governance, widespread gm, quadrillions of nfc & wifi signaling at +tb speeds & multi-band Ghz freqs; nanotech building controls, boi-tech-immortality, neuro-data downloading, and the 'aul trans-evolution of the species.

*(some Rich fella in Bermuda in the news today claims to have reversed ageing via this)

// Bear in mind TV's have only been around since the 50's, printing 5/600yrs, and the humble wheel since 3k bc.

Maximus Alexander · 28-02-2014 02:48PM

Joe Doe wrote: »

boi-tech-immortality

I'll be so annoyed if this becomes a reality some time in the decade after I die. Well, I won't be annoyed obviously, but I would be if I could.

Alf Veedersane · 28-02-2014 02:54PM

The focus is on electronics but no mention of books (well, I didn't read beyond the first page)

And I don't see how the principle isn't the same.

Maximus Alexander · 28-02-2014 02:56PM

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

The focus is on electronics but no mention of books (well, I didn't read beyond the first page)

And I don't see how the principle isn't the same.

Because for some reason:

Reading books all the time = Good
Reading on electronic devices all the time = Bad.

Akrasia · 28-02-2014 03:00PM

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

The focus is on electronics but no mention of books (well, I didn't read beyond the first page)

And I don't see how the principle isn't the same.

Well one difference is that you can't read a book while walking, cycling, driving, jogging, doing the housework, doing gardening, walking the dog etc etc

The point of the thread is that it's only recently that it's possible that a human can spend 100% of his/her waking life listening or consuming media of one sort or another.

Fighting Irish · 28-02-2014 03:02PM

This is an interesting series relating to what you're talking about

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Mirror_%28TV_series%29

Alf Veedersane · 28-02-2014 03:05PM

Akrasia wrote: »

Well one difference is that you can't read a book while walking, cycling, driving, jogging, doing the housework, doing gardening, walking the dog etc etc

You can't?

MS.ing · 28-02-2014 03:26PM

ScumLord wrote: »

I don't think it is, while the gap between the super rich and poor in the world today might seem similar it's fundamentally different in many ways, at least that's the case in Europe. If you compare Rome's Europe to modern Europe we're living in a utopian society, next to no slavery, human rights, electricity, there's enough cheap stuff that even the poorest people can afford technology that would have looked like magic to people in Roman times.

While the average man can't see the stars due to light pollution they know a hell of a lot more about the stars. The only difference now is we're looking at the stars in a more managed and productive way. We not using them as a setting for our own fantastic stories but telling the actual stories of the stars.

Humanity is currently more productive than it's ever been, more sympathetic to the needs of more people, more open, more equal and it's improving daily. For the past 2000 years of human history war has been a common and natural state for us to be in. While there are still wars today it seems apparent the big nations have developed their war machines into redundancy. They're so powerful they can't be used practically to vanquish an enemy without taking everyone else out in the process.

have a look at the documentay thread, there is a good one liked there called 'four horsemen' or something that gives an interesting view that there is actually a lot of parralels to the end of the roman empire and these times.

edit : was this one http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5fbvquHSPJU

Akrasia wrote: »

Well one difference is that you can't read a book while walking, cycling, driving, jogging, doing the housework, doing gardening, walking the dog etc etc

The point of the thread is that it's only recently that it's possible that a human can spend 100% of his/her waking life listening or consuming media of one sort or another.

ok ill bite, no one should be doing those things listening to an audiobook either, well except doing the housework cause at least if you hurt yourself only yourself involved and to blame. reading takes full concentration and youre doing it wrong if it doesnt.

MrVestek · 28-02-2014 03:42PM

Fighting Irish wrote: »

This is an interesting series relating to what you're talking about

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Mirror_%28TV_series%29

Wasn't aware of this. Definately going to give it a watch later tonight, thanks for the head's up!

Caliden · 28-02-2014 03:53PM

I think it's so easy to do anything now that everything seems mediocre.

Want to go someplace 12,000 miles away? 18 hour flight.

That sense of accomplishment is gone because everything is so easy and we're left feeling unimpressed.

Granted there are still things difficult to do, climb Mt. Everest, etc. and I can only imagine the feeling from doing that must be unbelievable.

Alf Veedersane · 28-02-2014 03:58PM

Caliden wrote: »

I think it's so easy to do anything now that everything seems mediocre.

Want to go someplace 12,000 miles away? 18 hour flight.

That sense of accomplishment is gone because everything is so easy and we're left feeling unimpressed.

Granted there are still things difficult to do, climb Mt. Everest, etc. and I can only imagine the feeling from doing that must be unbelievable.

I don't really go along with that.

Consumer electronics haven't really made any genuine accomplishment easier.

Physical endeavour is still physical endeavour. Academic achievement is stil academic achievement. Etc etc.

Sure you can get on a plane to travel 12,000 miles but how many people would be bothered about travelling 12,000 miles if it wasn't easy?

Caliden · 28-02-2014 04:28PM

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

I don't really go along with that.

Consumer electronics haven't really made any genuine accomplishment easier.

Just to pick at this. Google has turned anyone who is literate into someone who has a world of (mis)information at their fingertips.

Everyone has an opinion on something because they read a blog or article somewhere and suddenly they're an expert on the matter where previously you had to actually put some work in and retain the knowledge.

Alf Veedersane · 28-02-2014 04:32PM

Caliden wrote: »

Just to pick at this. Google has turned anyone who is literate into someone who has a world of (mis)information at their fingertips.

Everyone has an opinion on something because they read a blog or article somewhere and suddenly they're an expert on the matter where previously you had to actually put some work in and retain the knowledge.

But that's usually for unimportant stuff.

A Neurotic · 28-02-2014 04:39PM

Personally, with exams next week, I'm currently trying to sit down for a few hours a day and study. I've had to have both my laptop and my smartphone removed from the equation or NOTHING gets done. During my 5 years in college, comparing my study habits to when I was sitting the Leaving Cert, my ability to concentrate has withered and died. Can't go 15 minutes without whipping out the phone and scanning boards/facebook/twitter etc. I know it's largely down to my own discipline and willpower but it still scares me slightly that I've gotten this way.

Are we all over stimulated.

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