PRODUCTIVE time on the internet -- yes it's possible!

[Darren Dirt]

http://@%&#inghomepage.com/websites

http://www.quora.com/Intelligence/What-are-the-most-productive-ways-to-spend-time-on-the-Internet/answer/Siddharth-Kapoor-4

http://www.quora.com/Intelligence/What-are-the-most-productive-ways-to-spend-time-on-the-Internet/answer/Abhishek-A-Singh


More @  http://www.quora.com/Intelligence/What-are-the-most-productive-ways-to-spend-time-on-the-Internet


It's important to learn how to unvest your time correctly.
cuz most of us are doing it wrong.
http://www.quora.com/Common-Misconceptions/What-are-common-activities-people-get-wrong-every-day-but-dont-know-it/answer/Ryan-MacCarthy

[Thorin]

I dunno about the Quora links because they require a login and I'm too lazy, but there's nothing wrong with doing unproductive things just for fun.

[Tom]

Theres a link at the bottom of that dumb dialog saying "close and view anyway" or something like that. It seems to make the full page login go away.

[Mr. Analog]

Very often we put "things we like" into the unproductive category, I never understood that

[Thorin]

Very often we put "things we like" into the unproductive category, I never understood that

It's because "productive" is generally agreed to mean generating or creating something that has value that can be exchanged for something else of value in the real world (i.e. physical goods or services).  Of course, spending eight hours gathering nether quartz in Minecraft can be considered productive in that it generates a feeling of enjoyment, but generally that can't be exchanged for something else of value and you generally don't have an expectation of trading it for physical goods.

Although this is considered unproductive, by no means would I consider it wasted time - the brain needs downtime.  It's the same reason why proper and complete survival kits should include a deck of cards, so you can while away the long hours waiting for rescue with something that is entirely unproductive but entirely needed to stay sane.

[Darren Dirt]

I dunno about the Quora links because they require a login and I'm too lazy

Geez I did not realize that -- I think it's just an email needed, I have never "used" my Quora account for anything but I get these emails a few times a week and there's been some mega-fascinating stories told and stuff like what I put in OP on occasion as well.

It's wisdom-of-crowds info like Wikipedia, but more personal and often-times emotional and relational stuff.

[Mr. Analog]

See I see getting down time as being productive, I'm productive all day and if I don't decompress my performance goes down at work. So if it's playing games, watching TV or working on my own for-fun projects I see that as a way of being more productive elsewhere and not wasted.

[Thorin]

Unproductive is not the same as wasted.  Unproductive means the activities did not specifically generate goods or services of value.  Wasted means the activities weren't worthwhile doing.  Decompressing in the evening is not productive by itself (it doesn't generate goods or services of value), but it's certainly not wasted (since it was worthwhile doing because it allows productive daytime activities).

I think you're taking the words "productive" and "unproductive" and applying the meanings for "useful" and "useless" instead.  In which case, you and I are saying the same thing - downtime is definitely useful.

The problem with the implied statement of the original post and the links in it, of course, is that it also conflates productive with useful and thereby conflates unproductive with useless, which in the end kinda smacks of a holier-than-thou message that if you're not engaging in those activities that they list, then you're doing useless activities and wasting your time.

[Darren Dirt]

Unproductive is not the same as wasted.  Unproductive means the activities did not specifically generate goods or services of value.  Wasted means the activities weren't worthwhile doing.

Although, even time-wasting is "a lot like alcohol, a little is harmless, but huge amounts are not good for the drinker or for society"
-- inspired by a comment @ http://www.salon.com/2014/05/05/stephen_colbert_wont_save_us_game_of_thrones_is_not_that_good_this_golden_age_of_tv_is_a_big_sham/#comments