Do computers make us lazy?

[peahouse05]

Kids have been discouraged from taking part in the games side of physical activity as they have not been taught how to lose with grace.
An old fart,
AKA

peahouse05

 

[cirianz]

Yes, I'm afraid that now you are talking about eating habits and physical activity and that is a different subject altogether. I was never inclined towards sports, hate the stuff, long before I ever had a computer (back then you'd have found me with my nose in a book), but I always loved walking & swimming etc, I can't walk too far since I broke my back but asides from that I spend just as much time out in the garden or swiming down the local pool or beach as ever, (not to mention mucking around on John's boat, that's a new one started after I got 'into ' computers), despite the fact that I spend hours on my computer or xbox each day (except weekends). It is not computers that make people lazy, it's their choices.
Bottom line, escapism is escapism, whether it's a book, TV, computer, a rock concert(or opera depending on your taste) or console game. It is not a problem in itself, it only becomes a problem if you let it. If you are already lazy, or if you hate your 'real life' so much that you avoid it like the plague. Asides from that it is just mucking around and having fun. Ordinary play, same as any other.
Laziness is not new to this generation, I will not deny that many lazy people use the computer as an outlet and an excuse. But take them back a generation and they would've been avoiding their responsibilities just as hard. Maybe slacking on the job, or down the pub drinking when they should've been working, or parties & women, or in gossip & mills & boon books while the dishes grew flies & the kids begged for food. & to stay computers make kids lazy is the same as saying lego, board games, books & colouring books made kids of my 'generation' lazy.

Frankly computers have nothing to do with it. Playing (or working) on a computer doesn't make you lazy, it's just a toy or a tool.

And in reference to my friend in my last post. If that computer work really needed doing & he had promised people that he would do it and instead he skived off to the hills to spend his weekend tramping & climbing etc... then yes, he is being lazy. However much physical activity he is engaging in and however physically fit he might happen to be.

And Mr hypothetical fat guy who would love to spend his weekend playing with the kids or outside doing gardening, and instead spends it on his computer doing research for a friend who needs the information but doesn't know computers well enough to find it himself. Is he being lazy by spending that time on the computer instead of getting his quota of physical exercise? What do you think?


EDIT: Sorry Peahouse, I should've 'quoted' Reefsmoka as that was who I was replying to

 

[Anon_F]

Er, in a word Yes!

I did try to explain to a friends 8 year old that, when i was her age, computers filled a whole room, and that her Dad's ZX81 was worth money nowadays.

But, then computers have changed my life, no more going out on a cold day to: shop, go to the bank & buy (yet) more pc goodies all on-line.

Well i'm off to walk the dog.......damm don't have a dog, can i buy one on-line?

 

[cirianz]

ROFL, well I've got 2, I'll give you one at half price... she's on heat at the moment so it could be a high growth investment... lets see... say 4 puppies + original dog at 2 walks a day each = 10 walks per day... hey fitness supreme You got broadband? She might take a bit of thime to download on dialup... mind you, she might run into some other dog in cyberspace & pick up the puppies without any energy expenditure at all! Damn, computers are making even my dog lazy!!!!

 

[psd99]

Again... how do you define laziness? Is it as in "not engaging in physical activity"?

.)

well my definition with respect to this form consists of:

online banking
online shopping
emailing
msn messenger


take just these 4 things away from the average Joy and they woulndt be sitting at home, they would be out there in the Quees or instead of sending an email to their friends they would go out there to meet em
hence = less LAZY!

thats my POV!

 

[TriplexDread]

Cars?

 

[cirianz]

Cars?

Yes, good point triplex. Cars have definitely made us lazier... It's probably only hour & half to cycle into town, used to cycle 2 hours each way to go horse riding at the local sheep station when I was in my teens but will you catch me biking into town now when I can go in a car? Yeah, right!
Do I think that's a bad thing? ROFLMAO

& TO PSD... sorry but I did my time standing around in L-O-N-G queues getting sore feet, sore backs surrounded by tired, bored, whining or crying children (some of whom were my own) & irritable tired adults checking their watches & wondering if they'll be done in time to catch the next bus, or before their lunch break is over. Sorry, it didn't make me less lazy... just too exhausted to do anything else. & remember... the queues were a lot longer when No-one had internet than they are today. Do you remember the queues in the bank on payday? Everyone waiting, hoping to be able to cash their pay cheque before their lunch break was over... because of course the banks were closed by 4pm... You couldn't do your banking after work. Would I want to go back to spending my entire lunch break standing in a queue? Am I lazy for not wanting to? If that is the definition of lazyness then I'm as lazy as they come! Roll on internet banking & shopping.

And, an additional bone to chuck into the fray, but, given that shops generally closed at 5pm... how did the shopping get done? Without internet shopping then for most families, especially those with children, then in order to shop someone had to be available for the task during working hours. And I'm sorry, but for most people 'retail therapy' (ie shopping for fun) simply wasn't an option before the internet opened up the oportunity for a second family income (who else remembers the late 80's early 90's and the advent of the 'supermum' phenomenon). Shopping was generally NOT a nice fun activity, where you stood around with half full baskets, chatting with Mrs Jones about the weather or whatever, like you might see on some cutesy TV programe. It was simply wasted time... Time you could've spent making kites or playing ball with your kids... you instead spent dragging them through some masochistic torture of boredom & misery for you both. If I can get the product without the misery... myself I don't think that makes me lazy... just psychologically healthy.

And email? Well, if you've got buss fare I'd be quite happy to pop up & visit milk, no sugar in my tea. I was never any good at letter writing (always kept forgetting to post them) So many friends I would've lost touch with when they went overseas. & so many friends I would never have made all around the world were it not for email & for forums like this one.

& msn? Sorry but IM has been around for a very long time now. We used to call it the telephone but it filled the same function. For me msn is generally better because I'm a little bit deaf & often have trouble on the phone if there is background noise around. Yay msn.

If these things define lazyness then I must be wallowing in a nice little piggery & believe me, I'm quite happy here.
These things make life easier, expand our world and give us more free time to spend however we choose... they do not make us lazy... IMO anyway

 

[TriplexDread]

At last a woman that makes sense

I agree with everything you said. Not to be condescending, but well said

You and I will get on just fine lol

 

[cirianz]

LOL, maybe I spent too much time climbing trees & flying kites instead of playing barbie when i was a kid

 

[muckshifter]

Computers do not make us 'lazy' ... we do that just fine on our own.

 

[TriplexDread]

Exactly we are sentient, educated beings. We make our own choices

Well sorta, depends how many baddies there are to kill

 

[Me__2001]

Computers do not make us 'lazy' ... we do that just fine on our own.

true but they do help to speed up the process

 

[cirianz]

Computers do not make us 'lazy' ... we do that just fine on our own.

LOL, absolutely! And contrary to any impressions I might have given here, I would like to say that I definitely have a nice, comfy, lazy streak running right up my spine and it will go to all sorts of insane lengths to avoid ironing in particular... but it was definitely well & truely established before i ever had anything to do with computers. Indeed, even on weekends when I very seldom get online I STILL manage to avoid ironing with great skill & dedication!

 

[CITech]

Good effort Ciri, I like your style (and honesty)

 

[General]

I would have clicked Yes, but no was closer to the to the submit button

 

[itsme]

Do PCs make you lazy?

When I were a lad during the 1940s/50s Get up in the morning> have breakfast>off to school Ho NO> no cars or buses you would either walk or run same applied to going home> arrive home wash and change clothes have tea> home work done, then out to play never mind the weather rain or shine out we would go> football cricket or whatever run around and enjoy ourselves until our parents called/whistled for you to come home> wash or bath depended how scruffy we ended up, and boy did we enjoy ourselves listen to the radio then bed, weekends we would be out all day down to the beach swimming or playing football/rugby/cricket whatever and we were as fit as fiddles.

Now my grand children that’s a different story after my children getting ready to WALK them to school Ho no> we dont want to walk pick me up in the car mum take me to school in the car mum fetch me home in the car mum make my food mum and if you do I will do my homework mum >PC>Play station>PC>Play stationPC>Play stationPC>Play station>PC are they fit NO they are not.

 

[floppybootstomp]

Gordon Bennet, grumpy old man's going off on one again

The same people who moan that too many kids get driven to and from school are probably the same ones who moan that parents 'nowadays' don't take enough care over their offspring's protection.

The main reason most kids get shuttled to and from school is because there are supposedly so many nonces about.

And for what it's worth, my three walked to and from school on their own once they started secondary school, from about age 11. It was about a mile's walk one way.

Before that, mostly one of their parents (that's me and the ex) would usually walk them to school and the only time we'd use the car (not an SUV btw) was when either it was raining or we were running late.

Agreed, too many parents use massive great motors to ferry their kids quarter mile to school, they should walk with them to school, not drive, but itsme, you should really lighten up mate.

Have a few pints or something and chill

 

[cirianz]

I would have clicked Yes, but no was closer to the to the submit button

ROFLMAO

 

[itsme]

Gordon Bennet, grumpy old man's going off on one again

No just my thoughts on the matter/question

The same people who moan that too many kids get driven to and from school are probably the same ones who moan that parents 'nowadays' don't take enough care over their offspring's protection.

No my children look after my grand-children as I looked after them, with great care and responsibility; if others fail to do that then it is not my problem?

The main reason most kids get shuttled to and from school is because there are supposedly so many nonces about.

As far as perverts go now that is a different story? I for one have had encounters with not one but three so I wont go into that. But I will send a PM if you want?

And for what it's worth, my three walked to and from school on their own once they started secondary school, from about age 11. It was about a mile's walk one way.
Before that, mostly one of their parents (that's me and the ex) would usually walk them to school and the only time we'd use the car (not an SUV btw) was when either it was raining or we were running late.

My spouse or I also did that four times a day two miles each way

Agreed, too many parents use massive great motors to ferry their kids quarter mile to school, they should walk with them to school, not drive, but itsme, you should really lighten up mate.

Have a few pints or something and chill

I don’t have to chill out man I am always cool man give me five



As far as the last paragraph I will add/re-phrase it then have a look

 

[Nobody in particular]

I suppose they do in a way, when I was at school I spent nearly 80% of the week on a computer. Then went home and spent all evening on it too. Now that I'm working I'm on them all the time - and getting more and more lazy lol.

But if you think about it, it's not just computers, a lot of things make us lazy