I didn't anticipate the Motivation Benefit

[TVOR]

No, you’re just being negative under the pretense of helpfulness.

No...I'm having an opinion...and never made any suggestion that I was trying to be helpful! I was merely stating my thoughts on a subject...but it's all good!

I appreciate that you are allowed to have your thoughts about my statement...and that you are allowed to voice those thoughts. I will try to explain my position and my reasons, but I don't expect you to agree. I welcome disagreement in fact! It won't necessarily change my mind, but it's always worthwhile hearing opposing views...at least my my side of the fence it is!

 

[Night Spring]

To be clear, I have NOTHING against people using technology. Even the Apple Watch itself has many genuine benefits. I am not arguing AGAINST tech. I am arguing against using tech as a substitute for personal responsibility, for good habits as a matter of course rather than needing to be "motivated" by a watch. If something is genuinely important to you, you will remember to do it....or do people not agree with that?

I'm trying to understand what you have against being motivated by a watch. I was never able to motivate myself to do a minimum amount of daily exercise, and now with the watch, I'm building a streak of going for a 30-minute walk every day. If I had waited until I was somehow moved to make this a "genuinely important" goal for myself, I'd still be sitting inside for days without going out.

 

[Bandaman]

No...I'm having an opinion...and never made any suggestion that I was trying to be helpful! I was merely stating my thoughts on a subject...but it's all good!

I appreciate that you are allowed to have your thoughts about my statement...and that you are allowed to voice those thoughts. I will try to explain my position and my reasons, but I don't expect you to agree. I welcome disagreement in fact! It won't necessarily change my mind, but it's always worthwhile hearing opposing views...at least my my side of the fence it is!

And the way you faux-positively respond to everyone when they called you out makes it worse. If you’re so against technology helping others because of the way things used to be then please go back to farming your own land for sustenance and survival because that’s how people used to stay in shape. Everyone in the thread is posting because of how technology is helping motivate them. They don’t need you in here doing the opposite. It’s incredibly counterproductive. Why are you even on a technology forum if all you’re doing is planning to go off the grid? Why do you have a phone? Go live in an Amish village where the closest phone is miles away for emergencies only.

 

[ufgatorvet]

Whoops, my watch just told me that a brisk 6-minute walk should close my exercise ring! If this is being controlled by technology, I still do appreciate the reminder and the nudge to do something healthy. Gotta go!

 

[TVOR]

And the way you faux-positively respond to everyone when they called you out makes it worse. If you’re so against technology helping others because of the way things used to be then please go back to farming your own land for sustenance and survival because that’s how people used to stay in shape. Everyone in the thread is posting because of how technology is helping motivate them. They don’t need you in here doing the opposite. It’s incredibly counterproductive. Why are you even on a technology forum if all you’re doing is planning to go off the grid? Why do you have a phone? Go live in an Amish village where the closest phone is miles away for emergencies only.

OK...so saying I am against technology is me being negative...and me saying that that's just my opinion and people are - of course - entitled to their own opinions...is faux-positive...did I get that right?

The point I have made was not that I am against technology being used to help people...but rather that I am against people being reliant on technology to prompt them! I have, in several posts, stated that technology has 100% been used for world-changing outcomes...but that the vast majority of times, technology is supremely over-rated.

But it seems like, in your view, the fact that somebody says something positive should instantly protect that thread from any questioning, from any disagreement, because that somehow undermines the positivity!! If the positivity gained from the motivation of this tech is so fragile that one random guy on the internet saying that they worry about the direction of society being reliant on tech can destabilise that positivity...then you have to question how genuine the positivity was in the first place...

To answer your questions...why am I on a tech forum? Well, that's because I use a Mac for my work, to earn a living, and I have an interested in the current state of the technology as - within the next year - I will probably need to buy a new computer owing to a new line of work that will need something with a little more horsepower (or car-power). And I have a phone because I need my family and clients to be able to get hold of me. As I said, I am not against technology, I am against an unnecessary reliance on it. if I DO get an opportunity to retire into the kind of life that I have mentioned that in all honesty I probably wouldn't have a smart phone. Mobile...perhaps...but a dumb phone for sure as I would have zero need to be "connected"/online all the time.

 

[TVOR]

Whoops, my watch just told me that a brisk 6-minute walk should close my exercise ring! If this is being controlled by technology, I still do appreciate the reminder and the nudge to do something healthy. Gotta go!

If you don't mind me asking...what were you doing when you got the "nudge"?

 

[TVOR]

I'm trying to understand what you have against being motivated by a watch. I was never able to motivate myself to do a minimum amount of daily exercise, and now with the watch, I'm building a streak of going for a 30-minute walk every day. If I had waited until I was somehow moved to make this a "genuinely important" goal for myself, I'd still be sitting inside for days without going out.

I'm curious...what did you have to sacrifice to find the time to do the 30 minute walk regularly?

 

[nickdalzell1]

That 'nudge' happens for me if I'm just sitting idle and there's less than an 1/8th of my move ring left. It's intended to give ways of closing it, nothing more. If one doesn't like those notifications, they can be turned off. Apple Watch app settings-->Health-->Daily Coaching-->turn off.

 

[TVOR]

That 'nudge' happens for me if I'm just sitting idle and there's less than an 1/8th of my move ring left. It's intended to give ways of closing it, nothing more. If one doesn't like those notifications, they can be turned off. Apple Watch app settings-->Health-->Daily Coaching-->turn off.

I appreciate that they can be turned off. We haven't (yet) reached a state of mandated exercise...but it's more the eulogising over the tech...the fawning over a feature that - in my opinion (seems I have to be clear about that!) - is a substitute for personal responsibility and part of a (again...to me) worrying trend of turning over control of our lives more and more to tech.

Oh, and thanks for the link! I'm glad to see that I am not alone! ?? It's always satisfying to hear the ranting of an equally curmudgeonly old man...or old man in a younger man's body!

 

[ufgatorvet]

If you don't mind me asking...what were you doing when you got the "nudge"?

Taking apart my toaster to troubleshoot why this over-engineered high-tech gadget is only burning my toast and not delicately browning the bread as I've been led to believe by the ad being streamed to my 75 inch 8K OLED television via the 1000 Mbps internet connection.

My wife said hold it over the fireplace, it would work better. As always, she may be right.

 

[nickdalzell1]

Oh, and thanks for the link! I'm glad to see that I am not alone! ?? It's always satisfying to hear the ranting of an equally curmudgeonly old man...or old man in a younger man's body!

Ironically, he's younger than me by a few years. I think he's in his late 30s.

 

[Night Spring]

I'm curious...what did you have to sacrifice to find the time to do the 30 minute walk regularly?

er, I don't know, time spent reading, watching tv, hanging out in this forum? What makes you use the word "sacrifice" in this context?

 

[Night Spring]

is a substitute for personal responsibility

I see it more as augmenting my personal responsibility.

 

[Bandaman]

OK...so saying I am against technology is me being negative...and me saying that that's just my opinion and people are - of course - entitled to their own opinions...is faux-positive...did I get that right?

The point I have made was not that I am against technology being used to help people...but rather that I am against people being reliant on technology to prompt them! I have, in several posts, stated that technology has 100% been used for world-changing outcomes...but that the vast majority of times, technology is supremely over-rated.

But it seems like, in your view, the fact that somebody says something positive should instantly protect that thread from any questioning, from any disagreement, because that somehow undermines the positivity!! If the positivity gained from the motivation of this tech is so fragile that one random guy on the internet saying that they worry about the direction of society being reliant on tech can destabilise that positivity...then you have to question how genuine the positivity was in the first place...

To answer your questions...why am I on a tech forum? Well, that's because I use a Mac for my work, to earn a living, and I have an interested in the current state of the technology as - within the next year - I will probably need to buy a new computer owing to a new line of work that will need something with a little more horsepower (or car-power). And I have a phone because I need my family and clients to be able to get hold of me. As I said, I am not against technology, I am against an unnecessary reliance on it. if I DO get an opportunity to retire into the kind of life that I have mentioned that in all honesty I probably wouldn't have a smart phone. Mobile...perhaps...but a dumb phone for sure as I would have zero need to be "connected"/online all the time.

Yes you’re being negative. You said the entire thread is depressing. Please just quit while you are behind.

 

[ssledoux]

I am not denying that...I'm just advocating for personal responsibility as a goal rather than machine-control

Well I’m certainly not gonna argue with that. I’m a big fan of personal responsibility in general.

 

[nickdalzell1]

Personal responsibility has become endangered in this day and age. The amount of ads for lawsuits against things people do (if you or a family member drank Roundup and died, you deserve compensation! yeah, right!) just astounds me.

 

[Bandaman]

Personal responsibility has become endangered in this day and age. The amount of ads for lawsuits against things people do (if you or a family member drank Roundup and died, you deserve compensation! yeah, right!) just astounds me.

What does any of that have to do with this thread?

 

[nickdalzell1]

Someone mentioned they were a fan of personal responsibility and I lamented at the extreme lack of it in today's day and age.

On another note, what bee flew into your shorts?

 

[ssledoux]

My point is that people have become too reliant on tech "suggesting" what they should do next. Become have become algorithmically assimilated into the hive...and (again in my opinion) FAR too easily swayed by "suggestion"

To be clear, I have NOTHING against people using technology. Even the Apple Watch itself has many genuine benefits. I am not arguing AGAINST tech. I am arguing against using tech as a substitute for personal responsibility, for good habits as a matter of course rather than needing to be "motivated" by a watch. If something is genuinely important to you, you will remember to do it....or do people not agree with that?

Luckily for me, I’m able to refrain from following suggestions when it comes to what I should buy next to accompany whatever that item I just purchased might’ve been. That kind of stuff makes me crazy.

But as far as if something is important, you will remember to do it - not always. I have used my watch and/or phone to set reminders for all sorts of things that are important, and things I want to do that often slip my mind. I wanted to drink 75 ounces of water daily, but just never could pace myself to the point of not trying to down half gallon at bedtime. The waterminder app let me set the reminders and the ounces for however often during the day I need to drink to meet my goal. Sure I could remember to drink water, but often I’d realize it was late in the day and I had not consumed what I wanted. Having that reminder right there on my wrist is very handy in helping to develop that habit. Same with vitamins. Sure I’d remember them twice a day every day if I had them sitting on my kitchen cabinet, but I don’t like clutter, so I keep them inside a cabinet. Because of that, I’d often realize at 2 p.m. that I hadn’t taken my morning vitamins. I love having a reminder on my watch every morning and night, so I’m taking my supplements in a timely fashion.

I’d likely forget birthdays without calendar reminders, or picking up items at the store without a list. The nice thing is, I can have all that with me pretty much all the time. Because, unfortunately for me, even things that are important often slip my mind when I’m busy, and sometimes even when I’m not.

 

[Bandaman]

Someone mentioned they were a fan of personal responsibility and I lamented at the extreme lack of it in today's day and age.

On another note, what bee flew into your shorts?

Probably all the needless bashing of people just trying to motivate themselves. Somehow your mentality has devolved into trying to make a connection between personality responsibility and people drinking Roundup. Your commentary regarding personal responsibility is also making an attempt at saying people in here don't have any. Please stop acting like nothing is wrong. Maybe just leave people alone that are trying to enjoy their lives instead of trying to pretend to be some kind of intellectual superior. In reality you are just being a bully. You're not better than other people just because you live differently than them or your lifestyle is not the same as them or you have a different ideology when it comes to technology as them. Get over yourself. And then playing dumb like you can't fathom why anyone would be bothered by this behavior just makes it worse. Like the other poster trying to defend himself by essentially saying "All I was doing was [being completely arrogant and offensive in a thread where people are trying to share their stories of success]." It doesn't matter what caused someone to start changing their life. All that matters is they're doing it now. Leave people alone. Nobody cares about your "lament" ... your lament has nothing to do with this thread, nor does it belong here. Does it bother you that much that people are using their Apple Watch for its literal intended purpose? What's the point of being on a tech forum if you feel you need to lament about people using tech in a tech forum? You don't sound profound. You just sound sad.

 

[TVOR]

Probably all the needless bashing of people just trying to motivate themselves. Somehow your mentality has devolved into trying to make a connection between personality responsibility and people drinking Roundup. Your commentary regarding personal responsibility is also making an attempt at saying people in here don't have any. Please stop acting like nothing is wrong. Maybe just leave people alone that are trying to enjoy their lives instead of trying to pretend to be some kind of intellectual superior. In reality you are just being a bully. You're not better than other people just because you live differently than them or your lifestyle is not the same as them or you have a different ideology when it comes to technology as them. Get over yourself. And then playing dumb like you can't fathom why anyone would be bothered by this behavior just makes it worse. Like the other poster trying to defend himself by essentially saying "All I was doing was [being completely arrogant and offensive in a thread where people are trying to share their stories of success]." It doesn't matter what caused someone to start changing their life. All that matters is they're doing it now. Leave people alone. Nobody cares about your "lament" ... your lament has nothing to do with this thread, nor does it belong here. Does it bother you that much that people are using their Apple Watch for its literal intended purpose? What's the point of being on a tech forum if you feel you need to lament about people using tech in a tech forum? You don't sound profound. You just sound sad.

If you find the fact that I said I didn't like the direction society was moving in offensive then......?‍♂️ If you had said "disagreeable"...then sure...I get it. But to actually be "offended" because somebody has - as you put it - a different ideology when it comes to technology...well...I'm not sure I am the sad one here my friend!

I have a believe system which is my own, which is not dictated to me by wanting to conform to trends or "groupthink" as is the case for so many these days (not directed at you...I don't know you enough to comment), which is not tech-focused, which is - in many ways - quite traditional, but which, above all else, is strong enough to withstand criticism, even outright attack, while still being flexible enough to actually change and adapt to new circumstances and changes in my life, my thoughts and, yes, be influenced by new viewpoints gained through conversations (mostly real-world, face to face conversations it must be said).

So if I - like nickdalzell1 - am being a "bully" simply for voicing an opinion that goes against the grain, then so be it! I will wear my bully hat with pride! And to you, sir, I wish a good and productive day...filled with the unbridled joys of tech!

EDIT: Oh, and by the way, if this had been a thread where people discussed how their Apple Watch alerted them to potential heart issues and literally saved their lives then I would certainly be applauding the technology rather than criticising it. For THAT use, it could be invaluable. As I have said all along...NOT against technology as a whole. And, to be clear JUST my opinion. I am not arrogant for having an opinion...not in any reasonable and intellectually non-bankrupt society! Or was the arrogance that I DARED to actually voice my opinion??

 

[Miha_v]

Honestly, the main personal "excuse" for buying Apple Watch a couple years ago was to motivate myself into running more (trying to live more healthy). And it did, first two years I ran 300% more frequently then usually?. It's interesting seeing improvements in health App, like small but steady drops in average resting HR, as you get in better shape. It kinda motivates you further. Every investment in health is a good investment. To be honest, this year I almost haven't ran at all, but I'm planning on reversing that again soon

From all Apple products I have though, I would miss AW the least. Apart from looking nice and a couple of simple functions I occasionaly use, I often forget I'm even wearing it. But main goal (exercising more frequently) was achieved with the help of it. Maybe it was all just psychological effect (I exercised more to rationalize the purchase to myself) ?

 

[Night Spring]

I have a believe system which is my own, which is not dictated to me by wanting to conform to trends or "groupthink" as is the case for so many these days (not directed at you...I don't know you enough to comment)

You are coming off like you think that people posting in this thread sharing how we are motivated by the watch to be more active are all just wanting to conform to trends or mindlessly following groupthink. I hope you can see how people might feel offended by such an assumption, considering, like you say, you don't know us. Even if you didn't mean to say that any of us individually are acting on groupthink, you must think that many people who use the watch to increase their activity levels are following groupthink, otherwise why bring up groupthink in this thread at all? No, you aren't arrogant for having an opinion. It's just that the opinion you have happens to come off as arrogant. I hope you can appreciate the distinction.

 

[Alhagar]

It's certainly gotten me up off my lazy arse. I'm running 3 times a week and I haven't done that since ... well ... ever. Gonna start adding in weightlifting as well soon. Just didn't want to overwhelm myself since I've acquired COVID bod. What's better is the watch has made all this super enjoyable.

I’ve gotten back to weightlifting after years of not doing it. I’m using Apple Fitness + and it is perfect for me (There are tons of options out there, but none that utilize the Watch in the same way).

 

[Bandaman]

If you find the fact that I said I didn't like the direction society was moving in offensive then......?‍♂️ If you had said "disagreeable"...then sure...I get it. But to actually be "offended" because somebody has - as you put it - a different ideology when it comes to technology...well...I'm not sure I am the sad one here my friend!

I have a believe system which is my own, which is not dictated to me by wanting to conform to trends or "groupthink" as is the case for so many these days (not directed at you...I don't know you enough to comment), which is not tech-focused, which is - in many ways - quite traditional, but which, above all else, is strong enough to withstand criticism, even outright attack, while still being flexible enough to actually change and adapt to new circumstances and changes in my life, my thoughts and, yes, be influenced by new viewpoints gained through conversations (mostly real-world, face to face conversations it must be said).

So if I - like nickdalzell1 - am being a "bully" simply for voicing an opinion that goes against the grain, then so be it! I will wear my bully hat with pride! And to you, sir, I wish a good and productive day...filled with the unbridled joys of tech!

EDIT: Oh, and by the way, if this had been a thread where people discussed how their Apple Watch alerted them to potential heart issues and literally saved their lives then I would certainly be applauding the technology rather than criticising it. For THAT use, it could be invaluable. As I have said all along...NOT against technology as a whole. And, to be clear JUST my opinion. I am not arrogant for having an opinion...not in any reasonable and intellectually non-bankrupt society! Or was the arrogance that I DARED to actually voice my opinion??

I tried to finish reading this, but I got nauseous halfway though. It’s really hard to digest this type of fake attitude. You can convey your opinion without coming off as you did. Maybe learn some humility. That’s how we grow. You were wrong in how you brought all this up. Period. You’re entitled to your opinion, but sometimes your opinion isn’t appropriate to be shared, especially when it seems you lack situational awareness.