As a creative writer, I often have this problem when browsing the website TV Tropes, which is a collection of cliches and often used plot elements that was also featured by xkcd. One moment I'm reading about villains changing their ways, and the next I'll be reading the about the plot elements in Schindler's List. While reading that I'll open tabs to bittersweet endings, honor before reason, and troubled sympathetic bigots. When I'm done with Schindler and move on to those bittersweet endings, I'll be lucky if I don't open even more tabs!
Point being: Our tendency to click on hyperlinks in this new form of media can overwhelm us and trap us in distracting sites like TV Tropes. It's hard to resist, which is why TV Tropes is one of the sites that I use LeechBlock on in order to keep myself away from that pitfall.
Also, I hope I didn't ruin anyone's productivity with my own hyperlinks.
I agree with you on some level, but hyperlinks are just another drawback to a genius concept. Pretty much everything the world has the potential to be useful or detrimental,depending on how you use it. Hyperlinks are just the same—they give you the ability to move quickly from one site to another without having to copy and paste the URL.
ReplyDeleteThe best example I think of at the moment is Quikster and Netflix. One of the reasons they failed so badly is that consumers were upset about having to switch to another website completely if they wanted to stream movies instead of order a DVD. We don't like things that waste our time. Of course, with the ease of movement through websites, that means we can also be distracted easily, especially if we want to be distracted. Admit it, we will find a way to avoid doing what we should be doing even if we end up in an empty room with no windows and just our homework. We'll figure out a way to get distracted.
So the point is that I don't think hyperlinks are a bad thing at all, they just provide an easier method to get distracted. We blame hyperlinks (or whatever else distracts us) instead of using self control to refrain from clicking on all those hyperlinks.
But yes, I agree with you that I get wildly distracted and off-topic when I start clicking on hyperlinks. It's addicting.
Like I said, pretty fantastic concept with one little problem.
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