Questions about ''Garbage In, Garbage Out'' video from Leo (old video)

[Ampresus]

I mean the following video:

These are rather specific questions for Leo, but if anyone else cares to help me out please do


1. Does watching YouTube videos on a daily basis count as the same junk as television? I mean to be fair, there is a lot of junk out there on the internet. I am struggling a lot with cutting this part out in particular, because I grew up watching YouTube. I usually watch gaming streamers and, sorry for the old fellas here, but so called ''meme'' videos. They make me laugh a lot, which makes it harder to quit.
2. How about Netflix shows? Recently they put up Spongebob Squarepants on Netflix, and I have such a hard time cutting that out. It's my youth man! It still makes me laugh. I have this deep rationalization in my mind that I should watch it because it always has been a part of me, but I also have this thought in my mind that says ''yeah but Leo pretty much said I shouldn't binge-watch anything, Spongebob can't be an exception''. I also watch ''Our Planet'', does this count as junk?

(Bonus 3. I am stuck with your contemplation alternative. I am currently struggling with ''what is reality?''. I can't really put the right words for it (how to define reality I mean). Any tips perhaps? I also, occasionally, lose my concentration 5 seconds after trying to contemplate. Should I ALSO do concentration practices?)

Thanks in advance.

Edited December 12, 2019 by Ampresus

[Sahil Pandit]

@Ampresus what about the rest of your life? Can you rationalize your information intake by having the rest of your life in order? 

I feel like it's okay to watch YouTube and a little bit of netflix, so long as your meditation, work routine, diet and gym routine are in place...

[Skanzi]

Well the thing is that if you're coming from a place in which you truly enjoy consuming this kind of content, then I don't really see the problem with it.

If you're however doing it because you're only distracting yourself from something else you KNOW you should be doing, then it may be a different question. (although it's an entirely different topic in itself on how you can actually know with certainty what you should be doing).

Don't restrict yourself from doing things you truly enjoy. Laughter is healthy. Truly enjoying something is healthy too. There is no need to go down the path of masochism. Well... Unless you really want to but I'm not sure if I could recommend it.

I think it's best for you to start watching yourself to see if you come to a point in which you don't enjoy it as much anymore. In such a moment, it can potentiallly indeed be worthwhile to stop.

Just don't restrict yourself in areas where it doesn't serve you to restrict yourself. You'll waste your energy going into unnecessary struggle with yourself.

And don't take Leo's word to be the Ultimate truth or anything like that. He also has developed a lot over the years, and his stance on many things have also changed. It is likely that Leo doesn't feel the same way anymore about this situation right now as he would have expressed in that video (although I haven't watched the video)

[DanoDMano]

Skanzi, here's the real truth. Your doing exactly the thing you're supposed to be doing. Whether it be watching Sponge or doing something that in your ego mind seems more important. You know what needs to be done in your life and the basic consequences for your actions and inactions. So, if you're living in the moment, whatever that moment may be, then you're doing the right thing. Easy Peezy.

[Adam M]

This is a gradual process. Good luck cutting out all your junk info intake that you are so hopelessly addicted to.

 

The idea is that any info that you put into your mind is staying in your mind.

Try watching a bunch of porn for example, and then notice the explicit imagery creeping into your thought-stream while you practice meditation.

Just be aware that if you are watching "memes" on YouTube, you are conditioning your mind to think in a certain way and resonate with a certain vibration.

 

The best solution for this problem is NOT to be strict with yourself. Simply be aware. You aren't going to cut out your garbage info in one fell swoop, however you can make small steps each day.

 

For example, curate your YouTube recommended feed by selecting "not interested" when videos about memes and video games are recommended to you.

Unfollow low-consciousness accounts on instagram.

 

As your development continues. You will be able to effortlessly avoid "garbage" info and you will being to crave more educational content.

Use your discretion.

[Alex]

@Adam M How dare you call SpongeBob garbage. 

@Ampresus Watching Entertainment you enjoy is not too bad, just make sure it's quality over quantity. Especially Series these days are not worth the time, they migth tell a good story but if each episode is 1 hr long with an cliffhanger each episode you are being manipulated into watching too much. 

Nowadays I rather take the time to watch a good movie, which is far more enjoyable than binge watching a series that might take 3 more years to get to an close

And for YouTube videos, it ain't to bad if you don't devolve to mutch into an screen junkie, don't underestimate the power of the Algorithm tough.

[Lento]

@Ampresus

I think older people can give you better answers.

Look for old people in your life and ask them what they think is worthwhile doing, what they regret about their youth, what they consider to be the most fulfilling, and what they wish they have done. Ask as many people as possible, but stay away from us, young people. The answers, of course, will be correlated to their time so take that into account, and find out the crossing points with our time.

(Old people means 50 years and more).