The Long Road

05/14/2005 Archived Entry: "Productivity"

Sounds obvious, but productivity is to make something, to create, to build. To write a blog entry, or draw a picture, or draft a letter. It is not reading crap on the internet about xbox360, not chatting to friends over msn, not watching TV, and not even reading a book. Although, reading a non-fiction book, something textbook-y that teaches you something so that you will be better able to create is good.

I find that there’s always an internal struggle with me. My natural state is to absorb media – no matter what kind – yet I always find myself wishing I were creating something instead. And when I decide to sit down and create, I start off strong but slowly and surely drift back to absorption mode – it sucks.

There's also a different level of mental engagement between producing and consuming. When consuming, I totally feel like my brain is off, I am just passively absorbing stuff, skipping any difficult parts just to get to what's next. There's no thought necessary unless I will myself to think about things during or after consumption. Producing, on the other hand, is totally different. I always have to think of how to word a sentence better or how to draw that leg a bit more realistically.

The economist in me is seeing this as a consumer-producer problem. I want to be a producer, but can’t get off my consumer ass. I guess I'm just lazy.

Replies: 12 comments

Truthfully, all consumers are producers and all producers are consumers. Cicular-flow diagram. The opportunity cost of being one, is not being the other. Blah, gotta love economics!

Posted by Doug @ 05/14/2005 10:08 AM EST

reading is just investing. and even reading fiction counts. you're learning how to better communicate, learning the origin of literary allusions, and if the piece is well researched, you're even acquiring knowledge.

Posted by melpie @ 05/15/2005 11:59 PM EST

Yeah, but what am I doing with this acquired knowledge? Having pleasant conversations? Thats not productive...

Posted by Rayne @ 05/17/2005 03:58 AM EST

pleasant conversations can be productive if they lead to good connections which allow you to pursue an area of great productivity. also, while it's great to work alone sometimes, you can't always do everything by yourself. you need to communicate with others to accomplish these things. thus, communication helps you be productive.

Posted by melpie @ 05/17/2005 09:52 AM EST

Can't believe you have sunk so low as to claim that reading fiction is non-productive...

Posted by dAN @ 05/17/2005 10:18 AM EST

I'm reading this... is that productive?

Posted by Hyperion @ 05/17/2005 10:55 AM EST

Only if it's enlightening.

Posted by Arshwana @ 05/17/2005 08:46 PM EST

Well, I'd much rather be able to say something like "I painted my room today", or "I finished a website for business X", or "I drew the best picture of Wolverine, EVER" than "I finshed reading The Ringworld Engineers". I think having something tangible to look at and appreciate is more valuable than having read some new story.

But having said that, I am as unlikely to stop reading sci-fi as I am to breathe..so RELAX!

Posted by Rayne @ 05/18/2005 02:26 AM EST

you put too high a value on the tangibles. the most important things in life are the intangibles.

Posted by melpie @ 05/18/2005 09:45 AM EST

But Mel, weren't tangibles second to knowledge on your list of priorities in life!?!

[Don't worry, I didn't know that off the top of my head...:P...but did recall that you were materialistic, so I looked it up...;)]

Posted by dAN @ 05/18/2005 02:58 PM EST

I just want to have more tangibles...is that so bad?

Posted by Rayne @ 05/19/2005 05:53 PM EST

tangibles were still second to knowledge. and reading helps you acquire that knowledge.

drat, i've been thwarted by my own materialism.

Posted by melpie @ 05/20/2005 11:10 AM EST