Computer Eyeballs Facebooking Syndrome

The welfare of the people in particular has always been the alibi of tyrants, and it provides the further advantage of giving the servants of tyranny a good conscience. —Albert Camus (1955)

Too much computer is killing my eyes again. They hurt at least a little always. There's nothing to be done for it but reduce my screen time. This is no small feat for a professional programmer. Screen time is my bread and butter.

In my spare time I study more programming, which is screen time off the clock. I like to write in my little blog here too, which piles yet more onto the eye strain. My photography also involves a lot of computer work these days, because who has a proper darkroom anymore? I'm also an admitted information junkie. My data habit is just this side of becoming a problem.

I suppose, if you consider the chronic eyestrain, my data habit is actually already a problem. And it's the screen time that nets the least satisfaction overall. Though I do think it's great. I love learning about nearly anything and everything. It's just not as important or fulfilling as some of my other uses for the computer.

The internet is bursting with things to know about, which is great fun, but I need my eyes in reasonable working condition to get the most out life right now. I'll have to cut way back on the social media and news aggregation clickfest. Maybe I'll limit myself to the Twitter and Hacker News. They are my favorites. I should probably avoid Facebook, Fark, Reddit, and that lot while I recover. They are the worst.

I wonder what it would be like to not check Facebook for a few months straight. Is that even possible? As much as I hate the site on so very many levels, all of my family and friends are there. I might miss something important. Or worse still, something funny! And how would I tell everyone I have a new blog post for them to read (or avoid)? Posting friends-only updates to Facebook is the entirety of my viral marketing strategy. This will definitely be a challenge.

Poor little eyeballs. They're so crunchy, when they ought to be squishy.