Pseudotools, Pseudowork, and Blogging
Years ago on usenet, there was a discussion in which someone introduced the neologism "pseudotool". The definition was
" pseudotool, n. Something that human beings invent, presumably
as a means of saving time and effort in doing something else,
but which in the end leads to a net loss in time and effort.
E.g., the personal computer. "
I can see why someone who was on usenet a lot would consider the computer to be a pseudotool. They have this wonderful device that has the potential to help them be more productive, but they end up using it to chit-chat with thousands (in those days) of strangers. Kind of like blogging, actually. This his prompted me to come up with my own neologism:
" pseudowork, n. Activity which requires as much time and effort as actually being productive,and produces the same feelings of satisfaction and accomplishment, but in fact is not productive at all.
E.g., blogging . "
Most work requires tools, and pseudowork requires a pseudotool. There is no better pseudotool than a computer. Playing freecell, writing python programs to generate quick picks for powerball, managing funny money portfolios online, and blogging are just a few of the many kinds of pseudowork that the powerful pseudotool known as the computer allows us to do.
I have been doing a lot of pseudowork today, thanks to having a paid account here. I have been playing with the look and feel of my journal,
reading the S2 manual, and going through old entries and adding tags to them. And oh yeah, I made this entry.
It might look like I think pseudowork is something to be avoided. It probably is, but not by me. It is too much fun. I aim to be the hardest pseudoworking man in cyberspace.
" pseudotool, n. Something that human beings invent, presumably
as a means of saving time and effort in doing something else,
but which in the end leads to a net loss in time and effort.
E.g., the personal computer. "
I can see why someone who was on usenet a lot would consider the computer to be a pseudotool. They have this wonderful device that has the potential to help them be more productive, but they end up using it to chit-chat with thousands (in those days) of strangers. Kind of like blogging, actually. This his prompted me to come up with my own neologism:
" pseudowork, n. Activity which requires as much time and effort as actually being productive,and produces the same feelings of satisfaction and accomplishment, but in fact is not productive at all.
E.g., blogging . "
Most work requires tools, and pseudowork requires a pseudotool. There is no better pseudotool than a computer. Playing freecell, writing python programs to generate quick picks for powerball, managing funny money portfolios online, and blogging are just a few of the many kinds of pseudowork that the powerful pseudotool known as the computer allows us to do.
I have been doing a lot of pseudowork today, thanks to having a paid account here. I have been playing with the look and feel of my journal,
reading the S2 manual, and going through old entries and adding tags to them. And oh yeah, I made this entry.
It might look like I think pseudowork is something to be avoided. It probably is, but not by me. It is too much fun. I aim to be the hardest pseudoworking man in cyberspace.
I am toying with the idea so that Warren G Harding only appears on the page once and not in every entry.
Anyway, I appreciate the positive feedback.