Subj : Re: Eliminating distractions while programming
To   : comp.programming
From : bhoover@wecs.com
Date : Tue Jul 19 2005 05:14 am

lawrence.jones@ugs.com wrote:
> 
> Alan Balmer <albalmer@att.net> wrote:
> >
> > If anyone isn't distracted by a noisy environment, especially when the
> > noise is irrelevant conversation, they probably weren't devoting full
> > attention to their work in the first place.
> 
> On the contrary, anyone who *is* distracted by a noisy environment
> obviously *isn't* devoting their full attention to their work -- if they
> were, they wouldn't even notice the distraction.  :-)

Interesting point on this though -- this sort of "full attention" is
probably something akin to, or rather, in fact, dopamine facilitated
tunnel vision, bording on trance like stupor.  Forrest, and trees, and
all that.  You may be "concentrating", but you're not really thinking --
not in any meaningfull sense of the word.  If you need to concentrate,
*and* think, for most, even brainiacs, the yammering has to go.

Couple articles:

"It is beginning to look as if "normal" awareness resembles a state more
and more like that which we once labeled with the word trance! And this
trance tends to also engage in socially sanctioned "rackets" to further
reduce awareness."

"Ordinary concentration, when the mind is focused on a specific problem
or thought, sets one of the conditions for a normal trance to occur."

"To break such trances increases the awareness of individual chaos,
uncertainty, and pain."  

Or the chaos of the noisy office environment.  Point is, it may be you
think you're concentrating, but you're really trancing out.  Usually
when people say something like, "You're getting on my nerves," what they
really mean is, you're about to break through their dopamine stupor,
trance, or "concentration".  Most people don't make a distinction
between this sort of concentration, and meaningfull thought.  This may
be why so many software projects fail.

"Mr. Weir claims that "Addiction can be better understood if we think of
it not merely as "substance abuse," or performance addiction, but as a
form of an impoverished reality that is maintained by a trance. Limited
awareness, tunnel vision, the special characteristic that identifies a
dysfunctional, impoverished reality, also identifies a type of trance
state that may be also a characteristic of all addictions."

http://futurepositive.synearth.net/2002/03/01

http://cms.psychologytoday.com/articles/pto-3571.html

This dopamine thing, is one of the many interesting topics discussed
over at yahoo groups progstone, and newly created mapdot -- including
topics from dopamine addiction, it's opposite, ADHD or related
"dysfunctions", to Christianity, and spirituality in general.  Both
groups, have gone a bit dark lately -- Happy Fun Ball needed a break, I
think.  But it appears the word on dopamine is increasingly gaining in
acceptance -- neuroscience is hot on the trail of the age old mystery of
wtf is wrong with everybody, and the world.  With any luck, and a little
optimism, maybe the apocalypse will be averted.  But I doubt it.  :)

Bryan

.