Regular readers of this phlog will 
know that I regularly flail about 
looking for ways to limit the impact 
of the internet on my life. The 1979 
experiment was probably the most 
extreme example of that effort. I'll 
be going back to 1979 for a few months 
in the fall. It's a good thing to do.

In the meantime, I'm trying to limit 
my internet activity to productive 
tasks and positive interactions. And 
I've come to the realization that web 
2.0 is harmful to our well-being, our 
cultures, and our analysis of the 
world around us. You probably already 
know that. You're thoughtful people. 
I read your stuff.

I find that I'm a much happier person 
when I don't have to read the comments 
on the web. Fortunately, uBlock Origin 
serves as the perfect comment filter.

Here are a few examples of lines to 
add to your personal filter list to 
make your life better. 

news.ycombinator.com##.subtext
lobste.rs##.byline
www.youtube.com###comments
www.youtube.com###chat

Wait, what? The Hacker News? 
Lobste.rs? Trust me. You'll notice 
that the comments are missing at 
first, but after a while, you'll 
almost forget that they were ever 
there. You'll also notice a pleasant 
spike in the signal-to-noise ratio. 
With the filters on, you spend much 
more time actually paying attention to 
the content and much less time sifting 
through polemics.