65% of Americans Spend More Time With Their PC Than SO

Ant writes "PR Newswire reports that 65 percent of consumers are spending more time with a computer than with their significant other (SO). The "Cyber Stress" study confirmed consumers' growing relationship with technology in their everyday lives. In fact, more than 8 out of 10 Americans (84%) say they are more dependent on their home computer now than they were just three years ago."

Comments

I used to-

[IWantMoreSpamPlease]

spend nearly all my time outside of work on my PC. Then I got a job in the PC world, and then I quit being on it outside of my normal job.

Then I met a girl, and got married. Since she turned out to be a complete psycho bitch (I should have known...should have known) and now spend all my free time *back* on the PC, and away from her as much as possible.

And They're Probably Less Dependent On

[eldavojohn]

In fact, more than 8 out of 10 Americans (84%) say they are more dependent on their home computer now than they were just three years ago.

Shocking 'facts' aren't they? But they failed to mention that these people who find themselves more dependent on computers probably find themselves less dependent on other things. For instance, transportation. You don't have to go down to the mall and hoof around looking for a CD or even books for that matter. You don't have to go out to rent videos--just use Netflix or Blockbuster. Why are malls becoming predominantly clothing stores? Because you can't try clothes on online. You can do your banking online now and I'm sure the things you can do online instead of driving your vehicle to the office to make the payment are numerous.

And I'll bet these people are a little less glued to their televisions than they were three years ago. And instead of going to the movies or getting hammered at a bar, they might find an online game to be a bit more entertaining.

The obvious downside is that I'm sure that some people are probably less active than they were before, but not all of them. If you percieve this to be a growing threat or strain on relationships, market software/hardware that makes the PC experience something shared between two people. I know tons of couples (and families) that have two or more computers and they simply play games like WoW together.

Honestly, I don't see anything unhealthy with this trend so long as the people excersize or go out walking/running once a week or more.

Re:Does that include work-related computer use?

[Nos.]

That, and does it consider time spent sleeping with your SO (and yes, I actually mean sleeping, not other "activities") as time together? My guess is that it doesn't. So, this is a very believable statistic. I spend all day at work with a computer, and some time at home. I only spend about 5 - 6 hours of waking time with my wife a day. It really doesn't say anything about how our lives are spent, just acknowledges that computers are becoming a bigger part of our lives, but they are not necessarily intruding upon our time with our families.

Another B.S. Study

[__aagmrb7289]

After doing the RTFA stuff, I noticed something, umm, interesting? It doesn't bother to distinguish between using the computer at home, and using the computer at work. Considering the fact that MOST people spend more of their time WORKING then being AT HOME, 65% seems rather low now, doesn't it? I mean, is it REALLY true that 35% of Americans don't have to deal with a computer, constantly, at work? Good for them! Stupid B.S. sensationalist studies give scientific studies a bad name.