I hope you continue to update everyone on how life with a dumbphone is going for you! We regularly have 90s weekends in our house (the phones stay tethered to their chargers and if you want to use them you have to go to the room they’re in) and it’s always a nice break. I’m certainly moving towards a dumbphone in time.
Re: your 90s weekends, what a wonderful idea. I like the emphasis on tethering -- sometimes I think the portability of our devices is half the problem.
It is! And honestly the thought of having to get up and go down the hall to get a device is sometimes all the encouragement someone needs to find something else to do.
Hi! I followed your updates here and there and it's been such a great ride. I've been journaling since January and I noticed the same pattern when it comes to my low-tech/no-surf habits:
My first few entries were angry, frantic, annoyed that I kept running into obstacles and that I wasn't doing low-tech "perfectly" on the first try.
My next updates tended to be more factual, where I highlighted how my I found ways to reduce screen dependency (putting clocks around the house so I don't check the phone and using an app to lock down my phone for a few hours, only allowing work-related apps)
And regarding your last point about feeling awkward and taking out your phone and scrolling - I noticed the same! My solution was to either look around me taking in details and trying to come up with a fun story in my head (I've lived in the same city for 15 years and never noticed some things! I've also started enjoying my city more) or if I'm with people, getting them to talk about themselves, or doing small talk more often. I really want to polish my small talk skills that have been eroded by retreating into scrolling over the last few years.
And now that I've settled into a groove (where I find it much easier to say "yeah I'm done with the internet for now, time to either unwind in a healthy way or to work on my hobbies/goals") my updates shifted to short observations I make about the world around me.
You've got me thinking more about the skill of small talk. Over the course of the pandemic I found it increasingly difficult to speak -- in a very literal sense (I developed a minor stutter). It has taken years of stilted conversation, anxious picnics, etc. to get back to get back to something like baseline. Think of all the people who experienced a similar social atrophy! How did we learn to speak again? Did some of us get left behind? How can we help each other along as we continue to build those skills up? Food for thought.
I also noticed stutters and agoraphobia in plenty of people that I haven't seen in a while. I couldn't see it in myself (since my agoraphobia ebbed and flowed according to my stress levels in the next few years) but I noticed it in people I haven't seen in a while, and I feel like some will take a very focused effort, possibly professional help to not remain behind permanently. I foresee a huge demand for (re)learning socialization as the next wellness trend and a drop-off in smartphone usage similar to the TV, where we feel like it's mainly for older generations now.
I believe it will take a cultural shift where "the cool kids" are terminally **off**line. The dumbphone/nosurf/retro-tech movements give me so much hope, and I appreciated your series so much! 🙏
I absolutely loved reading this, your daily musings are so interesting and ring very true. It's given me a lot to think about. I don't use my smartphone that much comparatively (I think this is because I grew up without a phone, social media, internet, most TV until late in high school- I'm 37. Although my grandmother, in her late eighties, is completely addicted to her phone like a teenager, so maybe this has nothing to do with it), but still wish I used it less. I have been toying with the idea of getting a dumbphone but largely held back by the what ifs of daily practicalities and annoyances such as QR codes, doctors office forms, maps, parking apps etc. Why must everything require a device these days? Anyways, thank you for taking the time to write and share here, I love reading it and it is very inspiring. xx Amanda
Thank you Amanda! I discovered your newsletter recently and have found it inspiring reading <3
Your aside on age is really interesting -- I'm 27 and grew up in a family of early tech adopters, so I can't remember a time without unfettered internet access. It makes me think of the research on early drinking and later alcoholism. One study found about half of people who began drinking before age 14 become dependent on alcohol later in life (https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/early-drinking-linked-higher-lifetime-alcoholism-risk). Could something similar be true for excessive screen time? But I also have hyper-online parents and grandparents, so it's clearly more complicated than that!
If you do happen to try out a dumbphone, feel free to drop me a line with any problems you run into -- I'd be happy to brainstorm, especially as I anticipate running into all sorts of new ones when I fly back to London next week after a long stay in the States!
Thank you so much for the kind words. Yes, I feel that exposure during child/young adulthood could certainly be a big factor, but as you mention, there’s more than meets the eye, perhaps genetic risk factors for addiction? Lots to chew on there. Anyways, I will be looking into dumbphones and my current phone plan etc. I will update you if any developments. Thanks again for your thought provoking writing and documenting xx
Going to miss your daily update notes! But thank you for sharing them!
Thank you for reading!
Thank you for sharing these. Today is my Day 1...
I am excited for you. Let me know how it goes.
I hope you continue to update everyone on how life with a dumbphone is going for you! We regularly have 90s weekends in our house (the phones stay tethered to their chargers and if you want to use them you have to go to the room they’re in) and it’s always a nice break. I’m certainly moving towards a dumbphone in time.
I plan to!
Re: your 90s weekends, what a wonderful idea. I like the emphasis on tethering -- sometimes I think the portability of our devices is half the problem.
It is! And honestly the thought of having to get up and go down the hall to get a device is sometimes all the encouragement someone needs to find something else to do.
Hi! I followed your updates here and there and it's been such a great ride. I've been journaling since January and I noticed the same pattern when it comes to my low-tech/no-surf habits:
My first few entries were angry, frantic, annoyed that I kept running into obstacles and that I wasn't doing low-tech "perfectly" on the first try.
My next updates tended to be more factual, where I highlighted how my I found ways to reduce screen dependency (putting clocks around the house so I don't check the phone and using an app to lock down my phone for a few hours, only allowing work-related apps)
And regarding your last point about feeling awkward and taking out your phone and scrolling - I noticed the same! My solution was to either look around me taking in details and trying to come up with a fun story in my head (I've lived in the same city for 15 years and never noticed some things! I've also started enjoying my city more) or if I'm with people, getting them to talk about themselves, or doing small talk more often. I really want to polish my small talk skills that have been eroded by retreating into scrolling over the last few years.
And now that I've settled into a groove (where I find it much easier to say "yeah I'm done with the internet for now, time to either unwind in a healthy way or to work on my hobbies/goals") my updates shifted to short observations I make about the world around me.
Thank you for sharing this -- so interesting!
You've got me thinking more about the skill of small talk. Over the course of the pandemic I found it increasingly difficult to speak -- in a very literal sense (I developed a minor stutter). It has taken years of stilted conversation, anxious picnics, etc. to get back to get back to something like baseline. Think of all the people who experienced a similar social atrophy! How did we learn to speak again? Did some of us get left behind? How can we help each other along as we continue to build those skills up? Food for thought.
I also noticed stutters and agoraphobia in plenty of people that I haven't seen in a while. I couldn't see it in myself (since my agoraphobia ebbed and flowed according to my stress levels in the next few years) but I noticed it in people I haven't seen in a while, and I feel like some will take a very focused effort, possibly professional help to not remain behind permanently. I foresee a huge demand for (re)learning socialization as the next wellness trend and a drop-off in smartphone usage similar to the TV, where we feel like it's mainly for older generations now.
I believe it will take a cultural shift where "the cool kids" are terminally **off**line. The dumbphone/nosurf/retro-tech movements give me so much hope, and I appreciated your series so much! 🙏
yes, yes! I'd like to think we are part of that movement.
I absolutely loved reading this, your daily musings are so interesting and ring very true. It's given me a lot to think about. I don't use my smartphone that much comparatively (I think this is because I grew up without a phone, social media, internet, most TV until late in high school- I'm 37. Although my grandmother, in her late eighties, is completely addicted to her phone like a teenager, so maybe this has nothing to do with it), but still wish I used it less. I have been toying with the idea of getting a dumbphone but largely held back by the what ifs of daily practicalities and annoyances such as QR codes, doctors office forms, maps, parking apps etc. Why must everything require a device these days? Anyways, thank you for taking the time to write and share here, I love reading it and it is very inspiring. xx Amanda
Thank you Amanda! I discovered your newsletter recently and have found it inspiring reading <3
Your aside on age is really interesting -- I'm 27 and grew up in a family of early tech adopters, so I can't remember a time without unfettered internet access. It makes me think of the research on early drinking and later alcoholism. One study found about half of people who began drinking before age 14 become dependent on alcohol later in life (https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/early-drinking-linked-higher-lifetime-alcoholism-risk). Could something similar be true for excessive screen time? But I also have hyper-online parents and grandparents, so it's clearly more complicated than that!
If you do happen to try out a dumbphone, feel free to drop me a line with any problems you run into -- I'd be happy to brainstorm, especially as I anticipate running into all sorts of new ones when I fly back to London next week after a long stay in the States!
Thank you so much for the kind words. Yes, I feel that exposure during child/young adulthood could certainly be a big factor, but as you mention, there’s more than meets the eye, perhaps genetic risk factors for addiction? Lots to chew on there. Anyways, I will be looking into dumbphones and my current phone plan etc. I will update you if any developments. Thanks again for your thought provoking writing and documenting xx