Posted on 02/21/2024 1:38:11 PM PST by nickcarraway
When my iPhone suddenly stopped working 12 months ago, my immediate reaction surprised me. There I was, out of the loop on social media, nearly impossible to contact, but instead of feeling nervous or overcome with FOMO, total and utter relief flooded my veins.
Like, according to PC Mag 67% of millennials, I’ve tried and failed to spend less time on my phone. I’ve downloaded all of the productivity apps, tried making rules and systems, and read books about breaking bad habits — to no avail. No matter what I did, I was still averaging three hours and at least 80 pick-ups per day.
Thinking back to Steve Jobs’ famous unveiling of the iPhone, his visionary enthusiasm seemed in stark contrast to my resentment of this strange device in my pocket that I couldn’t seem to put down. And so when it died, instead of rushing to get it fixed, I decided I wouldn’t ignore this feeling. I put my broken phone in the drawer and bought a $30 Nokia.
At first, I felt great
Within a couple of weeks of life without a smartphone, the damage it had done became abundantly clear. The fog of overstimulation began to lift, and I started taking pleasure in the little things again.
(Excerpt) Read more at msn.com ...
I had a forty year career in telecommunications, thirty one with Verizon Business (legacy MCI) that I retired from.
Knowing how it all works, I know it's not magic, and cannot control me. These past nine years that I have been retired, I don't answer phone calls very often and ignore emails and instant messages. I don't have to pay any attention to this anymore.
Just take five deep breaths and tell yourself that you don't need to worship the great god electron.
Nice. Thanks. way over 70 here.
I have a smart phone. I don’t waste time making maps!
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I’m constantly amused by the number of people on Free Republic seem to be proud and revel in the fact that they’re basically luddites living in the 19th century.
I think the modern smartphone is one of the greatest inventions ever.I can basically go anywhere in the world and not get lost.I can listen to basically any radio station in the world. I have access to basically any piece of music ever recorded.I can listen to any podcast I want. I can make videos. I can have an emergency camera in case of accidents.I can control my DSLR. I can control my stereo. And that’s just barely touching it’s capabilities.
I only use it to make phone calls to my wife when I am at the grocery store. But yesterday, I looked up the phone number of my local pharmacy while I was at the doctor's office. That was the first time in weeks that I used it for anything but talking.
I think after a few days or a week, they might start behaving better.
Perpetual inundation creates a chaotic/anxious mind.
People become impulsive and manic.
I think you’re right. I’m afraid we’re going to find out.
Too bad for people who have no books at home.
“What’s the difference between that and just taking a photo of the document.”
Much better quality and it’s a pdf.
I have a smartphone, but no social media. I use it everyday but don’t check it often.
Morning and evening email check, VPN tokens for work, and music in the gym.
I quit watching almost all sports and tv, and read more often.
The clarity and depth of thought has defined improved.
I highly recommend unplugging more often to everyone.
It’s a shame more people don’t read books.
They have no idea how to do anything so they blindly follow their daily government instructions, go only where the government tells them to go and haul an entire battery bank behind them in fear that the battery on their personal controller will die. Which would leave them in the horrible position of actually having to THINK.
Thanks for your considerate reply. My comments may have been a little harsh.
I also like to live a simple life and my hobbies such as reading, gardening and photography keep me busy also. I never use my phone like a teenager on social media. It performs numerous tasks for me. Twice it has saved me some money on car insurance accident disputes. It keeps my 13 hour one way photography trips bearable. I can hook it up to my Apple Carplay car stereo and listen to podcasts or have access to millions of songs on Spotify or Amazon Music. I can search for gas stations or places to eat along the way.
I don’t buy CDs or vinyl anymore. Too expensive. I can stream music from my phone through my home stereo. I can save a trip to the library and read books from the library on my phone.
Appreciated
Thanks. Makes sense.
No kidding. But he can’t. And he is trying to live without one.
So do it differently if you really want to try a new way. He is whining!
Good advice and you have a good plan.
Yes, books are wonderful.
So do it differently if you really want to try a new way. He is whining!
He is whining! He is winning! He’s whining winning, winning whining……., oh, wait….
Time to stop reading all of this great thread on my…….laptop.
So do it differently if you really want to try a new way. He is whining!
He is whining! He is winning! He’s whining winning, winning whining……., oh, wait….
Time to stop reading all of this great thread on my…….laptop.
Rather than all those who forsake or marginalize smartphone being "luddites," it can be that they have little use of need for such. For me, at 71 and with stiff arthritic typo-fingers (meaning often using a stylus), a smartphone (which could use a right click menu, and this is not enabled on mine, and I have chosen voice options) is vastly inferior to a PC (with a much customized W/11, with with I connect to my Samsung A53) for most computing functions.
And when outside in the city, I prefer working (which means pockets have usually been full of tools) and engaging with actually present people without being interrupted by phone calls - which most users seem hard to ignore.
I mainly use my smartphone for taking pics, and rarely for calls, but if was traveling in an unknown area then maps and location services would be helpful, and perhaps a phone call.
As an aside, I think that smartphones have much worked to generally reduce users to be mere headline-reading believers, which are often misleading. Thank God for options, best used in service to Him.
“I have a smart phone. I don’t waste time making maps!”
GPS-based mapping and routing is truly amazing and worthwhile.
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