Living without a smartphone: The definitive guide

https://insanelyfree.substack.com/p/living-without-a-smartphone-the-definitive

by janandonly • 3 years ago

40 14 3 years ago

insanelyfree.substack.com

sturza• 3 years ago

What would you rather read? An AI generated, NLP-infused news article, or a classic novel that’s been around for decades or centuries?

I think you're missing everything in between these extremes. "Real" books(as per your definition) can be in digital form as well, ain't nothing wrong with having a kindle.

janandonly• 3 years ago

Interestingly enough, the author doesn't refer to e-books at all.

Personally, the fact that "books stop working" [1] if DRM runs out scares the heck out of me, but not enough to stop buying cheap books on Amazon.

[1] https://www.forbes.com/sites/adamrowe1/2019/06/27/the-books-...

thefurdrake• 3 years ago

Stripping DRM off books is super easy. I have an archive of all the (audio)books I've purchased, because I still want access to things when a company decides they're no longer interested in the product.

shreyshnaccount• 3 years ago

Libgen

h2odragon• 3 years ago

The next step in the evolution of society will be the shunning of those without their digital totems. Even the Amish have bought into smartphones...

ttt11199907• 3 years ago

The sentiment is great, but it is truly mind bending seeing these truly hippie ideas -- being one with the earth, valuing relationships and community, self sufficiency -- couched in the language of global elite conspiracies and anti-education rhetoric. The other content by this author is filled with straw-men and insults and is a strange mix of prepper/sovereign-citizen/anti-millenial screed interspersed with really solid ideas. Maybe that's just the playbook? Start with an easily agreeable premise -- what makes humans human -- and then devolve into saying all millennial men are worried about which gender they are; the whiplash is real!

bill_joy_fanboy• 3 years ago

I agree with you. Our global leaders are trustworthy, as is our education system.

We're the smart people. We think the right thoughts.

zer8k• 3 years ago

It's always funny to see ad hominem on HN who tends to claim moral and intellectual superiority in all arguments.

I don't really care about what the author says on other topics. The TikTok trial should've opened everyone's eyes that there is indeed a grand conspiracy with social media. In particular, governments would be wise to consider it's exploitation by state level adversaries and the consequences of letting foreign actors unfettered access to the minds of your citizens.

That being said, there's some truth to the "anti-millenial" sentiment. In the past week I made friends with someone who I had a lot in common with. The fact I did not have any social media at all ended the friendship as quickly as it started. With no way to "follow" me on one of these platforms it seemed that just swapping numbers was out of the question. You could argue then they really weren't a friend at all but the level of commonality between us was uncanny. Another example: My nephew (a...uh whatever comes after zoomer) has been bullied in school because he does not have the latest iphone.

There is absolutely truth to the way society has fundamentally switched from privacy-first to carrying around a literal tracking device that is designed to sell you products in their pockets everywhere. You can't help but wonder what the consequences are. It's clear to me, at least, that none of this is done with our best interests in mind.

barbazoo• 3 years ago

I appreciate the sentiment of this but, exact reasons aside, for me this wouldn't be very practical. What I'm looking for is a phone that discourages excessive use which is why I'm excited for some of the small smartphones I'm seeing come out like the Jelly Star although I haven't seen it available yet.

Anyone else got a recommendation in that category?

metalforever• 3 years ago

I don't know, I haven't had a smartphone for two months now and it hasn't really seemed that necessary. I tried to do what you are saying but people have purposely engineered the devices and apps to be addictive so I don't think its a good solution for me.

To be honest with you, things changed for me mentally when I got rid of the smart phone. When I hear people say things like this, it kind of sounds similar to an addict talking about why they need a cigarette when they are stressed. It looks like that to me at the store and at the playgrounds when I watch parents playing around on their phone instead of with their kids too.

unsignedint• 3 years ago

Eliminating smartphones from your life may not be practical without supportive peers who are willing to do the same. Otherwise, you may end up being the person who becomes an extra burden to contact, while others efficiently use apps for communication. It would require being significantly important for this to work, and let's be realistic, not all of us hold that level of significance.

jojolatulipe• 3 years ago

Not necessarily everyone with a smartphone becomes addicted and uses it all the time. Its true that smartphones and their app ecosystems have become detrimental to society - but it’s entirely possible to practice some self control and keep your phone a tool (or a phone!) and not an extension of your hands. Im not saying it’s easy or even possible for everybody, im just saying there is quite a few steps between the “not human” and “human” states the author talks about. For lots of people in the world, owning a laptop is neither feasible or practical and they rely on smartphones instead. Maybe an helpful guide could be written about “Living sanely with a smartphone”

rasengan0• 3 years ago

Smartphone use: 2FA for the day job and voice/text loved ones is about all I use my tracking mobile for.

mountaintimefrm• 3 years ago

I've been cell phone free since 2012. Article is correct, it's not that hard to live without one.

Living without a smartphone: The definitive guide

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