humble3d Posted October 25, 2019 Share Posted October 25, 2019 This Is What It’s Like To Not Own A Smartphone As more people start to question their dependence on devices, I’m digging my heels in on my flip-phone life. Fast Company | I’ve never owned a smartphone. In 2014, I wrote about having no regrets for being a “dumb phone” user. At the time I was an anomaly: 58 percent of Americans, according to Pew researchers, owned a smartphone; that figure was around 80 percent for people in my age demographic. Now, I’m a clear oddity: As of January, 2018, 77 percent of U.S. adults are smartphone users, as are around 90 percent of my peers. But, oh well. I don’t plan on changing tack anytime soon. Here’s why. Why I Still Don’t Have Smartphone FOMO All the reasons why I was happy to live without a computer in my pocket four years ago still hold true today: Certain choices are easier to make without digital temptation, like reading physical books on my commute and being fully present with my friends at meals. But there are new reasons, too. Like many Americans, I’ve found the news cycle pretty draining since the 2016 presidential election. Being cut off from push notifications when I’m not at my desk hasn’t made me feel uninformed, but it’s probably helped me keep a shred more of my sanity (and has made “unplugging” on vacations a lot easier). Something else has changed in my life that’s further solidified my low-tech commitment: I’ve become a parent. Many parents are becoming more deliberate about choosing how and when to introduce tech into their children’s lives. For what it’s worth, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends limited or no screen time at all before age 2. But aside from which gadgets we expose our son to, I’m also conscious of how my own tech usage impacts his view of the world (my husband, it should be noted, doesn’t own a smartphone, either). There are countless articles about how being raised on smartphones and social media has led a generation of kids to be depressed and lack empathy. And the number of tech executives from Bill Gates to former Facebook exec Chamath Palihapitiya who limit or ban tech for their own children is starting to give some parents pause. What’s less discussed is the impact of parents who themselves can’t help compulsively checking their phones–by some estimates, as often as 46 to 85 times a day. I certainly don’t plan to shield my son from technology. Once he starts school it would be impossible anyway, and to do so would be a huge disservice. But just as I’ve found in my own life, there’s a way to stay informed about and proficient in technology while setting boundaries around how much it infiltrates my life. For him, that will start with seeing that his parents don’t prioritize a little glowing rectangle over looking each other’s faces. Bringing A “Dumb Phone” Into Our Screenless Future When I wrote about not owning a smartphone in 2014, the idea of a “digital detox” was still novel. In 2013, the New Yorker, NPR, the Atlantic, and the New York Times all ran stories about “Camp Grounded,” a place were affluent people give up using tech for a week. At Fast Company we even devoted our July/August cover that year to writer Baratunde Thurston’s month-long digital detox. Cold-turkey trials like these now feel more like gimmicks, and less likely to have any kind of lasting impact on how we view or interact with the technology in our daily lives. For all the think pieces (like this one) about how smartphones, social media, and tech in general are ruining our lives, the pace of progress and the often unquestioning eagerness to adopt new tech shows no real sign of slowing. A few years from now, questions about how staring at a screen impacts human empathy and mental health might be moot. By many accounts, the future is in fact a screenless virtual reality powered by artificial intelligence. Still, in the last few years the drumbeat against addictive UX and social media is getting louder. The idea that many of us have formed unhealthy dependencies on our devices may have been novel a few years ago; now, it’s basically a given. But it’s more than just addiction and information overload. In the rush to adopt and upgrade devices, we’ve collectively given up a lot–our privacy and data chief among them. Consider this video highlighting an average smartphone user whose GPS coordinates were shared with third parties 3,545 times over the course of a single week, based on permissions she gave in those user agreements no one reads. The last time I wrote about not having a smartphone, I advocated for injecting a little more boredom into your life by doing something as simple as not reaching for your phone while waiting in line. That idea is still valuable, but as we hurtle towards a screenless world, the borders separating technology from the rest of our lives are blurring even further–to a point where it’s worth asking in what sense they even exist. I’m not wishing for some analog resurgence (okay, sometimes a little), but it does seem reasonable to keep questioning– and occasionally pushing back against–what we may be giving up along the way. While I remain in an ever-shrinking minority, there are are a few people (besides Warren Buffett) who are also committing to dumb phones. The Light Phone, which came out last year, is marketed as an “anti-smartphone.” It only sends and receives calls, can store just 10 phone numbers, and is designed to be used “as little as possible.” It’s so popular that there’s currently a waiting list to buy one. As for me, if nothing has convinced me to switch yet, I doubt anything will soon. For now, I’m digging my heels in on my slightly disconnected life. But ask me again in another four years–when everyone is getting microchips embedded in their hands. Kathleen Davis is Deputy Editor at FastCompany.com. Previously, she has worked as an editor at Entrepreneur.com, WomansDay.com and Popular Photography magazine. https://getpocket.com/explore/item/this-is-what-it-s-like-to-not-own-a-smartphone-in-2018?utm_source=pocket-newtab Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vertical Posted October 25, 2019 Share Posted October 25, 2019 27 minutes ago, humble3d said: the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends limited or no screen time at all before age 2. they should even change it to 7 years. everything you said, i totally agree with you. i only have a smartphone for whats app and sometimes you need a camera and you can't have that big old dslr with you. and i have a not smart phone.that's my favorite. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whoopenstein Posted October 25, 2019 Share Posted October 25, 2019 Never had one. I've had several chances to get one for free. No thanks. I got over my internet obsession in the 1990's. It's just crazy to see people in public obsessed with the damn stupid things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donkey-girl Posted October 25, 2019 Share Posted October 25, 2019 I have just a Nokia 3210 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mp68terr Posted October 25, 2019 Share Posted October 25, 2019 Some paperwork requires a mobile-phone number, wondering how people without any do fill in the form. Or maybe they did not have to go through such formalities yet. (Ok, the op article is about not having a smartphone, it's not about life without a mobile phone.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neofita Posted October 25, 2019 Share Posted October 25, 2019 never had one, i have just a Nokia 6700 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dfortunsan Posted October 25, 2019 Share Posted October 25, 2019 I strongly agree to your opinion, especially about children, to not introduce them tech world until 2 years old, AT LEAST... I know that tech world is developing so fast and it is impossible to catch everything what is going on, but if your work do not ask for using touchscreen, that is good for you! Because at my work we must to have some apps on our phones to use sometimes.... so yeah, it is difficult to be without touchscreen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
funkyy Posted October 26, 2019 Share Posted October 26, 2019 Have never had a phone...have never wanted one...will never have one....well, maybe in my coffin....just in case!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankl1n Posted October 26, 2019 Share Posted October 26, 2019 I have an old flip phone for talk/txt. I dont need the internet when I'm away from the house. I hardly ever see kids outside playing anymore, if they are outside they are looking down at their phone, and/or walking into sign posts or telephone poles because they are brain dead walking phone zombies. When I was a kid we were outside from sunup to sundown unless we were in school. When we were outside it was down at the creek, out in the woods or playing games in the neighbors yard like tag or baseball ,maybe shadow tag at night when it was warm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mp68terr Posted October 26, 2019 Share Posted October 26, 2019 15 minutes ago, frankl1n said: kids... they are brain dead walking phone zombies... Plenty of adults too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karlston Posted October 26, 2019 Share Posted October 26, 2019 2 hours ago, mp68terr said: Plenty of adults too. There's a term for them... Smartphone zombie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dushyantsinh Chavda Posted October 27, 2019 Share Posted October 27, 2019 I have never used a smart phone. In INDIA, if you have a lot of skills but not a skill of a smart phone - you are dumb. But you are a really dumb, you have not a little degree of education, you have not a discipline / etiquette of society - but only one skill - you have a skill of use to smart phone, then you are like a preacher (for dumber who not use smart phone). And now INDIA have many scholars at any stall's windows, shop's door and any office's tables! Whatsapp forced to use smart phone for instant send a graphical invitation (for event of sadness or joy) for all members at once. I waiting for time when whatsapp used facebook id / google id for login. May be in one decade ??? OR May be one strong competitor of whatsapp? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pc71520 Posted October 27, 2019 Share Posted October 27, 2019 I own a Smartphone, but I'm Not addicted to it. No Social Media addiction, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiNAN Posted October 27, 2019 Share Posted October 27, 2019 @humble3d you are not the onlyone... I’ve never owned a smartphone too, I'm a happy Nokia 1100 user, V!va zer0 G Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dhjohns Posted October 27, 2019 Share Posted October 27, 2019 I own a smart phone. I use it as a tool. Most times it is in my pocket or on my desk. I don't take it everywhere with me. Oh how easy it is to blame a smart phone or any thing else for our behaviors. No need to accept responsibility if we do that! Kids in my neighborhood all have smart phones, but you know what? They are all out playing like normal kids did when I was growing up in the 1960s. So don't blame the smart phone, blame the people who use them. They are the ones at fault. A smart phone actually doesn't care if you use it or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steven36 Posted October 28, 2019 Share Posted October 28, 2019 I was at a medical facility last week and when i was there you could see the Nurses and things walking up and down the hall way with there nose in there smart phone like zombies all night . Back in the 80s and 90s you had to wait tell break time and was lucky if you had time to make quick call on a pay phone . Teachers didn't have to take smart phones away from kids and they wouldn't offing themselves because someone saying something bad about them on Facebook . People today have lost touch with reality from whats real and whats not real and before the www they was nothing but reality. People took drugs and done hings to escape it before but that was a small % of the population . But things like Facebook effects billions of people the internet or smartphones are not the problem it's the internet culture that's the problem . Everybody is all up in everybody's business 24/7 and it's just not natural. By the way i never own a smart phone or do belong to Facebook but i been online since 2001 . Most anything you need to fill out in my country can be done over a PC without a smartphone . Windows is still king with businesses but who knows in 10 years . People today cant even find there way around without GPS for 1000s of years we just used maps people are silly . It started out we just used a printer and you printed out a map off the internet on the fastest way to get there but my nephew dont know how use a map i dont guess hes always depended on GPS every since he drive, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dhjohns Posted October 28, 2019 Share Posted October 28, 2019 22 minutes ago, steven36 said: Everybody is all up in everybody's business 24/7 and it's just not natural. Everyone has ALWAYS been up in everyone's business. It is just easier to do now with smartphones and such. The internet is not the problem it is the people who use the internet. BTW, I have been on the internet since 1994. LOL I am sure many here will pre-date me though with Bulletin Boards and such, but I was never into that too much. My bro was though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steven36 Posted October 28, 2019 Share Posted October 28, 2019 31 minutes ago, dhjohns said: Everyone has ALWAYS been up in everyone's business. It is just easier to do now with smartphones and such. The internet is not the problem it is the people who use the internet. BTW, I have been on the internet since 1994. LOL I am sure many here will pre-date me though with Bulletin Boards and such, but I was never into that too much. My bro was though. The internet has made people more stupid not smarter in the 1990s i was to busy having a real life to worry about the internet . Quote Ex-employees of Google, Apple and Facebook, including former top executives, began raising the alarm about smartphones and social media apps, warning especially of their effects on children. Your smartphone is making you stupid, antisocial and unhealthy . So why can't you put it down❔ https://www.theglobeandmail.com/technology/your-smartphone-is-making-you-stupid/article37511900/ If the people who worked for big tech see it as a problem it is a problem they know better than me and you do . While it's not a problem for me because I never owned Apple or Google device or use Facebook it's a world wide epidemic for the masses . if it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it probably is a duck . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
humble3d Posted October 29, 2019 Author Share Posted October 29, 2019 Sometimes i wish i could draw pictures ... I would paint a picture of a horrible and huge multiple automobile crash with a lone person standing in the middle of it all screaming: HEY ! I'M TEXTING OVER HERE !!! 😂 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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