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I followed almost the exact same track as this guy, slowly realizing that my phone was a problem, then the problem, and coming to the conclusion that real drast

by CPLX 8y ago

I followed almost the exact same track as this guy, slowly realizing that my phone was a problem, then the problem, and coming to the conclusion that real drastic intervention methods were necessary, something that went beyond vague "trying to do better" efforts. I started a daily life 90% detox for a week or two then also did a completely phone free weekend, in my case at a Zen Buddhist monastery (and also in the Catskills, ironically). I completely and totally agree with his ultimate conclusion. Having a smartphone had literally rewired my brain, and not in a good way. The inability (or unwillingness?) to hold concentrated attention on literally anything that requires more than 5 minutes of sustained attention is just a horrible way to live. It's a tough thing to do, I freely admit that I have lapsed repeatedly since I started working on this seriously about two months ago. And I don't talk about it IRL with people since it's impossible to discuss without coming across as a holier-than-thou asshole. But this is a real problem, and looking around it seems nearly everyone in modern society has it. I think we're all going to look back on this era and what we've done to our mental health in abject horror, like we do on whatever era it was that the Romans decided sugar of lead was an awesome way to sweeten wine.

PavlovsCat 8y ago
I don't preach as much as mostly take light jabs. "Oh, so what's new on Myspace? I am so hip to all this interwebs stuff", that sort of thing. They just give me a confused grin... I mean, what are they gonna do, unfriend me on a platform I'm not on? :P And I also had a few conversations about this topic, with smartphone users, and they were rather pleasant. It's difficult on the web, then it easily can sound arrogant. But in person, I haven't met a single person I liked, and who liked me, that had a problem with me not having a smartphone... and sometimes talking about how an information age would be neat, rather than a mobile serfdom age. Maybe me and a person who totally "identifies with" their smartphone wouldn't like each other to begin with, but at any rate it never was a problem for me, not even with bosses. Sure, I also don't inspire anyone to give up their smartphone, but in a live-and-let-live sort of way, I don't feel a need to hide my opinion, at all, as long as I keep it somewhat light.
- PavlovsCat 8y ago
  Fine, so they can also downvote me so that I can magically realize what was so terribly wrong about comment, I forgot about that.
  - radicalriddler 8y ago
    https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html > Please don't comment about the voting on comments. It never does any good, and it makes boring reading.
    - PavlovsCat 8y ago
      I'm aware of that, but I find downvotes without reply so much more boring. It's not like HN seems to care about the abuse of that, at all, it's just a mechanism for double standards and intellectual dishonesty. Can you tell me what in the world is wrong with my comment? I don't have a smartphone, I joke around with people about it, that's a fact. Maybe not super interesting, but I just wanted to support the person I replied to with literally the only practical experience I have with what they were talking about... so was genuinely stumped, and because I don't see why I would beg for someone to please explain (that only gets you people who didn't downvote guessing at the motivation of people who won't respond). It also kinda fits the topic: people mostly in their own heads, clicking buttons, thinking that means something, but being unable to articulate what that might be. I guess that comment deserved to be downvoted because it got downvoted, and I'm not supposed to talk about it because I'm not supposed to talk about it. A voting system itself makes for boring reading and for boring discussion, because people think if in doubt, they can just tag team people and then the numbers speak for themselves. It's like one-click sophistry. I don't care about the karma, I care about the form of communication that is, and what kind of person I would have to be to tacitly approve of it. The guidelines also talk about a sense of community, but I guess that's just a word, like thoughtful. But have an upvote because you just tried to help :P
      - magduf 8y ago
Mirioron 8y ago
One of the main things I do on my phone is read fiction. I find that using a phone focuses my attention on one thing more than almost anything else. Particularly reading in a dark room or when walking outside when it's dark. It's so easy to ignore distractions while doing so. I am pretty much unable to read fiction when it's not on my phone. It's interesting how we basically have the opposite experience.
kls 8y ago
I called my wireless company 3 years ago and had my phone turned off, best decision I ever made. I have a VOIP phone at and one at the office the house and that is all I use. It was hard at first, but the only time I have ever missed having a phone was in one emergency instance where I blew a tire and my jack does not lift my truck high enough so I had to walk to a store, no big deal but its the only time I thought I wish I had my phone.

by CPLX 8y ago

PavlovsCat 8y ago

I don't preach as much as mostly take light jabs. "Oh, so what's new on Myspace? I am so hip to all this interwebs stuff", that sort of thing. They just give me a confused grin... I mean, what are they gonna do, unfriend me on a platform I'm not on? :P And I also had a few conversations about this topic, with smartphone users, and they were rather pleasant. It's difficult on the web, then it easily can sound arrogant. But in person, I haven't met a single person I liked, and who liked me, that had a problem with me not having a smartphone... and sometimes talking about how an information age would be neat, rather than a mobile serfdom age. Maybe me and a person who totally "identifies with" their smartphone wouldn't like each other to begin with, but at any rate it never was a problem for me, not even with bosses. Sure, I also don't inspire anyone to give up their smartphone, but in a live-and-let-live sort of way, I don't feel a need to hide my opinion, at all, as long as I keep it somewhat light.

PavlovsCat 8y ago
Fine, so they can also downvote me so that I can magically realize what was so terribly wrong about comment, I forgot about that.
- radicalriddler 8y ago
  https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html > Please don't comment about the voting on comments. It never does any good, and it makes boring reading.
  - PavlovsCat 8y ago
    I'm aware of that, but I find downvotes without reply so much more boring. It's not like HN seems to care about the abuse of that, at all, it's just a mechanism for double standards and intellectual dishonesty. Can you tell me what in the world is wrong with my comment? I don't have a smartphone, I joke around with people about it, that's a fact. Maybe not super interesting, but I just wanted to support the person I replied to with literally the only practical experience I have with what they were talking about... so was genuinely stumped, and because I don't see why I would beg for someone to please explain (that only gets you people who didn't downvote guessing at the motivation of people who won't respond). It also kinda fits the topic: people mostly in their own heads, clicking buttons, thinking that means something, but being unable to articulate what that might be. I guess that comment deserved to be downvoted because it got downvoted, and I'm not supposed to talk about it because I'm not supposed to talk about it. A voting system itself makes for boring reading and for boring discussion, because people think if in doubt, they can just tag team people and then the numbers speak for themselves. It's like one-click sophistry. I don't care about the karma, I care about the form of communication that is, and what kind of person I would have to be to tacitly approve of it. The guidelines also talk about a sense of community, but I guess that's just a word, like thoughtful. But have an upvote because you just tried to help :P
    - magduf 8y ago

Mirioron 8y ago

One of the main things I do on my phone is read fiction. I find that using a phone focuses my attention on one thing more than almost anything else. Particularly reading in a dark room or when walking outside when it's dark. It's so easy to ignore distractions while doing so. I am pretty much unable to read fiction when it's not on my phone. It's interesting how we basically have the opposite experience.

kls 8y ago

I called my wireless company 3 years ago and had my phone turned off, best decision I ever made. I have a VOIP phone at and one at the office the house and that is all I use. It was hard at first, but the only time I have ever missed having a phone was in one emergency instance where I blew a tire and my jack does not lift my truck high enough so I had to walk to a store, no big deal but its the only time I thought I wish I had my phone.