4 ms·

You can always go back, any time! Get a dumb phone. It's great. Engage with others more authentically, more meaningfully, and more consistently.

varrock 5y ago
This is great from a social aspect, but society favors having a smart phone to get things done. The cons might outweigh the pros from my perspective.
whynotminot 5y ago
You can go back, but you’re going back alone.
- tboyd47 5y ago
  Who's alone? I've got people around me all the time who understand and support my decision. It may be hard for some people, but if you really want to do it, keep at it and don't give up. Seven generations from now, do you think smartphones will still have this hold on humanity? We just can't continue this way; it's an unsustainable form of society. Even movies made in 2021 do not depict smartphone usage anywhere close to the frequency and intensity they are used now. People will wake up from this collective dream one day; I'd rather wake up now and get started early on building something that works, wouldn't you?
- sdevonoes 5y ago
  Nothing wrong about that :)
- JKCalhoun 5y ago
  I for one will go with them. :-)
ahofmann 5y ago
Tried it, hated it. Everyone is using WhatsApp, Telegram, whatever. Try typing a sms with those tiny buttons, it sucks. There is a reason why some people have a smartphone but not a computer.
- jacquesm 5y ago
  I find that the quality of the communications increases with the resistance to communicate.
- 3grdlurker 5y ago
  That last sentence is the most confusing thing I’ve read today, and I still don’t know what you mean by it.
  - KineticLensman 5y ago
    >> There is a reason why some people have a smartphone but not a computer. > That last sentence is the most confusing thing I’ve read today, and I still don’t know what you mean by it. I think ahofmann is referring to people who have a smartphone but not a desktop / laptop or similar.
  - floren 5y ago
    I think they mean you can mostly get along without a computer if you have a smartphone, but not vice versa, because the modern world assumes you've got a smartphone in your pocket at all times.
- tboyd47 5y ago
  SMS is a drag, but all the apps you mentioned have desktop versions.
- JKCalhoun 5y ago
  Pretty sure the person you are responding to was not suggesting continuing to use WhatsApp, Telegram, whatever. Getting off those was kind of the point.
  - quenix 5y ago
    Yes, that's why the OP laments that "everyone else is using WhatsApp, Telegram, etc".
jbay808 5y ago
Unfortunately you can't; society has changed too, in many ways. Even some government services now require either an iOS or Android device to access (like vaccination records here in BC). A dumb phone does less for you now than it did in 2005, just like a horse does less for you now than it did in 1895. Even if you really like horses, you can't ride them on the same streets you once could.
- letitbeirie 5y ago
  Great example: in 2005 you could text 466-45 (Google) for weather and directions, but that service got canned by 2012 or so.
lubujackson 5y ago
You can't go back though, not really. Like if you got lost pre-smartphones you would find a gas station and the person there would rattle off a series of turns you had to memorize on the spot or would pull out an atlas and walk you through directions - this was normal. Now, they would look at you like an alien. There was a culture of nudging people along to the right place. Even as a kid you would be asked for directions from time to time and have to sort out how many blocks to go before the next turn and all that, often without ever having seen an actual map of your own town.
- tboyd47 5y ago
  Yes, you can. I did. I do fine. I'm happy with my choice :)
- heavyset_go 5y ago
  As a side effect of being a big city, I'm constantly asked for directions that could easily be found by opening a smartphone. Hell, I do it myself sometimes, especially about things like bus or subway lines I'm not familiar with.
spywaregorilla 5y ago
I have a friend who did that. It's pretty irritating trying to remember his unique constraints on communication that I need to know in order to reach him. Some people conflate authenticity for interactions with others who are willing to go way out of their way to spend time with you.

varrock 5y ago

This is great from a social aspect, but society favors having a smart phone to get things done. The cons might outweigh the pros from my perspective.

whynotminot 5y ago

You can go back, but you’re going back alone.

tboyd47 5y ago
Who's alone? I've got people around me all the time who understand and support my decision. It may be hard for some people, but if you really want to do it, keep at it and don't give up. Seven generations from now, do you think smartphones will still have this hold on humanity? We just can't continue this way; it's an unsustainable form of society. Even movies made in 2021 do not depict smartphone usage anywhere close to the frequency and intensity they are used now. People will wake up from this collective dream one day; I'd rather wake up now and get started early on building something that works, wouldn't you?
sdevonoes 5y ago
Nothing wrong about that :)
JKCalhoun 5y ago
I for one will go with them. :-)

ahofmann 5y ago

Tried it, hated it. Everyone is using WhatsApp, Telegram, whatever. Try typing a sms with those tiny buttons, it sucks. There is a reason why some people have a smartphone but not a computer.

jacquesm 5y ago
I find that the quality of the communications increases with the resistance to communicate.
3grdlurker 5y ago
That last sentence is the most confusing thing I’ve read today, and I still don’t know what you mean by it.
- KineticLensman 5y ago
  >> There is a reason why some people have a smartphone but not a computer. > That last sentence is the most confusing thing I’ve read today, and I still don’t know what you mean by it. I think ahofmann is referring to people who have a smartphone but not a desktop / laptop or similar.
- floren 5y ago
  I think they mean you can mostly get along without a computer if you have a smartphone, but not vice versa, because the modern world assumes you've got a smartphone in your pocket at all times.
tboyd47 5y ago
SMS is a drag, but all the apps you mentioned have desktop versions.
JKCalhoun 5y ago
Pretty sure the person you are responding to was not suggesting continuing to use WhatsApp, Telegram, whatever. Getting off those was kind of the point.
- quenix 5y ago
  Yes, that's why the OP laments that "everyone else is using WhatsApp, Telegram, etc".

jbay808 5y ago

Unfortunately you can't; society has changed too, in many ways. Even some government services now require either an iOS or Android device to access (like vaccination records here in BC). A dumb phone does less for you now than it did in 2005, just like a horse does less for you now than it did in 1895. Even if you really like horses, you can't ride them on the same streets you once could.

letitbeirie 5y ago
Great example: in 2005 you could text 466-45 (Google) for weather and directions, but that service got canned by 2012 or so.

lubujackson 5y ago

You can't go back though, not really. Like if you got lost pre-smartphones you would find a gas station and the person there would rattle off a series of turns you had to memorize on the spot or would pull out an atlas and walk you through directions - this was normal. Now, they would look at you like an alien. There was a culture of nudging people along to the right place. Even as a kid you would be asked for directions from time to time and have to sort out how many blocks to go before the next turn and all that, often without ever having seen an actual map of your own town.

tboyd47 5y ago
Yes, you can. I did. I do fine. I'm happy with my choice :)
heavyset_go 5y ago
As a side effect of being a big city, I'm constantly asked for directions that could easily be found by opening a smartphone. Hell, I do it myself sometimes, especially about things like bus or subway lines I'm not familiar with.

spywaregorilla 5y ago

I have a friend who did that. It's pretty irritating trying to remember his unique constraints on communication that I need to know in order to reach him. Some people conflate authenticity for interactions with others who are willing to go way out of their way to spend time with you.