Sure, I guess it ultimately comes down to what specifically the author finds uncomfortable about not having their phone. But I think this narrative of addiction

Sure, I guess it ultimately comes down to what specifically the author finds uncomfortable about not having their phone. But I think this narrative of addiction (and the implication that people should be comfortable leaving possibly the most powerful tool that have at their disposal at home) largely feels like fear-mongering. For example, you talk about people being incapable of being present - this seems very far from my experience. I know a couple of people who might check their phone obsessively, or will get distracted looking something up, but generally most people that I hang out with show no signs of difficulty engaging with something - work, a game, a conversation - for long periods of time. That's not to say that carrying around a portable endorphin generator doesn't have its own risks and complexities, but overall, this techno-nihilistic narrative of addiction and incapability rings quite false to me.