I share the feeling about technology and social media, but one thing that's different for me is that I never managed to enjoy swiping stuff from strangers. I ac

I share the feeling about technology and social media, but one thing that's different for me is that I never managed to enjoy swiping stuff from strangers. I actually did put effort into getting used to Twitter, Bluesky, Mastodon, but it just doesn't work. I don't find it interesting. So I have a smartphone, and I am happy that it is a full computer because many apps are genuinely useful. For one, messaging apps like Signal (and WhatsApp when needed) work really well. Being able to play chess or go with a stranger online is great: before that I just could not play at all (or rarely). Reading the news is interesting (I don't like to watch them) and I have a small RSS app that shows me when one of my few favourite blogs have an update. Also it's useful to download maps, and I usually don't even enable the location service, so I actually read the map (unless I'm lost). I pay with my smartphone, too. We can discuss how it would be better to pay with cash, but I think it's a different debate: it's genuinely useful and it's not an addiction. All that to say, I don't think that all apps are bad. It's mostly social media. And it is possible to own a smartphone without using social media apps.