This was about a simple feature on a new smart dumbphone that I am pretty amped about… the phone in general, as well as what it means in general. $60 a month savings, and not losing a thing from modern reality. At the same time, I’m finally at a point, 10 years on, where I’m trying to save money but also simplify my life by admitting a difficult truth… smartphones are poison and they suck. Like addicted people are wont to do, it’s waiting to for the time they can talk about the addiction without defensive insecurity, admitting you’re exhausted and tired of feeling that way, and finally doing something about it.
On top of all those links down there (sip from the firehose), this gives you easy, simple rules to take back your time, like turning off all push notifications so you use your phone, and it doesn’t use you. https://www.humanetech.com/take-control
So what was a one minute demo of a map feature on my new phone (down below, embedded) became some cathartic research event to prove I wasn’t crazy, and it’s just there’s a tiny minority of our modern America that is addicted and refuses to talk about it, isn’t there yet.
Not some hipster thing, but about money and wellness.
This saves me $60 a month or so, and I’m already reading more books and feel healthier. So there’s that!
SO…. KaiOS is the 3rd largest operating system in the world, aiming to connect 3.5 Billion unconnected people in India. Right now, the podcast app for the platform is new, but surging, as 70 Million of their OS in phones have been sold. https://podnews.net/update/kaios-podcast-app. It’s interesting to be an American using the most popular operating system of Uganda, Nigeria, and Tanzania.
Smartphones have literally been designed to addict you, and every single app is in this war called “the attention economy” that is being designed by tech but ALSO neuroscientists and biochemists and all the people that know how to hack our brains with specific UI, colors, sounds, workflows that keep us within apps for too long. It’s engineered like a more addictive slot machine, both single apps, and the phones as a whole. And guess what… I’m not going to take your alcoholic-like deflection or smarmy dismissal of me as a conspiracy theorist. There’s two things going on: You’re addicted and can’t admit it, and your cognitive dissonance deliberately wants to ignore the science, so I’m linking studies below this descriptions.
To my mind, smartphone addiction is likely the greatest waste of human potential ever, so I’m just trying to simplify my life. Now my smartphone just exists on Wi-Fi, and I got this without really understanding just how amazing it is. I will not be going backwards or engineering in professional or modern day issues, etc.
The Alcatel Go Flip 3 seems to have most apps whether you want social or games. But they’re limited in a way that won’t make it a addictive-pleasant experience so you just endlessly stay on them. It’s more about pragmatism or utilitarian use. Just like mapping in case of an emergency, lack of ability to plan, etc. So although this phone does have Google Assistant, and voice to text, and voice search and most apps, I wanted to show the Google maps app first. Works like a charm. Really impressed. SD card allows 32GB, so streaming podcasts while having a music app to have music on the go. It’s a decent enough camera if you’re in architecture or construction and need an on site photo that isn’t 50mp. lol
Here’s to monthly savings and simplicity. And finishing books again! =)
Articles and Studies on Tech Addiction. What sucks is WE ALL knew this, and some of the data and studies are from as far back as 2010:
Addicted to tech and paying a price (2010 NY Times) https://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/07/technology/07brain.html
Meet the scientists who make apps addictive (2016 Economist) https://www.economist.com/1843/2016/10/20/the-scientists-who-make-apps-addictive
Has dopamine got us hooked on tech? (2018 Guardian) https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/mar/04/has-dopamine-got-us-hooked-on-tech-facebook-apps-addiction
This is what your smartphone is doing to your brain, and it’s not good https://www.businessinsider.com/what-your-smartphone-is-doing-to-your-brain-and-it-isnt-good-2018-3
Brain structure differences associated with smartphone addiction (2020 mapping ignorance) https://mappingignorance.org/2020/04/22/brain-structure-differences-associated-with-smartphone-addiction/
You’re addicted to your smartphone (talks about why and how they were built to addict) and a company trying to change it) (2018) https://time.com/5237434/youre-addicted-to-your-smartphone-this-company-thinks-it-can-change-that/
WAY WAY WAY MORE RESEARCH:
Finding it Hard to Focus? Maybe It’s not your fault… The rise of the new “attention economy.”: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/14/style/how-can-i-focus-better.html
Dopamine, Smartphones & You: A battle for your time: http://sitn.hms.harvard.edu/flash/2018/dopamine-smartphones-battle-time/
Take control of your phone: http://humanetech.com/take-control/
Realigning technology with humanity’s best interests:- http://humanetech.com/
When Tech Knows You Better Than Yourself: https://www.wired.com/story/artificial-intelligence-yuval-noah-harari-tristan-harris/
Why you’re addicted to your phone… and what to do about it: https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/columnist/2017/07/03/why-youre-addicted-your-phone-and-what-do/443448001/
5 Ways to Organize Your Phone to Unhijack Your Mind: https://www.mindful.org/5-ways-organize-phone-unhijack-mind/
The Hidden Cost of Phone Addiction: https://www.mindful.org/hidden-cost-phone-addiction/
Be Smarter than your phone: https://www.mindful.org/be-smarter-than-your-phone/
How to Configure Your iphone to Work for You, Not against You: https://betterhumans.coach.me/how-to-set-up-your-iphone-for-productivity-focus-and-your-own-longevity-bb27a68cc3d8
Why millennials will always love “Call Me Maybe,” according to psychology: https://qz.com/1434677/why-millennials-will-always-love-call-me-maybe-according-to-psychology/
One Simple Thing You Can Do For Better Mental Health : Turn off your push notifications: https://qz.com/quartzy/1416069/turn-off-push-notifications-for-better-mental-health/
Should you delete your social media?: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2018/sep/28/should-you-delete-social-media-oliver-burkeman
Ten Arguments for Deleting your Social Media Accounts Right now by Jaron Lanier – review: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2018/may/30/ten-arguments-deleting-your-social-media-accounts-right-now-jaron-lanier
George Will: America’s epidemic of loneliness: http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2018/oct/12/george-will-americas-epidemic-of-loneliness/
Free from Facebook, Instagram’s co-founder is talking about what’s wrong with social media: https://qz.com/1424851/now-that-instragrams-kevin-systrom-is-free-hes-talking-freely-about-whats-wrong-with-social-media-and-facebook/
I, Search: How AI Will Transform the Landscape of SEO: https://www.searchenginejournal.com/search-ai-will-transform-landscape-seo/185531/
Social media apps are ‘ deliberately ‘ addictive to users: https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-44640959
Here’s Why You Need to Put Your Phone Away, According to Science: https://www.inc.com/christina-desmarais/heres-why-you-need-to-put-your-phone-away-according-to-science.html
Smartphone addiction causes an imbalance in the brain that makes people tired and anxious, Study finds: https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/smartphone-internet-addiction-phone-imbalance-brain-anxiety-tiredness-study-research-a8084146.html
Phone Addiction is Real — And So are its Mental Health Risks: https://www.forbes.com/sites/alicegwalton/2017/12/11/phone-addiction-is-real-and-so-are-its-mental-health-risks/
If you can quit social media, but don’t, then you’re part of the problem, Jaron Lanier says “You’re not doing anything to free those who are more trapped. You’re only enslaving them more by entrenching the system.” https://www.vox.com/2018/7/27/17618756/jaron-lanier-deleting-social-media-book-kara-swisher-too-embarrassed-podcast
How Evil Is Tech?: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/20/opinion/how-evil-is-tech.html
Breaking Smart Phone Addiction: Raising Serotonin in the Brain: https://healthimpactnews.com/2018/breaking-smart-phone-addiction-raising-serotonin-in-the-brain/
Attention Economy: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attention_economy
Why is Everyone So Lonely These Days?: https://blog.heartsupport.com/why-is-everyone-so-lonely-these-days-9a7781527296
A Tour of the Top 10 Algorithms for Machine Learning Newbies: https://towardsdatascience.com/a-tour-of-the-top-10-algorithms-for-machine-learning-newbies-dde4edffae11
The Deliberate Awfulness of Social Media: https://www.newyorker.com/books/under-review/the-deliberate-awfulness-of-social-media
3 things I hope you take away from my new book, Hyperfocus: https://alifeofproductivity.com/three-take-aways-from-hyperfocus-the-book/
The Science is Clear: Why Multitasking Doesn’t Work: https://health.clevelandclinic.org/science-clear-multitasking-doesnt-work/
3 Ways You Can Refocus to Stay on Track at Work: https://health.clevelandclinic.org/3-ways-you-can-refocus-to-stay-on-track-at-work/
7 time consuming things an average Joe spends on in a lifetime: https://blog.tempo.io/2013/7-time-consuming-things-an-average-joe-spends-in-a-lifetime
Radio Replay: This is your brain on ads: https://www.npr.org/2018/05/18/612037491/radio-replay-this-is-your-brain-on-ads
Selfie deaths: 259 people reported dead seeking the perfect picture: https://www.bbc.com/news/newsbeat-45745982
How boredom can lead to your most brilliant ideas: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c73Q8oQmwzo
For Most Smartphones Users, It’s a ‘ Round-the-Clock ‘ Connection: https://www.reportlinker.com/insight/smartphone-connection.html
How Powerful was the Apollo 11 Computer?: https://igotoffer.com/blog/how-powerful-was-the-apollo-11-computer
Apple says the average iPhone is unlocked 80 times a day: https://www.theverge.com/2016/4/18/11454976/apple-iphone-use-data-unlock-stats
Workplace Distractions: Here’s Why You Won’t Finish This Article: https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424127887324339204578173252223022388
Have Smartphones Destroyed a Generation?: https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2017/09/has-the-smartphone-destroyed-a-generation/534198/
Phantom Vibrations among undergraduates: Prevalence and associated psychological characteristics: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0747563212000799
Also, a few videos worth your time.
Jaron Lanier on social media, and why its ruining your life:
Chamath Palihapitiya on the addictive design of social media, and it ripping the fabric of society apart:
and
The entire speech about money for positive change, but it starts about society not being patient because capitalism has set us up to be consumed by everything constantly, and social media exploiting our psychology on purpose, for profit, to tear our society apart.