I Hate Smart Phones- Am I Odd/Alone In This?

[yerrag]

I found the ray peat forum in a google search.

The Silicon Valley Gulag

The Google Archipelago

 

[ships]

The teeny tiny space jammed crammed with everything/anything in the universe - pop-ups - distractions drives me into a sort of psychotic myopia. I need large lengthy space, simplicity, clarity. These toys are cold hard impersonal, and the constant TOUCHING - I prefer buttons, knobs, levers. I wanna punch this thing sometimes.

You are NOT alone. I hate my smartphone. I've been thinking about this a lot lately. I've realized that using smartphones and social media for the past eleven years (i'm 31) has done nothing but add a serious amount of stress to my life. Text messaging really messes with my brain and makes me super anxious. The slow, short, impersonal never ending conversations. Not being able to feel/hear the tone etc. It's all so bizarre and unnatural. It's nice to know I'm not the only one who can't stand them.

 

[yerrag]

You are NOT alone. I hate my smartphone. I've been thinking about this a lot lately. I've realized that using smartphones and social media for the past eleven years (i'm 31) has done nothing but add a serious amount of stress to my life. Text messaging really messes with my brain and makes me super anxious. The slow, short, impersonal never ending conversations. Not being able to feel/hear the tone etc. It's all so bizarre and unnatural. It's nice to know I'm not the only one who can't stand them.

When we have our weekend from work, without the smartphone it is a good weekend from work. We read a book, do something we enjoy doing. We chill out on barbecue and beer and forget work.

When we are living away from people we don't get along with, smartphones don't keep them away. But with people we like, smartphones close the gap of distance.

When on vacation with friends and family, smartphones make us closer to those away from us than the people present in time and space. Many times I would rather be on a solo vacation. A game of bridge or mahjong or poker keeps people on the same page. Be distracted by the smartphone and you lose handily.

When I read up on Ray Peat matters, smartphone apps, if not managed well, keep interrupting my focus and I can't learn as well nor manage to sift the noise from the gems, and I fail to apply what I could learn from what I read.

When we had the bulky notebooks and no smartphone, I admit I longed for the ubiquity the smartphone brings.

I still love my phone. I would have many gadgets before, now it does many things my gadgets did before. And it doesn't break so easily, and since I don't care for the latest and greatest, AI stick with my 2015 Galaxy S5. When the apps outgrew its puny 16GB memory, I bought a used one (S5 Prime) that holds twice the memory. I just like the user-replaceable battery capability of older models, and they're more sturdy. I carry a spare battery instead of a power bank. I don't need a bag to carry accessories. I keep it simple.

I don't like the thin models. There's alway a trade-off going thinner. When thin became the rage in notebooks, the very functional tactile ketboards of IBM (now Lenovo) became extinct. Now, I find myself having to correct typos because the shitty chiclet keyboard is less responsive.

The smartphone with physical tactile keyboards are extinct as well. People prefer wide screens over tactile keyboards. There is no manufacturer that offers an alternative.

Even while technology has the power to mass customize for each individual, technology has only managed to make cookie cutter products that satisfy the tyranny of normalization, even if what's. normal isn't optimal.

 

[mayweatherking]

Cell phones have changed the world, it is one of the best inventions of all time, the entire worlds information is easily accessible and in your pocket everywhere you go. If u hate social media and texting then dont do it? I'm a little confused on all the hate.

 

[yerrag]

Cell phones have changed the world, it is one of the best inventions of all time, the entire worlds information is easily accessible and in your pocket everywhere you go. If u hate social media and texting then dont do it? I'm a little confused on all the hate.

The thing is you can't say I want social media without the intrusion it comes with. You can, if you leave your cellphone at home, and use it at night. But what if someone calls you? If you want to be connected, you're often left without a choice. Then you need to have a strong will to disregard the distractions. It depends on the person, but apps intentionally take advantage of our weaknesses, and try to get us addicted.

 

[somuch4food]

The thing is you can't say I want social media without the intrusion it comes with. You can, if you leave your cellphone at home, and use it at night. But what if someone calls you? If you want to be connected, you're often left without a choice. Then you need to have a strong will to disregard the distractions. It depends on the person, but apps intentionally take advantage of our weaknesses, and try to get us addicted.

I'm personnally always in Do not disturb mode on my Android phone. You can tweak it to your needs and will prevent some unnecessary interruptions.

 

[mayweatherking]

The thing is you can't say I want social media without the intrusion it comes with. You can, if you leave your cellphone at home, and use it at night. But what if someone calls you? If you want to be connected, you're often left without a choice. Then you need to have a strong will to disregard the distractions. It depends on the person, but apps intentionally take advantage of our weaknesses, and try to get us addicted.

I mean I guess, I dont get the point of what u are saying though, I get it that it can be addicting, so just disable it or something or turn on airplane mode or something. It seems like an easy solution to the problem if it is so bad. Ur not left without a choice lol.

 

[milkboi]

I mean I guess, I dont get the point of what u are saying though, I get it that it can be addicting, so just disable it or something or turn on airplane mode or something. It seems like an easy solution to the problem if it is so bad. Ur not left without a choice lol.

The choice to turn off airplane mode remains. Basically you are arguing from the stand-point of a non-addicted person. For a person that‘s addicted to their phone they can‘t just turn off the internet and go about their day so easily, there will a very strong pull to use it.

 

[mayweatherking]

The choice to turn off airplane mode remains. Basically you are arguing from the stand-point of a non-addicted person. For a person that‘s addicted to their phone they can‘t just turn off the internet and go about their day so easily, there will a very strong pull to use it.

Okay so I guess there's no solution to the problem and the only thing to do is complain about how bad it is, ok noted, I'll see myself out then.

 

[TheSir]

Not to mention how HUGE phones are these days. I recently had to replace my samsung phone because the one I've had since 2011 broke. The new one is legitimately 1/3 larger. Hardly even fits the pocket in my jeans.

 

[milkboi]

Okay so I guess there's no solution to the problem and the only thing to do is complain about how bad it is, ok noted, I'll see myself out then.

Nope, that's not what I'm saying, but I expected you commenting something like above. I have figured ways out how to beat my digital addiction, and make it so digital media doesn't interfere with my personal growth and productivity. But if I have an active Wifi in my house and also a smartphone and a PC I'm ******* done. Willpower isn't enough at that point.

It's similar to saying to an alcoholic/crack/online poker addict "Just stop drinking the beer/doing crack/playing online poker" even though there is a shiny array of a six pack/the "finest" crack/a PC with an opened tab of online poker. Addiction is defined by behavior that's very hard (but not impossible) to quit.

 

[Eric88]

I get instant headaches from putting my Chinese cheap phone on. I always keep it in plane mode now. I started to get similar headaches while using my iPhone 6S with a cracked screen. I don't feel much effect from using Samsungs and I just read they have better SAR ratings.

With just 3 computers (1 or 2 on at a time) I don't have much headache/fatigue at home. But in my huge open office with 80 computers with double screens and fluorescent lights on I feel terrible.

 

[redred]

With just 3 computers

 

[Eric88]

3 laptops and one is broken so mine and my gf's one.

 

[redred]

3 laptops and one is broken so mine and my gf's one.

u could turn off the wifi and not use wireless mouse/keyboard

 

[Eric88]

It's confirmed, I do get a headache when using my alcatel or iPhone but not when using a Samsung. The alcatel and iPhone have higher SAR values. I guess I'm hypersensitive or something as I also feel weird in offices with lots of computers and tech (I turn to a zomby when I stay too long in a heavily tech office).

 

[lvysaur]

It's surprising more censorship hasn't already happened in the US.

The US government doesn't need to obfuscate anything, their citizens do so for them.

Most people use a smartphone for mostly to use with Facebook and such type of apps which could also be on a PC.

True, but the problem is that smartphones allow people to engage online at all times--as opposed to only when they're sitting down at a PC or carrying a laptop. This kills IRL culture, and it also kills the internet culture by introducing hastily produced content/messages.

I still remember when people made fun of W. for saying "nukular", now virtually everybody pronounces it the wrong way. I'd "axe" them why but it would be unbecoming.

 

[PresenceofMind]

I love smart phones to a fault, I find myself easily distracted/consumed by them. I've actually had to stop using a phone recently just to get away from the time sink that goes with having a smart phone.

I'll be getting an iPhone soon, but just so I can communicate with family and friends. I feel like I might not get as involved with an iPhone as I do with Android OS phones since I won't be constantly thinking about Rooting it, flashing other ROMs to it and tinkering with the kernel.

 

[jaminhealth]

I don't hate them but don't own one and will not. I'm sure if I were in the workforce it would be a different story, but I was born too early for all this unnecesary cwap. I worked 40 yrs and the most high tech thingy I was hooked to for a while was a pager.