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I Ditched My Phone and Unbroke My Brain

nytimes.com

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Re: I Ditched My Phone and Unbroke My Brain

#161

Post by dajohnson89 »

magduf wrote: post #157
PavlovsCat wrote: post #133

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm aware of that, but I find downvotes without reply so much more boring. It's not like HN seems to care about the abuse of that, at all, it's just a mechanism for double standards and intellectual dishonesty. Can you tell me what in the world is wrong with my comment? I don't have a smartphone, I joke around with people about it, that's a fact. Maybe not super interesting, but I just wanted to support the person I…

I think this is a worthy comment. It reminds me of getting dumped by a girlfriend by text message with a refusal to talk about what happened and why she wanted to end the relationship. How is anyone supposed to learn from that behavior?

In both cases, it doesn't really matter. If a girl dumps you over text message, she wasn't worth your time anyways. If someone downvotes you without explanation, ignore the downvote.

Re: I Ditched My Phone and Unbroke My Brain

#162

Post by globe1337 »

magduf wrote: post #158
hedvig wrote: post #53

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Imagine if we could rework the public transportation culture to one that would generate spontaneous valuable interaction between the riders, things like topical discussions where multiple strangers could have a relaxed dialogue, impromptu games, and artistic performance and observation.

Good luck with that. Women are too worried about getting hit on or even molested by men to want to do anything like that, and commuters are too tired to want to interact with others.

Wow.

Re: I Ditched My Phone and Unbroke My Brain

#163

Post by magduf »

dajohnson89 wrote: post #161
magduf wrote: post #157

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think this is a worthy comment. It reminds me of getting dumped by a girlfriend by text message with a refusal to talk about what happened and why she wanted to end the relationship. How is anyone supposed to learn from that behavior?

In both cases, it doesn't really matter. If a girl dumps you over text message, she wasn't worth your time anyways. If someone downvotes you without explanation, ignore the downvote.

>If a girl dumps you over text message, she wasn't worth your time anyways.

Perhaps, but according to statistics I've seen, this kind of behavior, along with "ghosting" (which can include several different things), has become extremely common in dating these days. If most people are acting this way, it's hard to console someone with "he/she wasn't worth your time anyways".

>If someone downvotes you without explanation, ignore the downvote.

Same goes here: if this is the typical behavior of a majority of people, you can't just ignore it. The whole culture (as in dating above) is broken, and needs to be fixed.

Re: I Ditched My Phone and Unbroke My Brain

#164

Post by rchaud »

hedvig wrote: post #53
DKnoll wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There isn't much else to do on public transportation. You either fumble around on your phone or stare blankly at the wall. When I took public transit regularly I would read sometimes but there was too much noise and movement around me to really focus. Clearly you find yourself bored as well since you're looking over people's shoulders.

Imagine if we could rework the public transportation culture to one that would generate spontaneous valuable interaction between the riders, things like topical discussions where multiple strangers could have a relaxed dialogue, impromptu games, and artistic performance and observation.

Before I was able to afford a car, I had a 2.5 hour commute to work involving 2 buses and a train and wait times. I can assure you that the last thing I wanted to add to my $50/week transit fee was an arbitrary seating system designed to encourage spontaneous interaction with others. Back then the magazines in my bag and Pro Evo 2008 on PSP were the only things keeping me going during those commutes.

Re: I Ditched My Phone and Unbroke My Brain

#165

Post by vxNsr »

PavlovsCat wrote: post #154
vxNsr wrote: post #151

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm confused about what part of the parent you're replying to, I haven't downvoted you, but it's just not clear what you're talking about in the context of the conversation.

this bit > I don't talk about it IRL with people since it's impossible to discuss without coming across as a holier-than-thou asshole.

In the future you should quote it in the parent comment. that way people will at least understand what you're talking about.

To make a nice look quote use the ">" and wrap the quote in asterisks to italicize.

Re: I Ditched My Phone and Unbroke My Brain

#166

Post by fuball63 »

frosted-flakes wrote: post #100
fuball63 wrote: post #24

I like the way the author talks about rewiring of the brain. A lot of articles like this focus on the social aspect of phone usage; anxiety and isolation. There are however more intagible but noticable affects. When I went on an international vacation and didnt buy a phone plan, I just turned it off at the airport and left it in my bag. I felt a strange clarity of thought and change in perspective about 3 days in. Wh…

You must have an old BlackBerry, because new ones are just like any other Android phone.

I have the Blackberry Classic, from summer 2015. They did an integration of some sort with Amazon Fire apps, but they don't work super well. My next one will probably have the Android; I wonder where they are privacy wise.

Re: I Ditched My Phone and Unbroke My Brain

#167

Post by tmm84 »

tannhaeuser wrote: post #11
grecy wrote: post #3

I'm 37, and I have never really had a smartphone, because I don't want one. I know I tend to be addicted to the internet (I can't resit my laptop when it's nearby with wifi), so I think it's more healthy for me to just not have a smartphone than to resist temptation (like an alcoholic simply not going into bars). I'm a Software Engineer and I've never downloaded or used an "app" on a smartphone. I did buy a new Andro…

In my current job I'm almost daily going by subway and see most people fumbling on their phone all the time. Many can't even stop when hopping on/off the train. Now when I carefully look at just what it is that captures their attention, it's mostly cheap games or endless-scroll taboola-style crap. A guy sitting next to me the other day simultaneously phoned and frantically clicked on random crap on his phone with no…

I have lived in Japan for the past 6 years and smartphone addiction is high. Mostly eldery people are the only ones reading newspapers or books. I've seen them just looking at nothing (falling asleep while playing some stupid game). The number of times I have come close to bumping into people is insane. My best preventative is to make loud claps and it snaps them out of the phone.

I think most people are stuck to the smartphone because everything (2FA, calendars, messages, phone calls) centers around your phone. I have missed my fair share of calls from the wife and others because I never check the thing regliously. I think it is how much you interact with people that kind of determines how much you will use the smartphone for communication vs entertainment.

Re: I Ditched My Phone and Unbroke My Brain

#168

Post by newnewpdro »

alcover wrote: post #86
tannhaeuser wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In my current job I'm almost daily going by subway and see most people fumbling on their phone all the time. Many can't even stop when hopping on/off the train. Now when I carefully look at just what it is that captures their attention, it's mostly cheap games or endless-scroll taboola-style crap. A guy sitting next to me the other day simultaneously phoned and frantically clicked on random crap on his phone with no…

>> frantically clicked on random crap I had a girl like this next to me on a train. For the whole one hour journey she scrolled and switched between apps in a spasmodic manner. At times she would lay the phone down for a few secs then resume at once. It looked sick. It looked like someone on amphetamines. We made a mistake with this thing.

> It looked like someone on amphetamines.

The sad thing is, if this was in the US at least, there's a very good chance she was on prescription amphetamines like Adderall.

Re: I Ditched My Phone and Unbroke My Brain

#169

Post by yesenadam »

Erik816 wrote: post #79
copperx wrote: post #64

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I wake up at the same time every day, have the same routine every day, and have the same commute most days. "Consistency is the hobgoblin of small minds."

The correct quote is "a foolish consistency." And the context of the quote has nothing to do with self-discipline. It is a call to boldly speak the truth today, and then boldly do the same tomorrow. If you contradict yourself, then so be it. The truth might not be found in only making logically consistent statements. "To be great is to be misunderstood."

I can just feel Emerson smiling contentedly at this comment. :-D Thank you.

Re: I Ditched My Phone and Unbroke My Brain

#170

Post by kls »

CPLX wrote: post #5

I followed almost the exact same track as this guy, slowly realizing that my phone was a problem, then the problem, and coming to the conclusion that real drastic intervention methods were necessary, something that went beyond vague "trying to do better" efforts. I started a daily life 90% detox for a week or two then also did a completely phone free weekend, in my case at a Zen Buddhist monastery (and also in the Ca…

I called my wireless company 3 years ago and had my phone turned off, best decision I ever made. I have a VOIP phone at and one at the office the house and that is all I use. It was hard at first, but the only time I have ever missed having a phone was in one emergency instance where I blew a tire and my jack does not lift my truck high enough so I had to walk to a store, no big deal but its the only time I thought I wish I had my phone.
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