A practical guide to quitting your smartphone • Hacker News Board

Re: A practical guide to quitting your smartphone

#341

Post by saiya-jin » Tue, Feb 06, 2024, 8:21 AM UTC

wholinator2 wrote: post #216

saiya-jin wrote: post #198

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Wait till you see folks with fashion smartwatch being constantly immediately interrupted with all stupid notifications, its like advanced OCD factory for almost 0 added value. Then they turn it off, but usually this won't last, you can't brag about it so much and that 2s dopamine kick is missing. Maybe some secret cabal of psychologists are actually behind it to raise their revenue.

It's not secret [1]. It's very well known that tech companies will consult psychologists with the goal to make their products more addictive. [1] https://nypost.com/2019/08/13/big-tech-is-using-psychology-t...

That may be true yet even smart folks affected ran to them like there is no tomorrow, long term consequences be damned, I need my notifications now !

Re: A practical guide to quitting your smartphone

#342

Post by 15457345234 » Tue, Feb 06, 2024, 8:53 AM UTC

goosejuice wrote: post #340

15457345234 wrote: post #135

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think this focus on their being an 'underlying issue' is problematic; many times there is no underlying issue, these are just normal humans with normal brains being totally normally affected by a product that's designed to be addictive. They don't need therapy because there's nothing wrong with them, in fact if there was something wrong with them they'd be less likely to become addicted. They just need to remove th…

It sounds to me that we are in agreement on outcome, only that you feel that everyone can get there on their own. In fact you're almost describing CBT without naming it.

I guess my main issue with CBT is seeing it mentioned so many times on reddit, and reddit is such a pathological place that I've come to feel anything mentioned there must be some sort of scam or trick.

That's really it lol

Re: A practical guide to quitting your smartphone

#343

Post by rldjbpin » Tue, Feb 06, 2024, 9:23 AM UTC

having used a candybar nokia during early 4g smartphone era, things like not being able to find your way in a new city and paying unreasonable price for international phone calls are not something i'd like to go back to.

i believe that once you disconnect social media and games from your phone usage, you take care of 99% of the issues people have with modern devices. i understand that doing that also is a big task, but so is going back to flip phones of the past.

personally i am plenty distracted without my phone, and i get my fair share without using it a lot. but in my profession i cannot afford to get rid of all tech altogether. i hope there are ways people go about it.

Re: A practical guide to quitting your smartphone

#344

Post by chiefalchemist » Tue, Feb 06, 2024, 4:30 PM UTC

Broken_Hippo wrote: post #321

chiefalchemist wrote: post #260

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I can pass time while waiting - doctors office, etc - which makes me more pleasant. You might believe that, a lot of people do. However, from what I understand the actual science doesn't support is assumption. In short, for eons, humans lived in the shadow of boredom. The brain evolved in that context. That is, life without boredom has no historical precedent. When boredom is habitually removed you are doing the br…

You are stifling creativity, insights, and other growth that comes from the seeds planted by boredom and "down time. Just because someone passes time while waiting doesn't mean they don't have downtime. I can entertain myself while in a position of waiting and still have downtime each day - I cook and clean and take walks and things. And I promise I still have creativity. It allows me to do non-representational art.…

I'll tell you what, next time you're at the doctor, and you lose control and intentionally side step boredom, use your device - like the early Homo sapiens did? - to do some research on the value of boredom, on not using your device as a crutch, etc.

Please feel free to revisit your answer once you've done the necessary amount of research.

"There was stuff to do then, too, and some of that boredom was discouraged."

Yup! This ^^^ is exactly the point. Prior to that something (constructive?) to do, there was boredom. Pile on enough boredom and the brain finds "answers". And the opposite is true...no boredom...no answers. So we agree then.

The problem here is, your timelines are too short and your extrapolations too shallow. Perhaps that's a symptom of a lack of boredom. See?

Re: A practical guide to quitting your smartphone

#345

Post by deely3 » Tue, Feb 06, 2024, 5:03 PM UTC

lm28469 wrote: post #278

deely3 wrote: post #236

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, we always at this level of discussion. Smartphone is a tool, not a sentinent thing that commands you what to do. Its always the simplest way to forbid something, but I think we have to be more caution with easy ways.

A nuclear bomb is just a tool, fentanyl is just a tool, an AR15 is just a tool, and guess what ? all these things are heavily regulated "it's just a tool" is level 0 of argumentation. What is the tool used for ? What are the people in control of said tool getting from it ? Who's benefiting for it ? Who's getting abused by it ? &c. We can collectively make decision about things, we've done it on thousands of different…

Now you suddenly shifting your arguments into 'its not regulated enough'. And now you yourself using level 0 argument that we implemented regulations in the past.

Look, if you just want to win this discussion then please imagine that I agree with you, that my comment is "oh, Im so wrong and you so right" and go fight in comments with someone else.

Re: A practical guide to quitting your smartphone

#346

Post by Broken_Hippo » Tue, Feb 06, 2024, 10:03 PM UTC

chiefalchemist wrote: post #344

Broken_Hippo wrote: post #321

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You are stifling creativity, insights, and other growth that comes from the seeds planted by boredom and "down time. Just because someone passes time while waiting doesn't mean they don't have downtime. I can entertain myself while in a position of waiting and still have downtime each day - I cook and clean and take walks and things. And I promise I still have creativity. It allows me to do non-representational art.…

I'll tell you what, next time you're at the doctor, and you lose control and intentionally side step boredom, use your device - like the early Homo sapiens did? - to do some research on the value of boredom, on not using your device as a crutch, etc. Please feel free to revisit your answer once you've done the necessary amount of research. "There was stuff to do then, too, and some of that boredom was discouraged." Y…

I'm sorry - what the fuck? Lose control?

I've sat here and taken fixed something annoying - waiting for appointments. I fix that by doing things like playing low-effort games. You seem to think this is about "losing control" or something and it isn't like that. If you lower the amount of things that annoy you - and there always will be those things - of course you are more pleasant. You know, in a general sense. It isn't like I'm sitting here treating the staff badly. I'd get worse service - I'm an immigrant, and I really don't want things to go awry.

You've obviously misread. It isn't like I don't have boredom. I know boredom well enough to know that it isn't all productive or even possibly productive.

I don't think that everyone just "finds answers".

Creativity and "Answers" requires more than simple boredom - boredom isn't a magic pill. Heck, you don't even need actual boredom, just time for your mind to wander while you are doing something with low mental effort. Again, this doesn't mean games while waiting at a doctor's office are bad.

Re: A practical guide to quitting your smartphone

#347

Post by Zambyte » Wed, Feb 07, 2024, 12:10 PM UTC

Broken_Hippo wrote: post #320

Zambyte wrote: post #222

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> which makes me more pleasant. Did you get this opinion from others, or is this your own rationalization?

If you find something that makes you no longer mind waiting (and therefore more patient) or makes you not be so anxiety-ridden when you get your appointment (like a doctor's appointment)... Wouldn't you be more pleasant, and that pleasantry would come more naturally rather than forced, would it not?

Smoking can also make you mind waiting less, and help you cope with anxiety during an appointment (though I would really like to see a source on the negative correlation between phone use and anxiety, because I don't believe it exists). Does that mean that lighting up in the waiting room makes you more pleasant to be around?

I really just want to know though: is this something you have decided makes you more pleasant to be around, or have others told you it?

Re: A practical guide to quitting your smartphone

#348

Post by red369 » Thu, Feb 08, 2024, 12:26 AM UTC

gnicholas wrote: post #97

I've considered trying to reduce my smartphone usage by getting a cellular AW. I need to be reachable in emergences, want to be trackable by family, and want to be able to navigate and take an Uber if needed. But not having an easily-scrollable app interface would help me cut down on mindless internet consumption. Has anyone tried this?

I’ve often been keen to try this, but I’ve never been convinced the battery life is long enough. From reading Reddit anecdotes, sounds like 11-12 hours might be possible with minimal usage - would that be enough for you?

Re: A practical guide to quitting your smartphone

#349

Post by billywhizz » Thu, Feb 08, 2024, 4:13 AM UTC

ale42 wrote: post #206

anonymousDan wrote: post #188

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Wait what? Since when can you use Whatsapp on a laptop? That and maps are the only reason I still have a smart-phone.

It's possible since at least 2 years, maybe more. You still need a smartphone to create the account, but apparently you don't need the phone to be online, at least not all the time, not sure if it keeps working if it's offline for months. (note I'm not a Whatsapp user, so maybe it changed again or I didn't fully see something...)

you don't actually need a smartphone at all. i discovered this by accident when my smartphone died. here is what i did.

  - installed the whatsapp "app" on my crappy old android tablet that i hardly ever use
  - used SMS to my dumbphone to link the installed app to my phone number
  - opened "web.whatsapp.com" on my laptop browser
  - scanned the QR code in the android app to link the browser session to my account

so, i am now happily using web.whatsapp.com in my laptop browser day to day and all i needed was a crappy android tablet and a dumbphone to set it up.

i have been using web.whatsapp.com on laptop for long time - pretty sure it's 3-4 years at this stage. maybe i am wrong on that.

i also find the browser/laptop whatsapp much nicer to use - copying/pasting etc. is so much easier than a smartphone, for me at least.

Re: A practical guide to quitting your smartphone

#350

Post by [deleted] » Thu, Feb 08, 2024, 4:27 AM UTC

billywhizz wrote: post #349

ale42 wrote: post #206

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's possible since at least 2 years, maybe more. You still need a smartphone to create the account, but apparently you don't need the phone to be online, at least not all the time, not sure if it keeps working if it's offline for months. (note I'm not a Whatsapp user, so maybe it changed again or I didn't fully see something...)

you don't actually need a smartphone at all. i discovered this by accident when my smartphone died. here is what i did. - installed the whatsapp "app" on my crappy old android tablet that i hardly ever use - used SMS to my dumbphone to link the installed app to my phone number - opened "web.whatsapp.com" on my laptop browser - scanned the QR code in the android app to link the browser session to my account so, i am n…

[deleted]