Living without a phone
In 2024, it seems cringe to discuss the downsides of your cell phone. The device has undeniably taken over many aspects of our lives. Unlike in the past, when forming adult friendships in their 30s was challenging, now we lack inspiration to even make an effort.
We know more about our favourite influencer, whom we've never spoken to, than we do about our school best friend, whose posts we occasionally see but never comment on. I don't even know who is posting on social media anymore. We just keep scrolling and scrolling, occasionally using our credit cards so some influencer in another part of the country can make a buck. Honestly, I love influencers, especially the authentic ones, but how did we get here?
I wake up, and my phone is right next to me, staring at me, waiting for me to spend some of my still-alpha-state brain power digesting notifications about the Israel-Iran conflict or some tornado in the USA. I mean, why do I need this information at 7 a.m. in the morning?
At one point, things really got out of hand, and my screen time shot up to 6 hours. That's when I began daydreaming about living without a phone.
It started as a thought experiment, not necessarily a goal, but I became curious about what life would be like without one.
I've spent many full days with my phone locked away during my recent Vipassana meditation, but those days were filled with activities, namely meditation, and I wasn't needed for work because my boss was meditating for the entire duration too.
Is it possible to live without a phone in your routine, including work, daily life, etc., in 2024?
Let's explore.
First things first, and most importantly.
Food Photos
I have no idea when this became a thing. I'd like to trace back its origin someday because when I lived with a polaroid, I don't recall taking food photos, only snapshots of friends and travel memories. Now, every meal has to be recorded, whether at home or at a cafe. Surprisingly, I never really look back at them; they're just occupying space in my phone's memory storage, which I pay for cloud service to maintain. It's absurd when you think about it, but it's true!?
Who cares what you ate. They won't remember it because tomorrow morning you won't remember it.
Google Maps
If my phone dies, I'll need to ask people for directions. Do we even get lost anymore? I recall being in Italy last decade, navigating with a paper map. There were moments of serendipity when getting lost led to discovering a gelato shop. Too tired to continue, you'd take a break and enjoy the best gelato of your life.
Yep, that won't happen to me again. Now, I only use Google Maps to locate cafes recommended by influencers, indulging in one of their top five recommendations.
Alarm clock?
This one was easy to replace, and the shift would do very little change, whether positive or negative. The same goes for the torch.
Calculator
However, I can't say the same for the calculator, even though it may seem so, because we no longer carry calculators in our bags to the farmers market anymore.
Wallet?
Money was a tough one too, as I'm not used to carrying cash anymore. I can't even remember my last visit to the ATM. When I checked my bank statement, I realised it was nine months ago!
Notes & Calendar?
I'll have to carry a manual notepad to replace my quick note-taking app on the phone, and I'm planning to buy a small planner with a calendar. But imagine I'm on a drive and have to tell the other person that I'll need to check my planner and revert tomorrow—so 1920!
Communication. Oh, we tell ourselves this is why we need phones!
How do I make phone calls? How will people reach me? Emails via desktop? Should I buy a simple Nokia keypad phone? Texting via SMS over other instant messaging services feels like a relief at first, but people are not used to checking their SMS or replying to one these days. When I tried sending one, I had to call and ask them to check their SMS.
This means communication becomes lagged, delayed, or some have an aversion to emails for informal conversations, in which case I am out of touch.
On some days, I had a thought that this daydreaming exercise is going too far, and I will have to carry a suitcase like this to make up for the shift, if I choose to go ahead.
领英推荐
Anxiety, boredom, the in-between moments of nothingness..
But when I thought really hard about the use of the phone, it was replacing 'the in-between moments,' i.e., the waiting part, that is the most challenging.
My phone is so handy when I am in between; like waiting for a train or cab. It saves me from small talk and awkward glances. Probably why I had anxiety when my battery was running out. If my phone runs out, I will really need to talk to people or experience boredom.
My biggest dilemma was that if, after all this, I still chose to leave my phone, I would start noticing how much others are staring at theirs.
I would realise that these people staring at their phones are not necessarily getting entertained or having fun. They are just trying to turn their brains off.
It is helping them deal with their anxiety, contrary to what the general consensus is, i.e., phones are creating anxiety.
It's a beautiful, cheap little distraction from their everyday challenging life that is full of struggles. Their few minutes of 'brain switch off' by playing Candy Crush while they get to the office where their boss is going to question their self-esteem again.
It's a break from reality; a reality that is tough, bitter, and wholesome, unlike the glamorous world of social media today.
It's reached a point where even the thought of this experiment feels uncomfortably foreign.
So I decided to be one of them. I refuse to walk alone. I choose to turn my brain off too; perhaps by watching influencers show me how to do my makeup right. All this while I work from home and live in a place where no one really needs to see me with makeup.
Ah, this meticulously crafted chaos we call our own—where mistakes are rare and navigation is easy. What a comfort. Yet, what I yearn for most in this modern existence is the thrill of adventure. The joy of stumbling upon something; a novel, a book, a shop, or a piece of art, simply because you're looking up and around, not down into the abyss of the black mirror.
Truth is, reality isn't instant. It won't give you immediate gratification. It's unresponsive at its best. We're a part of this vast universe, yet impossible to fully measure. Reality doesn't exist to please us, but the phone and its apps very much do.
The most profound transformation of life exists only in reality.
Only reality is alive; dancing in the present moment with all its ups and downs. With the bad, always comes the good. That's when you know you're truly alive.
Time spent on the phone is like entering a dead timezone. We won't remember what we scrolled through today, not even tomorrow morning.
Reclaiming the lost sense of belonging, the simple joys of friendships over coffee, and the spontaneity of visiting friends without a plan may seem like distant memories. It's easy to feel overwhelmed by the prospect of reconnecting with the depth of human connection. Perhaps the best way to restart is by taking a small step, like inviting our new neighbour over for a cup of tea. Maybe, in these small moments of genuine connection, we'll find our way back to the essence of what it means to truly belong.
Until next time, keep scrolling, keep swiping, and above all, keep questioning whether that latest app is really worth sacrificing your precious screen time for. Enjoy your weekend!
Signing off,
K
P.S Leave a comment, reply or drop a hi!?
Note: This essay is not a part of my usual Meditation newsletter. I plan to write more essays like this, whenever my creativity permits. They are called ‘Modern Dispatch’.
The essay has taken creative liberties to present a satirical view and does not represent many realities of my life. It is an essay based on a thought experiment, aimed to help readers explore new perspectives and ideas.
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