
The Subtle Threat of High-Quality Distractions - nwignall
https://medium.com/the-understanding-project/the-subtle-threat-of-high-quality-distractions-e832434e1584
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Brain_Thief
I swapped my smartphone for a $70 brick approximately a year ago and have zero
regrets - I highly recommend that anyone curious give it a shot (though I'll
note that I'm not 100% convinced yet that doing so is the best long-term
move). I've been working to reduce the total parasitic load that I allow on my
conscious mind and the impact of removing an always-on computer from my pocket
has been palpable. For me, the cost / benefit analysis strongly favors
eschewing a smartphone: cognitively I feel more refreshed, "present", and able
to focus on tasks for longer without the phone present, financially I've
transitioned from purchasing a multi-hundred dollar device every few years and
paying ~$800-$1,000 a year for data to paying far less for a device that is
very durable and reliable and not paying for data at all. After a year of
having no on-the-go access to my email I am happy to say that the hourly
mental impulse to check if I've gotten anything important has finally
dissipated (it was surprisingly strong and persisted even into the sixth month
mark). The price I pay for increased communications friction is negative in
the final tabulation: for every new app I miss out on, every email that sits
in my inbox a bit longer than it used to, and every text that I answer slowly
and without emojis, I find that I am able to actually process information
around me more carefully and thoroughly. It's also genuinely shocking to see
the smartphone phenomenon from "outside" \- with nothing to look at or play
with, my attention tends to be on other people around me, and the fact of the
matter is that nearly everyone I encounter is only half-present no matter
where they are due to having a chunk of their mind constantly devoted to
whatever is going on (or might be going on) on their phone's screen. Strange
times.

