I've talked about this in my homeschool technology seminars for years. The parents come to hear how to limit technology with their kids. They want filter software and strategies for offline socialization. I give that to them. but then I tell them the best way to get buy-in from their teens is to adopt the same rules for themselves: time limits, no phones from 8P-7A, etc... Then it's not a "these things are bad for you because you're a kid" but it's "these things are bad, period."
We have a reproduction candlestick phone with an attached bluetooth device, so you can link your cell phone to the landline phone and park it on the shelf, while still being able to receive calls at home.
That's really cool. I've always wanted to find an old hand-crank phone shell and put a modern touch-tone system into it. but I really like the bluetooth pairing idea. Thanks.
Thank you for this post, Clare! I think we've been tiptoeing around the obvious for way too long, and I appreciate you putting this message out there. Would love you to be on my podcast so we can chat more about this. I'll send you an email! =)
Clare, you painted with too broad a brush. Smartphones and there uses needed to be more narrowly defined. I read your essay on a Samsung tablet which connects to wifi. Does that qualify? Probably does in a some ways: I can play chess on line, read numerous Substack essays, or a kindle book. It's connected to my phone so I can answer a call or text, and it could be used for social media but I'm not on any social media.
I think your real complaint is the click bait apps like tik tok, utube shorts, X, instagram or whatever other short format communication app is now in vogue with the young. Those are the lures of doom scrolling and dopamine hits, and I think you are absolutely correct in your appraisal of their potential dangers.
However, a smartphone or tablet is a window into the world of information. They have supplanted TV and newspapers for staying informed. It all boils down to how it's used. The analogy would be a fine bottle of wine with dinner, or drinking rot gut sitting in the gutter. Afterall, it's just a tool.
You're right. There's not a good term for devices in between "smart" and "dumb." The closest thing the industry has right now is "kosher" which means "appropriate for use" but makes everyone think of hot dogs.
It's both. The primary problem is the unlimited, Internet connected device in your pocket. What I tell parents in my seminars is to purchase a limited data plan, not just for their teens but for themselves as well. Not only does this limit the addictiveness of the phone, it's dirt cheap. My phone w/ 200MB monthly of 5G data is $30/year.
I think lulling ease, convenience, is the first problem.
Second is the warm flood of empty/frankenstein broth & brominated sooth ... like sitting in a jetted hot tub, the halogens slowly destroying your thyroid, as the temp slowly increases & your soggy frog slowly cooks.
Too much apparent / ostensible / faux hunting & gathering from a chair, chaise, bed.
A little less conversation, a little more action, please 🎶 ... because TPTB are IDaho farmers & McD's will deep-fry all the couch potatoes they can grow.
“Our conventional response to all media, namely that it is how they are used that counts, is the numb stance of the technological idiot. For the ‘content’ of a medium is like the juicy piece of meat carried by the burglar to distract the watchdog of the mind.”
But, but, if I didn’t have a phone I would never get to read great articles like this, that tell me how bad it is to read great articles like this on my phone.
People on the other side of the debate call this the STOE. Smartphone theory of everything. I am somewhere in the middle. I am elderly and live alone so the phone is a safety device. (Yes I know about key fob panic buttons. ) It also keeps me connected to ideas though I prefer my laptop. I also travel often to places without a signal so I get downtime. I do get anxious then which is a point in your favor. But it doesn't stop me from doing it. I am resistant to clickbait preferring long form content like this. In fact, I have gravitated more towards long form recently. Obviously, I am a non-native to online life having spent my childhood and young to middle adulthood before it happened. So perhaps my brain is still wired the old way. I can see a risk to children and think early use should be rationed just as I rationed TV for my children.
I mostly agree with this but hesitate when I see the nonsense about other internet usage at work. That makes me worry we’ll see a bunch of dumb workplace policies restricting usage.
People may use it during lunch. But also w white collar work most of us like flexibility, not a rigid 8-hour work day. I’d prefer to have the option of working when away from the office (which happens constantly) but sometimes doing personal stuff in the office (like you know, I have kids and I might check out a camp for them or something).
I'd like to add for anyone reading this that you can turn your smartphone into a dumbphone for free utilizing ADB app control. You can download it on to a laptop for free from the site and use it to uninstall apps that you normally are unable to uninstall. I used it to uninstall the web browser, youtube, and the google play store from my phone. Now I primarily use my phone for texting, calls, the bible app, kindle, and podcasts. I still have the convenience of my smartphone including banking apps and google maps without the problems and temptations that come with unmitigated access to the internet and social media. You still have to reinstall google play store once in a while to update your existing apps so they still work but for people who don't have money for things like lightphone, wisephone, or the Brick; ADB app control is a great option.
If you want to *rent* a "dumbphone" (including the Wisephone) PM me with the features you need (e.g. maps, talk to text, music, calendar, authenticator, etc...). My business is called MyLizard.
I don't think anyone else offers dumbphone rentals as of now.
I've talked about this in my homeschool technology seminars for years. The parents come to hear how to limit technology with their kids. They want filter software and strategies for offline socialization. I give that to them. but then I tell them the best way to get buy-in from their teens is to adopt the same rules for themselves: time limits, no phones from 8P-7A, etc... Then it's not a "these things are bad for you because you're a kid" but it's "these things are bad, period."
We have a reproduction candlestick phone with an attached bluetooth device, so you can link your cell phone to the landline phone and park it on the shelf, while still being able to receive calls at home.
That's really cool. I've always wanted to find an old hand-crank phone shell and put a modern touch-tone system into it. but I really like the bluetooth pairing idea. Thanks.
Thank you for this post, Clare! I think we've been tiptoeing around the obvious for way too long, and I appreciate you putting this message out there. Would love you to be on my podcast so we can chat more about this. I'll send you an email! =)
Clare, you painted with too broad a brush. Smartphones and there uses needed to be more narrowly defined. I read your essay on a Samsung tablet which connects to wifi. Does that qualify? Probably does in a some ways: I can play chess on line, read numerous Substack essays, or a kindle book. It's connected to my phone so I can answer a call or text, and it could be used for social media but I'm not on any social media.
I think your real complaint is the click bait apps like tik tok, utube shorts, X, instagram or whatever other short format communication app is now in vogue with the young. Those are the lures of doom scrolling and dopamine hits, and I think you are absolutely correct in your appraisal of their potential dangers.
However, a smartphone or tablet is a window into the world of information. They have supplanted TV and newspapers for staying informed. It all boils down to how it's used. The analogy would be a fine bottle of wine with dinner, or drinking rot gut sitting in the gutter. Afterall, it's just a tool.
Dick Minnis
removingthecataract.substack.com
You're right. There's not a good term for devices in between "smart" and "dumb." The closest thing the industry has right now is "kosher" which means "appropriate for use" but makes everyone think of hot dogs.
I use my IPad a lot, but use it to read 2 papers and my email. Is it time on the device or what you access that makes a difference?
It's both. The primary problem is the unlimited, Internet connected device in your pocket. What I tell parents in my seminars is to purchase a limited data plan, not just for their teens but for themselves as well. Not only does this limit the addictiveness of the phone, it's dirt cheap. My phone w/ 200MB monthly of 5G data is $30/year.
I think lulling ease, convenience, is the first problem.
Second is the warm flood of empty/frankenstein broth & brominated sooth ... like sitting in a jetted hot tub, the halogens slowly destroying your thyroid, as the temp slowly increases & your soggy frog slowly cooks.
Too much apparent / ostensible / faux hunting & gathering from a chair, chaise, bed.
A little less conversation, a little more action, please 🎶 ... because TPTB are IDaho farmers & McD's will deep-fry all the couch potatoes they can grow.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWVMXLSS1cA&list=RDWWVMXLSS1cA&start_radio=1
“Our conventional response to all media, namely that it is how they are used that counts, is the numb stance of the technological idiot. For the ‘content’ of a medium is like the juicy piece of meat carried by the burglar to distract the watchdog of the mind.”
– Marshall McLuhan
But, but, if I didn’t have a phone I would never get to read great articles like this, that tell me how bad it is to read great articles like this on my phone.
Life is hard. And then you die.
People on the other side of the debate call this the STOE. Smartphone theory of everything. I am somewhere in the middle. I am elderly and live alone so the phone is a safety device. (Yes I know about key fob panic buttons. ) It also keeps me connected to ideas though I prefer my laptop. I also travel often to places without a signal so I get downtime. I do get anxious then which is a point in your favor. But it doesn't stop me from doing it. I am resistant to clickbait preferring long form content like this. In fact, I have gravitated more towards long form recently. Obviously, I am a non-native to online life having spent my childhood and young to middle adulthood before it happened. So perhaps my brain is still wired the old way. I can see a risk to children and think early use should be rationed just as I rationed TV for my children.
Most older folks just aren't part of this. I've heard this over and over talking about older folks about dumb phones at events where I'm selling them.
Your habits were developed long ago and you can't be hooked in the same way. Not as true for us younger folks. Honestly, I'm jealous.
I mostly agree with this but hesitate when I see the nonsense about other internet usage at work. That makes me worry we’ll see a bunch of dumb workplace policies restricting usage.
People may use it during lunch. But also w white collar work most of us like flexibility, not a rigid 8-hour work day. I’d prefer to have the option of working when away from the office (which happens constantly) but sometimes doing personal stuff in the office (like you know, I have kids and I might check out a camp for them or something).
I'd like to add for anyone reading this that you can turn your smartphone into a dumbphone for free utilizing ADB app control. You can download it on to a laptop for free from the site and use it to uninstall apps that you normally are unable to uninstall. I used it to uninstall the web browser, youtube, and the google play store from my phone. Now I primarily use my phone for texting, calls, the bible app, kindle, and podcasts. I still have the convenience of my smartphone including banking apps and google maps without the problems and temptations that come with unmitigated access to the internet and social media. You still have to reinstall google play store once in a while to update your existing apps so they still work but for people who don't have money for things like lightphone, wisephone, or the Brick; ADB app control is a great option.
If you want to *rent* a "dumbphone" (including the Wisephone) PM me with the features you need (e.g. maps, talk to text, music, calendar, authenticator, etc...). My business is called MyLizard.
I don't think anyone else offers dumbphone rentals as of now.