Introduction to dumbphones and Digital Minimalism.

Dumbphones are a new but revivalisted phenomenon in our society in the last couple of years because of the excessive use of technology like from the smartphone. The lack of human connection with others has shown its ugly head and a lot of people are looking for ways to get out of this vicious cycle. This can affect people on many different levels. How one makes these changes to their life starts off with a realization that something is seriously wrong, and they just can’t put a finger on it because of the intense emotions that they are feeling because of the reality they are in. Examples of strong emotions like being distressed, anxious, and isolation. There are a lot of people saying that dumbphones can help us with our digital habits meanwhile making a lifestyle change can help us even better if we just did not replace the technology that we already use.

There are two main sectors in this flourishing environment where it is somewhat of a tug of war between each other. One side says that dumbphones are the way to go and it helps as a ‘digital detox’ from your mind for a week or two. The other side is a dedicated group of people who are simply changing their habits and how they consume media from their phones to how they interact with technology. We can live a much more full-filling life if we just acknowledge our issues with technology and changing habits and view to accommodate this new lifestyle.

Dumbphones are cellphones that lack features that a smartphone usually has. Examples can be that they do not have a touch screen, an App-store, or have a web browser depending on each model. They all come in different shapes and sizes, like candy bars to your classic flip phone. These phones seem like the end goal to a lot of people who are wanting to minimize their time on the phone. On the other side of this is the bigger problem when people have to rely on more than calls and texts. Dumbphones usually have more trouble than they are worth in the long run because of the increasing services that need a smartphone or 4G VoLTE support.

People may ask, what are the main differences between the Dumbphones and Digital Minimalism with their textbook definitions? How do dumbphones and digital minimalism really compare to one another? Do they share the same end goal of using less of a technology meanwhile the other changes habits and does not take a toll on a users professional life? Examples could be like during an emergency at your place of work or something happens and you cannot create plan b?

What is Digital Minimalism?

There are a few thing that are in the way first because there are a lot of confusion on how these terms are being used. “Digital Minimalism. "A philosophy of technology use in which you focus your online time on a small number of carefully selected and optimized activities that strongly support things you value, and then happily miss out on everything else." This term was coined by Cal Newport’s book with the same name, and this definition is spot on when it comes a new lifestyle. It shows that people can still use modern technology without the burdens of being hooked on their own electronic devices. Examples could be finding other ways to spend your time wisely instead of it being on an electronic device. There are many guides that people have made but this is one of them that is a great starting point. Simplifying w/Digital Minimalism: What’s on My Phone

How does dumbphones interact with this equation.

Dumbphones are one of the solutions that people gravitate towards because it seems like it should the perfect device for their needs. Most people do not know what they are getting into until they use the phone after a few days. The two big factors that people buy a dumbphone that it feels like they are holding something nostalgic because maybe they used one when they were younger, or they want stand out in the crowd from all the glass rectangular shapes in their pockets. As humans, we want to stand out from our peers because of social status or they just want to try something new because an algorithm has put it in their feed. It is understandable why someone would go out and buy one. When they get their package in the mail (or got home from the store) with their chosen dumbphone of choice (It could be a Nokia, a Japanese Keitai, or an Android flip phone). The rose tinted glasses fade away and the heartbreak starts to settle in. The main hurdles that people have encountered these issues using a dumbphones is cell reception, because it means that it is not compatible in their area of in North America and only used 3G connections. [I had this experience myself with my own dumbphone] So they reverted back to their smartphone because it worked without an issue. Another would be trying to use WhatsApp or listen to Spotify one the dumbphone. A lot of people thought wondering “I spending money on things that should help me while I could make their own dumbphone myself using my current smartphone?.”

In Cal Newport’s Digital Minimalism, he demonstrates that if you change your habits with your phone, the changes you will notice will be very noticeable in a few days. By using his 30 day ‘Digital declutter’ where he tells his readers that they leave out most stuff on their phones and keep all the important stuff on in case its for a job, or family. Then after the 30 day ‘Digital-Declutter’ Try adding things that you might want back onto your phone. Do you really want to install all those applications on your phone that made you so addicted in the first place? This had the realization that you just do not need a dumbphone to make yourself as a digital minimalist, you just need to focus on what mattered most in your life. It is incredibly painful that people in a modern society having to deal with smartphones and a technology that truly makes us distracted.

The hardships with dumbphones in the current society.

One of the hardest parts about owning a dumbphone in our current modern society are that everything is turning into a QR Code. That includes restaurant, taking public transportation and the most unsettling are that governments are using more digital services than ever before. Having a dumbphone in most of these places may get yourself into some headache because most restaurants cannot provide you with a paper menu or that train ticket is only valid if its only on a smartphone. These problems are just the top level of the problems of owning a dumbphone, because there are a lot of good with owning a dumbphone including the removable battery or the SD Card slot and the best part that it does not bother you until you get a phone call.

What can a person do to keep being digital minimalist while keeping their smartphones “dumb”.

Firstly, you need to examine the habits that you use your current smartphone for and what you truly need to keep it simple. The definition of what Digital Minimalism is can be looked at and applied anywhere with our uses in modern technology, like our phones and especially the overlooked desktops, laptops and our tablets. To keep this all in order and in harmony is to ask yourself a few questions, “Why do I feel while checking my phone during meals, conversations or commutes?”, “How many hours do I spend while mindlessly scrolling at nothing?” and “How well I’m I holding this important relationship together only though a screen?”.

Secondarily, You should be looking at writing down all distractions that you get from your phone while working or in class. Title it a distraction cheat-sheet and then write down all on paper about the things that can bother you. For example, it could be all the notifications on your phone, those music playlist that Spotify gives you, or it could be the screen itself.

Lastly, talk to your friends and family that you won’t be active a lot in the next couple of days on these platforms because you are only going to check it once a day on the computer or on your laptop. Explain your reasons why but try not to be over the top and saying that doing a ‘digital detox’ is good for my mental health. Just say that I am going to try something different in my routine to see what happens. Try not to be prideful over what you doing to save yourself, because it would be all for nothing if you did not do it at all. You want others to see the change and they will soon ask you how did you become so focused, or how did you get so productive?

Final thoughts and conclusion.

The conclusion of this short essay about how dumbphones and Digital Minimalism intersect and how you can proceed with your overall lifestyle choices. The examples taken would be to prioritize the use cases that you currently have in your favour like what can you do that is in your control to remove the distractions from your daily life and how to proceed going forward. You can simply plan out your day by putting your phone in your backpack instead of your front pocket, or intentionally forgetting your earbuds at home so you can experience life without the playlists that Spotify gives you.

Explore what you can do within your own means and find what really helps you keep going meanwhile enjoying life that you wanted to create. All because you were distressed, anxious, and confused. The door is currently open, now it is your choice to walk through it or not willing to the leap of faith that most of you wanted. That is change, and you have the power to change it yourself.

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  • Majestic Twelve.

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