
And I think the root is… smartphones.
Think about it- think about how beneficial this could be for everyone:
- Addiction– almost every source you can find shows that over HALF the country has some form of phone addiction, mostly stemming from social media addiction, dopamine addiction, and over-reliance on their phones for day-to-day activities.
If we get rid of smartphones, people can still check social media on their home computers. However, this would significantly change the experience in multiple ways:
a. You'd be around other people like your family, friends, etc, which would reduce the temptation to stay glued to it for longer or get into trouble looking at stuff you probably shouldn't (p*rnography, for example)
b. You'd probably check it a LOT less and use it more like a newspaper checking a couple times a day versus checking every few minutes like you would on a phone. You'd look silly if you had to check your computer every few minutes, right?
c. Phones are DELIBERATELY ENGINEERED to trigger dopamine releases in the brain. (which I will go into in a minute) WIth one of the main things being your phone's "notifications". If you switch to a computer, you can still check everything you need to without being bombarded with notifications and keeping you glued for longer than you had planned to.
d. Peer pressure. Monkey-see monkey-do. If smartphone use was significantly reduced, the feeling like "you have to do it too because everyone else is" would go away, or at least significantly drop, right?
- Instant Gratification and Dopamine Hits– Like I mentioned earlier, smartphones are DELIBERATELY ENGINEERED to trigger dopamine releases in the brain. Notifications, scrolling, liking, it's all done on purpose to keep users hooked to the app or social media platform because, they're a company, they make money, right?
No smartphones would significantly minimize instant gratification and dopamine hits…
And that in turn would lead to things that I believe would benefit society in ways such as:
-Increased productivity -enjoyment of simplicity and simple pleasures -Increased satisfaction -Increased focus -Greater enjoyment after working hard at something -more balanced life in general
- EMF– Now I know some people don't think it's real, but how would anyone know in this new world and new environment we've created where it's LITERALLY everywhere now?
All wireless devices emit EMF radiation constantly, regardless of whether you are using it or not. Whether your phone is connected or not. As long as the device is powered on/plugged in, it's emitting radiation.
Now I'll tell you why it is nearly impossible nowadays to avoid EMF and radio-frequency:
Wanna put your phone away and go for a walk?
-Get ready to be showered with radio-frequency radiation from the cell towers and mini-cell antennae that are now quite literally on every block, at least if you live in a city or place that's heavily populated.
-You wanna go anywhere for fun? Get ready to be showered with radio-frequency radiation from the wifi routers in a shop, restaurant, even sports stadiums now. Along with second-hand radiation from other people with their smartphones.
-Wanna drive around with your friends and family?
Your car probably is equipped with Wi-fi hotspots and Bluetooth that is constantly emitting, whether your phone is connected or not.
IT IS LITERALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO LIVE A NORMAL LIFE NOWADAYS WITHOUT EXPOSING YOURSELF TO RADIO-FREQUENCY EMF RADIATION BECAUSE WE HAVE BUILT A WORLD WHERE IT IS QUITE LITERALLY EVERYWHERE
So, as a non-smartphone user, and someone who does limit their exposure to EMFs, radio-frequency in particular…
I know that I can't reasonably ask someone to completely cut off their EMF exposure because it would be so difficult to live life like that nowadays because of cell towers, cell antennae, WiFi, WiFi hotspots, second-hand radiation, etc.
But if we got rid of smartphones, think about this. We'd literally be able to get rid of most of this!
-Cell antennae and cell towers wouldn't need to be on every block or street because basic calling and texting doesn't require that!
-We wouldn't need WiFi in every public place, and hardly ANY public place, because calling and texting don't require any WiFi!
-We wouldn't need WiFi or Bluetooth because calling/texting don't require WiFi! And you wouldn't need Bluetooth because you could just plug your phone in! Or better yet, don't use your phone while driving! :))
-We wouldn't need WiFi in homes and houses because you can just hardwire all your computers, TVs, etc. with ethernet cables that can run under the house!
So no, it's not impossible if we work together and change the world! Literally!
But we can only do that TOGETHER! 🙂
- Sleep, Mental Health and Face-to-Face Relationships
Exposure to screens, high-level EMF, and blue light are known to cause heavy disturbance in sleep depth, quality, etc. You can debate the EMF part though if you want, just figured I'd include it because I personally saw a difference
Problems with Relationships between family and loved ones seem to also have increased since the rise of phones
Mental health of the youth especially has skyrocketed, everyone I'm sure knows.
So…
I'm sure that getting rid of smartphones would increase sleep quality, improve mental health and improve relationships with everyone! 🙂
TLDR: GETTING RID OF SMARTPHONES WOULD PROBABLY IMPROVE LIFE QUALITY 🙂
Posted by Idk4412
4 Comments
You realise you tried to reach ppl with a dopamine addiction with a 9000 word essay…
I’m not saying you‘re wrong but maybe tldr?
I think this will end up being like living in a world of alcoholics. There will be nothing you can do to stop the tide that the rest of the world is addicted, but you don’t have to continue the trend in your own home/community.
Desktop internet is something I thought of a while back just like you did. I think Internet is a great, powerful tool. But like a flathead screwdriver or any other tool, it can be used as a weapon and it can be turned against the user. The mobile device is the apotheosis of addiction as it is a drug that can be used anywhere. Like any drug, it leads to habituation; hence, the user needs to use it more for the same high.
I don’t like the direction the world is going in with energy and data centers. It seems now tech companies have a major push either towards developing AI or to develop surrounding components to support AI. And why? Why? Nobody knows. There is no clear answer. The herd has just sort of unconsciously agreed it must be done. Or, basically, the people in charge are powerful enough to convince society, through public relations (propaganda) that it’s for our own good and we want it anyway; that they are here to give us what they have programmed us to convince us that we want.
It is a problem. A bad problem. Kids these days will end up like The Cable Guy but on crack.
Depends, i find a smartphone quite handy
A smartphone, just like a computer, a car, or a firearm, is a tool. Used responsibly, it’s useful. Used carelessly, it can have negative consequences for everyone involved.
There are already plenty of ways to make smartphones far less distracting. What you choose to look at, and how often or for how long, is ultimately your decision. Your attention is yours to control, and only you get to decide what “quality of life” means to you.
Personally, I don’t use any Google or Apple services on my smartphone. I don’t receive push notifications while I’m not actively using it. I run ad blockers and block ad networks at the network level. I have a single messaging app installed, and I use it when I feel like staying in touch with friends.
It’s absolutely possible to avoid all the addictive junk while still enjoying the benefits of modern technology. The problem is that advertisers and device manufacturers have little incentive to make that easy.
That’s why I believe it’s important to teach young people how to use these technologies responsibly from an early age.
By the way, the Sun emits far more dangerous radiation than the electronic devices we use every day. Some of that radiation is ionizing, meaning it has enough energy to break chemical bonds in cells, something the non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation emitted by everyday consumer electronics cannot do. That’s why it’s important to wear sunscreen and avoid prolonged exposure to direct sunlight, especially around midday.
As for your point about sleep and mental health, a daily walk is likely to do far more than special blue-light filters or restrictions on electronic devices.