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Smartphones and society

JuiceCrewAllStar

JuiceCrewAllStar

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This recent Atlantic article on smartphones and childhood development is just one of many on the subject (unpaywalled version here: https://archive.is/SKkVs), but the situation does feel pretty dire, and not just for kids

it's a mindfuck because I find myself unhappy when I'm scrolling instagram or whatever on my phone, but I won't even remember how I started looking at my phone in the first place

and social interactions definitely worse: always someone on some device

anybody bailed on smartphones entirely?

I'm thankful I didn't grow up in the smartphone era -- probably would have fucked my head pretty good
 
JuiceCrewAllStar said:
This recent Atlantic article on smartphones and childhood development is just one of many on the subject (unpaywalled version here: https://archive.is/SKkVs), but the situation does feel pretty dire, and not just for kids

it's a mindfuck because I find myself unhappy when I'm scrolling instagram or whatever on my phone, but I won't even remember how I started looking at my phone in the first place

and social interactions definitely worse: always someone on some device

anybody bailed on smartphones entirely?

I'm thankful I didn't grow up in the smartphone era -- probably would have fucked my head pretty good
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It's really hard. I'm working on trying to dial back my social media consumption (I'm done with FB, done with Twitter), but lately I've found myself in a bit of a reddit trap. I still find a lot of worthwhile content on IG too, so I don't know if I'll be able to give that one up anytime soon.

Like ITC, I go back and forth on getting a dumb phone, but at the end of the day there are certain apps that provide me a lot of utility (for example, ticket apps, Duolingo, mapping apps for fishing) and I don't necessarily want to start carrying a camera around. I'm not really sure what the right answer is other than that I know I want to delay getting devices for my children as long as possible.
 
leftcoastdeac said:
at the end of the day there are certain apps that provide me a lot of utility (for example, ticket apps, Duolingo, mapping apps for fishing) and I don't necessarily want to start carrying a camera around.
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yeah, this is the tough part: GPS, tickets, etc, plus social media replacing newspapers and other outlets for learning about upcoming events, news, etc.
 
JuiceCrewAllStar said:
yeah, this is the tough part: GPS, tickets, etc, plus social media replacing newspapers and other outlets for learning about upcoming events, news, etc.
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GPS, just Google/serach engine, and some pay/banking apps, weather. otherwise i could probably be fine. i know i could just delete everything off my phone but im not sure i have the discipline

i'd miss my Discord b/c that's how i keep up with my IRL friends
 
I work in public every day. I’d say 75% of people I see walking around are either using or holding their phone. It’s like a reflex, no such thing as down time or ‘smelling the roses’ so to speak.

The part that gets me is the age group that used to tell me, as a kid, that tv/tech/video games would rot my brain are some of the most enraptured in 2024.
 
Kind of with you all. Would be great to ditch the smartphone but not sure it’s really feasible.
 
ChrisTheDeacm89 said:
I'm fascinated with how people closer to my parents age (older Baby Boomer generations) have become addicted to Smart Phones and Social Media (Facebook, Instagram, etc). It seems to be effecting them just as much as some of the younger generations.
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yeah, my dad is on his ipad all the fucking time, it's nuts
 
This is also what worries me most about AI. There is already an epidemic of cell phone addiction and it happens before we truly understand the ramifications to put in guard rails. The fox is already in the hen house.
 
rawarr said:
no such thing as down time or ‘smelling the roses’ so to speak.
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I'm trying to be very intentional to give my kids unstructured time where they can be bored and let their minds wander. I've kind of lost that ability and I want them to maintain it for as long as possible.
 
the cynic in me thinks phones are just turning our ‘free time’ into revenue generators for capitalism, so my protest is keeping it out of my hand as much as possible. And yet here I am posting on ogboards dot com
 
Stuff like this has come up for discussion many times on the boards over the years. The main issue to me seems to be what happens if somehow the lights (power) are cut off for any amount of extended time regardless of who (Chinese, Russia, ISIS, etc.) does it. My generation (I am 59) may be the last one that actually knows how to do things vs asking youtube, siri, alexa how things are done. That's some scary shit to me.
 
JuiceCrewAllStar said:
yeah, this is the tough part: GPS, tickets, etc, plus social media replacing newspapers and other outlets for learning about upcoming events, news, etc.
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I pretty much have to have one for work and traveling. Unfortunately, work doesn't stop at regular hours.
 
DeacWatcher said:
Stuff like this has come up for discussion many times on the boards over the years. The main issue to me seems to be what happens if somehow the lights (power) are cut off for any amount of extended time regardless of who (Chinese, Russia, ISIS, etc.) does it. My generation (I am 59) may be the last one that actually knows how to do things vs asking youtube, siri, alexa how things are done. That's some scary shit to me.
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I don't know man, I now know how to do all kinds of "real life stuff" because I taught myself with youtube.

Plumbing, woodworking, electrical stuff (although this still scare the fuck outta me), guitar, smoking the fuck outta some meat, etc..... So I am better prepared for the great shutoff.
 
DeacWatcher said:
Stuff like this has come up for discussion many times on the boards over the years. The main issue to me seems to be what happens if somehow the lights (power) are cut off for any amount of extended time regardless of who (Chinese, Russia, ISIS, etc.) does it. My generation (I am 59) may be the last one that actually knows how to do things vs asking youtube, siri, alexa how things are done. That's some scary shit to me.
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loss of GPS is the one that I think would be the most damaging

crazy how many people don't know how to get around the city they live in because they only use GPS
 
WFcatamount22 said:
I don't know man, I now know how to do all kinds of "real life stuff" because I taught myself with youtube.

Plumbing, woodworking, electrical stuff (although this still scare the fuck outta me), guitar, smoking the fuck outta some meat, etc..... So I am better prepared for the great shutoff.
Click to expand...

you can get YouTube on a regular computer, tho
 
WFcatamount22 said:
I don't know man, I now know how to do all kinds of "real life stuff" because I taught myself with youtube.

Plumbing, woodworking, electrical stuff (although this still scare the fuck outta me), guitar, smoking the fuck outta some meat, etc..... So I am better prepared for the great shutoff.
Click to expand...

Yeah it depends on the “real life stuff.” I read DW’s comment to refer to home maintenance stuff. I’ve built on my prior knowledge by reading online and via YouTube which doesn’t seem dramatically different than how prior generations would have had to read how to do it.

Of course if the power is cut none of that shit will matter so idk what the purpose of the comment was.
 
06deacon said:
Yeah it depends on the “real life stuff.” I read DW’s comment to refer to home maintenance stuff. I’ve built on my prior knowledge by reading online and via YouTube which doesn’t seem dramatically different than how prior generations would have had to read how to do it.

Of course if the power is cut none of that shit will matter so idk what the purpose of the comment was.
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I guess it was refuting the "only people over 60 know anything" point.
 
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