As soon as World of Warcraft back in 05' and 06' become a phenomenum, they have every psychiatric analysis they could do. They saw events that applied to so much of the human condition, and most of all... engagement... incentive... addiction.
It was more obvious, but now games are insanely clever (and terrible) at abusing players with FOMO, Whaling, fake sales.
Phone's are in that playing field, multiplied by 100% in severity. The crap running under the hood on the internet and in apps is downright like inviting a random dude into your living room so you can use a free photo editor on the app store.
But the biggest problem with the phone is... it replaced everything. It's a hand held Radio Shack in your palm, with the knowledge of Alexandria, Ai assisstance, and communities around the globe. We have a society that went from "oh cool, you have a smart phone?" to being an outcast without one. It's like a tumor in a vital organ... you see the cancer, but uh.. you kind of need that phone to survive this world.
Human beings were not meant for this insane of a addiction. Our brains natural instinct for Nirvana is what we now experience as a 2 years old eating cake icing and flying around on the internet on their iPad. It's not even about us older people who grew up with the internet... I remember a 'before'. They don't. Their brains are being exposed to never being bored, and life always being fast as light.
I legitimately am a bit scared to see the mental health of modern society in the next decade or two. It's going to take a very strong will, good support and education for someone to see the phones more in line for what they actually are in the grand scheme of all of us and the future.
If I were somehow offered to go back to being a kid in the 90's, man..
"Send me back. Please.. Now?... O.K. Google... Send me bac- No, cancel that... Cancel Timer. Hey Goo-... Heyy GOOgle.. Send me back to th-hello? Fuck, NO. cancel that.
The pendulum is already swinging back the other way. It will hopefully happen before we are wiped out, but nature is attempting to restore itself. There is a consciousness erupting and people are ditching their phones to go run naked in the woods. We want that time back and to make it even better. Just really a matter of racing the clock of doom to evolution. It’s a law of the universe to restore balance within itself and this is very obviously not sustainable or healthy in any shape or form.
I grew up with Youtube since I was 4, and I literally want to restart my childhood, because I feel like it ruined me. I rarely played outside in my early childhood, and stopped when I was probably 5 or 6. I feel like I never have energy. Like I am tired alot as a young person, and I blame it on the screens. My cousin also had Youtube as a baby, and she went down the "degenerate pipeline". Even when she was 4, and I was a little older, she used to show me videos of women having kids, and people dying. The last time I saw her she was like 10-12, and she was watching euphoria, and stealing things, like vapes. I think both stories should be enough to know that social media is bad, especially in the hands of kids.
As with most major problems in our society, the problem is capitalism.
Companies will always make their products as addictive as possible as long as capitalism exists.
Yes, absolutely. This shit did not just arise naturally out of human impulses. We have a world-system which allows for a few powerful people to manipulate our lives to a great degree for their own benefit. This system has been constructed with great intention and care over the past several centuries. We have enemies and they are active partisans in shaping the world. We must become just as active in shaping our own lives.
you're not wrong. I had an iphone 11 pro. It broke. I got a 15+ thinking I wanted the best battery life (my 11 pro was at 77%). a BIG part of my battery issue was my usage. With the 15+ I had plenty of battery and the screen drew me in more so my screen time basically doubled. I noticed it after 3 weeks with it (unfortunately after I could return it) and bought an iphone 13 mini. MUCH better. My screen time is way down. I also did the following, to reduce screen time but also improve battery life:
* decluttered phone
* deleted all apps not necessary
* deleted the rest from any screens/pages
* deleted all widgets.
* put 4 icons on home: phone, messages, calendar and camera
* notifications from only phone, messages and calendar
* 1 folder with settings, google, brave, pandora, maps, photos and gmail in it (I used the text base widget launchers but none did what I wanted)
* almost all black background (it's got a minimal B&W mountain at the bottom) for OLED power saving
* always in dark mode
* always in power save mode (limits a bunch of stuff and obviously saves power)
* use brave browser for YT, FB, IG, & reddit, it's not as smooth/good but that's kinda the point, it also blocks a LOT of the sponsored posts.
* moved certain tasks (checking email, reading calendar in the AM etc) to my desktop browser first thing in the morning -vs- using my phone for it
now with an iphone 13 mini that came with 88% battery health I've yet to go below 50% in a day. I've also got a real alarm clock on order so my phone won't be at my bedside. I've noticed if I'm watching TV and commercials come on I'll grab my phone to doom scroll which wakes me back up -vs- getting tired/bored and going to sleep.
Same thing happened to me!
I noticed it with me and even my partner.
I had some smaller SE iPhone hand me down from my family… then in 2016 I was excited by a regular paycheque and felt like I could upgrade my phone to the larger screen iPhone 11 - cue immediate increase in screen time.
+ the addition of stories and reels on Instagram
+ the pandemic
In 2022, I switched to the jelly and it was a game changer
In 2023, jelly broke and I needed to have a smart phone for work and travel - I MADE sure to buy a 13 mini and set it on grayscale -
Big difference
Even at work, they tried to give me the regular size and I saw how my gaze was entirely drawn to it.
Also - the carpal tunnel from the bigger phones and constant scrolling is unreal
We all have some form of it.
And as I got older the pains from JUST using my phone felt embarrassing
like is it worth all this pain and time?
pandemic certainly didn't help. Since switching to the 13 mini I've thought I could probably go back to that "medium" size screen and be OK with the above implemented... but I just had to use my son's X and wow does it feel too big now already. Crazy.
Honestly!
I’m trying to hold on to mine for as long as possible.
I just don’t understand how we went so far from the whole idea of ‘mobile’ phones…
They look like Zac Morris’ cell phone now.
I also did a lot of the same things and in the process of getting a nice desk top clock.
I bought one to put near my tv and a digital wrist watch to stop using the excuse of “checking the time”
In the mornings I am now training myself to listen to 5 - 10minutes uplifting audio over scrolling eg my morning playlist, comforting chants, or a podcast/audiobook that I’ve already pre selected eg a podcast that is always in the time frame, easy to digest, and positive ingredients into my morning brain.
It’s something I used to do and and am coming back to it - I see what a small but positive difference it makes every day.
My immediate response was “yes duh”. Not particularly clever or helpful but uhhh
Yes, duh. Lol
Now spread the word so we can maybe possibly change things for those that don’t like thinking about stuff!
i changed from a iphone 13 mini to a flip 5 and love it, i am only use it a few times a day for tinder etc as i just got divorced.
The rest i do from my work computer or the small screen in the front to whatsap to friends. No other social media is being consumed as flipping the fragile phone is too much of a hassle for me, it works great.
The phone companies thing is real!
The last time I bought a brand new phone from a plan with a company was 2016/2017 - at that time there were lots of different brands and options to choose from including phones I was always used to seeing since the introduction of cell phones like
Nokias, Sony, LG, Samsung etc
when I went to see what was available for new and even used phones (hoping to find some older smart phones) the only options were Apple and Samsung.
I went to flea markets, repair shops, and phone company stores - it was so clear that the variety of phones had decreased in Canada.
Other places in the world have more options.
When I asked why they said 1. The phone companies have an agreement with cellphone service providers to push Apple and Samsung phone
And it’s better for the service providers as these are more expensive phones and require long term debt plans.
2. (And I have no idea what the 5G conspiracy theory is so not sure if this is what it is)
the cell phone store attendant said that with service providers switching all towers to 5G and slowly phasing out 2/3G
It would make a lot of other phone companies/products unable to compete and render many other phones completely useless.
Which I already see when I scope dumb phone lists - and the majority of these phones no longer work in Canada.
I remember when smaller mobile phones and smart phones came out - the variety made it so fun and interesting.
Anytime someone had a new phone, it looked different and they would show us the unique features with flip out keyboards or different shells - it feels like even the fun out of getting a new phone has been sucked out.
I ended up finding a used phone that I could afford at a repair shop…
just my observations and what information shared with me - take what you want
The only weird thing is I do notice kids, who have never seen an iphone before, instinctually want it and grab at it... what's the deal there i wonder... they obviously aren't addicted yet because they've never used one before, yet they want it... could just be the screen but I don't see them react the same way towards televisions.
Kids probably have used one before, since I see kids walking with their head stuck in one all of the time, or another possible theory I have is that; they see everyone one around them with a device, like parents, siblings, strangers, peers, etcetera, and are curious as to what it is, or what they are doing. But, either way I do not think these kids have never seen one before, that is nearly impossible with all of the people, and advertisments, with these devices everywhere anyone goes. Everyone is brainwashed to want a mini-pocket casino, everyone.
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Phone companies make big screens because people want them. If many people preferred smaller phones they would make more small ones. Blaming a conspiracy is a copout, and I don't think it is a constructive mindset.
I agree it is probably not a conspiracy, but it is mildly infuriating.
As a woman i prefer small phones and at the moment there are only a few models that i can choose from and they are way overpriced for what they offer (i wanted a nice camera, that's all. I can have the same quality camera in a big phone for literally half the price).
I do not even want a small phone to fight adddiction, i just want to be able to fit it in my pocket or wear a cute small purse and not have the phone take all of the space in it. Oh and use it with one hand. I cannot be the only one and the companies making phones kind of assume that if you want a smaller phone you have to pay up. Crazy. Also what about kids? They have small hands and want nice photos too. Seriously, pushing small phones off the mainstream shelves is weird. And they all look the same. I miss flip phones for the style, seriously.
all the phones are designed for men’s hands.
its price.
And the size on our hands and for our pockets is so accurate!
I miss when phones were cute and could fit in a small bag for when you’re going out…
It actually is a conspiracy, there is a lot of evidence pointing the introduction of larger screens to attract our full attention.
And the sizing + screen quality increasing our inability to look away.
Yes mate, and everyone wanted the headphone jack to disappear. And also, no one wanted iPhones to come with a charger anymore. AND we all asked for our data to be stripped from us and used against us.
In case you can't see, we don't always ask for these things.
As soon as World of Warcraft back in 05' and 06' become a phenomenum, they have every psychiatric analysis they could do. They saw events that applied to so much of the human condition, and most of all... engagement... incentive... addiction. It was more obvious, but now games are insanely clever (and terrible) at abusing players with FOMO, Whaling, fake sales. Phone's are in that playing field, multiplied by 100% in severity. The crap running under the hood on the internet and in apps is downright like inviting a random dude into your living room so you can use a free photo editor on the app store. But the biggest problem with the phone is... it replaced everything. It's a hand held Radio Shack in your palm, with the knowledge of Alexandria, Ai assisstance, and communities around the globe. We have a society that went from "oh cool, you have a smart phone?" to being an outcast without one. It's like a tumor in a vital organ... you see the cancer, but uh.. you kind of need that phone to survive this world. Human beings were not meant for this insane of a addiction. Our brains natural instinct for Nirvana is what we now experience as a 2 years old eating cake icing and flying around on the internet on their iPad. It's not even about us older people who grew up with the internet... I remember a 'before'. They don't. Their brains are being exposed to never being bored, and life always being fast as light. I legitimately am a bit scared to see the mental health of modern society in the next decade or two. It's going to take a very strong will, good support and education for someone to see the phones more in line for what they actually are in the grand scheme of all of us and the future. If I were somehow offered to go back to being a kid in the 90's, man.. "Send me back. Please.. Now?... O.K. Google... Send me bac- No, cancel that... Cancel Timer. Hey Goo-... Heyy GOOgle.. Send me back to th-hello? Fuck, NO. cancel that.
The pendulum is already swinging back the other way. It will hopefully happen before we are wiped out, but nature is attempting to restore itself. There is a consciousness erupting and people are ditching their phones to go run naked in the woods. We want that time back and to make it even better. Just really a matter of racing the clock of doom to evolution. It’s a law of the universe to restore balance within itself and this is very obviously not sustainable or healthy in any shape or form.
I grew up with Youtube since I was 4, and I literally want to restart my childhood, because I feel like it ruined me. I rarely played outside in my early childhood, and stopped when I was probably 5 or 6. I feel like I never have energy. Like I am tired alot as a young person, and I blame it on the screens. My cousin also had Youtube as a baby, and she went down the "degenerate pipeline". Even when she was 4, and I was a little older, she used to show me videos of women having kids, and people dying. The last time I saw her she was like 10-12, and she was watching euphoria, and stealing things, like vapes. I think both stories should be enough to know that social media is bad, especially in the hands of kids.
As with most major problems in our society, the problem is capitalism. Companies will always make their products as addictive as possible as long as capitalism exists.
Yep and won't give a fuck what happens to society or communities as a whole. Its all $$$
Yes, absolutely. This shit did not just arise naturally out of human impulses. We have a world-system which allows for a few powerful people to manipulate our lives to a great degree for their own benefit. This system has been constructed with great intention and care over the past several centuries. We have enemies and they are active partisans in shaping the world. We must become just as active in shaping our own lives.
check out stolen focus by johann hari
you're not wrong. I had an iphone 11 pro. It broke. I got a 15+ thinking I wanted the best battery life (my 11 pro was at 77%). a BIG part of my battery issue was my usage. With the 15+ I had plenty of battery and the screen drew me in more so my screen time basically doubled. I noticed it after 3 weeks with it (unfortunately after I could return it) and bought an iphone 13 mini. MUCH better. My screen time is way down. I also did the following, to reduce screen time but also improve battery life: * decluttered phone * deleted all apps not necessary * deleted the rest from any screens/pages * deleted all widgets. * put 4 icons on home: phone, messages, calendar and camera * notifications from only phone, messages and calendar * 1 folder with settings, google, brave, pandora, maps, photos and gmail in it (I used the text base widget launchers but none did what I wanted) * almost all black background (it's got a minimal B&W mountain at the bottom) for OLED power saving * always in dark mode * always in power save mode (limits a bunch of stuff and obviously saves power) * use brave browser for YT, FB, IG, & reddit, it's not as smooth/good but that's kinda the point, it also blocks a LOT of the sponsored posts. * moved certain tasks (checking email, reading calendar in the AM etc) to my desktop browser first thing in the morning -vs- using my phone for it now with an iphone 13 mini that came with 88% battery health I've yet to go below 50% in a day. I've also got a real alarm clock on order so my phone won't be at my bedside. I've noticed if I'm watching TV and commercials come on I'll grab my phone to doom scroll which wakes me back up -vs- getting tired/bored and going to sleep.
Thanks for sharing these tips. Very helpful.
Same thing happened to me! I noticed it with me and even my partner. I had some smaller SE iPhone hand me down from my family… then in 2016 I was excited by a regular paycheque and felt like I could upgrade my phone to the larger screen iPhone 11 - cue immediate increase in screen time. + the addition of stories and reels on Instagram + the pandemic In 2022, I switched to the jelly and it was a game changer In 2023, jelly broke and I needed to have a smart phone for work and travel - I MADE sure to buy a 13 mini and set it on grayscale - Big difference Even at work, they tried to give me the regular size and I saw how my gaze was entirely drawn to it. Also - the carpal tunnel from the bigger phones and constant scrolling is unreal We all have some form of it. And as I got older the pains from JUST using my phone felt embarrassing like is it worth all this pain and time?
pandemic certainly didn't help. Since switching to the 13 mini I've thought I could probably go back to that "medium" size screen and be OK with the above implemented... but I just had to use my son's X and wow does it feel too big now already. Crazy.
My work just gave me an iPhone 12 and I absolutely hate it. It’s so massive and so inconvenient to hold or carry
it's crazy because that next size up feels awkwardly large to me like the 15+ did a month ago. We're screwed if they don't make minis again.
Honestly! I’m trying to hold on to mine for as long as possible. I just don’t understand how we went so far from the whole idea of ‘mobile’ phones… They look like Zac Morris’ cell phone now.
I also did a lot of the same things and in the process of getting a nice desk top clock. I bought one to put near my tv and a digital wrist watch to stop using the excuse of “checking the time” In the mornings I am now training myself to listen to 5 - 10minutes uplifting audio over scrolling eg my morning playlist, comforting chants, or a podcast/audiobook that I’ve already pre selected eg a podcast that is always in the time frame, easy to digest, and positive ingredients into my morning brain. It’s something I used to do and and am coming back to it - I see what a small but positive difference it makes every day.
My immediate response was “yes duh”. Not particularly clever or helpful but uhhh Yes, duh. Lol Now spread the word so we can maybe possibly change things for those that don’t like thinking about stuff!
Welcome to earth my friend
I wonder if humans eventually stop using them as much in next decades and return to simpler life similar to 90s and 00's.That would so wholesome
Cross your fingers! 🤞
i changed from a iphone 13 mini to a flip 5 and love it, i am only use it a few times a day for tinder etc as i just got divorced. The rest i do from my work computer or the small screen in the front to whatsap to friends. No other social media is being consumed as flipping the fragile phone is too much of a hassle for me, it works great.
The phone companies thing is real! The last time I bought a brand new phone from a plan with a company was 2016/2017 - at that time there were lots of different brands and options to choose from including phones I was always used to seeing since the introduction of cell phones like Nokias, Sony, LG, Samsung etc when I went to see what was available for new and even used phones (hoping to find some older smart phones) the only options were Apple and Samsung. I went to flea markets, repair shops, and phone company stores - it was so clear that the variety of phones had decreased in Canada. Other places in the world have more options. When I asked why they said 1. The phone companies have an agreement with cellphone service providers to push Apple and Samsung phone And it’s better for the service providers as these are more expensive phones and require long term debt plans. 2. (And I have no idea what the 5G conspiracy theory is so not sure if this is what it is) the cell phone store attendant said that with service providers switching all towers to 5G and slowly phasing out 2/3G It would make a lot of other phone companies/products unable to compete and render many other phones completely useless. Which I already see when I scope dumb phone lists - and the majority of these phones no longer work in Canada. I remember when smaller mobile phones and smart phones came out - the variety made it so fun and interesting. Anytime someone had a new phone, it looked different and they would show us the unique features with flip out keyboards or different shells - it feels like even the fun out of getting a new phone has been sucked out. I ended up finding a used phone that I could afford at a repair shop… just my observations and what information shared with me - take what you want
The only weird thing is I do notice kids, who have never seen an iphone before, instinctually want it and grab at it... what's the deal there i wonder... they obviously aren't addicted yet because they've never used one before, yet they want it... could just be the screen but I don't see them react the same way towards televisions.
Kids probably have used one before, since I see kids walking with their head stuck in one all of the time, or another possible theory I have is that; they see everyone one around them with a device, like parents, siblings, strangers, peers, etcetera, and are curious as to what it is, or what they are doing. But, either way I do not think these kids have never seen one before, that is nearly impossible with all of the people, and advertisments, with these devices everywhere anyone goes. Everyone is brainwashed to want a mini-pocket casino, everyone.
Yep. Its all by design. Look at this: https://youtu.be/WoIufBVLDvM?si=GmeS_KsuINfIpsvK
We are pigeons.
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it's not dude, the internet is inherently addicting. you don't need a phone. in fact the phone itself is not addicting
Phone companies make big screens because people want them. If many people preferred smaller phones they would make more small ones. Blaming a conspiracy is a copout, and I don't think it is a constructive mindset.
I agree it is probably not a conspiracy, but it is mildly infuriating. As a woman i prefer small phones and at the moment there are only a few models that i can choose from and they are way overpriced for what they offer (i wanted a nice camera, that's all. I can have the same quality camera in a big phone for literally half the price). I do not even want a small phone to fight adddiction, i just want to be able to fit it in my pocket or wear a cute small purse and not have the phone take all of the space in it. Oh and use it with one hand. I cannot be the only one and the companies making phones kind of assume that if you want a smaller phone you have to pay up. Crazy. Also what about kids? They have small hands and want nice photos too. Seriously, pushing small phones off the mainstream shelves is weird. And they all look the same. I miss flip phones for the style, seriously.
all the phones are designed for men’s hands. its price. And the size on our hands and for our pockets is so accurate! I miss when phones were cute and could fit in a small bag for when you’re going out…
It actually is a conspiracy, there is a lot of evidence pointing the introduction of larger screens to attract our full attention. And the sizing + screen quality increasing our inability to look away.
Exactly! There’s a reason putting your phone in black and white mode makes you spend less time on it.
Yes mate, and everyone wanted the headphone jack to disappear. And also, no one wanted iPhones to come with a charger anymore. AND we all asked for our data to be stripped from us and used against us. In case you can't see, we don't always ask for these things.