So, I didn't Use My Phone for 5 Days
karunpal.substack.comAs someone who was a teen around the advent of smartphones, I'm only just now learning how important it is to unplug. It's wonderful, give it a try.
Be honest…
> I looked up and saw this one spot where the sun rays made a kind of painting on the kitchen wall. And it flickered now and then as light moved through the leaves.
At that moment, did you not feel like taking your phone to take a photo?
This comment strikes me as someone who a) has been 'unplugged' for some time now, having weaned off of social media and phone addiction, and b) someone who collects hobbies as a hobby in and of itself, the first of which being photography.
I felt guilt for not capturing those moments throughout the day where there is a perfect picture... somewhere. Some perfect framing of a branch or a building or interesting subjects doing whatever, but ultimately after unplugging, I realized that I was able to look at something and see the composition and didn't actually need to snap a photo to feel fulfilled as a photographer/artist. Just seeing the picture in real life, knowing I could take a photo but not feeling the need to, is fulfilling enough for me. Might be for others, too?
He includes a photo :)
My family was on a trip in Alaska a month ago, and I intentionally did NOT grab my phone to take pics many times. For example, there were multiple times we were on a train, someone would yell "moose!!!", and by the time people grabbed their phones the moose was 500yards behind us. They didn't get the pic OR the memory. There were people muttering "damn, missed it AGAIN..."
Also, everyone in my family WAS taking pics and sending to a shared album, so I knew I would get 6 pics of the same thing from slightly different angles regardless. Slightly cheating, but whatever.
Basically, I have chosen to be very deliberate with what I take, and I find that I'm able to focus more on the immediate experience rather than worrying about framing and zooming, and what I DO take typically isn't garbage.
I do the same. Cherish the moments, not the pictures.
a 100% :)
Once you have the concept down of not doing anything to further itself but merely existing in the time and place, which is called reflection, you can expand (not travel) to contemplation, a different experience.
I keep getting distracted by the author's use of "like". I am not a good speaker, especially when commenting on trivial internet things. Yet even I can feel the author trying too hard. Should've kept this as a first draft.
I've never felt a need to completely withdraw from the phone or the internet. If you just get off the 6 biggest sites/networks it goes a long way. The worst stuff/people have been captured by network effects and are quarantined in place on Twitter etc.
No screens on Sundays, works for me.