Nostr Web Client

Ok, seriously time for a rant.

Your cell phone is no longer a phone. It is a tracking device, with lots of things to distract you from the things you should be doing. It's a fucking fidget spinner that also just happens to tell anyone who really wants to know exactly where you are and what you are doing. It is a digital collar, at the end of a wireless leash.

What happens when someone tries to call my phone number? Nothing. most times the bloody thing doesn't notify me, and the call goes to voice mail, where a computer records a message. Then I get an email that I have a message. So why the fuck am I carrying around a phone that is always powered on? So I might get a notification that I have a fucking email, that someone might have tried to make contact with me?

My wife really doesn't understand this. Her normie self thinks it is fucking normal to be available and interruptible all day and night. That is complete bullshit.

So why do I even carry my phone around at all? It is a fucking game-boy. I can do a crossword puzzle on it while taking a shit, instead of fucking around with a newspaper and finding a pen. It plays music in my car, and has maps. On my motorcycle, it shows my speed and RPMs, because the displays on the motorcycle itself are down by my nuts, and I don't ride around on my motorcycle looking at my own sack. On my boat, it displays nautical charts, GPS positioning and plotting, and speed. I can also check tide charts. In the grocery store, it keeps my store coupons organized and actually saves me money, but I question this a bit. And yeah, when I'm pretending to sit around and watch TV, I can play Mah-jongg, read shit on Nostr, and shitpost.

Are any of those purposes necessary? Nope. Not one. But some are really fucking handy. Probably the most handy are the maps and charts, MC displays, and maybe the coupons. The shittier part of this is the handy stuff is also the stuff that relies on mobile data and GPS, so going to WiFi only isn't a great option.

Does turning off my phone make sense? Not really. Just more bother turning it back on when I want to do something with it. I think I'll continue to just leave it behind more and more. That way the excuse "I didn't have my phone on me" rings true, because I rarely will have my phone on me. If I need it for something, I'll know where to find it.

But you know what I won't be needing it for? Phone calls. I'll see whatever came of those when I check my email next, which might be a few hours, maybe even a day or more. If you need something more urgently, come find me, or find someone else.

Joe 2y ago

Why do you continue to use it in ways you do not want to use it? Most of the issues you describe are self-inflicted and rectifiable.

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Discussion

Sedj 2y ago

I use things because my expectation is that by using the thing, my overall experience and outcome will be better than than if I did not use the thing.

Sometimes, proximity has something to do with it, as would familiarity. And as I've pointed out, there are reasons I use a cell phone that might mean it is physically with me - so since it is with me, why wouldn't I use it for other things as well, even if it weren't the perfect thing to use, since I already have it with me?

Think of it like going camping. Are you going to bring every pot, pan, whisk, spatula in your kitchen, because those are what you would use to cook a small feast at home? Nope, you are going to only bring the fewest things you need to get the job done. That might be a tin cup and a fork. Are those the best tools for everything you plan to do with them? Nope, but they will keep you fed and hydrated.

How specialized we get with our tools is a reflection of our means and circumstance, as well as the attention and focus we bring to the task. If I live in luxury but don't have any interest in working on cars, I won't have an extensive specialized tool collection.

While some of what I stated was self-inflicted and rectifiable, once you start digging into solutions, it immediately becomes apparent that you are moving contrary to convenience, and suggesting specialized solutions that would require additional attention and focus, as well as perhaps the luxury of time to figure them all out.