Thoughts on getting a dumbphone?

[ThePoint]

What are your thoughts on getting a dumbphone to reduce time spent on the internet?

[hoodrow trillson]

It will help but that’s assuming you won’t cave and run to a desktop/laptop to use the internet.  

The best way I’ve found is to go on vacation to a place where there’s no WiFi or internet and spend a few weeks there.  Easier said than done but when you come back your perspective is shaken up a bit and you’ll realize how much time you spend staring at screens like the rest of us 

[Kshantivadin]

Amazing. Did it for 6 months. One of the better decisions of my life.

[ThePoint]

12 hours ago, Kshantivadin said:

Amazing. Did it for 6 months. One of the better decisions of my life.

@Kshantivadin What did you use as a dumb phone?

How did you replace your smart phone?

Would love to learn more about your experience.

[hyruga]

Most jobs require you to use some forms of chatting apps like WhatsApp. How are you going to talk using a dumbphone? So I guess you don't need to work at such jobs.

On most dumb phones, you can actually still surf the internet using 2G or 3G.

[Ethan1]

I've got a dumb phone. Light phone 2. It's been a pain in the ass figuring out where the grocery store is or simple places. I've been living on the road full times so. Got lost attempting to find a UPS store the other day. Traveling with a dumb phone is what I'm referring to. Yet it was interesting going to local places and asking people for directions instead of depending on the technology. Asked this one guy in a Fedex truck where the UPS store was. He seemed extremely happy to talk to someone and give directions. Love it! I did start to actually have to remember directions and signs which I guess could help with memory and recalling information. Which typically I don't put much effort into remembering random information.

It's been a little over 2 months now since getting the phone and ported to a different company.

Now, the downside is I end up using my laptop as a substitute wayy wayy more. The good thing is I can't carry my broken ass laptop in my pocket. Yet I'll admit I'm addicted to YouTube & this website mostly. Mainly YouTube because of not knowing how to do certain things. Recently purchased a diesel heater and I had no clue how to install it.. So it is hard to say how much it has helped because I'm still getting my youtube fix in a different way. Yet having the obstacles has helped with bringing awareness. I still get distracted in other ways. When I have to go into town or other places I am never on my phone. When I get back home I tend to get sucked into the laptop. 

The main issue I've had was getting lost 2 times in a pretty congested area. Driving for 20 minutes down the wrong road to realize I had no clue where I was. I didn't mind getting lost. Yet when it's at nighttime and you're in an unfamiliar area it can get annoying. 


I think the best option is to just delete all the apps on your phone and block them. Might be a way to jail break the phone to make it dumb. Get a friend or someone to put a password on certain apps you do need. Then focus on meditation and self-discipline as the main focus.

I do recommend the shift towards a dumb phone to disconnect. 

I do believe people need to be more cognizant about privacy on smart phones & giving away all sorts of PII on smart phones. With 3G going away it's becoming harder to find phones that respect privacy. Such as a de-googled phone. Sucks that we can't use flip phones from years back because of the shift towards 4G phones only. 

I wanted to get that yellow banana phone that looks like the phone from the Matrix. Heard it doesn't work in most places in the US b/c of 4g requirements. Says that it's 4g so I could be wrong.

Edited November 20, 2022 by Ethan1

[thepixelmonk]

why not just get a smartphone and use one of those apps that block/limit your usage on social media and such