I missed the notebook rule because I was in real life doing real things with my real family! :) but I’m glad that I got to read about it here 👍 It’s a really good idea, and I agree, anything that adds friction to the digital experience is good — and also, all the things that make real life a little more frictionless, effortless, those “good habits” that keep us IN the corporeal world, those are good too 🌺
“You could be perfectly aware of the fact that you’re an alcoholic but still wake up in the gutter.” Whoa. Is our digital diet creating functioning alcoholics of us?
I just ran across this - which speaks directly to my own weakness when bored to scroll a bit. I'll tell you, if I can just stay off Twitter, the world seems almost liveable! ;) "Marx called religion the opiate of the people. But the real opiate of the people – the coca leaves of modern culture that we’re all expected to chew – is the river of consumer comforts and distractions that we use to damp down our deeper hunger for God and our gnawing sense of obligation to so many other people."
—Archbishop Charles Chaput, O.F.M., Cap. in “The New Evangelization: Responsibilities and Challenges for the American Continent”
It’s funny because even as I type this, I realise I’m not immune.
A few weeks ago, I had to permanently delete my Instagram account. It dawned on me that I have too many social media accounts and collectively, they eat away my time.
But deleting Instagram hasn’t completely solved the problem. I still have to do more.
At least I’m conscious of the problem, and that’s a good start.
Keep up the great work. I've been talking about this in my city and to family for a few years now and it's still a battle. At least there's people with bigger voices screaming into the void about it. I've busted phones(22) I've done social experiments ( committed internet hapkido) filled up FB feeds about it, will probably be getting divorced due to his inability to be anything but a troglodyte about the subject. So much bro. Your battle has just begun because it is a battle. If you have a spouse I suggest you support each other and help each other break it. Getting lap top averse is the first step. Breaking the smart phone dependence is going to ultimately be a societal movement.
Love the article, love the podcast, and love this summary!
I especially love the Narnia idea and the “escapism” aspect we do without realizing. More and more I’m becoming converted!
Note: formatting on my end is a little off with the sentence “It's because psychologically we understand that people are more prone to pay attention to things that make them angry or fearful.” - had a line break or two
I really enjoyed this conversation. I think about this topic more and more as I get older. Especially since having my two boys (same age as yours). However I have come to the conclusion I can't trust myself with a healthy balance, because I find it almost impossible to control. Once I let Instagram or something else back into my life, it always creeps back to a point where I find myself back to square one. As you so rightly describe, it is digital dope. Is there ever really a good balance for dope? My current strategy is abstinence, and replacing screen habits with analog hobbies instead. For me this has been the only strategy to work. I am currently trialing giving up YouTube entirely as this is the last noteworthy digital distraction I have left. I am genuinely interested in how you go with your notebook method over the coming months. I look forward to some updates along the way.
I missed the notebook rule because I was in real life doing real things with my real family! :) but I’m glad that I got to read about it here 👍 It’s a really good idea, and I agree, anything that adds friction to the digital experience is good — and also, all the things that make real life a little more frictionless, effortless, those “good habits” that keep us IN the corporeal world, those are good too 🌺
“You could be perfectly aware of the fact that you’re an alcoholic but still wake up in the gutter.” Whoa. Is our digital diet creating functioning alcoholics of us?
I just ran across this - which speaks directly to my own weakness when bored to scroll a bit. I'll tell you, if I can just stay off Twitter, the world seems almost liveable! ;) "Marx called religion the opiate of the people. But the real opiate of the people – the coca leaves of modern culture that we’re all expected to chew – is the river of consumer comforts and distractions that we use to damp down our deeper hunger for God and our gnawing sense of obligation to so many other people."
—Archbishop Charles Chaput, O.F.M., Cap. in “The New Evangelization: Responsibilities and Challenges for the American Continent”
Social media and gadget addiction is real!
It’s funny because even as I type this, I realise I’m not immune.
A few weeks ago, I had to permanently delete my Instagram account. It dawned on me that I have too many social media accounts and collectively, they eat away my time.
But deleting Instagram hasn’t completely solved the problem. I still have to do more.
At least I’m conscious of the problem, and that’s a good start.
purplemessenger.substack.com
I didn't read this whole thing because I already know it's brilliant.
I did read the last third and was very pleased with your footnote.
The Notebook has taken a life of its own! 📒
Keep up the great work. I've been talking about this in my city and to family for a few years now and it's still a battle. At least there's people with bigger voices screaming into the void about it. I've busted phones(22) I've done social experiments ( committed internet hapkido) filled up FB feeds about it, will probably be getting divorced due to his inability to be anything but a troglodyte about the subject. So much bro. Your battle has just begun because it is a battle. If you have a spouse I suggest you support each other and help each other break it. Getting lap top averse is the first step. Breaking the smart phone dependence is going to ultimately be a societal movement.
Love the article, love the podcast, and love this summary!
I especially love the Narnia idea and the “escapism” aspect we do without realizing. More and more I’m becoming converted!
Note: formatting on my end is a little off with the sentence “It's because psychologically we understand that people are more prone to pay attention to things that make them angry or fearful.” - had a line break or two
I really enjoyed this conversation. I think about this topic more and more as I get older. Especially since having my two boys (same age as yours). However I have come to the conclusion I can't trust myself with a healthy balance, because I find it almost impossible to control. Once I let Instagram or something else back into my life, it always creeps back to a point where I find myself back to square one. As you so rightly describe, it is digital dope. Is there ever really a good balance for dope? My current strategy is abstinence, and replacing screen habits with analog hobbies instead. For me this has been the only strategy to work. I am currently trialing giving up YouTube entirely as this is the last noteworthy digital distraction I have left. I am genuinely interested in how you go with your notebook method over the coming months. I look forward to some updates along the way.