From a95ad718b85f1a32e015409b65391e53954c06c5 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: =?UTF-8?q?Nicol=C3=A1s=20Ortega=20Froysa?= Date: Tue, 24 Aug 2021 15:04:29 +0200 Subject: [PATCH] Added new article on the mobile phone. --- blog/posts/0141-know-your-enemy-the-phone.cfg | 5 + .../posts/0141-know-your-enemy-the-phone.html | 122 ++++++++++++++++++ 2 files changed, 127 insertions(+) create mode 100644 blog/posts/0141-know-your-enemy-the-phone.cfg create mode 100644 blog/posts/0141-know-your-enemy-the-phone.html diff --git a/blog/posts/0141-know-your-enemy-the-phone.cfg b/blog/posts/0141-know-your-enemy-the-phone.cfg new file mode 100644 index 0000000..68209a1 --- /dev/null +++ b/blog/posts/0141-know-your-enemy-the-phone.cfg @@ -0,0 +1,5 @@ +filename = 2021-08-12-know-your-enemy-the-phone.html +title = Know Your Enemy: The Phone +description = It would seem that despite everyone knowing that we have an unhealthy relationship with our technological devices, hardly do we act to counteract this negative influence in our lives. +created = 2021-08-12 +updated = 2021-08-12 diff --git a/blog/posts/0141-know-your-enemy-the-phone.html b/blog/posts/0141-know-your-enemy-the-phone.html new file mode 100644 index 0000000..7b016dd --- /dev/null +++ b/blog/posts/0141-know-your-enemy-the-phone.html @@ -0,0 +1,122 @@ +

With this title, I cannot help but think of and mention Rage Against the +Machine's hit song, "Know Your Enemy."[1] So I'll +just drop that little gem.

+ +

Those who know me personally will also know that I'm pretty anti-technology +for a software developer. The complete opposite of your typical technophile who +was extremely excited about the Google Glass,[2] +and was among the first to buy it when it came out, just to regret doing so when +ultimately it wasn't all people were expecting. And nothing I believe more +accurately expresses this attitude of mine than my phone: a brick phone. What I +want to express in this article is why we should view these technologies as our +enemies in order to make sure that we control them, instead of them controlling +us.

+ +

I think it's worth noting that I have never once received a negative reaction +when someone noticed my phone. In fact, quite to the contrary. Normally I'm met +with the exact same reaction every time: that it's great, and they wish they +could do the same, but they can't. The reason why they think it's great is +usually that this way one can be more disconnected, but more attentive to those +around them, and truly enjoy the moment more. They wish they could do the same +because they notice how they themselves are enslaved to their phones and the +notifications. They cannot, however, use a device like mine, typically because +they require some application - usually a messaging application such as WhatsApp +- for communication. And I fully understand this reason, but I think that +sometimes we also make excuses for ourselves in this regard, and aren't doing +all that we could be doing.

+ +

Let's begin by going over why our phones are harmful - although ultimately +this can also apply to other things such as social media accounts. The biggest +issue is, I believe, being constantly connected, and having the habit of +prioritizing this virtual (and often times unimportant) communication over +real-life in-person communication and relationships. The way I normally see it +happening is that it starts by taking out the phone for one simple task, e.g. to +check if an e-mail was received, to send a quick message, to make a call, to +look something up. But then, immediately once the screen is turned on, the +person gets flooded with notifications of other things unrelated to the original +task, and they feel the need to respond to them immediately. The interesting +thing is, if they had not taken out their phone in the first place, they +wouldn't have felt that need, indicating that it truly wasn't that important to +begin with. Finally, before you know it, what started out as a simple search has +turned into having to respond to all the notifications you have received in that +time. In the meantime, the other person takes advantage of the opportunity to +look at their phone, and the same happens to them. Before you know it, everyone +is on their phones, and if any of them bothers to look up they'll notice the +other is on their phone, so they decide to continue doing something until the +other person "finishes what they're doing." I've seen this happen many times, +and it's probably the saddest thing.

+ +

So evidently we have a problem with using our phones. All too often we're +carried away and controlled by them, rather than us controlling the phones. And +I think a lot of people recognize this, hence the recognition that it's better +to be less connected. The problem is that last part, "but I couldn't do it." +Everyone, depending on their place in life, has different needs, and some will +need to be more dependent on their phones (for work, family, etc.) than others. +While some may be blessed enough, such as myself, to be less dependent in +day-to-day life on the phone, others do not have such a luxury. I am not trying +to convince people to neglect these necessities by dumbing down their phone. I +do, however, believe that there is always something more that we can do to +minimize our dependency on our phones, digital technologies, social media, etc. +And the way we discover that is precisely be taking a radical stance of +animosity with these things: the phone is your enemy.

+ +

Considering that phone addiction is a real +thing,[3] it therefore makes sense to treat the +phone as an alcoholic would treat alcoholic beverages, particularly because +phones are actually designed to be addictive.[4] +Typically when we try to set limits for ourselves regarding our phones or other +technologies, we do so with a mentality of moderation for the sake of utility: +"I'll just make sure I use it with moderation." Yet this is the same as the +alcoholic who decides he's only going to have one beer on Fridays with his +friends. Ultimately, those occasions will come around where you find it +appropriate for some reason to make an exception, and then the exceptions will +become more frequent until they become the rule and you're right back where you +started. By viewing the phone as your enemy, as something that will try to ruin +your life and your relationships - just as an alcoholic should view alcohol - +you mentally become more aware of when you actually need to be using the phone, +and you will always use it with reluctance, trying to avoid it whenever +possible.

+ +

I believe this mentality is especially important from the Christian +perspective. We must remember that we are not of this world, nor are we to be +moulded by it (Romans 12:2; 1 John 2:15). The world is, in fact, our enemy, as +it belongs to the devil. Your phone belongs to this world; it will not come with +you to Heaven. But we must learn to use that which is of the world for the ends +of Eternal Salvation of souls. To do this, we must use these devices with +reluctance only to do that which is God's work through them, and despise them +for all the rest that they are.

+ +

I would like to reiterate that none of this is to neglect our legitimate uses +for these technologies. If your job requires you to have a smart phone to be +connected to your work e-mail, don't be unreasonable. But in all that you are +able, minimize the impact of your phone and its presence in your life. Turn off +notifications, power it off at night, place it in a basket at the door to your +house when coming home; there's always something more you can do.

+ +
    +
  1. + + "Rage Against The Machine - Know Your Enemy (Audio)" on YouTube + +
    2. +
  2. + + "Google Glass" on Wikipedia + +
    3. +
  3. + + "Phone Addiction: Warning Signs And Treatment" from Addiction Center + +
    4. +
  4. + + "Quitting Technology And Social Media Addictions Is Harder Than + Quitting Cigarettes" from Addiction Center + +
    5. +