Just one day a week

[Rusty Blade]

I have a love hate relationship with technology and social media. I grew up in the 60s and 70s and 80s in the time before our lives were stolen by tech firms and apps that zap our time with things that really dont improve our lives. And yet, I do see the benefits of tech and social media. I have tried to disconnect, but like some giant magnet, tech pulls me back into the fold to watch one more cute dancing dog video, catch a bit of depressing news or the latest pictures of icebergs melting in the arctic.
I have found a way to recapture a tiny sliver of my pre-technology life by unplugging just one day a week, usually Sunday. No TV, no smartphone, no computer, no texting, no surfing mindlessly. No tiny screen. When Sunday morning comes it is a strange feeling at first, similar to that moment during a storm when the power goes off and you sit stunned wondering what just happened. But then I pick up a book, or go for a walk, or pick up one of my hobbies, free from the self-imposed shackles of a tiny screen. I enjoy the day, I feel lighter, more refreshed. And I know on Monday morning I will go back into the self-imposed jail cell of being ruled by my tiny screens. Life can be strange at times.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

I'm gradually heading that way.

I have two mobile phones. The "main one", is the phone number everyone has. These days, that stays turned off most of the time. I turn it on when I need to use it, or to periodically check for texts and missed calls/voicemail.

I then have a second phone, which stays on all the time. Only immediate family members have that number, for contacting me in emergencies. So I am not available to everyone and their dog 24/7, but can still be contacted if absolutely necessary.

As for the net generally, I shop online when I have to, and am gradually reducing that as far as practicalities allow. I don't use any form of stalker media, have cancelled the news subscription I had briefly, as they "offered" to streamline the news they gave me, based on data harvested. I cancelled my sub immediately.

I have gotten at least two browsers to be Google free, although that breaks some websites. Particularly those that use the Captcha thingies, or which rely heavily on other Google services. Even on sites that do work, it blocks things like embedded PooTube vids, etc. I also refuse to use Amazon, or "independent" stores which appear to be satellite operations using Amazon or Google as their shop operating systems.

I am happy about these stores breaking on my devices, as it filters out those companies who expect to be able to pay their business rent with my personal data. They don't deserve my custom. The stores that stay working, despite my privacy settings and VPN, are the ones that get my dough.

I do use B&B most days, scan news headlines, and check emails, but don't peruse the net anywhere near as much as I used to. It all seems too much of a data harvesting scam. I'm becoming more privacy focussed and anti-tech all the time.

 

[Rhody]

I have a love hate relationship with technology and social media. I grew up in the 60s and 70s and 80s in the time before our lives were stolen by tech firms and apps that zap our time with things that really dont improve our lives. And yet, I do see the benefits of tech and social media. I have tried to disconnect, but like some giant magnet, tech pulls me back into the fold to watch one more cute dancing dog video, catch a bit of depressing news or the latest pictures of icebergs melting in the arctic.
I have found a way to recapture a tiny sliver of my pre-technology life by unplugging just one day a week, usually Sunday. No TV, no smartphone, no computer, no texting, no surfing mindlessly. No tiny screen. When Sunday morning comes it is a strange feeling at first, similar to that moment during a storm when the power goes off and you sit stunned wondering what just happened. But then I pick up a book, or go for a walk, or pick up one of my hobbies, free from the self-imposed shackles of a tiny screen. I enjoy the day, I feel lighter, more refreshed. And I know on Monday morning I will go back into the self-imposed jail cell of being ruled by my tiny screens. Life can be strange at times.

Great post!
It’s good to be self aware of the addiction to screens large and small.

 

[ColtRevolver]

I have spent one day a week off the screen and out of cell range for years. I go to our farm once a week. No cable. No internet. No cell service. We own both sides of the road for about a mile. We can't see another house from any of the four sides of ours....The working phone on the wall still has a dial and a cord. The non-working phone is a hand crank job my family used back in the day.

 

[Rusty Blade]

I have spent one day a week off the screen and out of cell range for years. I go to our farm once a week. No cable. No internet. No cell service. We own both sides of the road for about a mile. We can't see another house from any of the four sides of ours....The working phone on the wall still has a dial and a cord. The non-working phone is a hand crank job my family used back in the day.

Sounds like paradise. We have a camp in the woods. No TV, no radio, no internet. There is cell service though. It's my escape from the world.