Fantastic read, it reminds me of Marcus Arelius' "Directing Mind" idea from the meditations. I always imagined it like judo or something. So basically, your thesis is, to be more mindful and on the look out for the initial impulse, because the initial impulse has becomes something automatic that we do not have a choice over once we are fully hooked, and by becoming cognizant of the initial impulse we are then, at least, offered a chance to say no. Very very interesting.
I am convinced phone use is automatic, so extremely hard or even impossible to challenge in the moment. We likely do not detect the impulse to pick it up. So if we stop and pause and listen out for it, we not only practise hearing it, but also resisting it. And that practice has a way of compounding over time.
I am certain that I have “heard” a call to my phone in my normal life as a result of doing this that I would have previously just executed without thinking, before “waking up” with my phone in my hand.
I also believe that, over and above this, intentional silence, is rest for the brain - though that concept is complicated and resting the brain might not be pleasant at first! But that this rest ALSO compounds and creates a 24/7 improvement in mood. Someone might describe this as escaping digital dementia.
I love a good Stoic, but personally I’m most influenced by (secular) Buddhist philosophy. I would view much of our phone use as just the mind continuing on its previous inclination, ie you have used the phone a lot, so your mind will use the phone a lot. When it does so it doesn’t just say “use the phone”, there is always a novel reason. Hence the Evil Advisor.
Much of this is based on how I think about on the train, but much of it comes from my months of meditation leading up to it. Which is another story, and one I hope to get into more in coming posts. (Because it’s honestly more interesting than it sounds :-))
Fantastic read, it reminds me of Marcus Arelius' "Directing Mind" idea from the meditations. I always imagined it like judo or something. So basically, your thesis is, to be more mindful and on the look out for the initial impulse, because the initial impulse has becomes something automatic that we do not have a choice over once we are fully hooked, and by becoming cognizant of the initial impulse we are then, at least, offered a chance to say no. Very very interesting.
Yes, you have it perfectly.
I am convinced phone use is automatic, so extremely hard or even impossible to challenge in the moment. We likely do not detect the impulse to pick it up. So if we stop and pause and listen out for it, we not only practise hearing it, but also resisting it. And that practice has a way of compounding over time.
I am certain that I have “heard” a call to my phone in my normal life as a result of doing this that I would have previously just executed without thinking, before “waking up” with my phone in my hand.
I also believe that, over and above this, intentional silence, is rest for the brain - though that concept is complicated and resting the brain might not be pleasant at first! But that this rest ALSO compounds and creates a 24/7 improvement in mood. Someone might describe this as escaping digital dementia.
I love a good Stoic, but personally I’m most influenced by (secular) Buddhist philosophy. I would view much of our phone use as just the mind continuing on its previous inclination, ie you have used the phone a lot, so your mind will use the phone a lot. When it does so it doesn’t just say “use the phone”, there is always a novel reason. Hence the Evil Advisor.
Much of this is based on how I think about on the train, but much of it comes from my months of meditation leading up to it. Which is another story, and one I hope to get into more in coming posts. (Because it’s honestly more interesting than it sounds :-))