Going Dumb
“Oh, she says, well, you’re not a poor man. You know, why don’t you go online and buy a hundred envelopes and put them in the closet? And so I pretend not to hear her. And go out to get an envelope because I’m going to have a hell of a good time in the process of buying one envelope. I meet a lot of people. And see some great looking babies. And a fire engine goes by. And I give them the thumbs up. And I’ll ask a woman what kind of dog that is. And, and I don’t know. The moral of the story is - we’re here on Earth to fart around. And, of course, the computers will do us out of that. And what the computer people don’t realize, or they don’t care, is we’re dancing animals. You know, we love to move around. And it’s like we’re not supposed to dance at all anymore.”
—Kurt Vonnegut, on going out to buy an envelope
People will try to convince you that it’s impractical to leave your smartphone behind, if you want to have a “successful” career. You are expected to have one, the world is built around them. My internal back-and-forth bout doing this has drug out for years. But, after being social media and browser-free on my iphone for about a year, I think I’m ready to sacrifice the rest of the tools it houses that make my life so convenient.
I’ve started driving without maps, listening to radio or my records more than streaming music, and using my digital camera (almost) primarily. I have decided that it’s more interesting to live an inconvenient lifestyle. It sparks my curiosity and creativity more, makes me more intentional, and above all, gifts me with boredom. Boredom is where great things happen. Getting lost in thought while staring out the window, engaging fully with your pets, piddling around in your studiolo—are great things. These things feed you. They feed me. I’m getting lost in a tangent…
The internet phone has become increasingly obsolete to the kind of life I want to live, and I’m ready to commit to the road less traveled. I don’t like the idea that it’s still an option, like keeping a pack of cigarettes in your pocket even though you’ve quit. So, even though I’ve “dumbified” my phone, I’ve ordered the Light Phone II in order to make a more permanent lifestyle change. I would bet that my career and life will be more fulfilling (“successful”) than I can dream because of it.
The moral of the story is - we’re here on Earth to fart around.
