Issue 126: The Perfect Time for a Digital Detox
Welcome to Backstory, a weekly newsletter turning global technology shifts into a three-minute read. This week, we consider a digital detox. – Mary Ames, Director of Strategy
THE BIG TAKE
The Perfect Time for a Digital Detox
Ramadan Kareem! During this time of reflection, it’s vital to remove our thoughts from the daily grind of constant notifications and screens. Over the years, we have carved out a special space in Backstory for discussions concerning digital detoxing. While we are awestruck and enthusiastic about technology and the progress that it inspires, we are concerned about how our tools are changing the way we think and exist. There is no better time during the year to go inward and consider these challenges than Ramadan.
Paper is your friend. In a world saturated with screens, one of the best ways to give your mind (and eyes) a break is through paper. A real paper book is an invitation to a place of calm that is incredibly rare in the smartphone world. With your phone and other devices in another room, give yourself half an hour with a book. Notice the pull to check the latest notifications? As you find more time to read, that pull will lessen, but it’s a great reminder of how much power our devices have over us.
Predictability. We have been writing about the recent explosion of AI tools like ChatGPT. It’s an exciting time for technology. One thing implicit in these tools' rise is that humans are becoming predictable. Large language models like ChatGPT analyze large sets of data and make predictions. Since we have been using our smartphones so much, algorithms are shaping the way we think, what media we consume, and even how we write. Taking some time off during a digital detox is one surefire way to reverse these sober trends in human predictability. The serendipity of thought is one of the traits that define our humanity. It’s time to reclaim it, along with a sense of calm.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“Technology should improve your life, not become your life.”
– Billy Cox, musician
CHART OF THE WEEK
We are looking at book sales. Print is making a strong comeback in the United States as digital book sales are starting to fall.
OUR VIEWS THIS WEEK
Digital wellbeing: It's time to get serious about well-being. Let’s face it: the world is still a very tense place. The pandemic remains an ever-present threat. The global economy is up and down. Complicating matters is that we have never been more addicted to scrolling on our phones. Getting off one’s phone is much easier said than done these days, but even thirty minutes a day can make a big difference in one’s mental health. This is especially true if that screen time break happens before bed. We explore more tips and tricks in this piece published by Xische about digital health.
Aging in the digital age: Sticking with the theme of wellbeing, we just published a new piece looking at how we can strive for more purpose in our lives. Nothing inspires the human spirit more like the inevitability of aging. The famed Swiss psychologist Carl Jung transformed psychology with his ideas about the middle of our lives. Once we reach a certain halfway point, our period of prolonged decline stirs unavoidable emotions inside us. Read more in this piece published by Xische.
SPOTTED ELSEWHERE
Redefining the work week. Recent studies suggest that less time in the office is great for productivity and general workplace happiness. Four-day workweek tests have taken place around the world with positive results. Not so in South Korea. As the Washington Post outlines, the country’s conservative government has proposed increasing weekly work hours from 52 to 69. The jury is still out on the best way to maintain productivity and worker happiness.
Mystery solved. Leonardo da Vinci was one of history’s most famous polymaths. More than 500 years ago, he couldn’t figure out why some bubbles floating up through water would start spiraling or zigzagging instead of going straight to the top. A pair of scientists have seemingly solved this mystery, according to Vice. They suggest that bubbles can reach a critical radius that pushes them into new and unstable paths due to interactions between the flow of water around them and the subtle deformations of their shapes.
QUICK HITS
Like what you're reading?
