tech
We have lost so much of ourselves to smartphones: can we get it back?
My use of mobile phones has been compulsive – has it been for better or for worse?
TL;DR
- BJ Fogg's 2003 book 'Persuasive Technology' predicted the rise of devices that suggest, encourage, and reward user engagement.
- Smartphones, like the iPhone launched in 2007, have become indispensable tools that significantly influence user thoughts and actions.
- Screen time anxiety is widespread, with even young children owning phones and using social media.
- There's a debate among psychologists regarding the negative effects of smartphones on children, such as increased anxiety and depression.
- The author describes a personal compulsive relationship with their smartphone, leading to reduced reading and concentration.
- Smartphones are seen as manipulating human social needs for engagement, leading to increased anger and division.
- Social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and X (formerly Twitter) have become less appealing due to intrusive content and negative interactions.
- The author expresses concern about future AI companions, like those rumored to be developed by Sam Altman and Jony Ive, and their potential to deeply influence human minds.