09/05 2024
Minimalism as an idea is about having just enough in order to be happy; however, the algorithm favors the notion of consumerism disguised as an effort to simplify your life. In regards to smartphones they are the devil of all distractions, and dumb phones are the answer, implying that consumption drives behavior change and not psychology. The alternative hypothesis that it's the algorithms themselves which are to blame, which in my opinion is far more likely, does not gain traction.
I've touched on it before, but I think the answer as to why is two-fold:
The algorithm favors it: attention and engagement is the game nowadays. Content around new products drives engagement, both with having people commenting that it sounds neat, and people saying the opposite. A thing is easier to engage with than an idea. Perhaps there is a systemic bias to favor content around consumption, seeing as that's how the platforms earn their money. But then we're heading into conspiracy theory territory.
The brain favors it: wouldn't it be great if we could buy a pill to let us become our best selves? I sure would like it. Though we all know that it doesn't exist. We are the best we have. But the brain is naive, and if we hear that somebody buys something, and that product "works for them", then we want to believe it, even though we know in the back of our minds that it's not true.
Actually, the reason why I wanted to write this is I came across the Freewrite. No shade on their company. Judging from the reviews, their products look good. But the motivation for why their product needs to exist is, I think, dubious. Behavior change does not emerge from things, it must emerge from behavior. Though as it stands, the website is peppered with claims of increasing focus and productivity, and I don't blame them. If it helps them sell their products, it helps them sell their products. Though, it does further enforce the idea that what we need is in fact not to work on ourselves and our focus more, but more tools to fix our shortcomings.
As tools, the modern smartphone and the computer are absolutely fantastic. With just my smartphone and laptop I have been able to replace every other tech device. My smart phone is a music player, radio, GPS and way to communicate. My computer allows me to do work and research. Talk about minimalism and multi-functionalism.
The question is obviously how we tame the tools, and not how we replace them. Though that is not the focus since that leaves the responsibility on ourselves and that is difficult. I think a hefty chunk of the people buying these types of product know that type of pain very well. It should be as simple as just putting the phone down, but it isn't. Why?
The road towards change is, perhaps necessarily, difficult. And there's no way around that, I don't think. Just act. Do.