Introduction
This post is not really about alcohol. Although, I do not consume it. I grew up in a pretty religious household hearing that alcohol wasn’t something that would be beneficial for me and that people ended up addicted to it as a substance (I also heard that it was a sin and I would go to hell, so that may have been a contributing factor for my lack of interest, but I digress). And, it is true. Many people react differently to alcohol and it possesses qualities that are difficult to let go of for a good portion of the population. Not everyone can consume alcoholic beverages responsibly.
Yet, the more I think about it. The reasons why I don’t drink are not simply because my parents told me not to. Alcohol is not appealing to me and it has a lot of factors surrounding it that make it undesirable for the lifestyle I want to live. I am going to use Alcohol here as a proxy for the real topic, so if you drink responsibly I hope you are not offended by the data or comparison to smartphones. Smartphones have similar qualities to alcohol in my opinion, so I wanted to share some of those with you.
Alcohol is Expensive
There is a Starbucks near my house. I love coffee and drink it quite often, so I don’t frequent the green lady’s establishment for many reasons. First, I can make a better and cheaper cup of coffee at home. Second, I try to support local businesses instead of large corporations. Third, I don’t like the taste. Yet, even closer to me, there is a local bar, a social lounge of sorts. I’ve been to it for a few meetings with neighbors and friends. It’s quite nice, it’s local, and it has non-alcoholic beverages for people like me. But, they are expensive.
Alcohol much like smartphones has a high cost. Many say it’s warranted. It’s worth it. $14 for a Tequila Honeysuckle or $16 for a Vodka Martini. And that’s just one drink. Yet, the cost of alcohol is not just on the front end of our pockets. People who drink what is termed responsibly wouldn’t be financially affected that much. But, one drink leads to the next, or so I’ve been told by the Center for Disease Control, and all of a sudden 1 in 6 people end up drinking excessively, which costs all of us. From healthcare to collisions on the road, the cost of Alcohol has clear societal implications. Those 1 in 6 people cost us about $1,000 per person in Colorado or $1,500 if you live in the District of Columbia.1
This data has not been explored for smartphones. I believe it would be enlightening to see a table with the massive economic opportunity that the internet has brought through smart devices linked to its cost on our health, car collisions, and the like. Smartphones like alcohol are expensive. According to a report by Canalys, in Q1 2023, the average purchase price of smartphones was $790.2 They don’t have to be expensive, by the way. You could purchase an inexpensive Android phone for about $50, but I know for those who are part of the “excessive use of technology” population, it can be a quick drain on their bank account. Moreover, “Big Tech” doesn’t seem to be interested in the price of technology decreasing if the Apple Vision Pro is any indication at $3,500. Finally, let’s not forget about subscriptions, but that’s a topic for another day.
Alcohol is Escapism
I know that alcohol can serve as a means of enjoyment and it’s not directly linked to escapism. However, enough research in the academic field is showing that people often engage in substance abuse for the sake of not dealing with stress, trauma, pain, or worry.3 Excessive drinking or even casual drinking can lead to a cycle of not dealing with life’s realities or issues that come up in it. Admittedly, this is the area where smartphones are most directly linked to substance abuse. Smartphones and their derivatives are known in our collective imagination as tools for deflection, pacification of boredom, and isolation.
Instead of immersing ourselves in the rich tapestry of human interaction—with our families, friends, and the complexities of work—we often find solace in the curated experiences delivered by algorithms. It's a comforting cocoon, one that lulls us into complacency and makes it hard to break free from the allure of platforms that thrive on mining our attention and resources. The internet's seductive grip, with its endless scroll and instant gratification, is a challenge I grapple with daily. When faced with difficult conversations or emotional moments with my wife, I catch myself suggesting a movie or podcast as a distraction. And when work stress mounts, I instinctively seek refuge in games or virtual experiences.
While smart devices offer a degree of entertainment and convenience, the lifestyle I aspire to embraces a different ethos—one of intentional disconnection and immersion in the tangible world. Moving Offline isn't just about cutting ties with digital distractions; it's about embracing real-life experiences like reading books, playing sports, and sharing meals with friends. These are the moments of mental escape I crave—not a numbing retreat into the virtual realm, but a fully engaged existence enriched by authentic human connection and lived experiences.
Alcohol is Addictive
I think we can all agree on this one. Alcohol as a substance is addictive. Addiction may be defined in different terms, but this one from Alcohol Change in the UK proves helpful to me. They state, “Perhaps the simplest description [of addiction] is that it is doing something to the point where it harms us, and not feeling able to stop.”4 As someone who has had a history of addiction (pornography in my case), I can see myself overindulging in alcohol. This behavior will not only lead to a financial, health, and escape problem for me. It would become a reason to compromise my happiness.
I started this newsletter as a platform to explore my views on dumbphones, low-tech living, and the pursuit of simplicity. In my perspective, smartphones are akin to addictive substances. While they serve as valuable tools, their unchecked usage often leads to over-dependence and exploitation by big tech companies. Much like alcohol, smartphones could be wielded responsibly, yet the absence of regulatory measures from tech giants perpetuates their role in exploiting human vulnerabilities. If these companies truly prioritized user well-being over profit margins, they could implement measures to curb excessive smartphone usage overnight. However, their reluctance to do so underscores their preference for capitalizing on our attention for ad revenue and shareholder gains rather than enhancing our overall life satisfaction.
Hence, I remain committed to using dumbphones. While they may lack the convenience and sleek design of smartphones, they significantly reduce my expenses, compel me to actively engage with my surroundings, and contribute to my overall happiness. And to that, I say, “Cheers!”
Check these graphs and extra information about the cost of alcohol from the CDC https://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/data-stats.htm
See the Canalys Report: https://canalys.com/newsroom/north-america-smartphone-market-Q1-2023
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