Have Smartphones Destroyed Humanity?

[MJ DeMarco]

Self-awareness seems to be the key.

Agreed, but humans are anything but "self-aware". I guess we differ on our opinion (and faith) on how many humans have the mental capacity to out-think their knee-jerk, lazy, pain-avoiding, dopamine-loving brains. If I had to guesstimate how many humans were "self-aware" I'd put the number at < 1%. And expecting a teenager to be equally self-aware is well, just asinine.

 

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[momomaurice]

Best thing you can do with your smart phone is turn off all notifications. Get browser blocker app and block apps and websites on your phone.

 

[Seth G.]

Agreed, but humans are anything but "self-aware". I guess we differ on our opinion (and faith) on how many humans have the mental capacity to out-think their knee-jerk, lazy, pain-avoiding, dopamine-loving brains. If I had to guesstimate how many humans were "self-aware" I'd put the number at < 1%. And expecting a teenager to be equally self-aware is well, just asinine.

Hahaha - that gave me a good chuckle. Pointed as you are in your books I see.

I have a little bit of the cynicism too but I morally have to believe that anyone is capable. If I am, and I'm not special, I have to believe in others too. Not that they will be... 99% don't. But I think 99% could.

Something like that. Long day.

 

[amp0193]

How do you manage your screen time?

No fun apps.
All notifications, for every app, turned off.
No games.
Blocked the addictive sites (reddit, etc.) in parental controls.

Then there's no reason to pick up the phone in the first place.

Only got a smart phone to make social posts for my business. I hate having those apps on my phone... but it's necessary.

 

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[amp0193]

If you aren't a developer, the smartphone just is the UI. Kids using these things effortlessly is not a sign that they are good with technology; it's a sign that the technology has become so easy to use that it's no obstacle for a toddler.

This is something I've been trying to get my local library to understand.

Having ipads right next to the children's books isn't helping any kid become better at tech.

It's making them worse at reading.

 

[Xeon]

Smartphones might have kinda screwed human to human interaction in some ways, but IMO, their pros are probably more than their cons.

With smartphones, most of us can now make full use of our time reading useful stuff like this forum, googling for the latest A/B testing tactics, researching products, email suppliers, check out that girl's FB/IG you just met, contact people.....all while you're on the move! (let's not forget the app of all apps....KINDLE!)
The internet and smartphones lead to the info explosion, so much so that a 13-year old kid knows more about the world (not necessarily life experiences) than a 75 year old grandma.

The main con I've with smartphones is that on dates or going out with people, they tend to look at their phones very often or check their incoming messages etc....

 

[amp0193]

But kids now have had access to smarthphones since they were born. They don't grow up playing with toy cars or barbies. They grow up playing with phones and tablets.

My wife has been a pre-k teacher for more than 10 years. She's seen the shift.

She has to teach her 4 year olds how to play with toys. They literally don't know how.

For our kids: No tv. No phone. No tablet. We'll watch a movie together a couple times a month.


It's hard for a couple of years. The kids are clingy and bored and keep getting in your hair. But if you stick with it, they eventually figure out how to play on their own. It takes practice. But then the playroom or the backyard becomes just as good of a "babysitter" as the tv does.

It's good for kids to get bored.

Today's kids never have a chance to get bored. As evidenced by every child I saw at the grocery store today sitting in a cart staring at a phone.

 

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[andyhaus44]

My wife has worked at a daycare for almost 10 years, and says that the 4 and 5 year olds she have now (vs. when she started), have zero imagination. None. They don't even know how to play with toys.

She says that our 2-year-old is leaps and bounds above them in this area (she gets close to zero screen time).


It's just really sad.

Thank you for sharing this! You inspired me - in the morning, I used to have the TV on in the morning for my son but now I have it off and read him books instead

 

[MJ DeMarco]

Somewhat relevant, somewhat of a tangent...

The most legendary PSA every produced!

 

[Kruiser]

What I find interesting is the development of high end dumb phones.

Best Basic Punkt Dumb Mobile Phones without Internet - Modern Non Smartphone technology
Light Phone 2

1998 functionality with 2018 aesthetics. For $300.

 

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[Walter Hay]

The internet and smartphones lead to the info explosion, so much so that a 13-year old kid knows more about the world (not necessarily life experiences) than a 75 year old grandma.

I beg to differ. It is evident from the appalling errors of fact presented daily in news reports that reporters in their late teens or early twenties are seriously lacking in general knowledge.

For example: In a recent report describing the shooting by police of a violent offender who had attacked people in a mall, the reporter said that the man was "shot in the crossfire". Totally wrong! There was only one firearm at the scene, and it was used by the officer who carefully targeted the man. No crossfire, but sadly the junior reporter did not know what that word means.

In Australia, hazard reduction burns over large areas of dense growth are often incorrectly reported by young reporters as "back burning." In case that term is not used outside Australia, I should explain it means the deliberate starting of easily controllable fires along an existing firebreak ahead of an advancing major fire in order to produce a wider firebreak.

I won't go into detail on the shocking ignorance of the younger generation in relation to the grammatical term Syntax. Some of the news reports are hilariously wrong because they have no idea how to construct a sentence in the correct order. Jumbled sentences often give a totally wrong impression of the event being reported.

END OF RANT.

Walter

 

[Mutant]

I've recently begun using my phone in greyscale. As well as being easier on the eye/less harsh, when I first tried switching it over I looked at my home screen (which I was already keeping only a few apps on, with a restful nature background) & found it mildly disappointing. I scrolled through to where I keep the rest of the apps, & noticed the sensation again. I hadn't realised I was finding just looking at the phone rewarding - not any notifications, or open apps - but just literally the colourful, lit-up screen.
Needless to say I keep it on greyscale most of the time now. Highly recommended.

https://lifehacker.com/change-your-screen-to-grayscale-to-combat-phone-addicti-1795821843

Also, on the subject of PSAs:

 

[andyhaus44]

This video hits the nail on the head...

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5N8XTUUGYhc

 

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[amp0193]

What I find interesting is the development of high end dumb phones.

Best Basic Punkt Dumb Mobile Phones without Internet - Modern Non Smartphone technology
Light Phone 2

1998 functionality with 2018 aesthetics. For $300.

That actually looks really nice.

 

[amp0193]

Needless to say I keep it on greyscale most of the time now. Highly recommended.

Awesome tip. I just switched.

The 3-home tap to toggle between grayscale and color makes it a keeper.

 

[Captain04]

This video is relevant. It is batshit crazy how susceptible our brains are to manipulation. And technology is constantly making it easier to do so.

Here is the shorter version but I highly recommend watching the 1st link above. You will not regret it.

 

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[Madame Peccato]

I know people who, while not be clinically depressed, aren't exactly enjoying life, and they don't use social media. Social media isn't the focal point of their sadness. These people spend a lot of time binge watching anime, TV shows, or abusing other forms of entertainment, trying to alienate themselves from the real world.

These people are looking for their own way to escape reality. They hate reality with every fiber of their being, but they passively accept it, living a miserable existence while deluding themselves. They refuse to accept any sort of help, I tried to convince them to at least try and do something to change their condition, but they love wallowing in self-pity too much. Entertainment shifted from just being a form of spending your time having some fun to transforming the masses into an horde of brainless zombies, and as with every good zombie, they try their hardest to make sure no one else has a brain. The power of society.

Technology combined and augmented various hyperrealities into simple to use devices, making them easy to access.

If I wanted to watch cartoons when I was a kid 13+ years ago, I'd have to wait until they aired on TV, which imposed a physical limit to how much I could watch them for. If I was a grown up wanting to watch the hottest TV series it would be the same. Now when kids want to watch a cartoon all you have to do is give them a tablet or a phone at any given time and voilà.

Will we be able to save ourselves from our own stupidity?

 

[Tommo]

I beg to differ. It is evident from the appalling errors of fact presented daily in news reports that reporters in their late teens or early twenties are seriously lacking in general knowledge.

For example: In a recent report describing the shooting by police of a violent offender who had attacked people in a mall, the reporter said that the man was "shot in the crossfire". Totally wrong! There was only one firearm at the scene, and it was used by the officer who carefully targeted the man. No crossfire, but sadly the junior reporter did not know what that word means.

In Australia, hazard reduction burns over large areas of dense growth are often incorrectly reported by young reporters as "back burning." In case that term is not used outside Australia, I should explain it means the deliberate starting of easily controllable fires along an existing firebreak ahead of an advancing major fire in order to produce a wider firebreak.

I won't go into detail on the shocking ignorance of the younger generation in relation to the grammatical term Syntax. Some of the news reports are hilariously wrong because they have no idea how to construct a sentence in the correct order. Jumbled sentences often give a totally wrong impression of the event being reported.

END OF RANT.

Walter

Totally agree. My English teacher in England was a tough old bird but by heck she made sure we all learnt the correct way to write and talk and precis( look it up, it needs a French thingybob, fail lol ) My old teachers were all awesome and we didn't always appreciate their knowledge at the time but we do now.

 

[Jakeeck]

But don't worry it gets better. If you thought we we were getting hooked on the pseudo-reality before...

This is what we have coming.

When the generation arrives that is hooked on this, will they even know what reality is without being connected by the neural hive mind?

We will stop reproducing willingly. Machines are taking over that too.

What is a robot sex doll, how much do they cost and what is the sex robot brothel in Paris?

And humans won't even be directing this system. The machines will.

That's what AI is for. AI can do everything your brain can do, but faster and more efficient.

AI is already used to track our emotions and show us advertising to make us buy.

AI could run the whole show. Run the corporations, run nations, and run our own minds.

And this is how humanity ends. It won't end by humans being killed off by nukes or climate change. It will end by being stripped of the very things that make us human.

This is a next and positive step in evolution if looked at objectively, imo. Obviously none of us want this to happen, but it's the best thing for our planet.

No emotions means things will be done the right way without fear, jealousy, greed and anger to lead us down the wrong paths. AI could actually restore our earth, not to mention the huge multiplication in productivity due to not needing sleep and not having emotions that cause real humans to slack off.

 

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[Andy Black]

I've recently begun using my phone in greyscale. As well as being easier on the eye/less harsh, when I first tried switching it over I looked at my home screen (which I was already keeping only a few apps on, with a restful nature background) & found it mildly disappointing. I scrolled through to where I keep the rest of the apps, & noticed the sensation again. I hadn't realised I was finding just looking at the phone rewarding - not any notifications, or open apps - but just literally the colourful, lit-up screen.
Needless to say I keep it on greyscale most of the time now. Highly recommended.

https://lifehacker.com/change-your-screen-to-grayscale-to-combat-phone-addicti-1795821843

Also, on the subject of PSAs:

Greyscale! Done. I love it. Rep+

 

[Andy Black]

Greyscale! Done. I love it. Rep+

Darnit. I use the phone to check ads and landing pages. Greyscale was short-lived. : (

 

[Mutant]

Darnit. I use the phone to check ads and landing pages. Greyscale was short-lived. : (

What kind of phone do you have? There should be a way to set up a shortcut to toggle between colour & greyscale as you need!

 

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[Andy Black]

What kind of phone do you have? There should be a way to set up a shortcut to toggle between colour & greyscale as you need!

An old iPhone 5S. Ack, I don't want to add any more tapping to my daily routine. Plus I noticed when I was taking photos and videos of the kids that everything was greyscale too. It wasn't a big deal for me. I know they're making the red "you've got alerts" notifications addictive. I get a small satisfaction in ignoring them or turning them off.

 

[Mutant]

An old iPhone 5S. Ack, I don't want to add any more tapping to my daily routine. Plus I noticed when I was taking photos and videos of the kids that everything was greyscale too. It wasn't a big deal for me. I know they're making the red "you've got alerts" notifications addictive. I get a small satisfaction in ignoring them or turning them off.

The photos/videos you are taking are being saved in colour, you're just viewing them in greyscale at the time, but if you switch to colour viewing, you'll see them in colour again.

I'm on a 6s & to add a the shortcut you go Settings > General > Accessibility > Accessibility Shortcut > Colour Filters & then you can toggle between the two by tapping the home button three times. If you don't want to add more tapping though, I guess it's not for you!

 

[Raoul Duke]

Everything is going according to plan.

 

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[Longinus]

As addictive as smartphones are, I think VR headsets can/will be even more damaging.
I've recently been playing with a Rift headset and after one day of using it too much, noticed effects the next day of it messing with my sense of what is actual reality. I limit it too 30min a week now (if that) and only use it for experiences that would partake in real life. It definitely takes the dopamine thing to a new level in that it can rewire the way people react to previous conditions such as fear of heights etc.. Instantly change moods since the feeling of presence is effected and the environment can be manipulated so easily. Live in a sh*tty place, put on headset and can be in a huge open living room with a ravine view, or on top of a penthouse etc...
With the controllers it is amazing how easily the brain adapts and accepts the new reality.

 

[Andy Black]

My wife has been a pre-k teacher for more than 10 years. She's seen the shift.

She has to teach her 4 year olds how to play with toys. They literally don't know how.

For our kids: No tv. No phone. No tablet. We'll watch a movie together a couple times a month.


It's hard for a couple of years. The kids are clingy and bored and keep getting in your hair. But if you stick with it, they eventually figure out how to play on their own. It takes practice. But then the playroom or the backyard becomes just as good of a "babysitter" as the tv does.

It's good for kids to get bored.

Today's kids never have a chance to get bored. As evidenced by every child I saw at the grocery store today sitting in a cart staring at a phone.

It feels like a constant fight against the tablets. I’ve introduced more board games and card games recently. Interestingly, the kids want more and more of the real-life games (they’re even on YouTube trying to work out how to play monopoly- go figure).

I’m hearing “I’m bored” more often. I never thought that would be a good thing, but seems that could be a sign I’m on the right track.

 

[MidwestLandlord]

It feels like a constant fight against the tablets. I’ve introduced more board games and card games recently. Interestingly, the kids want more and more of the real-life games (they’re even on YouTube trying to work out how to play monopoly- go figure).

I’m hearing “I’m bored” more often. I never thought that would be a good thing, but seems that could be a sign I’m on the right track.

We've been playing tons of board games with the kids!

But yeah, it's a constant battle against technology and peer pressure.

Driving to work this morning at 5:30am

A car stopped in front of me had 2 little kids in the backseat.

One was watching a movie on the screen hooked to the headrest in front of her, the other was playing a game on her phone.

Both were around 8 years old.

I have kids, I get it. It's easy sometimes to park em in front of the TV or whatever and have technology do the parenting for a minute.

But my gosh, at 5:30 in the morning? They can't look out the window? They can't talk to each other? They can't have dad in the front seat spouting off random words of wisdom and lame dad jokes?

 

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[MJ DeMarco]

This video hits the nail on the head...

Dude is spot on, I feel like he swiped the words right out of my mouth.

 

[The Abundant Man]

I've recently begun using my phone in greyscale. As well as being easier on the eye/less harsh, when I first tried switching it over I looked at my home screen (which I was already keeping only a few apps on, with a restful nature background) & found it mildly disappointing. I scrolled through to where I keep the rest of the apps, & noticed the sensation again. I hadn't realised I was finding just looking at the phone rewarding - not any notifications, or open apps - but just literally the colourful, lit-up screen.
Needless to say I keep it on greyscale most of the time now. Highly recommended.

https://lifehacker.com/change-your-screen-to-grayscale-to-combat-phone-addicti-1795821843

Also, on the subject of PSAs:

I know in Washington State, cops will arrest you if you drive while texting.