The Smartphone Lifestyle is sick

[H. Palmer]

I have observed a new lifestyle in the last few years in the university city Leiden in the Netherlands. I call it the Smartphone Lifestyle.

I think it's sick.

Several studies have been done about what distinguishes the upper 10 percent of society in terms of income and wealth compared to the lowest 10 percent.

Time and again the single most distinguishing factor was how many hours did they watch television. You guessed right. The upper 10 percent hardly ever watches the tube, the poorest 10 percent spend 8 hours a day getting their brains polluted.

The difference between watching the tube and working your smartphone all day is just that the latter lifestyle doesn't exclude mobility which is good for your health while with the tube your lifestyle is limited to the couch.

But besides that, it's the same. Smartphone addiction won't bring you any good at all in your life. The top 10 percent in this world use their time well. They are producers and create value. If they DO use a smartphone or computer, they use these devices selectively and efficiently. The lower middle class gets interrupted by that stuff all day and doesn't accomplish anything. Not now, not 30 years from now.

If you agree with me, let's spread a new proverb:

"The rich get richer and the poor are checking their smartphones every 2 minutes. "

 

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[Mattie]

In the lowlands I haven't see that much. I see them riding their bikes, going on picnics, socializing, and they love their food, and celebrating just about everything. Maybe t.v. before they go to bed. The people around here are usually outside, walking through trails, seeing the wildlife, working in gardens, and sculpting trees, and bushes. I don't see many lazy people around me. lol But I hear parts of the Netherlands are quite different. I've even seen them riding horses etc. I wouldn't generalize the dutch, I've read some of the dutch are the best businessmen.

Ha! Ha! I'm sorry, but I come from America, and ever since I've been here in the lowlands I see how much neater their yards are, how creative they are, in most parts I've been in for the exception of Amsterdam, it's all been very clean and tidy. It may just be where you are and certain areas, but what I've noticed compared to back home, these people don't seem to be lazy to me.

Even one guy I know that doesn't have a job, the government makes him work. He's not sitting around watching T.V. or on a smart phone, and even lives by me. So that's not my impression.

 

[H. Palmer]

I've done some actual research into this.

If you walk in the Haarlemmerstraat in the university city of Leiden you will see around 1 in every 3 girls under 30 walking with her face down looking at a 3 by 3 inch screen and one of her thumbs scrolling a tiny wheel. She's not noticing anything around her, not peeking through shop windows, etc. Nothing. Totally off this world.

About 1 of out of every 10 girls that age bracket that is cycling through the city does so with one hand at her steer, the other holding a phone and looking at her phone over distances of over 100 meters in one stretch, all the while crossing bridges and trying to avoid people that cross the street. This number is growing to 3 out of 10, the same numbers as with the walking girls.

It gets crazier. I've also seen young women pushing a baby carriage over the pavement (baby inside) zigzagging from the street side to the wall side over considerable distances while preoccupied working their smartphones.

 

[Mattie]

I imagine in those areas you might be right, but I'm just saying down around here in various cities and towns, I don't see that in the many areas I've been too in the last year. I learned a long time ago upper and lower Netherlands don't always see eye to eye on things, and do things differently. So we both can be right.

Where I've been everyone greets each other politely on the street, and very interested in each other, dresses very nice, and dies their hair all the time. I haven't seen any rusted cars, or even older cars for that matter like back home. I watch the workers on the street digging in cracks of the cement getting dirt out of the bricks. lol It's like they seem to take great pride in their homes, yards, and cities.

When I went to Amsterdam which is the busy place, Yes, you have to pay attention not to get ran over, pick pocketing, people stealing your money out of ATM's, the smell is terrible. You can go to the bathroom outside. People have phones and yes they are rude in the bigger city where millions of people are going every which way. Probably no different than New York. I'm just saying don't generalize all of them. I'm not good with the names yet of cities, but even where I got my residence permit, was very clean too. I believe it just depends probably on whether you're in a big city or not, or what part of the Netherlands.

 

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[Mugen]

@Amschel - "The rich get richer and the poor are checking their smartphones every 2 minutes. "

I understand and agree with you regarding the negative effects that smartphones and other mobile devices are having on society. The sad thing is that more and more young kids are being exposed to these devices waaaaay to much IMHO.

It's more common to see young babies in their cart with a smartphone/tablet in front of them instead of a regular toy nowadays.

However, there is massive opportunity in mobile right now - particularly in app development and mobile advertising. Mobile hasn't even exploded yet, and if you want to get in on the wave that is starting to build up at an increasing pace, the absolute best time is right now.

 

[Deleted21704]

Totally agree with the rant, but I want to add that there's ALWAYS something to consume peoples' attention.

Best to wise up ASAP and escape.

Smartphones get all the hate these days, but in many ways, this wasn't very different:

 

[Tony I]

But besides that, it's the same. Smartphone addiction won't bring you any good at all in your life. The top 10 percent in this world use their time well. They are producers and create value. If they DO use a smartphone or computer, they use these devices selectively and efficiently. The lower middle class gets interrupted by that stuff all day and doesn't accomplish anything. Not now, not 30 years from now.

I completely agree. Recently I went on a complete ban of my smartphone, social media, etc. My productivity sky rocketed.

There is NOTHING different from watching TV or scrolling on facebook for 4 hours. It does absolutely nothing for you but waste time.

I know people that spend hours on twitter and instagram liking statuses and posting photos. They literally spend their entire days thinking of "cool captions."

its so sad how people are completely addicted to their smartphones. you go out to dinner and you see 2 people looking at their phones, sitting across from each other.

 

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[Mattie]

For phones in general yes, back in the United States I see more of this, and never liked them to begin with. I just feel that people spend to much time on them when you're trying to have dinner, or do an activity, or spend time with people. That's been going on since cell phone's came out. It's just getting worse. This isn't anything new. I remember when they first came out, my relatives, friends, and everyone were on them all the time. I just personally don't have one, believe it or not. lol I am a bit old fashioned, and when I go out of my house, why do I want everyone to know where I am. I miss the old days when you had an answering machine. You didn't have to worry about people bugging you all the time. Believe it or not we survived centuries without a cell phone.

While technology is very useful, it also has it's down side. Do I need to get one for business, yes I do. I really don't want one, because of the reasons above. There's something to be said about having your privacy and time away from people. I know I'm weird. I don't need a smartphone or any other phone. I really didn't even talk on the thing a year ago when I left the U.S. I used it for work purposes and that was about it.

I'm more of a face to face person. I talk to my son on Skype.

 

[AllenCrawley]

From a recent post I made on Facebook...

I am so sick of smart phones and how they cause most people to not be in the Now. I no longer use one. Just a basic cell phone that is now rarely used. I saw a mother the other day with two little kids. The girls were so cute as they sang a happy song and dance together. Mother was too preoccupied with her phone to even notice. Enjoy those around you. Engage with them. Put down the phone and look up.

=====

 

[Choate]

I very much agree. I recently watched a video on this which encompasses everything from the smartphone, to relationships, to habits.

30 minutes but well worth the watch. One has to take everything in their life and label it as partners, everything, and decide if those partners are taking more than they are giving you (like overcompulsive smartphone usage). And some relationships which become poison drips, etc. I digress. Watch the video.

 

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[Deleted21704]

Charlie Munger: "don't hate the technology, hate the use of the technology"

 

[daivey]

Disagree. Reading the news or a book while commuting is completeing different than checking tweets/instagram/facebook every minute.

im on my smart phone for every minute of my commute, burning through e-books. I read close to two books per week while commuting.

Totally agree with the rant, but I want to add that there's ALWAYS something to consume the peoples' attention.

Best to wise up ASAP and escape.

Smartphones get all the hate these days, but in many ways, this wasn't very different:

 

[smarty]

Disagree. Reading the news or a book while commuting is completeing different than checking tweets/instagram/facebook every minute.

yeah, read the news...

 

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[daivey]

Reading the news or reading something, while commuting, is better than spending it going through instagram. AT the very least you knoww hats happening around you.

View attachment 7778

yeah, read the news...

 

[MJ DeMarco]

Relax. Here are some cute young ladies enjoying an evening at the club.

 

[MJ DeMarco]

This was posted in my poker thread as the rule is no smartphones...

 

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[Mattie]

I don't watch the news either on a regular basis. I already learned if there is anything huge happening, it usually goes across Twitter or Facebook. lol I don't hang out on Facebook more than 5-15 minutes a day to post articles, and I'll flip through the feed. The news posts either capture my attention or not. I've learned pretty much Face book people post about everything. If I don't see it in with in the first five minutes, I leave. My bf watches the news, and his family, so if I've missed something happening of significance they point it towards my direction.

It's kind of astonishing for the last four years, I cut out the news, watching T.V., listening to the radio, and for the most part hanging out in social arena's that you get clouded with negativity, drama, war, violence, and hate speech. By doing this, I have rid myself of stress and anxiety I don't need, because the rest of the world doesn't know how to get along.

Believe it or not all that stuff does affect your emotions and feelings. If I watch a movie I select one myself. That is my choice. Not programmed by a corporation or company that I need to know and watch. I was thinking one day back in 2010 how my grandfather didn't have any of it. He enjoyed Fishing, camping, and being in nature. He enjoyed his family, friends, and anyone he met. He spent his time helping out the disabled veterans when he was retired. In these times you have so much information coming at you from everywhere. Some of it needs to be eliminated in my case. I like my peace and quiet. I like the calmness of nature.

I am on the lap top a lot for one reason to educate myself and search out the knowledge I need to become a novelist and speaker. If I'm going to spend time on the internet and screen in front of my face it should be for the greater good of myself and my family. I should at least get a return out of it, whether it is my inner development, writing skills, business skills, or teaching skills.

I'm very cut and dry about what information I allow in my head. I may talk in chat with someone, but usually within an hour people get tired of typing or chatting. Probably 15 minutes if they're a positive person and have actually something important to share. Conversations are usually based on gossip, rumormongers, and nothing positive to say. This is why I don't talk on the phone, or to people that don't have the right mind set. If you're in victim mentality you're focusing to much on the problem and not the solution. It's a time waster and totally irrelevant to the now. So yes, all this cell phone stuff is basically the same thing. Just wasted words, time, energy, and unproductive. If it's an emergency or something intelligent, well that usually is not the case 24 hours a day. It's just like Facebook a lot of crap.

It would be nice if we had a world that had intelligent conversations most of the time and creative conversations. I'm all for different opinions and beliefs. If there is something you can learn from and use somewhere in your life, or apply the information to your life, I'm all for it. It may be a great place to visit, a great book to read, a great movie to watch, a great sports event, or something that has substance to it. I'm annoyed by gossips and rumormongers, as well as those that just like to start drama. Which this basically is what they're all Texting/Sexting about I'd say 85% of the time.

Technology has it's pro's and con's. In my novel, I had my character throw her cell phone in the river. lol

 

[craig1928]

Smartphone addiction won't bring any good to their life but it might bring good to your life. Here's a list of 405 mobile ad networks that you could advertise on.

http://gulyani.com/complete-list-of-mobile-ad-networks-companies/

Mobile is huge in the advertising space and is only growing year on year.

Opportunity, get on it.

 

[RoadTrip]

I noticed the exact same thing when I changed trains at Schiphol airport. There was one girl completely emerged in her cellphone. She looked up once to find the right tracks but apart from that whe was able to climb stairs, make a queue, get on the train etc with a bent neck watching her cell phone. I'm wondering how long it will take for RSI to pop up....

These people completely miss the point of life: everything that happens in their surroundings is completely ignored. And that's exaclty where life is happening... it's a pitty.

On the positive side it does indeed offer opportunities for us in the mobile advertising space

 

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[tafy]

However, there is massive opportunity in mobile right now - particularly in app development and mobile advertising. Mobile hasn't even exploded yet, and if you want to get in on the wave that is starting to build up at an increasing pace, the absolute best time is right now.

Especially in childrens software from 2 years+ on IPad

 

[Mattie]

That seems to be a debatable thing. lol On Bizapalooza there's a guy talking about connecting, sharing content, and building relationships, and word of mouth seems to be better than any other advertising. I remember somewhere M.J. saying the same thing. But I've seen others talking about spending tons of money on advertising.

http://www.onlinemeetingnow4.com/seminar/?id=t956lc0uxa

 

[Andy Black]

Was it Gary Halbert who said:

"The rich have big libraries, the poor have big TVs"

 

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[Mattie]

Ha ha! I worked for this woman once that had three floors of books all away the round room. I didn't know what to think at the time, because I never seen so many books. She was old, but she said she read everyone of them. She was very wealthy too.

 

[Ajay2390]

I feel to RANT lol

THANK YOU @Amschel for a Fantastic topic! Great Thread!Funny enough i have recently ditched the Social networks for a start because it does waste my Valuable Time!

I urge everybody to witness this type of addiction in LONDON. This addiction is at its worst! I honestly want/need to socialize without any kind of technology just to experience that feeling, emotion of true joy/happiness/being alive. That "in the moment" thing.

But my gosh, if i go on a date to dinner...often times the ladies phone MUST be on the table...?? Food is looking good to "EAT" she will take a PICTURE AND POST IT ON INSTAGRAM AND FACEBOOK....IM LIKE WTF??? JUST EAT AND ENJOY! If the phone rings, she MUST answer?? If im with my friends, we will be chilling having a great conversation and then...somebody will start texting whilst talking or on instagram liking pics..just a couple of examples.

On the Underground Tube, NOBODY WILL START A CONVERSATION!!!
The guy in the video is Completely RIGHT( @MJ DeMarco video post). The train will be packed but silent, everybody is preoccupied and so in tune with themselves..majority of the time its the phone.

But also i have been watching RSDtyler on Youtube and putting his teachings to test and its been remarkable in the sense of socializing. Now i just go to any random person young or old and just engage in cool conversation to practice my social skills, confidence and to enjoy the moment. (also Networking hehe)

This topic is no joke and it does suck that the World is becoming more and more automated. Human interaction is on a sharp decline.
Some fellows might disagree with my opinions but please, i do ask you just to open your Human Eyes and OBSERVE.

AND ONE MORE THING...

TAKE NOTE OF PEOPLES POSTURE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

KIDS POSTURE TOO!

 

[Ajay2390]

Was it Gary Halbert who said:

"The rich have big libraries, the poor have big TVs"

“Rich people have small TVs and big libraries, and poor people have small libraries and big TVs.”

― Zig Ziglar

 

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[Mattie]

We all live in a box these days! I have to laugh because my family told me those relationships are not real. Including my bf I now live with in the Netherlands. They were imaginary people. I wasn't on a cell phone, but a p.c. and what I've pretty much figured out is people are connecting with others on line. They get emotional, mental, spiritual support they're not getting offline.

They're usually depressed with their life offline
love relationships don't have intimacy and breaking down
They're alone and lonely
They see themselves as failures in finances

Devices connected to the internet plug them into another world.
They get support to get through their problems.
It creates a bigger problem, those relationships offline get neglected and fall apart.

This is what I've noticed in the U.S. we're not invested in long term relationships. We're interested in what we can get out of the relationship versus what we can give. We aren't invested in relationships. We're invested in networking for wealth and jobs. It's who you know, and what they can provide for you. Which gives a superficial sting to relationships.
It's about sex, and self-gratification.

People want authentic genuine relationships that last. Stability and Security.

To sum it up, Napoleon Hill had it correct in Outwitting the Devil. I just listened to it, and it does pin point it out. Any device is validating they have worth, they are approved of, they have a reason to exist. It's pathetic, but the reality they've chosen.

 

[Ajay2390]

We all live in a box these days! I have to laugh because my family told me those relationships are not real. Including my bf I now live with in the Netherlands. They were imaginary people. I wasn't on a cell phone, but a p.c. and what I've pretty much figured out is people are connecting with others on line. They get emotional, mental, spiritual support they're not getting offline.

They're usually depressed with their life offline
love relationships don't have intimacy and breaking down
They're alone and lonely
They see themselves as failures in finances

Devices connected to the internet plug them into another world.
They get support to get through their problems.
It creates a bigger problem, those relationships offline get neglected and fall apart.

This is what I've noticed in the U.S. we're not invested in long term relationships. We're interested in what we can get out of the relationship versus what we can give. We aren't invested in relationships. We're invested in networking for wealth and jobs. It's who you know, and what they can provide for you. Which gives a superficial sting to relationships.
It's about sex, and self-gratification.

People want authentic genuine relationships that last. Stability and Security.

To sum it up, Napoleon Hill had it correct in Outwitting the Devil. I just listened to it, and it does pin point it out. Any device is validating they have worth, they are approved of, they have a reason to exist. It's pathetic, but the reality they've chosen.

Thank you for opening my mind up to this. I didn't think of it like this but now.. Wow! Very interesting indeed!

 

[rcdlopez]

I went out for lunch with some co-workers once; just a few days in to a new job. There was like 7 of us. When we sat down NOBODY was saying a word. Everyone was on their phones. I joked, "Soooo....Am I supposed to communicate through my phone?"

NO ONE heard me!

I honestly thought that they were talking to each other through their phones. I'm the kind of person who enjoys having conversations, making eye contact and looking out the window every know and then. That was the most boring lunch I've ever had.

 

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[Mattie]

http://blog.petflow.com/a-video-everyone-needs-to-see/

 

[MJ DeMarco]

Selfie obsessed' teenager Danny Bowman suicidal after failing to capture 'the perfect selfie'
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/u...e-teenager-danny-bowman-suicidal-9212421.html

Danny Bowman, 19, would spend 10 hours a day taking up to 200 photos of himself on his iPhone.

The teenager dropped out of school, remained housebound for six months and lost two stone in an attempt to capture the perfect self-portrait.

Danny eventually became so depressed that he took an overdose, but he was discovered by his mother Penny and rushed to hospital.