Something feels particularly addictive about the internet right now, even in the last months or year, which is a sinister idea tbh. It's good to read stuff like this, like a splash of water in the face
This is brilliant. And I think we are in a very particular moment where so many people feel the same. I’ve been doing Venetia La Manna’s #offline24 for years and cracked it last new year. It’s a really simple way to start. Good luck how ever you choose to wean off the tit of tech!!! ❤️
Beth I followed you on that bird app for years before deleting after E*on bought, it is so nice to find you here and to read your wonderful words again!
Hello Beth, thank you for the article. While I’m a little older (by a decade or so), I don’t think anyone is entirely immune to the lure of internet content … unless it’s a hobbit from the Shire perhaps.
Anyway, despite having put some hours into meditation, the anesthetizing balm of YouTube is my weakness though perhaps less so than in years past. But having a device at such easy reach to distract us from ourselves … it really is a serious problem but one akin to Aldous Huxley’s soma in Brave New World; for younger generations in particular, those who are growing up in the thick of it, it’s much more difficult to find a balance as older generations can be even more unbalanced by it.
(Like I am with TV. My dad would have two TVs on all the time and his relationship to that was much like the way you describe yours/others with the phone. I’ve never bought a TV for that reason—I didn’t want it to take over my home.)
I have a young son, so you can understand why this would be important for me. The mind—your mind, my mind, everyone’s minds—is itself seemingly endless when you sit down to observe it and focus your attention on it without distraction. There are things you can experience as a human being that cannot happen any other way except through quiet observation, very powerful experiences that, for myself, I’m grateful for and wish I could share as easily as a comment or photo or video or what have you.
Well, it’s a new year. I wish you well on your journey, Beth. (Any relation to Ewan or is McColl a fairly common family name?) Thank you again for your work. 🙏
Wow. This. I came to the realisation that I was addicted to my phone very recently - and begrudgingly. I think if you are an avid reader, an avid creator, or a very sociable person you can kid yourself that you aren't as reliant on a device as other people are because you spend a lot of your time reading, creating, socialising...but it eats you up in those crevices of time. Riding the bus, waiting for the microwave to ping (this one makes me really sad) and opening up an app to reply to someone and then realising half an hour later that you didn't even reply...yeah, it's crazy how it gets you. And the physical toll it takes on your body as well is horrible. When I'm doom scrolling I can feel a tugging sensation of needing to get away but also knowing that I can't because 'there's just one more video to go' or 'I'll stop as soon as it hits the hour'. The restlessness, the frustration at having wasted away precious time, the inability to concentrate on the next task...it's vicious. Such a great post!
hi! I couldn't sleep last night and was naturally **scrolling until I hated myself** and came across your post. The content is great of course, but I just wanted to say you're a super talented writer. This is so so so well-written. I highlighted a bunch of sections and sentences where the language flowed so beautifully. You inspired me, so thank you!!!
Loved this. Love your writing. But, like you, do not love how reliant on my phone I am...and this also made me realise how much I miss the old internet (the old life before smartphones, too?!). There does seem to be a bit of a tipping point at the moment with how much we're addicted to our phones, and I don't like it one bit. This piece was so brilliant, though.
Used to follow you on Twitter and found you funny and entertaining then — glad to see you on here now. Have you read priest daddy, Patricia Lockwood’s first book? I think of it as like Sedaris but 5x cleverer and more shocking
Can’t thank you enough for writing this. I deleted social media apps from my phone last night for my January ‘digital detox’. I was feeling twitchy about it this morning. Reading this has saved my resolve, I’ll be back to remind myself when the itch appears again.
Something feels particularly addictive about the internet right now, even in the last months or year, which is a sinister idea tbh. It's good to read stuff like this, like a splash of water in the face
This is brilliant. And I think we are in a very particular moment where so many people feel the same. I’ve been doing Venetia La Manna’s #offline24 for years and cracked it last new year. It’s a really simple way to start. Good luck how ever you choose to wean off the tit of tech!!! ❤️
Beth I followed you on that bird app for years before deleting after E*on bought, it is so nice to find you here and to read your wonderful words again!
Hello Beth, thank you for the article. While I’m a little older (by a decade or so), I don’t think anyone is entirely immune to the lure of internet content … unless it’s a hobbit from the Shire perhaps.
Anyway, despite having put some hours into meditation, the anesthetizing balm of YouTube is my weakness though perhaps less so than in years past. But having a device at such easy reach to distract us from ourselves … it really is a serious problem but one akin to Aldous Huxley’s soma in Brave New World; for younger generations in particular, those who are growing up in the thick of it, it’s much more difficult to find a balance as older generations can be even more unbalanced by it.
(Like I am with TV. My dad would have two TVs on all the time and his relationship to that was much like the way you describe yours/others with the phone. I’ve never bought a TV for that reason—I didn’t want it to take over my home.)
I have a young son, so you can understand why this would be important for me. The mind—your mind, my mind, everyone’s minds—is itself seemingly endless when you sit down to observe it and focus your attention on it without distraction. There are things you can experience as a human being that cannot happen any other way except through quiet observation, very powerful experiences that, for myself, I’m grateful for and wish I could share as easily as a comment or photo or video or what have you.
Well, it’s a new year. I wish you well on your journey, Beth. (Any relation to Ewan or is McColl a fairly common family name?) Thank you again for your work. 🙏
Wow. This. I came to the realisation that I was addicted to my phone very recently - and begrudgingly. I think if you are an avid reader, an avid creator, or a very sociable person you can kid yourself that you aren't as reliant on a device as other people are because you spend a lot of your time reading, creating, socialising...but it eats you up in those crevices of time. Riding the bus, waiting for the microwave to ping (this one makes me really sad) and opening up an app to reply to someone and then realising half an hour later that you didn't even reply...yeah, it's crazy how it gets you. And the physical toll it takes on your body as well is horrible. When I'm doom scrolling I can feel a tugging sensation of needing to get away but also knowing that I can't because 'there's just one more video to go' or 'I'll stop as soon as it hits the hour'. The restlessness, the frustration at having wasted away precious time, the inability to concentrate on the next task...it's vicious. Such a great post!
Insanely well written. Fuck.
hi! I couldn't sleep last night and was naturally **scrolling until I hated myself** and came across your post. The content is great of course, but I just wanted to say you're a super talented writer. This is so so so well-written. I highlighted a bunch of sections and sentences where the language flowed so beautifully. You inspired me, so thank you!!!
Loved this. Love your writing. But, like you, do not love how reliant on my phone I am...and this also made me realise how much I miss the old internet (the old life before smartphones, too?!). There does seem to be a bit of a tipping point at the moment with how much we're addicted to our phones, and I don't like it one bit. This piece was so brilliant, though.
‘Dedicating so many waking hours to something that doesn’t make me happy’ oof
I loved this and have subscribed!
Used to follow you on Twitter and found you funny and entertaining then — glad to see you on here now. Have you read priest daddy, Patricia Lockwood’s first book? I think of it as like Sedaris but 5x cleverer and more shocking
Can’t thank you enough for writing this. I deleted social media apps from my phone last night for my January ‘digital detox’. I was feeling twitchy about it this morning. Reading this has saved my resolve, I’ll be back to remind myself when the itch appears again.
I’m right there with you! Happy New Year 🩷
Happy new year to you too! Best of luck getting off socials. We can do it!