Going Analogue #4
My journey so far....
“The future is analogue because we are analogue.” David Sax
Some big questions have been running around my brain lately: What happens when people spend so much time in the virtual world they barely engage In the real world anymore? What happens when everything becomes automated and we lose the ability to do things for ourselves?
And the biggest questions of all: Why would we want to live this way? What is the point of a life completely divorced from the physical reality of the natural world?
As with all Big Questions, maybe finding the answers matters less than seeking them.
“We shall not cease from exploration
And the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time.” T.S. Eliot
I started on this analogue journey in January because I was sick and tired (and, honestly, quite bored) of being on-line so much. All of the once shiny things (You Tube, social media, Netflix, etc.) seemed dull and tedious.
I have to admit that analoguing was hard at first - the temptation to scroll or to lean on digital convenience was almost impossible to resist. But once I removed all of the apps, my phone lost its appeal. Now I pick up a book or go for a walk instead. I’m planning more in person meet ups and I started volunteering in my community again. I’m learning how to sew clothing and make pasta from scratch.
And all of that’s really cool. But really what the last three months has helped me with is to see that by spending more time in the real world than in the virtual world, I am happier and my days feel more meaningful. I have gained resilience because I am learning to do things for myself. The extra time it takes for my analogue things to deliver, slows me down. It helps me develop patience and a deeper appreciation for what my things do for me. It requires me to do something: set the alarm clock, knead the bread, paint a picture, sew a shirt. And for me, leading a slower, more thoughtful life is what gives me the time to learn, play and grow.
I am starting to understand why keeping myself rooted in the physical, natural world is so important. The more connected to tech we get the further we move away from what makes us human: our connection to each other, to nature, to our own bodies, to our imaginations. Maybe it’s time, as Beth McGroarty from the Global Wellness Institute says, to institute a “great logging off” by encouraging a “great analog-ing on.”
Thank you for reading!
Cheers,
Katherine
P.S. Statistics don’t change minds, but they can be quite eye-opening (so I’ll stick them here at the bottom, in case you get curious).
1. Many people are craving distance from their social media, doom scrolling and digital devices in general and bring more balance to their lives. A 2023 Harris poll showed that 77% of American adults aged 35 to 54 would like to go back to a time “before everyone was plugged in with the Internet and smartphones.” Even the younger generation was on board with this: 63% of 18 to 34 year olds said they too would like to unplug (kind of a crazy thought since they’ve never actually lived in an unplugged world.)
2. As I wrote this entry, I wondered if there was some scientific reason why I crave analogue over digital experiences. In a small fit of irony I jumped on line to Pub Med (did the reading myself though!) and learned that:
Human brains thrive on concentrated singular tasks (when we remove the distractions and impose to multi-task our brains do better at problem solving and creative thinking)
Our brains need to work through problems in concert with our hands (you can avoid the dreaded “brain rot” a real and measurable physiological problem
Human brains (over the long run) prefer rewards that we have to work for (eg the satisfaction of knitting a sweater is better than the satisfaction of scrolling from one cat video to the next).
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11609471/
Thank you for sharing Katherine. This resonates so much on where I am on my journey forming more mindful habits with technology. Inspired by the February OFF movement, I strongly decreased my time online. I took three intentional actions: I stepped away from Instagram , stopped reading news, and archived many groups on WhatsApp. A friend asked me last week, what had I noticed? My first response was that the quality of my thoughts are better, the energy I carry is more aligned. I still hear what is happening in the world but I don’t have the images and emotions sitting with me all day. I returned to IG this week, almost 2 months after disconnecting. It was interesting. Reading your post reminds me to continue refining this alignment. Every day. Thank you.
I loved this so so much. I can FEEL the analogueness in your prose, and as I think about why that is, I think one of the reasons for it is that I can really see and feel YOU in your words. That is not to say this isn't always so, but it's so noticeable in this post. Your voice comes through in a way that is captured by my eyes and mind so cleanly, simply. The message is received and I know it is you who is teaching me. It's hard to explain -- but it's like, though I read these words on a screen, it's as if we're having a conversation, face to face (though we've never done that except virtually! :)) It lets the digitalness be the thing that just connects us and removes distance... it makes the digital more invisible -- like a see-through screen. Thanks so much for this and please keep writing and inspiring me! I can't wait to read your next post !!!!