Why Many People Are Going Back to Dumb Phones
A lot of people are trading in their smartphone for a dumb phone.
While the smartphone has a lot of features, the dumb phone barely has any features.
Do you remember those old-school Nokia phones where you could play Snake?
That’s my experience with a dumb phone.
It’s the exact opposite of what the modern phone can do.
On the modern phone, you can play games, surf the internet, take pictures…
And oh yea.
Text and call.
Isn’t it funny though?
The main purpose of the cellphone was to connect with others.
However, since features were added to the phone, the purpose became blurrier.
Many people have a smartphone and are more antisocial than ever.
They believe that the dumb phone will allow them to go back to their social nature.
Why the Smartphone is Causing Stress
The reason many people are stressed out by the smartphone is due to scrolling.
‘What’s the big deal with scrolling, Armani? You’re just moving your thumb around.’
The physical motion is not that bad.
It’s the mental motion that’s bad.
Your mind is being presented with completely unrelated content.
One second, you are seeing a picture of your childhood best friend getting married.
The next second, you’re seeing a video of a snake eating a rat.
These completely disparate content pieces are programming you to think completely unrelated thoughts.
The divine mind has a theme among the thoughts.
While the monkey mind has thoughts which are completely unrelated.
That’s why a lot of people are stressed out nowadays.
It’s because they don’t have control of their mind.
The tiny thumb motions have led to radical mental changes.
What Does the Dumb Phone Do?
The dumb phone’s appeal is the lack of features.
Due to the lack of features, the consumer can use the phone for what it was meant to be used for:
- To connect.
The people who revert back to dumb phones say that they are more likely to text and call back.
It’s because they aren’t getting distracted with anything else.
With a dumb phone, it’s hard to scroll because there’s nothing worth scrolling!
I haven’t seen too many people revert back to dumb phones.
The main people I’ve seen using it are:
- Entrepreneurs.
- The elderly.
- Someone who is struggling with mental health.
I am not sure reverting back to dumb phones will go mainstream.
Should You Trade in Your Smartphone?
After discussing the appeal of having a dumb phone, I pondered on the following question:
- Would I ever give up my droid for one of those old-school Nokia’s?
The answer is heck no!!
Not for me at least.
Mainly because:
- I run an online business, so I need to respond back to emails.
- I like scrolling at the end of the day.
- I enjoy using social media.
- And overall, I love the new features that smartphones provide.
I believe reverting back to dumb phones is a radical solution to a not-so-radical problem.
Unless you are someone who is severely addicted to your phone, I don’t see the need for dumb phones.
I believe responsible usage will do the trick.
I had a Nokia dumb phone in my high school days.
The features were so few.
The phone was only meant to call and text.
I’m not going to revert back to a dumb phone anytime soon.
The Appeal of Minimal Features
Although I will never revert back to dumb phones, I see why people are doing it.
I believe there is a beauty in introducing simplicity to your life.
There’s always something a person should do that reverts them back from progress.
It reverts them back from inviting more features into their life…
I’ll give you an example.
Every morning, I go for a walk.
I like to walk outdoors as the sun is slowly rising.
Every now and then, it’s freezing.
On those days, I’m too lazy to walk outside, so I go to the gym and walk on the treadmill.
I noticed that the treadmill has way more features.
- I can speed up, incline, watch TV and so much more.
Once it’s back to being warm, I think:
‘Should I even walk outdoors anymore? I mean the roads are jagged, there are random people walking in front of me and I need to walk around them, there isn’t a TV etc.’
The treadmill has so many features while walking outside barely has any features.
I believe that’s what makes walking outside amazing!
The lack of features.
If I try to explain this to someone else, they won’t get it.
They’ll ask:
‘Why don’t you just choose the path that gives you more options?’
It’s because I already have too many options in my life.
Every now and then, I want a lack of options.
Final Thoughts
The purpose of this post was not to convince you to buy a dumb phone.
If you are happy with your smartphone, keep using it.
The purpose of the post was to explain why more people are trading in a smartphone for a dumb phone.
These people want a lack of features.
The mind wants a lot of options, while the heart wants a few.
Every now and then, we will be presented with a moment in our life when we have 2 options:
- Upgrade or keep things the way they are.
Do not be shocked if we refuse to upgrade.
This is a great lesson to learn if you’re a salesman.
Many people just want a little.
That little gives them peace.
I’m not walking to watch a TV.
I’m walking to walk.
That’s why I walk outdoors rather than walk on a treadmill.
Likewise, many people aren’t using a phone to play games, surf the web, or take pictures.
They are using the phone to connect with others.
That’s why they would rather use a dumb phone rather than a smartphone.
For more insights into emotional intelligence, check out the Armani Archives: EQ Edition
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