Your screen time is up 24% from last week.

I shamefully close this notification, which reminded me that, yet again, I used my phone too much. We are all guilty of being too attached to our smartphones, whether it be because of answering messages from friends or simply browsing through social media to avoid awkward eye contact with strangers.  We are afraid of leaving our phones because of the fear of missing out — or FOMO, as the young call it — on notifications, posts, and trending stories. With the advent of more powerful smartphone models, it feels as if life is now just being seen through high-resolution digital screens. 

As the world becomes hyperconnected, more and more people are instead seeking ways to limit their phone usage. Apple introduced a screen time tracker in a recent iOS update; productivity apps that lock certain smartphone features for a set amount of time are gaining popularity; and perhaps the most drastic solution is the comeback of “dumb phones”. Dumb phones, or feature phones, are typically made for basic communication and only have limited internet access. These were the only kind that existed a mere two decades ago, but with the development of smartphones, they have become obsolete. In recent years, however, the trend of using dumb phones by choice has risen.

In 2015, a startup called Light launched a minimalist phone around the size of a credit card. Their first product is only capable of telling time and receiving calls while their recently launched Light Phone 2 has additional features of receiving messages and 4G LTE connectivity. Founders Joe Hollier and Kai Tang wanted to show people the importance of digital detoxing and real-world engagement. As they said in a blog post, “We are becoming scared of boredom, scared of solitude, scared of conversations with [ourselves].” Their company has raised about 8.4 million USD in seed funding, and a whole lot of criticism on whether this “solution to smartphone addiction” is actually practical. For one thing, people are reluctant to spend 350 USD on a phone that’s designed “to be used as little as possible”.

Although the Light phones are limited and a bit problematic, I do see the appeal of “going light”. It provides an alternative to the digital distractions that we face every day. Smartphone apps, in general, use our human weaknesses against us as they find ways to have consistent engagement from users. Smartphones are designed to make our lives easier, but we are at risk of missing the moments that are right in front of us.

It is nearly impossible to live without smartphones in this immensely technology-driven era. As students, we rely on websites and social media accounts to receive important notifications and course information. We need instant messaging to find people in this large campus and email to set up meetings with professors or teaching assistants. However, I for one want to try disconnecting at least over a weekend, armed with only a “dumb” phone for urgent use. In a society full of curated timelines, Instagram-worthy photos, and “urgent” notifications, we need to remind ourselves to view life as it is, and not through rose-colored, addictive screens.