12 Hours/Day - China's Internet Addiction Is Out of This World

Get an exclusive Surfshark VPN Winter deal! Enter promo code laowhy86 to get up to 6 additional months for free at Surfshark.deal...
Like I said, China's dystopia is just around the corner for the rest of us... but it doesn't have to be at all! Watch until the end.
◘ Support me on Patreon to talk to me directly and support my work - / laowhy86
Weekly Live show The China Show - / @thechinashow
My documentaries -
◘ Conquering Northern China:
vimeo.com/onde...
◘ Conquering Southern China
vimeo.com/onde...
*FAIR USE*
Copyright Disclaimer under section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, education and research.

[@laowhy86]

◘ Get an exclusive Surfshark VPN Winter deal! Enter promo code laowhy86 to get up to 6 additional months for free at Surfshark.deals/laowhy86 ◘ Support me on Patreon to talk to me directly and support my work - www.patreon.com/laowhy86 ◘ Weekly Live show The China Show - www.youtube.com/@thechinashow

[@pepepantuflas1]

Can't wait till we hit a million subscribers

[@oni8337]

no screen time for me because im glued to the pc lmao

[@babymine5482]

Thank you for making this video. Ppl don't talk about it. I used to ride the train downtown to work. No one talked to each other. Just plastered their face in their phones. I hate cell phones. I never take it with me when I go out. I tried to say good morning to ppl they looked at me like I had the plague. When I was downtown they all thought I wanted something. 😂😂 Nah.. Just saying have a great day... I still do it to this day. Say good morning or afternoon, whatever. It feels good for one and puts a smile on others face. I am also the pain in the *ss neighbor who says hi! Merry Christmas! Happy New Year! Year of the🐉btw. So I'm glad you did this vid.. Have a great day everyone! Much love... 🙏🙏✌✌🐉🐉💗💗

[@LoFiMan1981]

Mines 1h 45m screen time, it sounds funny to say but putting your phone down is the first step to leaving the matrix, also hour of that screen time isnt screen time as every night night i listern to stories on youtube while i close my eyes to sleep, my ediction was my pc and man it was deep once , used to be a gamer on pc 18 hours a day , wasted so much of my youth :( but games were better back in the 90s ,when thru some miricle i managed to find myself a girl to have kids with (while struggling with addiction) it was my kids that broke that addiction , everytime i wanted to play games i was constatnly having to pull away from my internet reality , this broke the deep neural pathways i had created to my addiction , it was rough for a long time specially first throw years , raising kids for first first years is hard enougth but i was also dealing with the angor is constnatly having my internet addiciton disrupted , anyway after about 3 years i reached a fork in the road , i was strong enougth to start distancing myself from games and started to play them less and less, also oddly it was the woke movement that finally started to break my addiction , after seeing how bad films and games are getting it was the final push i needid to break away and go rogue from the matrix (yes i do call it that i think it should be the legit term for what we are all hooked into)anyway life since isnt much easier becuease now im free , but feel very alone in a sea of drones.soory for my bad grammer i think the chiuces of my past has greatly affected how my brain works

[@BlackCeII]

Haven't finished your video yet, but this is a massive problem here in the states as well. Everyone's addicted to and glued to their phone

[@jaimesmiller414]

I had an accident on my motorcycle last year and laid it over in the rain and dislocated my shoulder. I had half a dozen people helping me before I could get all the way off the ground. I’m glad some forms of decency still exist in America, at least still here in Texas.

[@americanpatriot3710]

USA is a democratic, free country compared to the communist dictatorship of China. In the US, people still care about each other.

[@chronixdubz]

That's that southern kindness or whatever it's called

[@chronixdubz]

HOSPITALITY. it's southern hospitality that's the saying

[@americanpatriot3710]

@@chronixdubz Am from the south and we give importance to humanity.

[@chronixdubz]

@@americanpatriot3710 fax it's like we still live in another country compared to some regions 😂

[@geoffas]

The scariest part of this phenomenon is that parents are giving their toddlers tablet PCs at such a young age. The kids learn to interact with their tablets more than they do with the people around them. This is not natural for humans and cannot lead us to anywhere good.

[@pribandara9865]

Share info on Environmental Health Trust with parents and teachers please. Protect children from negative impacts of tech.

[@user-wm1zh2yl4k]

So damn true.

[@VirusTree1000.]

And another idiotic natural fallacy argument thrown out into the digital wilderness while hypocritically demonizing technology... We live in the digital age, being used to it in a young age is not a bad idea, we don't live in the 80s, 90s anymore, time to accept that and move on.

[@Yggdrasill8]

This is why even the zoomer gen is already afraid of the alpha gen. Everything feels like it is going downhill, I never had this feeling in the 90's and 2000's

[@JP-sm1zv]

​@Yggdrasill8 That's because it is going down hill. Check out "Deglobalisation". All the good stuff that happened in the last 70 years is about to be undone

[@mrpucket5736]

My wife and I made some basic rules to help control the worst effects of screen time. 1- no screens when in motion , driving or walking . 2- no screens in restaurants etc 3- no screens when in any social situation , 4- always choose real life over screens . 5- When at home just the two of us. Talking to each other has priority . Only one ear bud in at any time so we can hear the other person and stop with the screen. I know it’s obvious but if really put into practice it helps a lot. Just being aware it’s a problem helps. Thanks for the video, great as usual.

[@mrmouse-ol9pw]

U know. As most of my kids are adults now and I still have a 14 yr old I'm raising. These are great rules. Hard on a dad who didn't grow up with these distractions in the 80s, or has this issue with my first three kids. Very hard to wrap my head around

[@peterbelanger4094]

It's a difficult thing to do when someone lives alone, like me. All I have is a screen, or a wall to look at. :( My city outside is terrible, I don't want to go out in it.

[@SlavaUkraini85]

wow respect. this really requires a lot of discipline

[@mrmouse-ol9pw]

@@peterbelanger4094 right. I hear ya. But fine line between recreation and addiction clearly. I have enough hobbies like playing the guitar and breeding ball pythons that keeps me away from the screens. Tough time to raise a kid for sure

[@nushia7192]

@@mrmouse-ol9pw I'm still baffled that parents still buy consoles for their children wasting money.

[@Awakeandalive1]

Getting off social media in 2015 completely changed my life. First, my depression completely disappeared. Then I finished my graduate degree. Then my biking & hiking trips became meaningful experiences instead of just excuses for pictures. Then I started dating my now-wife and married her -- whereas when I was perpetually on-line I was hopping from meaningless relationship to meaningless relationship. Now we have 3 kids I adore, our marriage keeps getting stronger, and I have never once been tempted to look back.

[@Rickuttto]

@Aw… Excellent comment!! Thx for sharing (: I am immediately inspired!

[@Kaden_BASS_noob]

so proud of you

[@latinasforthewin4274]

Wait but you’re on social media now ….

[@citizenofterra]

The most grueling moment I had in China was in a supermall somewhere, where a mother forced her daughter who was clearly unwilling to take pictures of mommy posing by some thing. Because the kid apparently held the phone wrong or something, the mom was vigorously scolding her to the point of making the daughter cry. Mom went back to posing and suddenly looked all smily and cute for the picture. As soon as she got it, she ripped the phone out of the childs hands and again had an angry demeanour on her face while editing/sending/posting the photo or whatever she did with it. That was such bizarre moment for me and I've seen similar stuff many times. Actually have a vid on my channel called "the future is now" or something like that with a montage of clips like this from my travels around China. And you're right, it made me much more conscious about these addictions in my own life too!

[@ClamMan1989]

Isn't it crippling when you see kids like that but know you can't save them?

[@citizenofterra]

@@ClamMan1989 It really is. Or when they are trying to get their parents attention and the parents just ignores them because they are on their phone. Ive seen this in my home country too. It really is a global sickness, its just even more severe in China

[@LittlePlant888]

​@ClamMan1989 very much so. It leaves you hurt and wishing you could have done something.

[@Infodumptruck]

That's not about the phone or social media, that's just a terrible person. You don't treat your daughter like that over one thing and not in general

[@relight6931]

Oh man.. My mum did something similar.. I have been dealing with consequences whole life.. It's emotional abuse and it sticks with you.. Especially when you learn what it is in your 20ies, and have suffered by it since divorce and living with my mum from the age of six.. Fighting of them two, by using me as a messenger didn't help either.. I had to kill most of my emotions to get through that and they never really came back fully.. Like I cannot regulate them at all.. Now 99% of times nothing touches me, but that 1 percent can be downright dangerous..

[@jeffmcneal5137]

I had taught at a university in China a few years back. The textbook the university wanted me to use had a unit on health, but instead of focusing on diet and exercise like my students already knew how to talk about, I flipped it to look at mental and social health. Their homework assignment for that unit was to go 24 hours without touching their phone, and then write a report about how they felt or what they experienced. It was very eye opening for many of them, realizing they had clear symptoms of addiction and withdrawal. Sadly it probably didn't make a long term impact on any of them. One great story from it though. One girl told me her mom didn't believe her when she said she made it a day without her phone. To prove it, they made a bet. Every day she made it without her phone, 100 rmb. That student made over 2000 rmb just to prove a point.

[@paulwally9007]

Chinese students get arthritis in their texting fingers before they graduate.

[@colinr0380]

@@osakarose5612 Motto of the CCP right there!

[@EkimKtulu]

I found the best advice when trying to change a bad habit (or addiction) is to "replace" it with something healthier. I find it very difficult to fix a problem with "nothing." Want to stop drinking soda, replace it with tea. Want to eat healthier, try making certain ingredients from scratch until you can make entire meals. Want to stay off your phone, try leaving it at home once in a while when going to walks or grocery shopping. My favorite to do with the phone was if you were ever curious about, "who was that actor in the movie..." or "what was the name of that place we went to..." Don't look it up and let your mind wonder. It is way healthier to wonder and wander.

[@kbb8014]

I replaced my "smart" phone with a good old fashioned Flip phone. That's helped a lot. Another thing I was addicted to was talk radio. I'd listen to talk radio from my morning coffee until bed and I'd often call in myself. I didn't realize how much that drained my energy and focus until I stopped listening. Now I learn Chinese online and limit KZbin to PC only watching CMilk and a few others but I stopped the News. I'll check the weather and main headlines but that's about it.

[@EkimKtulu]

@@kbb8014 I have a Galaxy S10 for a few years now and mentioned that it will be my last smart phone. I will move to a standard flip phone after this ome eventually breaks.

[@HavocHerseim]

That's terrible advice. Trading addictions is seriously unhealthy. Face your issues.

[@justgary4342]

Jesus, my man.

[@KyanoAng3l0]

Frankly, I find "tapering" more effective, something I learned from my mental health treatment. Psychiatrists do it with psych meds if their patient is switching meds or stopping altogether. It worked well with my caffeine consumption. Taking 3 cups of coffee a day (like I did)? Trying reducing it by 0.5 cups/day every 1-2 weeks. You'd still experience withdrawal, but it's _much_ more manageable than stopping cold turkey - which I tried, too, and it sucked and never really worked. Be sure to stay hydrated, have some painkillers ready for the headaches and perhaps learn stress management.

[@aobasuzukaze1032]

One of the best thing happened to me is when i tried to talked to a stranger in a bus and we have small talk and even shared our names. It gave me dopamine for the rest of the week.

[@josepablolunasanchez1283]

A woman I know was in Seattle. A biker had an accident and people walked by, unaware of the accident. She is not a digital addict, so she approached and helped. She was amazed about how people ignored that, but she acted.

[@jamesleyda365]

That's not the Seattle I know. I have yet to see someone not help when an accident happens

[@kphaxx]

⁠@@jamesleyda365 Well someone did, as recounted by that exact person.

[@josepablolunasanchez1283]

@@jamesleyda365 That woman is not a phone person. For her a phone is an annoyance and only for work. So she does not have fun with it. She prefers to travel, meet people, talk to people. She has a more spiritual and existential and humane approach to life, so technology has no real meaning for her.

[@garysimon7765]

Seattle is home to Bill Gates and a majority of dimocrats. That's why none helped.

[@oskar6747]

This happens a lot here in Finland too. I have never seen it, but it's in the news often that people don't help. 😢

[@tokyobobcat]

Living in China for years, I have always worn headphones and earbuds to block out the insane amounts of noise and not just regular background noise but seriously Loud noise that is still loud through the earbuds. However, I do recognize that possibly living in my headphones has affected my familial connections.

[@agingerbeard]

7hrs 51min so far today. Omg. On Sunday I had almost 12 hours... I feel kind of ashamed but this also motivates me to track it and find more space for real interactions. Thank you for the video!

[@wladikov1362]

I got 8hrs and 57 min 😂, and it's just KZbin, I really need to fix that 😅

[@madbruv]

I do food delivery on my phone most of the day i got 18h daily phone time

[@mikejoseph3826]

I have actually been thinking about this myself lately. I have become super depressed spending hours a day on my phone. It’s a terrible addiction and it’s driving all of us towards isolation. 😢😢 Thank you so much for bringing light to this and covering it. My daily average for last week was 11 hours and 51 minutes a day. More than working a full time job. I am ashamed to admit it. 😭💔

[@ys1876]

That’s pretty much the same amount as mine, anywhere from 9-12.5 hrs. When I saw it over 12 it really shackled me. Something about literally half the day was spent on my phone. I’ve been pretty depressed and really anxious and the phone “helps” me to not think about how bad I feel.

[@user-wm1zh2yl4k]

It's actually a demonic instrument, designed to be addictive. I have similar problems with it as yourselves. One thing I have found helped, was removing KZbin Shorts, which are the worst.

[@claucemicro1080]

I'm on the same range and feeling the same. I notice too that I tend to watch videos more when I'm alone or not interacting with someone. But I've also caught myself wishing someone stops talking to me so that I can go back to whatever I was watching or playing. I've never consumed alcohol or drugs but this is in a way a digital coping mechanism, a.k.a. digital vice. I hope we get better. 🙏

[@johnnylego807]

It’s because the algorithm is designed like a drug addicting chemical. No joke. Try and find something outside of your phones too do. Get outside, get some air. These are very critical for your mental health. Lack of D3 from sunlight and deficiency in Vitamin B can cause depression.

[@DanielSmedegaardBuus]

11h 24m here, average for the past week 😱 I don't even have social media, this has been 99% KZbin just droning on. I seriously hope this number includes when the screen is off and it's just playing the audio, or the number is even higher. Lately, I've been noticing how I have trouble falling asleep unless I put some clip on (just the audio). It's definitely an addiction of sorts at this point 🫣

[@YoungBuddhaEzuk]

The moment you describe with your daughter, is the same realization I had the other day with my cat. We’ve let our tech comfort us and distract us to the point that our lives now require healing from this imbalance. ⚛️

[@youbigtubership]

We're all looking for the way to a better life through these small windows. When we 'doomscroll' we're being hypnotised and told what to dream. Pursuing ambition has always required the ability to put entertainment aside.

[@peterbelanger4094]

I thought about my cat too. But a cat or dog and a human child are not the same thing. Some pets need to be ignored at times. It's not healthy for the human - pet relationship for the pet to think that the human will just drop whatever they are doing and tend to their feline(or canine) whims. There s a lot more to a human - human relationship, and I doubt many of you would ignore a human child in the way you would blow off your pet. I love my cat too, and I also feel bad if I neglect her. but i also know she isn't the boss.

[@MauseDays]

What happened with his daughter is a him probom. He doesnt need to preach to everyone else. This is a VERY boomer thing to do.

[@MauseDays]

Not everyone does this. this is a you problom. I have hours in videogames and vr I would never ignore family or pets. This is a YOU problem DO NOT PREACH. NOBODY ASKED @@thacoolest13

[@thacoolest13]

@@MauseDays Typing a random comment to describe how you didn't like something that hurt no one had nothing to do with you is a VERY zoomer thing to do.

[@musemellow]

Taiwan number 1

[@pepepantuflas1]

Social credit score. -3000 You are now reported to the ccp. Expect a knock on your door from our dear leader and his cohorts.

[@RezaQin]

China number none.

[@kayakMike1000]

​@@RezaQinChina? You mean the People's Republic of Western Taiwan?

[@raetheray]

Good one​@@kayakMike1000

[@Nomad_Druid]

​​@@kayakMike1000I thought they got rid of the "People's Republic" part when they got invaded by true China. Aka things we wish would happen but likely never will

[@jollyroger35]

Great advice! One thing that has helped to avoid the phone and reduce the anxiety of silent or boring social situations is meditation. I have no problem sitting in silence with my own thoughts while being aware of my surroundings and the people around me.

[@DanielSmedegaardBuus]

Same here, although I'm still terribly addicted to my phone, judging from the screen time numbers. I've practiced mindfulness for over four years now, and it has really helped me just be. And also connect with myself and my feelings and senses. It's something I wish on everyone.

[@Tsuchimursu]

Pro tip: Turn off all notification sounds for things that aren't absolutely necessary for work. Just mute everything. You'll take the phone out soon enough, you can check the notifications when you do. Second step - turn off pop up notifs for everything noin essential. You'll see that stuff when you open the app next time. If next time doesn't come, maybe it wasn't so important to you after all. If someone is messaging you, and they have urgent things to say they can call - if they don't, it wasn't that urgent. Just one way to make you pick up that phone less.

[@MarioBermudezJr]

This is exactly what I did and it helped a lot. The reason was reducing the digital noise and amplifying the “signal.“ Like others suggested, make sure when you do decide to do this, have an answer easy on what is your signal or purpose. Cheers.

[@numbereightyseven]

No notifications, no pop-ups, no synching, no sounds. And no social media either.

[@colinr0380]

I do that during my work day on my desktop, which caused me a bit of trouble when management tried to 'mandate' that the e-mail was on all the time so we could always be contactable. When I said that there was also a phone at my desk if things were _that_ urgent, otherwise I would check it once every one to two hours, that led to a lot of blustering. But to me that is the most sensible approach - you compartmentalise these various things into tasks rather than letting everything in at once to the point where they become overwhelming. If I have the e-mail closed I am able to entirely focus on my work without distraction. And conversely when I stop work and check my e-mail, then *that* is going to be the subject of my full attention if there is anything that needs to be dealt with. Rather than the situation that management wanted (and still wants) which is everything happening simultaneously and you dropping whatever you are in the middle with to deal with something else at a moment's notice, that results in worst work being done across the board. And I do that with 'real life' too. I commute and still use a 2003 Blackberry for necessary calls and texts (whilst it is still useable, at least, before the technology is made obsolete), but which necessarily cannot tempt me with games and apps. So I mostly enjoy the outside world or *shock, horror* take a physical book with me to read during my commute. Which has led to me reading more than I ever would at home (where I am terminally online!), and sometimes when particularly enjoying what I am reading I actively start to _anticipate_ my commute, which is something I never really would have imagined doing before!

[@nerdisaur]

I had this moment when Instagram decided to hide the number of likes on a post, people I knew were having tantrums and breaking down over not being able to compare themselves to others. I took a huge step back from screen time and social media and it’s the best decision I’ve ever made.

[@MauseDays]

thats not evreyone who uses these platforms. Not everyone is an addict because addicts exsit. Thinking otherwise is absurd.

[@ys1876]

@@MauseDaysthey didn’t say everyone… they were talking about what happened to them and some people around them.. your comment didn’t make sense

[@Samookely]

ngl it comforts me knowing atleast if social media ever becomes obsolete ill have a better time adjusting back to normal life way better than most others in my generation. Like all those years i had away from social media feeling separated from the rest of my generation weren’t actually wasted

[@jamiehughson2368]

I’ve been spreading your Laowhy channel to SO many people in Scotland so I hope it helps you reach a million, you deserve it, plus another 2 highly watched channels along with a few amazing shorts Chanel’s to get all that juicy knowledge of u wanna just know about 1 particular thing. Keep up the hard work Dude, Winsuit and you have taught me so me much and reminded me it’s natural to question things instead of unhealthily just agreeing with the mass without facts! Love you guys!

[@nneeerrrd]

Thank you!

[@douglaschristou3778]

Very well done. Your sensitivity to genuine human interaction is impressive.

[@davidmachemer1015]

I'm probably at a temporary high in phone time right now because I've been binging the back catalogs of both you and Serpentza. But as an old dude, I have no problem leaving my phone in the other room for a few hours.

[@mjpfl8131]

Great points to pass along, thanks! My daily screen time is about 30 minutes. Crept up to an hour a few times and I cut it back. I wrote marketing articles for years and my main tip: AVOID SOCIAL MEDIA. No privacy and major time waster. Also seems to be a cause of depression for many because other people's fake on-screen lives look so much better than theirs. The internet anonymity also encourages hateful comments most people would never say face-to-face. IT'S TOXIC AND YOU REALLY CAN LIVE WITHOUT IT. Good luck!!! Oh, here's one more tip I imagine no one wants, but here it is. GET A FLIP PHONE. Yes, they still make them! Gives you a phone that's good for making calls and actually talking to people, but not good for much else. ( I have a good friend who just got a flip phone. Painful, but this works.)

[@D.von.N]

With phasing out 3g and 4g flip phones soon will be useless for communication on the go I'm afraid.

[@mjpfl8131]

Thanks for info! Not a techie and didn't know that. Oh well...@@D.von.N

[@KyanoAng3l0]

You mean "dumb phones"? There are smartphones that are also flip phones, and it's the first thing that pops up when you google flip phones for some reason, lol. And not all dumb phones are flip phones, like mine. I'd rather my kids and nephews/nieces use dumb phones first till their mid-teens, much like we did. The prob, tho, is that they'd likely feel that they're missing out for not having a smartphone or at least a PC/tablet. I recall needing to have my own Friendster and Y!M like my peers back in the day (good thing MySpace wasn't popular here in the PH). Socmed like FB these days do require users to be at least 16 to register _but_ it's easy to go around that.

[@johnedwardtaylor]

You make me feel so good that I have never got a cell phone. Getting one always seemed like a foolish commitment to be disturbed 24/7. It is an electronic leash that enslaves by nature. Now that all my family members have one, it feels like I am the only one in the world who has never had a cell phone.

[@ioanbotez7128]

It really depends what you use it for, and how. For me, it's a web browser I have with me to quickly check info when I'm out, a camera, maps/GPS, music player, etc. The only social media app on it is YT and that's only because I can't remove it. According to the phone I've I've used it for 3 hours last week. Most of it for music

[@ys1876]

@@ioanbotez7128you can’t delete KZbin?

[@ioanbotez7128]

@@ys1876 not without rooting/degoogling the phone. I could do that, but considering how I use it, I don't really have serious enough privacy concerns to bother with it

[@escapetherace1943]

@@ioanbotez7128 the thing is you do not need to check info while you are out. Check it beforehand. You don't need maps or a GPS if you just memorized highways and cities and remembered the routes. It's really easy to navigate the old way if you have a working brain. Want music? Use a sport clip with some mp3's on it. Seriously go get a flip phone and try living without the black mirror smartphone for a while

[@DanielSmedegaardBuus]

​@@ys1876Android phones are usually bundled with a bunch of apps that can't be deleted. He should be able to disable it in settings, though, which effectively does the same.

[@nicholasnarcowich9163]

I am a delivery driver, Most of the del. I make have no contact, but when I do, PPL are happy to see me, & some even give me a tip. One person gave me some seeds he was harvesting, & I still have lots to plant :-) Sacramento, CA...

[@AA-ge4uj]

I worked for various cellfone manufacturers, mostly in Taiwan, in a Design/Engineering capacity & hate the fkn things with a passion. I saw the Effect you're describing starting in the mid-1990's & software developers promoted that behaviour with the battle for the "Killer App', wankers, should've left Computing on Computers & Gaming on Game Consoles. The Cellfone should just be a communication device that you call or text with, that's it, with maybe a Calculator & a Calendar thrown in. When I leave the house, I never take it with me, I treasure my privacy. If it's that important, just leave me a text or voice message & I'll get back to you. I always remind people that just because it's called a Smartphone, it doesn't make you Smarter. Get a Life & Fear the EMP.

[@MsHojat]

You can get good privacy by using a deGoogled mobile. GrapheneOS, DivestOS, CalyxOS are all pretty good options. That said, I still don't find the need to use a mobile for much outside of calls and messaging or a map. Certainly bad for social media and [most] games.

[@MephiticMiasma]

Reminded of a favorite line from a game. An older woman, frustrated with her phone. "They told me I need a smart phone. I don't need a phone that's smart, I need one that does what I tell it to."

[@ys1876]

If social media didn’t exist would be a start. The cell phone itself can come in handy. I find that social media has made people loose their minds. All worried about likes and views and taking the best edited photo. It should be called non social media

[@Jim-wu2nf]

Thanks for your post. Great to hear from someone directly involved.

[@user-bm6xz6pq5z]

Speaking of EMPs, did you know gas stations cannot dispense gas without an internet connection? Even when I tried to pay with cash they said they couldn't process any transaction without internet.

[@MK_90X]

I've been anti-social media, anti-smartphone person for a long time. Only in recent years I had to give in and get a smartphone so that I could use Whatsapp with online friends around the world and family ofc. Texts were getting expensive and nobody likes using them anymore so it was a logical step. For my social anxiety problems I used to listen to music in grocery stores etc but at some point I made the decision to not block out the world anymore but to face it. It helped me cope with my issues. I thought listening to music and isolating myself would be helpful but in a way it made it worse... Nowadays I only use headphones if I have a long ass train journey ahead or something. Never on local buses, never out there in the nature, or in the stores. I also don't find a lot to do with the phone so mostly I'm the weirdo looking around while everyone else is on their screens. I'm glad you're talking about this! People should live in the present moment and see what happens around them.

[@Shillaroo]

Ayy anxiety bro's *fist bump*

[@mellowInventor]

I'd rather be a weirdo in the here and now than a ghost passing through the world. I've been reticent to make eye contact with others, but I often dread the awkwardness and lack of desire to connect with others. I should change that. I rarely have more than two hours on my phone a day but I also spend an inordinate amount of time on my desktop, I need to disconnect from the tech.

[@jordanparkour3084]

Oh my god 1 hour and 11 minutes is amazing! I have been trying to reduce my screen time since 2020. I realised this problem of spending to much phone during lockdown and how bad it’s gotten in society. I thought I was doing well from reducing my screen time from 8 hours a day to 5 hours recently but damn your screen time is almost unrealistically low for me 😮 I feel uncomfortable with my currant state of 5 hours on average. Thank you for sharing this.

[@MontanaBotFarmer]

My average weekly screen time is a horrifying 8 hours. Holy crap, man!

[@Patrick_Cooper]

My cell phone is the last thing I think about every day. I use it maybe to check the weather, or see if any of my children had texted me.

[@tinach7020]

That's awesome! However, the cellphone and/or the internet is the problem. In my opinion, it's not just the cellphone, it's the internet and social media. For instance, to post this comment tells me you are online at the very least. I'm not trying to come down on you, but like the video above, I wanted to make you aware. Stay blessed.

[@DanielSmedegaardBuus]

​@@tinach7020If there were a big red button with a sign that read, "Push to destroy the internet. 25% chance of death," I'd write my family and friends I love them, close my eyes, and take one for the team.

[@stevenwhoward87]

Screentime on my phone averages about 5-6 hrs a day. I definitely can see the impact from this and how addictive it often is. Thanks for the reminder to take this more seriously

[@steveswell1]

Go, C-Milk, GO! You've reached the next level of awareness and I pray you use this platform to enable, encourage and embrace the changes necessary for us to regain and re-connect with our humanity. Our very existence depends on it. Congrats!!!!

[@LeoLonnemyr]

This is a real problem, in my life and in society in general. I’m fine with spending time on the phone if it’s genuinely productive or entertaining but often it’s not - and that’s the problem.

[@MauseDays]

Why does everything need to be productive or make money. Im not trying to be an entrupuner. I just want to spend sometime with some cool people ive met online in vrchat. Or play some videogames. I work 8-14 hours a day depending on the season, I still cant get an apartment until my credit score improves, im never going to own a house. Why should i dedicate the time im not working to doing more work? I work, i make money, i contribute to society and pay my taxs. Who are you to tell me im wrong becouse i have hundreds of hours in a video game or something?

[@Big_Tex]

I’d say this started in Japan 10-15 years before in China. Never lived in Japan but I recall reading about people using cell phone Internet services there in the 1990s.

[@ivermectindealer]

I do live in Japan, and it’s not even close to as bad as China

[@DanielSmedegaardBuus]

Yeah, I haven't been to Japan since twelve years ago, and while they were a lot on their phones back then, it's not like in China. If something happens to you in Japan, everyone will rush to help you, and people are generally very aware of each other. I think 80 years of communism has essentially destroyed much of social coherence in China, or maybe it dates back even further.

[@horatiuromantic]

This is a nice issue to tackle. It's a huge problem in society everywhere. I think it's exacerbated by different cultures, for instance northern Europe is much less likely to have people talking with each other randomly even when going to a bar, compared to southern Europe where people are generally more talkative and friendly with strangers. I have already been taking steps to reduce my internet and doomscrolling addiction years ago. I started by reducing time spent on facebook, reddit, whatever website I noticed I was spending obsessive amounts of time without much benefit. I reduced it to a point where it wasn't an issue anymore, and stayed off for quite a long while, and as you said everything got better in every aspect of my life because I have been more present and more aware of my immediate surroundings, and you get much better relationships with people when you dedicate your attention to them. But at some point I went back and increased my online presence again, this time with a healthy awareness that it is addictive and a lot of times it is wasteful. But it is also at the same time a great opportunity to connect - I still meet my friends primarily by messaging them first, or seeing that there are events happening via social media and then going there physically. And I realized another thing since the language-AI boom: if you're not present online, the AI is not training on your voice. OpenAI training data is way more full of internet troll voices than voices like my own, because I'm rather passive and I haven't been putting out my thoughts online for people to read, from some kind of fear of being judged wrongly, misunderstood, not wanting to put in the effort or maybe not having something that important to say, meanwhile trolls troll away. So I am changing my mind on this online-issue, because I think I have something better to say than trolls, and I am still myself when I'm online. I want to healthily participate online, to actually connect with people, to contribute to the global conversation for a better tomorrow, etc. Seeing youtubers like yourself and many others have made me more comfortable with this idea. Commenting on stuff I like and leaving breadcrumbs about my existence all over the internet is maybe not such a terrible thing. Always keeping in mind its terribly addictive nature, and remembering to be present for the moments when it matters. Thanks for the video, and thanks for reading.

[@MauseDays]

The problem with youtubers like this, and the commenters. Is they set the bar of addiction so low, that things such as. You have more than 100 hours in any game on steam. You are an addict and need help. You use VR? You are an addict and need help. You do anything online for more than 40 minutes a day and don't spend the rest of the day, even after work. Working to make more money so you can work more and be a ceo/entrupunur. You are a addict and need help. The conversations around this are so extreme now that its become obnouxis. Covid lockdowns where the best for me. Because I could enjoy things like videogames, VRChat and Dnd without d bags telling me i am a failure at life. I thought that people would understand more after lockdowns where over. But now its even more hostile. And i have to hear "you still playing videogames, whats wrong with you losser"

[@AstraSystem]

I met one of my dearest friends many years ago because I sat next to him on the train and we were the only two people in the vicinity NOT on our phones. He was reading the paper and shared it with me so we could discuss the articles. He and his wife became like my second parents.

[@siobahnhurley85]

I was watching this happen looooong before now on my college campus. The thing that made it even more creepy was after watching an episode of Doctor Who about the Cybermen. People who were wearing ear buds were brainwashed and turned into Cybermen. I looked all the students in a lobby the next day…almost everyone had ear buds in, including myself. Really hit a note with me that day. My weekly average is 3h 53m.

[@adamweston4152]

I live in Wales UK 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 and the people here that walk around looking at their phone and not looking where they are going is ridiculous and I ride an electric mountain bike and I find myself shouting at people who are head down and wandering into my path, also my 80yr old father has become addicted to Facebook and is constantly on his phone and he has become so ignorant and rude if you disturb him whilst he is on his phone and it's sad to see it.

[@MauseDays]

Thats not everyone

[@adamweston4152]

@@MauseDays did i say that it's everyone..no I didn't.

[@tanyas8596]

This was a great message! I probably have about the same or less phone time as you, I actually lose my phone on "accident" so that I am out of reach. I worked in outside sales when phones first came out and I always looked at it as a leash to my boss. It's totally liberating to walk out of the door without your phone too haha. The only time I regretted it was when we went to Alaska and I forgot my phone at home hahah. Computer time, including gaming, now that's another animal entirely.

[@MauseDays]

Gameing does not equal addiction boomer. Using the computer does not equal addiction boomer. I work all day. I barely have me time. I dont need boomers telling me im an addict becouse i boot up video games or vr or have lots of play time on certen games. Nobody asked stay in your lane.

[@InternetRefugee]

@@MauseDays I haven't read this entire comment section. But unless you're getting serious quantities of abuse elsewhere that I haven't seen, I haven't seen anyone *here* calling you personally an addict. The comments seem mostly to be people discussing their own experience and observations rather than attacking anyone else. For all any of us know, you could currently be living your happiest and most successful mix of gameplaying, social interaction, and working. But you *do* seem too awfully defensive about your lifestyle to be someone who is living their best life. If you're wanting to make a change in how much you interact with videogames or VR, some of what these people are saying might help you out a bit. If you don't want to change any of that, I don't see anyone here insisting that you do so. Good luck!

[@ys1876]

@@InternetRefugeepay no attention, he’s commented on every other comment saying almost the same thing. If it bothers him so much then maybe deep inside he thinks he has a problem and doesn’t want to admit it. He should try pretending that video games don’t exist for a few days and go out and socialize, maybe meet someone who has their own place since he has complained about living at home. If he goes out once a week instead of playing games after work, he might notice a big difference and his life might change drastically..especially if he met someone. Kind of hard to meet a woman while playing games since players are predominantly boys/men

[@BrianWelch-kj9qs]

The Concrete Confessional blog guy has some insane stories about being an educational consultant for the children of China's elite politicians / businesspeople/ celebrities. The first part is called "I Was Simon Song." It's def worth checking out. He was in Shenzhen during the COVID lockdowns, the A4 protests, and the pro-democracy riots in Hong Kong, as well.

[@daveleephoto]

I went to a comedy concert a couple years ago that required everyone to put their phone in to a locked case. That way nobody could film the comedy act and publish it on the internet. So we’re all there outside in the concession area eating and waiting for the show to begin in an hour. And nobody was on their phone. Nobody was looking down. We’re all looking around making eye contact and saying Hi to each other and making small talk. It was wonderful. Really trippy. I think everyone should just take a day off from their phone. Leave it at home. Go out in to the world and experience it through your own eyes.

[@Gr4nto]

3 hours and 28 minutes. I didn't even think I used it that much. Insightful video Matt

[@stupedcraig]

Nice! My weekly screen time 5 hours. Feel like I hardly use it too.. I guess the little bit here and there adds up.

[@nebulaone908]

Bro mine is 8-12 hours. 😢 I'm cutting it down to "only" 3 hours a day. Good luck on your journey man! Hopefully we break habit soon.

[@madbruv]

How is that alot? I have 18h a day because my job is food delivery with the phone app

[@williamwelch7]

Thanks Matthew. I live in rural Central Texas and I rarely see that, maybe a little when I visit Austin. I hardly ever see anyone on their phone, and people are friendly and have no problem engaging in a conversation. Texas is indeed like a whole other country I guess, come visit sometime, we'd love to have you! Just checked screen time, today is rather high at 35 minutes, but average is about 15 minutes a day.

[@MrVanillaCaramel]

I was just listening to Plato's philosophy last night, and how he explains that pleasure as the onset to evil. It tricks us into liking things that are actually meaningless.

[@MauseDays]

ok so delete your youtube and stop commenting. Dont preach at people who did not ask

[@MrVanillaCaramel]

@@MauseDays eat more kale

[@granmabern5283]

@@MrVanillaCaramel😂kale is magic!

[@FeeNixBeech]

The internet is a tool. But like any useful tool, it gets overused. It becomes an addiction, and thus a drug.

[@ardwick8096]

I started feeling that way months ago myself. Go out to the bar and look around and so many people are staring down at their phones. I'm actively trying to ignore my phone more this year and want to get to the point of just leaving it the car when I go out. (Need the tunes on it in the car lol).

[@useall7665]

I felt that way years ago now im the same the internet must be taken down.

[@MauseDays]

Ironic becouse going to the bar is one of the few things on an ever shrinking list of accepted male activity's.

[@diastemarex9697]

exactly the same in Seoul. Spent two weeks there. Even went thought Hyundai and IFC malls numerous times. Near zero eye contact from anyone. All in their phones.

[@reswofford]

I just got back from walking my dog around the neighborhood. There was a guy with his dog standing in the middle of the park scrolling his phone ignoring the dog who was gazing at the man trying to interact. Two other women separately were walking talking into their phones / earbuds. You always have to try to figure out if they are talking to you or their earbuds. I get it that women tend to avoid street interaction for safety reasons but It’s so strange that people so rarely acknowledge each other in person.

[@strongman3355]

People have become such phone addicts that people literally don't pay attention to anything, and most badly, to people. Unfortunately, I can see it around me as well. Thank you for releasing this video, Laowhy. It is a global issue. Where I live we haven't got that close to this point that China got to. However, we are on your way to it.

[@josepablolunasanchez1283]

When I learned programming in the 1980s, I realized how the digital world eliminates the difficulties and uncertainties of dealing with real world and difficult people. It was like a peaceful sterilized world, a mental vacation. So escapism plays a big role. The more stress, and the less human connection, the higher the need for escapism. Many people believe technology disconnects us. I think it is the opposite. Human disconnection leads people to escape into technology. I am trying to slowly and gradually stay less and less in the Internet. I got board games and I try to get out and do things to talk to people. It does not matter if it is purely casual or transactional like in a supermarket. Sometimes I even forget my phone at home on purpose. I need not to be available 24/7. For millennia humans did not need digital. So we can survive. Tech allows us to escape from unbearable wounds. But sometimes we just need to learn to heal these wounds. Human disconnection seems to me like a collective set of walking unhealed human wounds. Empathy is when you treat others as if they just had passed through a personal tragedy. And very often that is the case.

[@angelachouinard4581]

I think it's a self-sustaining system. The more you don't interact the less you develop the skills that make interaction easier. I think this also feeds into the "Karen" phenomenon. People are so ignored and isolated that when they have an issue it builds up internally until they blow up and make idiots of themselves. Because we don't communicate and tech is creating these bubble worlds where it's all about "ME" when they try to interact it's all narcissistic.

[@josepablolunasanchez1283]

@@angelachouinard4581In 2009 the image of a person who spent too much time in Internet was usually portrayed as a fat middle age unshaved lonely man with lack of social skills and mental illness.

[@johnbaran577]

Insightful comment

[@WhiteWolfos]

Hmm it's a double edged sword. Tech makes life easier. It also brings down actual violence rates overall. Just use social/entertainment/internet in moderation, not in excess. Yes, it is difficult for ADHD but it is totally doable. The "Karens" have always existed. There are people who want drama or power trip (or overly sensitive) with or without the internet fussing in on their muse.

[@josepablolunasanchez1283]

@@WhiteWolfosEasier? Try to solve a marriage dispute using text and you will see how much it solves.

[@Dead_Again1313]

Man I cant believe I'm just finding your channel. Bless you for covering this and using your first hand experience. Seriously. Much respect.

[@dresadan1387]

I will admit, I am chronically on the computer at home. Either playing video games, watching videos, or learning stuff. Not just the internet. But nowadays, I try to at the least talk to the people around me, even though I have actual difficulty talking about stuff to people sometimes. And more importantly, paying attention to the wider world, more so than just being slouched over on a phone in public all the time. I know I can do better, but this video has made me realize that I at the least know when the put the computer or phone away rather than being unable to do so. Even if it is from a KZbin channel about China.

[@butrus9159]

I'm on 2h 29min, which I consider still reasonable as I spent on average 1.5h traveling by tram to work and back. So time in public transportation = screen time + headphones to intentionally filter out the noise around. I'm using the time to read news/replying to emails/listening to podcasts etc, so this 1.5h daily is a time well spent from my point of view, but the rest, yeah I could probably decrease it by like 0.5h but what else do you want to do on toilet nowadays, than browsing social media? 🙃 I rarely use headphones outside as I like to be aware of my surrounding and I'm lucky to have friends that will check their phones only if there is incoming call or text message when we are together. So I personally can not complain... But thanks for the video, it is important aspect of the modern society and great food for thought👌

[@corycarlson8712]

I went walking the morning and everyone said hello. Not a single person had their phone out. I had my phone in my pocket and would pull it out only when i needed to adjust the volume. I think this is a big city issue more than small towns. I did go to a bar in a bigger city and there was a couple there and they were looking at their phones the whole time... but tey were the only ones in the entire bar who were constanly on their phones.

[@thanos_x23]

Same here! I don't think I see many people on their phones (unless they're bored teenagers). The only place I do see people on their phones is the bus/train.

[@TheHamburgler123]

I've noticed the same thing in my small city that feels more like a big town. People, by and large, are still open and engage with each other. Not so much the case in bigger cities. I'm a big hiker and I've noticed more and more generally younger people hiking with headphones in. However, by and large, most people are still hiking with no headphones and taking in all the senses.

[@ccf2722]

Fortunately here in Indonesia outside the big cities at least, people still look at each other's eyes and do a simple greetings when they passed each other

[@EmIly-xz2yd]

Powerful stuff man. You linked a bunch of to symptoms together perfectly but you missed the lynch-pin which causes it all. For example the people laughing at the guy being run over: A friend of mine once told me that he had once laughed when he saw a girl dying of cancer on the news. He was only a teenager at the time, that was his wake-up moment. He said it was born from perpetual misery and learning not to trust anyone. He explained that you start to see everyone else in the world as your competitors and so you rejoice at all their misfortune. He decided, then, that he didn't want to be that guy. I also have a theory that phone addiction tends to be a symptom of low baseline dopamine as well as trying to keep yourself awake when you're tired (low dopamine also affects how well you sleep). I tend to use my phone most when I am too fatigued to leave the couch. Rather than it being a tech problem, it might be that China is a country of people overworked and under-provisioned and so are completely engulfed by misery and exhaustion. Hence the phone addiction. Just a thought.

[@EmIly-xz2yd]

Also there is a song called "Amused to death" by Roger Waters. He saw this coming in the early 90s.

[@Zundfolge]

Most of my life I've had better than 20/20 vision, but about 7-8 years ago I noticed my eyes had deteriorated from age enough that I need to use readers to read (my distance vision is still fine). This has turned out to be a tremendous blessing to me because this makes using a smartphone tremendously annoying and frustrating, so as such I've never found myself addicted to the phone. But since I've never been drawn to the smartphone, I've watched the world around me become less and less interactive (including my own wife) as indeed most people are hunched over staring at their little screens.

[@YautjaHunter3]

Checked my screen time, and its about 3hrs a day. Most used app is Wayz which I use during my commute. LOL Kinda proud of that. When the pandemic hit I made a conscious effort to NOT play games on my phone, and never went back. I only do a daily brain teaser that takes about 2-4mins. The funny thing is the days with the biggest spike in usage was me watching football on my phone because I had to be out and couldn't sit and watch at home.

[@Dziaji]

Sharing that story about you realizing you were ignoring your daughter was beautiful. Recognizing, admitting, and correcting behavioral problems is hard enough, but admitting them to the internet to help people is extremely commendable. Keep up the great work.

[@johnflynn6140]

I am so glad I live somewhere this is not happening very much at all, all my neighbors are friendly and chat with each other all the time, when I walk down the main street in the city I live in almost everyone looks you in the eyes and say hi and some stop to have a chat, all of what your talking about is just downright creepy. phone screen time 25min/unlocks 24/ notifications 105

[@Birdii1980]

I feel this in northern Europe with friends and family. Not to mention interactions with unknowns around me.. Yeah this is nuts! Stats: Total screentime 2h 25m. Video 58m, Social 44m and News/information 22m.

[@mawnkey]

I have a rule around me: when I'm hanging out with friends or on a date _all_ phones are face down or put away _unless_ whatever somebody is pulling up is to be shown to everyone. If it doesn't enhance the experience of being with others it's taking away from it and should be ignored.

[@chadparkhill4064]

Subscribed! It is beautiful that you shared your moment of epiphany! Hope more of us get there.

[@brumfieldone659]

My screen time today is about 2 hours. A lot of times, I have something that I'm listening to as I work on stuff, but I should definitely take the time to just listen to the sounds around me, even if there aren't many sounds at all.

[@MA-je1yv]

I have often had these same thoughts about technology. I am completely guilty of this phenomenon as well as my family. I remember my dad and stepmom there were visiting and we’re all sitting together but nobody’s talking to each other. I actually have a picture because I thought it was so interesting how the older generation has adopted technology. I look forward to hearing more about how you tackled this issue.

[@oskarlonnqvist7074]

Yeah, pretty much everyone needs to put the their phones aside so that you can properely interact with eachother! Some people put their phone in a box when they get home. Even when I leave my phone in another room or when it's charging I notice how dependent I am, takes a lot of effort to do other activities! One thing I'm trying to do is find good books to read! I used to read so much, that's what I did instead of scrolling the phone when on public transport!

[@dcallan812]

I live in the UK and have a decent view. I can look out my window and see a footpath next to a park overlooking the sea. The amount of times I watch people walking past like zombies is unreal. I watched a dad with two kids walking along looking at his phone until he walked into the fence and almost dropped one of his kids. 🤷‍♂ Or you can see people out in groups taking photos one by one so as to not spoil their insta photos. 🤣🤣 I dont have a smart phone. My phone has real push buttons and a non-touch screen. 👍

[@MauseDays]

Those people are addicts. They are not the majority of people who use these things. The problem comes when people start calling ordinary people addicts like these people because of playtime on steam or them using there phone at all. There is an us vs them mindset on this issue. Its so black and white now. Its either you do not partake in videogames and such or you are an addict and less of a man. there is no discussion. That is ironically just as much a problem as actual addiction. The perception that you are an addict for so much as useing any of these things. Black and white thinking with absolutely zero compromise, is just as brutal and nasty as actual addiction. You are not better than anyoneelse becouse you refuse to get a smart phone and adopt modren tech. Thats egotistcal black and white thinking.

[@superstealthypancake5901]

It feels lonely, I'm not very good at social interaction, and I've never been particularly gregarious, but thankfully digital interaction has always felt hollow and meaningless to me. I never got sucked into social media and in fact despise every interaction I've had on it (even when those interactions were somewhat positive) as they have always felt fake and empty, however I see that everyone around me (with some exceptions of family) are falling into this addiction and separating themselves from the world. It's not as if I think that it's all bad otherwise I would not be here but I can see the disconnect from the world, and how people begin to adopt the mentality of online spaces into the real world making everyone hate each-other and it worries me. I crave interaction with others but feels like every time I reach out all I get is this distracted disinterest, and I feel like I'm not good enough to break through the walls. It leaves me with this craving and desire and then it seems like the only place where I can actually get it is online through these abusive platforms, but in the end they only make me feel sick.

[@mrhamgolian9006]

My inlaws have come from china to look after my two boys for 1 year. They are phone addicts. They took my two boys to the pool when they came back the youngest was vommitting pool water. I took him to the hospital they remained on their phones.

[@Dawnarow]

I remember visiting China in 2008!!! A girl from there told me that if you dont own a phone, you're a nobody. I hated owning a phone in my Country (Canada)... imagining what she said terrified me as I knew of the coming darkness :/ All the crap we've started emerging from people worse in the communication skills to spreading falsehoods and weird ass beliefs... its becoming rampant, exponential and a totally poisoned well.

[@mariusdrinda1655]

Great video, people genuinely don't realize how bad dependency of technology affects their lives. I live in Romania and I hear stories from the older generation about how much more sociable kids were in their childhood compared to today. The same can be said with adults in general. That doesn't mean that people were better in themselves, and I believe that per total technology improved our lives. All we need to do is use our phones as a tool an not the other way around. How sad to become the slave of something that doesn't have a brain.

[@MauseDays]

You are on youtube. erase your account and stop preaching then

[@ys1876]

@@MauseDayswhy do you continue to leave connects arguing with peoples opinions on a video about being on our phones too much.. are you triggered or what’s your problem?

[@MauseDays]

sounds like your a cpp shill @@ys1876

[@daisukeakihito9832]

It was, as of me typing this, not even 24 hours ago when I quite literally had to vent about people becoming soulless, mindless automatons glued to their phones, ironically it was only to our discord and to people who actually care because we are all equally annoyed by this. Regardless, I'll be the first to admit, yes, it is incredibly exhausting to actually make small talk with strangers/break the ice. But even me, an introvert who after every social event needs 2 weeks off to recharge "social batteries." I've grown to actively despise this trend of tiktok/clip scrollers. The worst part is, I've friends I remember 10 years ago would jump on a single word in order to talk for hours, now reduced to silent ghosts on their phones during every... f*cking... opportunity. It's disheartening seeing this happen and it annoys and angers me at the same time.

[@vm4554]

I noticed a number of years ago that when people ride in a car with you, they are on the phone instead of engaging in a conversation or noticing the scenery as we were driving. This seemed so wrong.

[@lowwastehighmelanin]

Unfortunately this phenomenon has obliterated my social life in California. I'm from silicon valley, we've had a similar track to China with all this. I'm downgrading to an e-Ink phone this year with my bonus. I also am kinda backing off friends who won't hang out offline or answer for a conversation. My tolerance is in hell for weak social ties. I'm over it. My wife and I live on different continents. She's chronically online and yet I can't reach her. Hard to make a life and move countries when your partner is stimming via shitpost. I might drown her phone when I get there "accidentally". Omg no now you have to talk to me~ Dang.

[@marklawson5542]

😂🤣

[@glennjanot8128]

Proud of myself :D Average daily screentime from January 1st to January 7th: 11 minutes And most of that comes from reading stories during my break when I sit alone in the break room with nobody to talk with.

[@stefanfreimuth7864]

Very true - it's hard to realize as it happened over the years. I am in Taiwan and see so many young couples spending time with their phones together, rather than interacting. Told my wife, we can never become like that, but it definitely became more phone time since then and over the years for the both of us.

[@TrangPham-yh3lk]

I gave up on FB, Instagram and all social media platforms. I have to tell you it feels lonely most of the time, because your beloved ones are still addicted to their phones. I don't feel appreciated when i'm talking to them at all, it's hard tbh

[@newvelaric]

I had a moment like that too. But it was with my wife. I was playing an iPhone game. And I was trying to grind but I was going through a losing streak. My wife came down to my man cave and was telling me it was supper time. And I unfortunately snapped at her. I still remember the hurt look in her eyes before she turned away and went upstairs. Since then, I barely play any game. My phone is now for work.

[@Sussex_Seagull]

Forget screen time, when your phone is to hand a part of your brain is always tuned into it. Go to work without your mobile and count how many time you look for it. Ever had a watch break and then realised how often you look at your wrist during the day? Same thing - you are not in control of your mobile.....

[@bobjacobson858]

I'm one of the few people who doesn't use one of these smartphones--I barely know how to use a flip phone. Today I was at the eye clinic waiting for my appointment. While others were on their phones, I was reading an 'old-fashioned" paper book.

[@cinokrion]

Hello! I don’t know whether you’ve heard or not, there is now a problem with flayers in China. they torture cats filmed by the program Hello Street Cats! No one has been able to raise this issue for a very long time, we really hope for your help sorry for the mistakes, I'm not a native English speaker

[@jameshatton4211]

Thank you. This video upset me and made me cry 😢 I'm so so sorry for how traumatic those things you experienced in China were for you. That's literally sole destroying. I'm 41, and I'm literally trapped in a loop in my life that I cannot get out of? I live in my house by myself with my dog and have been in isolation since 2018 (I was caring for my father who had terminal cancer from 2016 till then) My house is half renovated and isn't habitable to share with house mates? I need more money to finish renovations, but in just the last few weeks in Australia (where I live) inflation has just sky rocketed prices of everything! Every job I work I'm making enough to just pay bills, pay for food and just enough fuel to get to work? Fuel just taking the biggest chunk out of everything! So before Christmas I lost my job. And for some reason I felt relieved? I'm just sick of existing only to feed the system and have nothing left at the end of the week to put towards fixing my house up? I just stopped doing anything on weekends I have no friends because they were all narcissists? I realised that people I had literally given hundreds of hours of my time and I thought were friends, were just fair weather friends at best, acquaintances or just plain users? I was stuck and needed help with things after my father past away and I kind of got sick n tired of always driving to see my mates (who I thought were mates?) And what I'd realised is that people had just moved on without me in my absence whilst caring for dad and I hadn't realised it? Even mates who turned up at the funeral a few months later were going out camping and sharing pics on social media? I thought oh they must just think I need space or something? But that continued. Even friends who never knew each other until they met me; I had introduced them.....all became 2 groups combined had all moved on without me. I did things like comment (not negative commentary either) about how awesome some of the pictures were (which they were very scenic) and I thought that might tickle someone's memory 'hey remember me I exist' without being so rude and obvious as that's not attractive in my mind? You get my point I hope. A mate who I'd helped repair and resheet the entire roof of his house, who I had helped retrieve his car that had broken down with getting a car and car trailer and loading it up, offloading the car at his brother's shed, returned the trailer got home at 3am. I could go on with the stories it doesn't really matter, my point is these are mates who I'd helped plenty of times and EVERYONE makes the assumption that they have "mates credit" it's like an unwritten law where scales are allowed to go out of balance but need to be restored in order to have continued friendship? Otherwise you are getting used? So I asked my mate could he balance the scales and help me with a similar issues of my car broken down? It was inconvenient at that time cause he had family commitments.. how many times should a single guy accept the family commitments excuse to dismiss the request for help? 3 times I decided at that moment and he was at strike 1. Forgive me for saying this but I decided that this is now my social experiment to determine who are my friends and who are people who I have misjudged the relationship and should be in the acquaintance column? Who are the people I've given too much to in the past that I feel are likely going to bork on their mates credits? So I targeted them first because that's going to hurt the most. Guess what happened? They all struck out. So I didn't even say anything I just blocked and deleted them. It takes sometime to sink in that those people are now dead to me? So upon reflecting back months and months later it almost hit me like a tonne of bricks because I had realised that none of them had even noticed? They still haven't. So I have no reason to stay in the city I live in, I hate it here now as it's filling up with people from other states and crime is going through the roof. I literally don't want to be where I am and I am at the point where I don't even want to make new friends that can make it more difficult for me to leave here? I decided that, but I've been caught in a loop I cannot seem to escape and I don't know what to do anymore? I just want to pack up my dog and leave but I'm now trapped because I of a house I can't rent out? It needs more money to be up to standard? I've had the storm damage and my roof collapsed in the garage. Shit is falling apart and too expensive to fix and I just want to take my dog and disappear somewhere? Escape to into the outback and help farmers fix fences and herd live stock for a bed and food. That would be the dream but I'm trapped in my nightmare and I want to go to the outback where phone disease doesn't exist? Where conditions are incompatible with being "online" where relationships are forced and valued to be face to face in order to coexist! Where people will value conversation. I want to escape everything that's in my life but not to die but to live! But I cannot get past the inflation hurdle. It's preventing me from moving forward so I just go on KZbin to distract me because I don't want friends here that are glued to their phone because it's all I see and chicks leverage the attention they get! I live in the narcissistic captial of my nation (Australia) known as the Gold Coast! I was born here and now I hate it so much I don't want to be here and now I'm trapped I dispise it! Anybody I talk to is only going to tell me how much they love it here compared to where they came from? And where they came from is incompatible with me but they have brought their culture with them and now the Gold Coast isn't the Gold Coast and the leverage and attention this place gets in the media means I'm living by myself in a 3 bedroom house during a housing crisis on the Gold Coast. It's like a nightmare for me as rates of everything (that I pay for a household regardless if it's just me or not) I take my garbage bin out every 4 weeks FFS! I live behind a recycling plant so cash my recycling and walk my dog! It's great but it's not. When you are just giving your money to everyone else it's not worth me living here but I can't escape without having spent a lot of money which I cannot get working where I am? I have a disease called narcolepsy which limits me by making me ineligible for mining and places that make decent money? I'm a qualified cartographer I've got an Environmental Science degree, I'm an IT expert, I have many years experience as a CNC operator, I can build fences and retaining walls and do stormwater drainage. I'm not stupid. I'm not helpless I'm capable but I'm just stuck? Nobody wants to work and not have anything left week after week and just sitting on the couch because if I drive anywhere I won't have enough fuel to get to work next week and not enough money to refuel before pay day. So I sit and do nothing This life is sux and I can't escape it? I'm trapped

[@jameshatton4211]

Oh the reasons you have problems is because you are single Also the problems you have make you unattractive Would you like share and mutualistic suffer life with someone else? Yes click share. Sorry no matches for singles in your geographic region. Please change your location or widen your search terms by removing specific search terms such as mutal. There are 35,063 matches with parasitic would you like to optimise your search terms to find more matches? Cancel

[@MikeJones_Official]

Yeah I was in the same situation, I ended up going to the doctor because it wasn't normal for me to be like that and it turns out I had really low testosterone! I started replacement therapy and within a month I was back to my old old self. Look into it?

[@granmabern5283]

@@MikeJones_Officialgood idea. I thought maybe depression after the slow loss of his father. But it sucks to get diagnosed with depression cuz it haunts you... testosterone probably works even better than antidepressants. Both help get you out of a rut.

[@granmabern5283]

Thankyou for sharing. If I was in your shoes, I would see about getting food from a soup kitchen or place that gives food away, as a temporary boost to your budget. You could even help at the soup kitchen and meet interesting people. I would look into an electric bike to ride to and from work, or else move closer to work. If I liked my job a lot... About the friends, it’s sad. 😢I think billions of people are becoming isolated because of fake lives on the internet. Volunteer work is one way to alleviate isolation, but then you get to take care of the needs of others and not necessarily get returns! Doing good deeds for God and country is best, you get the activity, the dopamine, the experience, and no disappointments cuz you don’t expect payback in this life. I’ll pray for ya.❤

[@garypokorny2023]

Like sheep without a Shepherd - humanity is humanity here, there and everywhere

[@Johnwillbegone]

Absolutely brilliant observation. Most people can't even see it.

[@jeanneganrude8549]

Glad I found you. Already have been subscribed to your Aussie friend and enjoy his coverage of all the problems in China. I used to go to Beijing and Shanghai for layovers and it breaks my heart that those days are long gone.

[@flicks28]

Ive lived in Asia for 30+ years including China and Southeast Asia. I would say mobile phone addiction is worse in the Philippines (one of the worse countries in the world for this) but China isnt far behind. Good video and very true on how phones are destroying humanity.

[@pogiako2463]

Really?😆 Which part are you in the ph? We still care about each other here bro even if you always see that we are often using our phones, we are still social enough and are able to communicate enough with each other personally face to face unlike what's I'm hearing happening in China. Don't compare us to that communist 💩hole. The point here is that China, became so dronelike glued to their smartphones to the point where they aren't making enough social interactions at all and don't care what's happening around them. I don't think we have that problem here.

[@flicks28]

@@pogiako2463 you missed the point. Survey after survey after survey has show the Philippines most addicted to their phone. Average daily use is over 11 hours a day. Many surveys show this. I managed a team of 500’Filipinos. The number one problem was constant phone use during work that led to poor performance. Filipinos are addicted. And I never said the Philippines was communist. However, every politician buys votes which you already know. :)

[@Karlfucious]

Agree that Filipinos are addicted to their phone. All though I wouldn't agree about them tuning out the world and not caring for each other like in China. Quite the opposite actually. Filipinos are probably even more likely to help out strangers than even here in the US (from my experience anyway). I will say that dating a Filipino woman has made my screen time go up exponentially lol.

[@Karlfucious]

@@pogiako2463 Agreed, As a westerner I have never felt so welcome anywhere like i did in the Philippines. I could see in a place like Manila where there are so many people where this could happen but in smaller cities complete strangers were extremely welcoming. Even in Cebu people seemed very trusting and not shut off from the world. Fillipinos do love their phones though.

[@KyanoAng3l0]

They are addicted (not me, hopefully never), but I don't think it's so bad that they shut out the outside world like those in China. Then again, we might be headed that way if smartphones and Internet use become more affordable and common.

[@michaell1665]

Great video... great points! And nefarious governments love the isolation of the individual citizens that our phone addiction brings.

[@raijuko]

Your 100% right. I used to have many friends, close friends. I had about 50 or so people i built decades long friendships with. Seeing how divisive ideologies can be now, i lost them all, except for 1. I have given up making friends, because now, nobody cares. They are more concerned with their social media "friends" than actual society. Its impossible to build friendships now, as America is just as bad as China at this point. Nobody helps people. Nobody conversates. Nobody acknowledges you holding a door, or anything. It sucks, knowing how the world used to be. How great it was.

[@mariusdrinda1655]

And to think our children will not even know what normalcy used to be like and will end up calling the current state of affairs as normal. Maybe we will realize the absurdity of this issue after we will be harmed by it enough. Hope we can stand up after we hit rock bottom and not remain flat to the floor :)))

[@00st307-m]

This is blatantly not true - unless you’re like a teenager - or just make bad choices with who you want to be friends with. I don’t even have social media 😂 I only have an account to watch youtube but I don’t post. Maybe YOU are the one being shallow about wanting a certain type of friend-aesthetic, and you’re projecting!

[@chopsticksandtrains]

I had literally never checked my screen time before this video. Thanks for the wake up call!

[@Colorado-Coyote]

Weekly screen time of 59 hours around 8 hours and 30 minuets a day.

[@Daikini0]

I started with rationalizing a couple of months ago. Less games, more productivity things, I learn language on the phone and do investment. Now I am at like 2h per day to sum it up, most of these are when I am working too. Sometimes the screentime is increasing due navigation, or youtube, I consider it acceptable. I also listen you and other podcasts, creators while I am working. I have an 8 years old daughter, and we developed some offline hobby, which includes her, she enjoys it a lot, and these are beautiful years, I would regret a lot if I would push her to less prio than phone.

[@MauseDays]

I work long hours and live at home because i cant get an appartment for a bit till my credit improves. Why should I work more after working all day? I don't owe anyone my time. Im fine interacting with people in vrchat for instance when I want to. Or playing videogames, or doing anything I feel like doing, I have done my work for the day. Why should I work more? You say you have a daughter. Yet under your own ideology. Not working all day then comeing home and working more is wrong. How would that be any diffrent from not being there for your kid? If you are working all day even after work?

[@robertyu6691]

It's an epidemic. In my local gym, I had to shout "excuse me!" or "thank you!" to a muscle man that can't fuck off from a gym equipment because he is off texting his buddies with this thing. I had to keep telling my friend to not text in the car or he'll get pulled over or the both of us killed. Right now, I'm making a point to even stay off my computer, but am getting nowhere with it.

[@laurennefrancis]

excellent video, as always. snaps!! i've been walking dogs as a job now for ~6 months. i purposefully make eye contact, smile, and say hello to anyone i cross paths with as my own little social experiment. i would say 2/5 people give me the time of day. i've noticed this is skewed by age- the older folks seem love it, the younger people (probably around the same age as i am) hate it and i can tell it makes them visibly uncomfortable. (note: i am 30) i also walk near a school at the school's dismissal time. it makes me incredibly depressed to see the kids file out of school, craned over their phones, on the way home to spend 6+ hours longer on a screen.

[@richardherrington1975]

Thanks for posting. You can see this on the street. I intentionally leave my phone at home some days.

[@dziku2222]

C-Milk has the biggest hairline on the internet.

[@TheColonelKlink]

"The medium is the message." - Marshall McLuhan. Truer and truer with each passing second. With A.I. embedding itself in this technology it may already be too late for a planet full of humans who are rapidly becoming obsolete.

[@Tracysbrokenwing]

Dude, I thought it was you guys that had mentioned this on china show. So yesterday I was at the hospital waiting on the doctor, scrolling through x. I looked up and realized there was someone standing next to me. I looked at the other people and they were all on their phones. I immediately thought of you guys. I put my phone down.❤

[@rockyroad7345]

My phone stays at home 99% of the time. When my eyeballs are glued to YT, at least no one can see me. 😁

[@aspenenglish4976]

I’m actually one of the last Americans to get a smart phone and text. I seriously cannot remember what year it was but it was at least 2014 or 2015. I used it sparingly. I didn’t want to lose my one touch with humanity. Everyone in my life still really cares about each other and I hope it stays that way. I didn’t even know how to use yt until 2019. I have no social media. Phones are our downfall.

[@musemellow]

That’s a hyperbole, of course anything that is consumed beyond normal always has the adverse effect. But smartphone has improved peoples quality of life greatly, at least it has for me. From doing banking, tracking steps, navigation, voice commands, video calling family that are overseas, list goes on. I’d say blame the people, not the tool.

[@ionutcristian9650]

This kind of behavior is no problem as long as you are alone. If you do it while your family is trying to interact with you, then you suck hard.

[@marocat4749]

True, at least some times should be, not that. Boardgames? Freaking boardgamesor eating , its, families?

[@GeoScorpion]

I wrote a whole bunch of things then deleted all of it. I'm going to say that this is probably the best video you have produced in the last 12 months... the part after the intro and the necessary ad. THIS is, "Oh! Matt Tye is BACK!"

[@leandudelifestyle1159]

I remember 15 years ago when I lived with my friends and every night we would talk, listen to music, watch a movie together. That's all gone now.