I Tried Living Without a Smartphone - The Results Were Terrifying

[@thedavidboland]

Hey, go here if you want to build a life of true freedom: www.thedavidboland.com/60-day-creator

[@lancelotdufrane]

@@thedavidboland cash and land lines. I’m fine. CDs… old soul resistant to this ….. desired manipulation. Hope you’re well . A appreciate your intention.

[@tomaccino]

Very cheesy video. I grew up in the 90s before all of this tech, but the first PC I got only enriched my life. Access to the internet only gave me access to endless knowledge which was previously limited by that one encyclopedia I had. And phones can connect me with true friends around the world! No more snail mail that takes two months to send... Oh and discovering forgotten 70s songs at the touch of a button on a warm balcony sipping tea is just priceless... A lot of you are using this tech wrong. You're not supposed to feel anxious and miserable using it!

[@racerx2580]

Ready to die. You?

[@tomaccino]

@@racerx2580 Bruh, seek help.

[@igorbeuk4068]

You are right but something started to change and that's what is the biggest Fear. NO Revolution but Evolution and you have chosen to react Pro Active . We are all in this together.

[@StarboyXL9]

"As we get closer to the end, the world is going to go faster and faster. You must not do likewise. In fact, if you wish to survive, the faster the world is going, the slower you must go." - Native American prophecy

[@skyblazeeterno]

Not to be a dick but the Native Americans didn't exactly stand up to the colonisers...not really a bunch of people I'd take advice from

[@piggynatorcool668]

​@@skyblazeeternothey probably wouldn't have lost if not for the sickness the colonisers brought. Like seriously, the deaths were estimated to be around 95% over the hundred odd years of so

[@piggynatorcool668]

​@@skyblazeeternolook it up, it's nih research

[@thefilmfrontier6822]

Where is this written?

[@StarboyXL9]

@@piggynatorcool668 Most analyses indicate that they would have lost, but the "victory" of the Europeans would have been so costly for the European powers that they might well have abandoned colonization efforts out of sheer necessity. Very interesting stuff tbh

[@gug1970]

The thing that most annoys me is that you pretty much cant now deal with any external entities without a phone. So many insist on sending text message codes in order to access services.

[@spiritsofearth]

limit the services. or just use for the texts and nothing else. have self control.

[@VoltageNostalgia]

​@@spiritsofearthget a flip phone

[@GeoFry3]

I'm with you. It's not even just a text or a call. Annoying but there is some justification for them. Its the next step they truly bugs me. They are trying to insist on yet another app being installed. Another account being created.

[@smason3541]

💯 2 factor authentication is the death of humanity!

[@noseboop4354]

@@GeoFry3 Get a folding phone and configure the folded screen to only have the bare essentials. No distractions while it's folded, and if you absolutely need a full featured phone you just unfold it.

[@ryangierman4421]

I lost my smartphone about 2 years ago for 1 week. I could not log into my work because the company decided we had to use our phones to identify ourselves. I couldn’t access my bank accounts because the bank required me to confirm my ID with my phone. I couldn’t access other very important accounts because they all required the same. I couldn’t even order food at some restaurants because their menu has to be looked up on your phone. I realized then that I had already been check mated. We have already lost control to the beast. Try to separate yourself as much as possible

[@breannathompson9094]

Its sad, you go out to a place and everyone else is into their own bubble even if you choose to leave your phone at home or keep tech to a minimum.

[@camedelic1365]

The QR code menu pisses me off. I understand not wanting to have menus that need to be cleaned and updated, so just print out some paper ones! Restaurants will order a whole box of coloring menus for kids, but can't use a printer for a physical copy of their menu.

[@Phabulous_1]

“The BEAST System,” is exactly right. Revelation 14:9-11 King James Version (KJV) “And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: and the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.”

[@pierrebrunet2284]

YES Man ! You see clearly the false virtual reality that we are lock in ! Go back into the wood and live simply , if possible , and with sensitive persones .

[@wiegraf9009]

Yeah I had a similar experience recently. It's not good

[@zummo61]

Getting ready to retire and plan to ditch the phone and limit internet. I have grown a personal library that I hope to spend years devouring without thoughts of what the world thinks about everything.

[@jdrei5080]

Love that!

[@Urbanforager]

When I get to retirement I plan the same

[@TheCastedone]

Man...I've never been so envious of someone twice my age

[@rjfiestast2627]

Congratulations! Sounds like a excellent plan

[@Mr.Caligos]

You can't retire without phone and internet. If you want to retire you need to invest. How will you invest in DeFi or stocks without your phone? 😊 Or have multiple incomes, career choices, etc.?

[@dachsrottweiler]

I miss the 90s😭 we were so...in the moment, looked each other in the eye, the whole face, had hourlong conversations. Didnt even know what time it was most of the day

[@earringsbyangela3164]

I agree, the 80's too. OMG I was just talking about this with a dear friend the other day. We laughed because we said we got away with so much and were so adventurous back then, the best part is that there's no proof, lol. Living in the moment was the thing to do.

[@postalizeMike]

I remember when I knew where I was driving all the time... Now I just follow the blue line... It's terrible for my brain

[@vivianriver6450]

Ah, the sweet smell of nostalgia. That reminds me that Yars Rising is about to drop soon.

[@SuperballsSupervidsOnYT]

Why don't you do this now?

[@RealityBubbles]

Anytime is reachable. It's you who left the scene.

[@lancelotdufrane]

I’m a dinosaur. Don’t carry a phone. Don’t miss it. I do use technology because I’m forced to. Still use my land line as much as possible. Birds. Rain. Grass. Conversation. None of these can be duplicated by a screen.

[@thedavidboland]

Awesome! Thanks for sharing ❤

[@brushstroke3733]

Me too, and I'm "only" 47.

[@Peter-cz8hx]

No landlines soon to be discontinued here in uk

[@JohnEmerick-ts7st]

That's ridiculous.

[@JohnEmerick-ts7st]

People are going to start renouncing the use of smart phones etc. for the sheer lack of privacy.

[@pantera29palms]

Fun fact: There was a time when nobody had cell phones. Most people had a landline…and pay phones were everywhere. Kids played outside and people talked to each other much more. That glorious time was called the 80’s and 90’s and that’s the era I grew up in not so long ago… 👍

[@brandonsampson-qr9cq]

its a damn shame the youth have been brainwashed to the extent they have and will never know that beautiful time period. it felt like the good times would continue on forever.... never would of dreamed this is where the world would be

[@5poopy]

"wE dRaNk fRoM A HoSe11!!1"

[@desereetouchet9294]

Everything is getting so expensive, maybe it’s an opportunity to revive some of the oldies but goodies free hang out sessions that were the norm back then. Game nights are a good start, fewer people cancel because they know what they will be doing, know they can talk about the game, there is often an exit time as well.

[@dreamleaf6784]

This is essentially why people turn republican as they age. Most people stop learning and growing their minds and just stay with their belief until they age into being "conservative" in their views. And then you have this person complaining about technology using technology... irony.

[@Natty183]

I'm mourning so much lately for the pre-panopticon. This is the hardest thing to radically accept... It's so boring and weird now.

[@steverempel8584]

I've noticed that since Covid, our society has started absoloutely requiring smartphones in some places.

[@ParteraQuisqueyana]

I tend to avoid those places if I can.

[@belle8i]

“No one could buy or sell without the mark.”

[@jadapinkett1656]

​@@belle8i Religious delusions.

[@connorg712sanderson]

Thats also when they quietly installed the 5G towers everywhere under everyone's noses and knowledge.

[@paulnam4488]

We go in a lot of camping trips and it is now normal to use a smartphone to reserve campsite on the fly. When you get there, there is no one to talk to. There may be a camp host, but they don't have anything to do with the reservation system, except for taking inventory of campers. The hosts are nice people. The reason i cite this example is to give evidence of how smartphones are ubiquitous. If you don't have access to mobile Internet you might literally not be able to camp in many US National Parks and forests. There is something sad about that. I'm writing this comment ony smartphone. I just returned from a week of backpacking. I found myself looking for a signal at a high pass. I got one. I sent a friend two photos. Seemed okay to do that. But I have to wonder.

[@ValerieEdwards37]

I considered returning to instagram this week after almost a year, and then I saw this video. I think I’ll continue my social media hiatus.

[@standingbear998]

mentally week people can't make these choices for themself.

[@murcoxc]

"I considered returning to Instagram but decided to watch KZbin."

[@volfied992]

​@@murcoxc youtube is significantly better than instagram or tik tok

[@tomaccino]

​@@dreamleaf6784It's more like cable TV but on-demand. It's definitely not "social media".

[@johnt5897]

I deleted my instagram a few years ago and I have no inclination of getting another one

[@KRAZEEIZATION]

KZbin is the only thing I use now because I can choose my topics and entertainment. Closed Facebook years ago. Closed Instagram last year. I use the phone for banking, buying used books and music. That’s it really.

[@captainhakob814]

That's the trap. I only use (insert best media here)

[@belle8i]

You can do that without your phone, ya know.

[@sertaoexpedicoes]

Same here

[@seankingwell3692]

the point is that we are the ones directing our behavior for reasons. Mindless anything makes things meaningless no matter what it is. Cell phones are great camera's allowing us to show pictures with family. That is pretty much what my cell is for. Don't ask me to show you how to use the internet on it

[@seankingwell3692]

I like using a computer, so when I am not at the PC my attention is fully where I am at. Plus I have house plants taking over most of my office and a big window to the back yard full of trees and sunlight shining right in from the right side of the room right next to the desk.

[@macsarcule]

When we only had landline phones, we also felt these insecurities. “Why is no one calling me? Doesn’t anyone want to do anything with me.” The smartphone isn’t the problem. The problem is social media and how we’ve been trained to desire positive feedback from strangers. Desiring feedback is the biggest change. We’ve been trained to do care much too deeply what strangers think.

[@QuackersMcCrackers]

I agree completely. You deserve a like :)

[@stephenmorton8017]

Zuckerberg created Facebook as a glorified college yearbook application where he could rate college girls with his salacious buddies. That's all you really need to know about Facebook. It's just an extension of your high school yearbook.

[@francestaylor9156]

This is why I don’t understand social media. Who cares what strangers think? It’s bizarre. I like KZbin because I enjoy reading how other people think about things because it can be different from my thoughts. I turned off notifications for KZbin and have no idea when my comments get responses. It’s just out there in the aether that is the internet. I had to for my own sanity. It’s much simpler to use KZbin as a way to express thoughts almost like a journal using the comments section. But a journal you don’t go back to. I liken it to long form public bathroom scribble but a bit more interesting and engaging.

[@anchoredsoul09]

The search bar is also very distracting

[@rosiep3209]

Desire feedback from ourselves not external people. The only person whos approval and feedback matters is your own and your inner childs.

[@janviergalle]

I think some day there'll be a movement calling on to discard social media and it'll be cheered and supported by the youth.

[@hibatica]

it's already happening slowly

[@w8what575]

It won’t be voluntary but ur correct…the internet is not freedom of information but rather controlling the information we have access to…before long, the channels that provide real history won’t be allowed…it will all be the same bs we have with tv media….lies and rhetoric and then they will take it away after everything has been updated to need the internet to operate. I went to put fuel in my car one day the internet was down. They couldn’t even sell me fuel for my car! The pumps are all controlled via the internet! Let that sink in! Our power grid is also like this! They take the internet away and we won’t even be able to power our homes!

[@Planet-Anime]

It's happening now

[@jadapinkett1656]

No.

[@hllyenaylleth9576]

What's crazy, is they wouldn't know, what they don't know

[@julielevesque2668]

Flip phone user...49 years old no internet when I leave the house and I'm still alive and well.

[@AlexQuinn-f2r]

I'll tell you what I told my grandfather when he mentioned he didn't use the internet after the 90s when call-in tech support services were directly used- you seriously dodged a bullet Way too much has happened for me to even process over the last 10 years

[@JamesStein-w1b]

Me too.

[@EingefrorenesEisen]

I'm in a weird spot. I grew up in the 90s and early 2000s. I had a bit of internet, but I was a nerdy kid and knew my way around a computer. But I definitely hate social media and how common it is for people to be online. People who are different, nerd, awkward. They belong online. The preppy girl who had 30 friends has no reason other than to be entertained. The majority of the internet now is "entertainment" and not socialization or learning. I use less websites with algorithms, less websites with infinite scrolling. I limit that to just KZbin maybe a few hours on a slow day with no art inspiration, maybe 30 minutes on a productive day when I'm walking my dog. I look for information, art tutorials, independent news. We all need some downtime, too, but man. Socializing on your 30s is already hard enough. But everyone is so set in their ways, having their circles, and not trying to engage. Granted, we're all tired. As Americans, at least, we've been commodified and dehumanized by mega corporations running our country. So we cope, we escape. But we've got to admit we need to actually interact, too.

[@jeffreyelliott622]

That's me went back to the old flipper flopper phone for I can use my laptop at home for those internet conveniences which isn't much for the world has for the most part gone apey over them smartass phones not me if I want to act like a zombie I just watch it on my favorite show the Walking Dead !!!

[@randomnesspersonified]

A creaky high five to you, from someone in the same boat!

[@elfi_sternenstaub]

We don’t possess smartphones, they possess us and btw I believe they and all the social media are created to do exactly that. We have a huge responsibility in our hands, especially for our children. Who do we want to be for them? A free, happy, simple yet complex human being rooted in nature? Or a compulsive, possessed, de-rooted half-robot? (I prefer to be the first one even though it sometimes seems to be very hard😅❤)

[@tomaccino]

Omg, that's the take away you get from this video with cheesy music?? If a phone controls you so much, you're using it improperly. Yesterday I listened to 70s chill rock and had the most wonderful time drinking tea on the balcony! Technology improves my life!

[@jadapinkett1656]

Said while you scroll youtube.

[@agapitoliria]

TV was the same, zapping was no different from tiktok, nor were cartoons for children designed to be ads for toys (these exist on youtube too). What I feel we really lost is... Time. Time to be with children and play with them, time we have to spend working our lives away. How can anybody be at fault when all the energy they have at the end of the day is to sit and hook themselves and their children to tablets/TV?

[@elfi_sternenstaub]

If you watch live concerts from the 70s, 80s, 90s, nobody’s holding up a stupid hellphone. Everyone’s dancing, laughing, smiling, living in the NOW ❤ that’s what it’s all about.

[@kirstenlong7821]

Everyone held their lighters in the air, LOL

[@5poopy]

Yeah, because they didn't exist...

[@lancelotdufrane]

@@elfi_sternenstaub have you also noticed… tempo has been altered. Sped up. Changes the emotional capacity to the songs. I hate it. Music person for 40 yrs. Screen music is altered. Living NOW is buying the “illusion “.

[@valerierogers9609]

Sad younger generation nowadays that have no concept of such days, and actually think the life lived today is normalcy.

[@sharpcanines3347]

Cameras were not allowed at concerts

[@howaboutno2023]

Totally agree! I was on youtube way too long yesterday and started feeling discontent. Went for a walk and came back home, colored and studied French. Felt much better❤🙏🏾

[@thedavidboland]

Love that!

[@howaboutno2023]

@@thedavidboland ❤️

[@Junkyard_Dog]

I turned off my notifications a few days ago. Just doing that helped.

[@dlthompsonii]

@@Junkyard_Dog Agreed! My phone rings/dings if I'm getting a call or a text from family or friends. Everyone/thing else can wait.

[@tomaccino]

Me too, I used it way too long... But I learned something new! I'm learning about astrophysics, law and social issues, even how to cook delicious Indian curries... But if phones ruin your daily life and make you feeling despaired, then you're not using it properly! You definitely don't need to bother with all the Mr Beast drama and all that. Pick up a hobby and let the internet enrich you! I'm learning crocheting with one phone and listening to 70s music on another phone! All this whining of "phones ruin me" mostly reflect your own miserable personality and that means you can feel that way even with other non-tech hobbies, like cycling or painting.

[@moonwvlf6919]

Us old people have been yelling for years that life was better before invasive technology ... I'm not even against technology but around 2008 it started to overtake reality

[@carlgauss1702]

I am young and have been yelling this for years

[@thisissupposed]

I’m 18 and I’ve been saying the same. This time is different, it’s not like televisions and computers we tethered and left at home. As soon as we could take the internet with us, the world began to die.

[@LightBeingsBE]

Old ppl? You mean when flip phones first came out? 😂

[@BjornAndreasBull-Hansen]

Thank you for sharing your experience. I am on my fourth year without a smart phone now and I am never going back. I also limit my interaction with email and online activity to one hour five days a week. It is amazing for creativity and inner peace. Again, thank you for sharing your perspective.

[@thedavidboland]

@@BjornAndreasBull-Hansen thanks Bjorn, and thanks for all the insights you share too!

[@AG-hx6qn]

So happy for you. I still remember saying how I was afraid what would happen if I got once, myself...have been addicted since. But I can feel that I'm about to change that very soon. :) thanks for the encouragment.

[@marcusleja7133]

It's impossible for me to make this change in my work and career. I literally can't leave the smartphone behind during the day, because of the authentication apps.

[@SecretSquirrel99-007]

Hi Bjorn, I sometimes watch your channel, enjoy your perspective on life, greetings from New Zealand.

[@Serjo777]

This video immediately made me think of you. Funny how I found you in the comments too ^^

[@tradehut2782]

My grandfather never used a smartphone. He was still the grumpiest man Ive ever seen.

[@thedavidboland]

haha, so refreshing to hear this as many people from the previous generation are saying "back in my day we had no phones you guys are crazy now" in the comments section! thanks for sharing

[@movingmountains4784]

Probably a freemason? Or needed weed lol

[@barsthehippie]

“Here we are on the internet after all” while being outside somewhere is very terrifying.

[@levimcdaniel]

i quit booze 3.5 years ago. deleted all social media other than youtube a year ago, I switched from smart phone back to flip phone 2.5 months ago. The only things I own are what I need at this point to survive, cut all bills out or lowered the needed ones....my life has changed for the better. I'm reading more, and I am finding it is easier to live in the moment...I realized I have everything in front of me to be happy. I don't need anything more

[@chappy3669]

@togglebutton3312 he probably still has a computer, super useful for printing things or doing other work

[@wendywyll5032]

‘The internet really highlights to us the things that aren’t in our control, that never have been in our control’. This is so profoundly true and why our collective anxiety has increased since the internet.

[@doloresparlato]

No smart phone (landline at home), no TV, yes I have a laptop at home; no social media...people wonder how I live. I tell them this is a choice and there's intentionality to living like this. I walked the El Camino de Santiago (ancient pilgrimage route) across Spain 10 years ago with no technology. Friends of mine offered to buy me a phone, "what if you die"; well, then I die, I will one day and no presence of a cell phone is going to stop THAT. I trusted that the set of dog tags around my neck would get my corpse home. It's the anxiety of OTHERS that is the hardest thing to deal with. I pick up on a condescension in people who learn of my no cell life. My spirituality is deeper than ever, and hardly anyone is curious about THAT....they're more interested in the newest app.

[@exmas3284]

Last step is to quit youtube (also social media)

[@helenhawkins2107]

You're writing to strangers on you tube comments. Welcome to social media.

[@doloresparlato]

@@exmas3284 You are so right about that! That's so funny, I never considered making comments on youtube social media, but duh 'social media'. You can tell I don't get out much!

[@doloresparlato]

@@helenhawkins2107 That's funny and you're right; for some reason I did not think that making comments on youtube was social media! So I'm not as off the grid as I thought! Ugh!

[@vin_2620]

It is sad how people judge so quickly. Most don't bother to be curious and just ask 'Why?'.

[@MrZoomah]

I went 3 months with a dumb phone. My son missed 2 friends birthdays, I couldnt pay for his basketball fees, couldn't order him lunch,or communicate with his football team. All those were through apps. I can stomach the impact on my life, but the impact on my kid was too big. Had to go back to the smart phone. Was so angry how manipulated we are.

[@bulbigood6558]

We need dumbphones with messengers, not only calls

[@dcarbs2979]

I think it's only because you're not used to smartphone-free life. Meet the football team in person, take a packed lunch, arrange to pay in cash in person or by cheque. Easy really.

[@FD_and_B]

​@dcarbs2979 orgs that require you to interface with them through apps, especially small orgs like youth sports, very often have no alternative. You could try to hand someone cash or call them but they'll shrug and say "you gotta do that in the app"

[@MichelleLovesJesus4ever]

I have the same issue with my flip phone. I'm honestly so done with all of this crap. I don't even care if we miss out on things at this point. Seems like everyone is blind. My mission is to teach in the public schools. If that were not the case, I'd be off-grid somewhere.

[@channelofeverything893]

I have been out of social media for almost 3 years, and I can tell you, with even my parents, everyone i had contact with is comfortable numb, like robots. It's no surprise why everyone says time is flying, like, yeah, bro, leave that phone, go outside, discover life. My last hope is to continue being "offline" because I believe there are people like me, not so much, but at least someone from my generation, early 99'.

[@breannathompson9094]

Im mid 99 as well, i havent found anybody my own age like me but luckily there are some folks that are a little older that i found to be more like us. A lot of kids in our generation were on the cusp but some of the kids with techy or more open parents got them internet and devices and some didnt. Just got to find the ones who didnt.

[@channelofeverything893]

@breannathompson9094 I feel that buddy, same with me. With people minimum 5 years older, it was and still is double easier. Why? Idk.

[@-Pirateking1]

95’ baby here! I stand with yall!

[@teapeaster]

I've never owned a smartphone. The only thing that's smart is not owning one. The first person that I know to own one came round to my house and just stared at it and that put me right off. I have a phone, yes. I have a computer, yes. But I don't want my entire life ruled by a piece of technology.

[@jimmyschmidt14]

People are starved for attention these days. Also don't know how to have a face to face convo.

[@alexpervanoglu7420]

Most of my life there were no computers, no mobile phones, no internet, TV had one channel, then two, we got a landline in the 80s. No microwave ovens, no games consols. The list goes on. They were far far far better times. People knew their friends, neighbours, families etc. They had to make an effort. If you said you were going to be somewhere, you couldn't and didn't cancel last minute. Food was cooked from scratch, using ingredients and not just a packet thrown in a box for two minutes to heat up. We as children rode bikes miles and miles, we built dens, we went camping, we hunted and fished, we painted, did woodwork, played games. Familes would get together for picnics and walks. I won't go on but humanity, loyalty, love, faith, commitment, debate, freedom, and all sorts of other beneficial things have been totally destroyed by this technology. It is sad to behold.

[@nedcramdon1306]

We were taken by cruel entities. We are just lowly, weak sheep. It's slowly sinking in and hurts tremendously. I just can't recognize this existence. A feeling of extreme loss. Only when I dwell on it.

[@janedough6575]

All deliberately done. Destroy society and “build back better “ 🤢🤨

[@annsalty5615]

I can relate. A person made a date to meet me somewhere, her idea, and cancelled last minute on cell after I was already there like it was OK, and of course I was wrong for not being understanding. We had them over for a holiday dinner she laid her cell phone on our dining table while we ate as if that was more important. These devices are ruining just common decency. But it does point out the shallow people. Not wasting any more effort on that friendship!

[@pololikikuju]

what most really can't see is WHO is really DOING this and WHO is "they"... And that's the reason why all of this is happening to us. Do you know who "they" are? Starts with a j - vvs​@@nedcramdon1306

[@popejaimie]

Technology didn't do that, capitalism did

[@Davidbirdman101]

I'm 68 years old and I got my first "smart phone" in 2017. I didn't have any idea how to use it. After about a month I started to figure it out but I quickly realized that it could become an addiction. I saw people walking around staring into the phone like it had some kind of mesmerizing effect. I use it very sparingly and I hate to think about how the younger generation is going to cope when we don't have any internet anymore. We're so close to annihilation from a nuclear war.

[@nedcramdon1306]

I see lots of old fogies glued to their phones and ipad's or whatever, all the time. I've never even used one. Computer's more than enough. (Way too much lately)

[@zukodude487987]

You assume its a problem.

[@milo_thatch_incarnate]

@@nedcramdon1306 - Wow, what an attitude. "Old fogies"? Shame on you. Watch your words.

[@consciousobserver629]

I honestly don't forsee the use of nukes again, but our grid is very temperamental and poorly maintained, so we could be in deep trouble if/when it breaks down. No internet wouldn't be as big of an issue as no food or water. Very troubling to contemplate.

[@TylerDurden-td2yg]

A few years ago it wasn´t a problem for most 50+ folks. Nowadays they´re pretty much exactly as addicted as the youth. My parents are constantly on the phone and i hear it from many many other friends too.

[@Wildflower1999]

I did 5 months of off-griding in the woods and barely used my phone maybe once a week. It was the most peaceful and happy time in my life.

[@AoibheannDoyle-SoulTherapist]

Thank you David. You & I are of the same ilk. I made a video about how my smart phone ruined my life. I would return to a world without screens in a heartbeat. I find we are all becoming more isolated. I am in Dublin & I feel the city has become disconnected, strange. It used to be vibrant & social! Bright blessings & I appreciate your work 💫

[@kronicali24]

communication has allowed us to connect to ppl much further away at the cost of distancing us from the ppl nearby/

[@BloopyChips]

The problem with doing this in a town or city is that they aren't built that way anymore. No payphones, no maps, everything requires an app to sign in. People don't live without a phone because they can't anymore.

[@FranchiseCityOnline]

I have never owned a phone and get along with no issues.

[@MichelleLovesJesus4ever]

@@FranchiseCityOnline How do you deal with the banking authentification codes?

[@FranchiseCityOnline]

@@MichelleLovesJesus4ever My bank allows for either phone call or text validation. In situations where texting is mandatory I have to resort to online SMS services. Sometimes my Skype desktop number works but not often.

[@LaurieWalker207]

Good talk. There are a lot of dissenters now... Just last evening I turned my phone OFF, which I never do. My mind felt like an addict's must be. I also felt weirdly guilty about what I might miss. It kept me from sleeping at first. I have the same sentiments as others have posted here. If we are not conscious of how we use technology, then we are being used, and all the problems that come along with it are only going to get worse.

[@CognitiveDissident.]

My Dad lived without a cell phone for 76 years (1947 - 2023), and he hated the idea of having one. He got along fine without it.

[@elfi_sternenstaub]

I stopped instagram a few months ago. Other ‚social’ media is not existent in my life. Only thing left is KZbin. And the smartphone. And still, that’s too much. It fckn drains energy out of my body. I can’t wait for the day in near future when we will all throw them away ❤

[@TiPitSgtBuddy]

I love how etherial this video is. The sense of being in the woods with you and feeling the wind on my face is great. Even how you shot this from so far away with the clear audio gives a sense that we are so small vs nature

[@DavidHagrid1]

I think you nailed it when you said ‘go create’. Only ‘real’ people can create.

[@ericappreviews3989]

How did you sit there and record in 1 take without having any ummm or errrrrs?! I strive for that much clarity and freeness from my mind to my mouth. Awesome video bud

[@thedavidboland]

To be honest there are several cuts in here, someone even walked into the shot whilst I was filming but that being said, speaking slowly helps me to be more articulate. Um and eh can be replaced with space or breath - that’s all I’ve done here. Thanks for your lovely comment ❤

[@iloveitall]

56, never had a smart phone. Love my C3520. I'm fine.

[@Plethorality]

miss my little nokia.

[@B0redZer0]

Im 23 and a bit of a shut-in, so im usually online very consistently, playing games, talking with friends i met online etc. but, what i dont use is normal social media. (facebook, twitter, etc.) I dont really keep up with whats happening, living in my own little bubble. I like it this way. I understand the people wanting to completely cut out technology, but in my case, its what i grew up with. I hardly know anybody in my local area outside of family, so im afraid of being truly alone if i ever decided to not make use of technology to talk to the few people ive met online. For me talking to friends is enough.

[@Dark69Sun]

Might be (and except for the online friends I'm perhaps not even so much different because of my chronic ME/CFS health issues). But what are you going to do in a longlasting blackout? You'll be completely alone...

[@tharealestinhurr]

We're all alone, together

[@AlfonsoCasta-e3s]

You know nothing about life,about moral values

[@crusty2064]

What scares me the most is gen alpha technology is getting so advanced it’s basically a drug

[@deltapi8859]

"the messages I though were there and weren't there" I know EXACTLY what you talk about. I sporadically do phases of no "smartphone". Just to be focused on the immediate world and when I come back I'm always shocked how people do not even try to engage in meaningful contact anymore. We all have become tools of entertainment or ego to each other. But the real meaningful and authentic is gone. We become super skilled in getting rid of the person, but engage in what we thinks brings more entertainment or social currency.

[@johnfisher9969]

The phone/technology isn't the problem, it's just a tool. The problem is you, as are all your problems. After all if you're not the problem there is no solution.

[@Matok1]

Exactly. I have a smartphone because I have need of its functions. It serves as an alarm clock, an authenticator for my work and important personal accounts, a camera because I like taking pictures of things, and my only phone because a landline was more expensive than just having the cell number. It is not my portable entertainment device, there are no games installed on it, I do not watch any streaming/video stuff on it. There are no social media apps on it and never will be. It only has 1 gig of data per month, so when I take it with me, its only purpose is for someone to be able to call me while I'm out and about, and maybe to look something up on a map if I need to find a place. Only my close friends and family have access to my number and we don't text each other unless it is important. If we need to talk, we call or actually visit each other to talk face to face. The phone can own you, or, you can own the phone. It's all in how you choose to use it. If a person can't help but be checking their social media crap or answering some random text on their phone every 5 minutes then maybe it is best they not have one, but they aren't 'bad' to have, just bad for some people who don't have self control.

[@IliketohikeAT]

I feel the technology and the phone is a causing a major epidemic for American children that nobody is concerned about. They communicate with a digital filter and now have very little human interaction. this is accelerating an epidemic of mental health.

[@johnfisher9969]

@@IliketohikeAT how exactly is that the phone's fault? Do phones/tech require that children have access to them, or do parents have to concent? Looks like a parenting problem to me.

[@IliketohikeAT]

@@johnfisher9969 I guess you can blame a lot of things. I’m just stating a fact.

[@michalurbanful]

​@@IliketohikeAT Agreed. Not only American kids, but kids in every developed country. It's easier to ask over the net then getting worried about being rejected in the real world. 😕

[@thewards06]

I have to have a “smart” phone for my work, but if it wasn’t required, I damn sure wouldn’t have it. It’s called a smart phone, but all it does is make you stupid, lazy, and disconnected from reality.

[@eamfos]

Half my life there was no internet and mobile phones... I have never owned a smart phone ...i got those "old" "with buttons". All i see around me is people looking at their phones , noone gives a look around. i m grateful i have no smartphone...no facebook..no tik tok.

[@spectrumofreality]

I lived without a cellular surveillance device for the past four years and it has been great!

[@joshuaduca5527]

sometimes youtube is more commucative and educational it will give you knowledge and information you want to hear from others and it motivates you to keep going in life

[@liquidelectrum]

Born in 72, I remember the 80s, and miss that way terribly. It was more fun in real life…

[@poshko41]

I remember I felt like a dork playing my Game Boy while waiting in line at the amusement park back in the early 90s. It wasn't common to see. Now everyone has their faces buried in a screen while doing ANYTHING that was once reserved for silence, introspection, or actual conversation.

[@maximegervais2213]

I use to take bus everyday and I see almost everybody look at their smartphones, it looks like an addiction

[@brownacid]

Millennial here. Voluntarily admitted myself to an inpatient drug/alcohol rehab facility a year ago(Oct 2023). One of the most sobering aspects of it was feeling how nervous and uncomfortable I felt when they confiscated my cellphone. Didn't even realize how addicted I was to it. In my adolescent life, we played and explored outside with neighbors and friends as long as we could. Life felt much more vibrant and I fear it's never coming back.

[@epacig]

“We” are not dumb, but the inventors and creators of modern tech know exactly what they doing / how addictive it is.

[@RolandKoller90]

They are addicted to it as well. They aren’t some higher form of human beings. We’re all the same. We’re all addicted.

[@silviafox78]

It's not hard to live without a smartphone... I am 34 and have never had a smart phone in all these years!

[@alejandro_vallejo_calvo]

It can be hard if you’ve become unconsciously addicted to it after years of technology use and abuse, to the point where you have integrated it into your present lifestyle.

[@michaelkeeton2979]

I'm afraid to be so blunt but the smart phone is not the problem. People just love lies because they chose their father.

[@Thegodholms]

That’s why I go backpacking at least 3 times a year. Just got back from a solo hike deep near Canada this week. Peaceful af.

[@boredom9804]

I love this, no frills, no fancy editing, feels like you just sat down in the woods and struck up a conversation

[@tofemaster]

Know that your experience is subjective. I just did an 8-day hike over 78 miles with no phone and it wasn't as profound as your experience because I do it all the time. YOU are in control of these experiences.

[@dantheradioman]

Yes! Exactly. Now I long for the disconnects if I can't hike. I haven't even gone on more than a 6-day backpacking trip...yet. Pretty hard to stay off grid when you work in IT. I still use the phone for camera & downloaded maps & the Garmin.

[@bulbigood6558]

@@dantheradiomanyou can use offline maps on your watch and take photos with a camera. No smartphone needed

[@gorterprubbs]

I often wonder how it might have felt before phones and computers and rapid transportation to write letters to loved ones who lived far away or to travel by sea for months on end... The goodbyes felt more finite, I imagine, and if you received a letter back I bet it was a wonderfully intense blend of relief and excitement. I like to think we can still organize our worlds for slowness, maybe not entirely, but we can practice meditation and mindfulness, we can choose to use flip phones, we can limit the screens we have access to. We can cultivate slowness and presence in our daily lives and appreciate the technologies we use for the tools they provide. The key is establishing boundaries and limiting the types of technology we actively engage with.

[@Innercreationslife]

So, the title says; the results were terrifying.... I didn't hear any of that in this video.... It is misleading as the video was about being away from smartphone... So was that so terrifying..?

[@TopHIgnite]

I think the point was that in modern western civilization, the vast majority rely in smartphones and maintaining an online presence and measure their sense of self based on what the internet says about them so this revelation could be construed as "terrifying" because it challenges and undermines everything people understand as "reality"

[@flamindigo]

I remember in the early 1980's; long before there was an internet. We used libraries to find out about things. We met people face to face and figured things out together. The "be-on you phone" culture is making everybody "more intelligent" every day. But, they are really getting to be more and more BRAIN-DEAD.

[@jimmyschmidt14]

More angry from knowledge and less social skills is decline.

[@jadapinkett1656]

You're an irrelevant boomer.

[@AmazingStoryDewd]

Libraries are in many ways ineff. What's nice is that you can have an actual teacher through the internet to teach you thi gs rather than trying to figure it out on your own. It's an improvement. I cam also buy books I can find in a local bookstore thanks to the internet

[@DebNewton-kh4cv]

Am not on any social media platforms, never will be…yes I have a smart phone but use it only for messaging & calls…I bought it 2nd hand so it is nowhere near new yet does the job. I love nature & what you were describing sounded like bliss to me…a wood fire is how I cook my meals… love it! Thank you for a calming informative video. Cheers from Aus 👩‍🌾

[@RaoulLo-u8y]

Great monologue and great story here mate. May I point out something about your soundtrack though? Although some people may think it's cool to have a soundtrack like that in the background, I do think it deters from something much more significant--and to me more interesting: the amazing chorus of natural sound all around you, such as the tree leaves dancing in the wind. It would be more appropriate to your topic also.

[@marilynsiddiqi2105]

I agree, that background sound is annoying and distracting.

[@dontpraiseme]

Yes it is wack

[@Dakota-Rose]

Very good point for this subject. Including the environmental sounds alone would have been perfect.

[@tomaccino]

I also agree, it's so cheesy and gives off a perception that being "phoneless" is some benevolent, superior experience. If a smartphone makes you feel anxious and miserable, then you aren't using it correctly 😂

[@sarahjaneross2918]

Well, I liked it 😅

[@SecretSquirrel99-007]

Mental illness is rising alarmingly, especially among young people, started happening about the time of the rise of the smartphone, coincedence? I'm glad I am not on social media, saw a commentator saying it's like all the village idiots gathered at the local park yelling at eachother.

[@fishyfishyfishy500akabs8]

And then they made it everyone else’s problem

[@davidkunstist7895]

There are studies about human developement and "screen time", but they stopped the study because scientists were afraid that the parents sue them to study screen time of kids and the effects. 😉

[@NikuaRanger]

loved this format, big wide camera angle, nature, slow music, real meaning

[@RetireandGo]

this would be very cool to try! 5 days no phone. outstanding. thank you for the reflection on this.

[@thedavidboland]

thanks for watching! wishing you a lovely day

[@CaldinovinArchive]

I have a simple cell phone. I also got a computer and the only time I am on social media is on my PC. When I leave the house I want to be offline. Too bad when I look all around me 90% of the time I see someone looking down on there phone.

[@JohannesDalen]

A year without a smartphone - there's no going back, I feel like a kid again!

[@JohannesDalen]

@@Riliewixom3053 I've used an old Nokia!

[@carlgauss1702]

​@@Riliewixom3053If they want anything to do with me, they can come at my house and ask for me.

[@tdgdbs1]

I biked the entire length of Baja California with just a Garmin GPS. For safety reason, the Garmin has texting capability; but I did not use it. The internet is a distraction that I can live without.

[@zukodude487987]

People in the comments are all biased against phones, they think our problems would be sold if nobody used phones. Things dont work like that. Instead of fighting technology, try to make the most of it.

[@Ollie-Arts]

It's because most of them are old people who grew up without it. I highly doubt a college student in the middle of the big city would agree with them.

[@Ollie-Arts]

@togglebutton3312 Yeah, dude... you literally just proved my point. No young adult is going to share that viewpoint because they literally can't function in society without one. Our society is phone centric, and if you aren't already established in it. It's pretty much impossible to get going if you don't have one. Too much stuff requires you to have it, and it provides too big an advantage.

[@QuietSpareoh]

Phones used to be for calling and the computer used to be used for instant messaging.

[@saritasarit]

As someone that grew up in the nighties and had none of this. Stuff growing up, it’s crazy how dependent of it I’ve become. I wish i could just live somewhere didn’t need a cellphone. Banking, children’s school notification, even shopping, everything is on my phone. I hate it.

[@AmazingStoryDewd]

I love it

[@lyndalou2892]

I have a flip phone and the only social media I participate in is KZbin videos. I love my simplified life. Thank you for this insightful video. I hope everyone can take some time to get outside and walk around on the earth with your precious bare feet. Love & Light ! 🌞🌞🌞

[@lpawl89]

If you go on a date with a girl and she is staring at her phone, leave.

[@nesspav]

"The monstrous stories about messages that weren't there", that hit hard. During isolation hardly anyone(family and friends) reached out to see if I was alright (I lived alone through the whole thing) Since then I've cut them all out because I realised what a gift that was to see, how insignificant I was to them and how much energy I wasted thinking about them. Now I have the capacity to create because my life force isn't being drained by assholes constantly taking me for granted 🙏

[@dickieblench5001]

3 hour bike ride is a 3 hour detox

[@jeffreyelliott622]

Or even canoeing for a couple of hours to just get away from the world at your fingertips which I don't have going on now for 6 years or so the old flipper flopper phone just used for emergencies and family talk time or pictures and that's all !!

[@doedoewski1939]

I'm a wreck at 34 from growing up with unsupervised access to technology

[@jacquelinesmedley7853]

I only watch youtube, no X no telegram, Netflix or anything else, I'm having a hard time with spammers twice a day for two weeks and continuing so I don't like my smart phone at the moment the spam callers get blocket each call but they keep ringing using different numbers, so glad I found your video thanks x

[@Spydeberg7876]

I found some sort of inner peace earlier this summer, but then i suddenly lost it, couldn’t think of why. I knew it wasn’t using my phone less. It was not silence (like not music or podcast)- but yesterday I figured it was being outside and sitting down. I'm just doing nothing or reading a book (i read think like a monk, so it's kinda relevant to the mindset, I guess). But just the sitting down part, walking in the same area, did not get me this calmness. Very fascinating ❤ Autumn is coming in Norway so it's not that easy to sit comfortably with the rain, but i will try to do is anyway.

[@Cobra-cy9mz]

Been without a phone for over 3 years. Peaceful.

[@ZumbaFlower-hw3yx]

How

[@AmazingStoryDewd]

Yeah nobody can contact you lol

[@franciscoxaviervasconcelos7689]

I started to just turn my smartphone off when I do not need it. It's such a strangely freeing sensation

[@martinsvensson6884]

I have some kind of internet/youtube addiction for sure. But I always use the computer... Phone always inherantly feels too small for that. So I never look at my phone if I go outside. Or while talking to people. Never even felt the urge to do that for some reason. Its just when I decide to go inside.

[@raivisrasnacs1088]

That's exactly my situation.

[@castirondude]

I like email, on a PC, which is in a room, and stays in that room. When it is convenient for me I will go to this room and read email. I don't have it with me on the go, and it doesn't notify me and demand instant attenion.

[@T.J]

No phones no boats no motor cars. Not a single luxury.

[@AmazingStoryDewd]

Sounds like hell you'll be stuck in a place if you have no transport

[@T.J]

@@AmazingStoryDewd Like Robinson Crusoe, as primitive as can be.

[@Dj-Ch33f]

I still only have a land line - never got a flip phone, no "smart" phone....I remember in early 00's going and hanging out with groups of people that would literally be texting back and forth to each other when they were in the same room...then I watched one by one as they got completely sucked in with "smart" phones - some are literally worse than hard drug users...I wanted NOTHING to do with the damn things and couldn't be happier living without one in 2024 and beyond!!

[@theguynextdoor4978]

When I grew up, it was a different world. Kids weren't enslaved to their pads or phones or asked if they identified as neutral, boy or girl in school. Internet at home was a luxury, and charged by the minute. If we exceeded more than an hour a week, the phonebill went through the roof. We rang each other's doors, and we went out playing. People had a real thirst for connections with real people. I am also limiting my consumption. Too much toxic garbage on social media these days.

[@CoolDudeClem]

I've never had a smartphone. Also never had the need for one, I do all my internet stuff on a computer, like what was normal back in the 90's. When I'm out I don't feel like I need to take all my media, games and internet with me.

[@nedcramdon1306]

Me either. It's like an all-out drug addiction. Pathetic.

[@austincola8829]

When mom kicks you off the xbox and makes you play outside

[@ryanpenrod1859]

This is gonna be good. Getting ready to watch someone who's had their hand held by a smart phone for years try to survive on their own. I haven't had a cell phone for over 10 years and don't miss it one bit. How much more time do I have free every day just by not looking at a phone screen? A LOT.

[@tomdee6819]

The privilege turned into a trap Uncle Ted warned us 40 years ago

[@delphi-moochymaker62]

Growing up before smartphones I see them as a tool and an accessory. Gen Z and younger see them as a requirement for living. it isn't.

[@HA-nj1qt]

You also grew up in a time where payphones were commonplace…

[@PraveenSrJ01]

I was born on October 6, 1983 before smartphones

[@RedShoes8488]

Every year, i take a tech free camping trip. Clears the mind.

[@ShizaruBloodrayne]

The fun part about living online and moving from place to place is that all your friends you made along the way stopped reaching back out because you're forever out of sight out of mind, out of their locale routine...

[@LucasRodmo]

One day I will be rich and independent enough to not really need a phone.

[@escanaba_eze]

Joined the Army at 18 in 2012. We locked our cell phones away with our other personal belongings for 9 weeks and no had no access to them. It was amazing. Going through a training program and connecting/learning/living with people from around the country. Exercising, eating healthy and learning new skills/disciplines and choosing to take the little free time you had to write someone a hand written letter. I’m not telling anyone to be a minimalist or become a monk, but I’ve learned that simplicity is the key to a happy heart and mind. Take care of yourselves. This is the only brain and body that you get. Thanks for sharing, definitely going to check out more of your stuff

[@thedavidboland]

love this share, thanks mate :)

[@patrickdonahue8384]

Cell phones, Keeping a diary for the devil. Think about that for awhile. 😢😢.

[@nikotrip]

This video is like we as humanity lived in a spaceship for ages and just returned to earth. Great one

[@brushstroke3733]

I have a strong, deep hatred of smart phones. Cell phones are OK. Unfortunately, you can't live in our society without a device that can receive text messages for security (account verifications, etc.)

[@elfi_sternenstaub]

Yes, you can ❤ everything might get a little more complicated, but it works. I know some people who live like that. The main thing to solve the problem is called community ❤

[@NightsideOfParadise]

I feel you. I despise them. They were a mistake. Internet should be tied to solid 🖥️. They were the biggest mistake of 2000s.

[@UncleChud]

Phone zombies

[@noahpruitt9245]

My wife and I made the decision at the end of 2021 to sell our smartphones and use the most basic device we could find. Found a decent little phone that still had the capacity for maps, notepad, and a few others but no social media or browser capacity. Used this up until 2023 when I was publicly threatened with termination from my job because I could not use a new app they made mandatory. I found a new job, but in the interim I had to move back to an iPhone. My life was quieter then, and I appreciated not being able to get hounded by work at all hours. My current role is too dependent on 365 to live without a smartphone now, but that period in 2022 really taught us how to intentionally put these awful things down and really focus on what’s in front of us. I’m thankful for 2022.

[@kathleen_rietz_artist]

Welcome back! Sounds like a very nice retreat away from technology, if only for a short time.

[@Magnetron33]

I'm 71 and have never owned a cellphone. I am blessed!

[@PraveenSrJ01]

Never ever in your whole life you mean????

[@PraveenSrJ01]

Whoa 😳 if so that is incredible

[@Magnetron33]

@@PraveenSrJ01 No! Not ever! I hate cell phones and how rude they make people. Communicating electronically is getting ridiculous. I like face to face. The way it was intended

[@PraveenSrJ01]

@@Magnetron33 thanks 🙏 for sharing

[@Magnetron33]

@@PraveenSrJ01 You are welcome and Blessings to you and your family!

[@lovehand9531]

9:00 "that's easier in the woods, than in real life." 🙃