The Solution to Digital Distraction?

Many people are looking to simple devices like iPods and dumbphones as a solution to digital distraction and to free up time. But what are you going to do with that time once you've freed some up?
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[@coolerking7427]

I am living a low tech life. I still use tech but for certain things and I love using low powered devices. For example I do all my work on a low powered laptop and use it for certain things only. I use digital antennae and no streaming on my TVs. I listen to local area music stations only. I don't use any smart watch but use a Casio watch. I have a smartphone for work only and use a flip phone for my daily calls. So much people can do and still use technology sparingly.

[@jazzstandardman]

@jacobs-well-again It is not OK to ask this. Where are your manners?

[@andydavies27]

Yeah, just like “minimalism” a few years ago, “digital minimalism” is now the phase that’s driving KZbin/instagram feeds and people re buying iPods/vinyl/tapes/VHS. In principle it’s great idea, but it has just quickly been co-opted by commercial interests

[@spencers-adventures]

Exactly. Now I don’t have an issue with giving old technologies a new lease on life, but when it becomes a cultural status symbol it becomes thinly veiled consumerism. Thanks for the comment!

[@nsgames24]

The main digital distraction I face myself is being online, but mainly KZbin as it has become my default "TV station", these days. I stopped caring about streaming services a good while ago and have made the jump to DVDs and Blu-rays. I bought myself a portable DVD player, this year to watch my some of my favorite shows and movies, as a way to stop being on KZbin or really just the internet in general too much.

[@spencers-adventures]

That’s a fun way to approach getting offline more often! I agree, KZbin is also my TV essentially, and it’s tough not to watch way too much. Thanks for the comment!

[@clavius5734]

Yeah man, I’m trying to cut back on KZbin as well, but it again comes down to willpower. Once you allow yourself some amount of watching, under certain circumstances etc. all bets are off - the moment you feel down it’s right back to binging.

[@audreyhertz301]

​@spencers-adventures I put a time limit on KZbin on my phone. 4 hours a day at most. If I want to watch more, I have to use my laptop. This is my way to spend less time on my phone. So far it is working well for me.

[@Jacob98376]

Totally agree with the point about consumerism and it's something I've noticed in a lot of videos about getting rid of your smartphone. People will be like I got rid of my smartphone then bought 20 other things to entertain myself. Consumerism is addicting so I get it. I find limiting myself to less stimulating activities and only doing one thing at a time (like reading in a quiet room instead of going on instagram) calms my mind and actually preps it to do more engaging offline activities. For me that's normally art projects. Once engaged I'm not thinking about grabbing my phone or computer. After you get away from things a bit you see how overstimulated you were and things like instagram and tik tok can lose their appeal because you know they destroy the ability to concentrate.

[@qwertykeyboard5901]

Almost as if capitalism bad...

[@NicholasGarofola]

Good video Spencer!! I “forget” my phone sometimes when I leave the house.. the only solution to my distraction

[@spencers-adventures]

Thanks buddy! Leaving the phone behind is honestly so nice once in a while, and it gives us the chance to see that things can be just fine without it 👍

[@patmarek1222]

I remember pre-smartphone era when Id distract myself after coming back home from school. That was either on a computer or TV. As I got my smartphone I eventually would get distracted all day, even in bed before falling asleep! Eventually I managed to cut my usage of distractions to a level im happy with and I never downgraded my devices. What let me get this stage was contemplating and realizing that all modern tech is design to keep us stuck to it plus that I was distracting myself to escape my internal issues. So yeah, agreeing with you very much. Its not about tools, its about ourselves. Let’s not get digital minimalism become another consumer trend to spend a fortune on.

[@1881DAC]

Great points all around. It’s a curious thing to notice that the people who get into minimalism and digital minimalism have that bad habit of beginning to hoard retroware as a way of bandaging their previous modernware hoarding. Consumerism is an ever present cancer in one’s mind that has to be reevaluated and controlled. Desire is an intense driving emotion and there is a reason most religions put hard constraints on it. Live with intentionality and value people over things.

[@CrystleDragon]

I definitely want to build up my willpower. I've found that, as cool as dumbphones are, I would prefer to own a smartphone with minimal features. Because I don't like the idea of not being able to, say, view an image my sister sends me, or click a link to check something out. And I think I have a plan to do it. I don't use a million apps as it is, but I do have a few I consider distracting. I think it would help to set personal rules (not rigid, not too detailed, and not too many rules) that will help me continue to build willpower. Currently, I almost never use my phone on the bus, and I prioritize the people I am physically around over any texts/notifications. Those two rules are great. They don't cover everything, but they help. I need to brainstorm more personal rules.

[@spencers-adventures]

I think you’re spot on with developing personal tech usage principles and following those. That’s kind of where my head is moving as well. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!

[@weserman95]

This was helpful. I was gonna buy a mp3 player but than I realized I will still be using a device!

[@OdysseyCamper]

Spencer, I really like your channel, it’s very thought provoking. Most of all I like how you are just me and my tech, circa 1995 to 2005, LOL

[@spencers-adventures]

@@OdysseyCamper thanks very much buddy, I appreciate the comment!

[@fynndauer]

Hey Spencer, first and foremost thank you so much for your thought provoking videos! Like you said ultimately it comes down to always being critical with yourself, to accept this lifelong feeling of restlessness and look in fulfilment in bettering and developing one's self. I have quit almost all of social media, but I always come back to your videos to be challenged in my current believes. Talking about consumerism and digital minimalism in an ethical way with the book recommendations you gave has helped me a ton and I would appreciate more of that type of content in the future! Stay consistent. Thank you for your channel! Fynn :)

[@spencers-adventures]

Thanks very much for the kind words Fynn, I appreciate the thoughtful comment and feedback! I’m definitely moving in the direction of internal change and self-development, and I’ll continue to share more on that as I go along. I’ll certainly talk more about what I’m reading too - thanks for that suggestion :)

[@mb31415]

Love the discussion! Thank you for sharing

[@The_Mighty_Fluff]

I'd love to ditch my smartphone but the problem is you need one these days. For instance, I need a smart phone to pay for my bus travel. If I don't use the app I have to pay extra and occasionally my card will get double charged.

[@spencers-adventures]

That’s totally okay, it is tough to operate in this increasingly smart world without a smart device, so don’t be tough on yourself if you feel you aren’t able to make the switch. I need a smartphone for work, and I intend to make more videos talking about mastering the tool rather than leaving it behind completely. It can be a great tool and if you can use one without being overly distracted by it, that’s a win-win. Thanks for the comment!

[@thattaway12]

I very much agree with you. I do struggle with my Technology use. I want to use my smartphone less. When I try more drastic steps like using a simple phone, my brain screams at me and I give in and go back to my smartphone. I think I need a strategy that will be more successful for me. Less drastic steps to using my technology less without going full dumb phone.

[@lahuk1194]

Anything is at threat of being commercalized, even anti-commercialism. That Punkt phone is ~£200, I got a Nokia 105 for £30 (a simple feature phone). People sell fancy planners when a basic notepad will do, if you even need a planner in the first place. Fads means that a basic walkman will now cost £50-£100-£200+. Its kinda funny in that you almost need to buy the retro tech early before it becomes a trend in order to not spend a stupid amount on it, which kinda defeats the point.

[@rockcaholic]

I feel like buying your media in general is just less distracting. At least it seemed that way when I was a kid. Everyone wasn’t glued to a phone

[@armsamelia]

I have a huge dvd and cd collection and don't subscribe to any channels on my TV and don't use streaming apps! Just a little something I do to limit myself (: It works for me. I have to have a new phone for my job but I do still try to wind down in other ways

[@armsamelia]

@jacobs-well-again Oh that's to bad ): and thanks!

[@armsamelia]

@jacobs-well-again I appreciate that and I'm glad you find some of my comments useful. This channel is a great way to find likeminded people who just want to cut back

[@TechDave]

Damn Spencer... nearly at 30k, i remember u at 2k! Just my check in to remind u how well ur doing. I'm also looking at iPod 7th gen sd card upgrade and battery upgrade in the future which this reminds me of. Using a cheap 16gb mp3-flak player w/ a 32gb sd card in the meantime

[@spencers-adventures]

Thanks for the kind words Dave, I appreciate you following along with the channel! I need to do that type of upgrade to my iPod down the road, but as it continues to work I’ll continue using it as is. I appreciate the simplicity of your MP3 player too - sounds awesome!

[@TechDave]

@spencers-adventures thanks matey, the mod is think adds to sustainability too, as u can graft in sd cards or ssd plus new battery and case, so as long as the basic motherboard intact, it's basically consistently replaceable. Keep doing ur thing, I envision even greater things from ur YT channel In future, u watch 90% of ur vids, so pleased to have a reply!

[@reachnandini]

Im finding it hard to ditch my smartphone. Ive used it religiously past 7 years and i know and realise the bad bad effects it has on me, but I'm just too addicted. I dont have a tab or laptop. Just this and nokia 2660 flip phone. And i should be studying for my bar exams but here i am. Spencer, please keep the videos coming

[@spencers-adventures]

Perhaps try setting a schedule where you’re allowed to use the smartphone for entertainment or “controlled distraction.” Like for example, between the hours of 8-9am and 7-8pm you allow yourself to watch KZbin or scroll, but only during those time periods. I think modifying the behaviour that way may prove to be helpful. Good luck with your studies!

[@gurjotbains]

Love from western Canada. Really do appreciate your content. One concept I'd love your take on is changing what we want. I know most of the time I don't want to distract myself but if I really didn't I wouldn't be distracting myself. I really relate to the take that you do have to put your blinders on and protect yourself from these tech companies but I still find myself avoiding creating something which is what I think I want to do.

[@rayarising]

so well put and such a crucial message!

[@juanelo6221]

tienes toda la razon tu vídeo me ayudó mucho muchas gracias desde mexico😊

[@iansonyoutube]

Great video as always Spencer. I find the term “distraction-free device” to be almost oxymoronic. Like, I get the point, you buy the low(er) tech device to lower other distractions, but at the end of the day, you’re right, that new product is still a new product and a distraction in of itself. I have a Mac, an iPhone and a work laptop. They are full of constant distractions. But the deeper question here is not to harness the amount of attention I pay to each individual thing. Just a perspective.

[@spencers-adventures]

Yeah I like where you’re going with this. I think like you said, people get caught up in the hunt for “new” things, even if it’s retro tech, and maybe even talk themselves into the idea that this will benefit their lives just by owning them. But perhaps it’s that impulse that’s the problem - looking to the material world to solve an immaterial problem. Thanks for the comment!

[@kittyfolk]

Very good video, brought up some important things

[@SofaDogDog]

i kinda wish that someone would get a cheap google pixel (something like a 4a 5g would be good) modify a privacy focused android rom (4a 5g is losing graphene support soon, so something like calyx would be good) and have a launcher where you can scan qr codes (one page only, you cant go past that page you scanned) do an AI search, have an app store where you can install things like signal and slack, and be reasonably priced (all these "dumbphones" are so overpriced i need something reasonably priced)

[@KevinRiggan]

Let me just first say I enjoy your videos, agree with almost every point, and strive to live a simple life. One serious question though, how do you reconcile this proposed lifestyle, while using the largest advertising company in the world to post, who literally uses you to talk longer in order to sell more ads to me?

[@spencers-adventures]

It’s a good question Kevin, and I think it’s a hypocrisy which I have to accept and move on from. Anyone who criticizes an aspect of society has to reckon with operating within that society to survive and get their message out. I’m proposing people be more conscious with their consumption habits and recognize what is going on behind the scenes. I still watch KZbin but I watch with this in mind, and that’s how I interact with all tech I have. In a similar vein, I know a lot of people who speak about this stuff (and the harms of social media) while using social media to promote your message. It seems problematic and maybe in a sense it is, but in the end you have to go where the people are if you want to be heard. Hope that clarifies my stance, and thanks for the comment!

[@rfdunbar]

I ordered the MP02 but the reception wasn’t good at home (rural area). I’m really bummed because it is exactly what I wanted. Searching for a good, used iPod to upgrade and use now. Bought a little black book for my to-do list and my schedule. Trying to get my life back on track.

[@spencers-adventures]

It sounds like you’re making some good choices and most importantly being intentional about your life. Sorry to hear the MP02 gave you reception issues 👎 perhaps something like a simple Nokia will better suit your area. Keep up the good work and I hope you’re able to get a deal on an iPod!

[@skies988]

Philosopher spencer

[@Landon-vp7un]

Great video I think people lives would be a lot better if we could get back too the similar times

[@truman3.0]

What’s the hotspot capability / stability / quality like with the Punkt phone.. with being able to share its internet data ? I’ve heard & read many mixed reviews with the phone

[@spencers-adventures]

It’s always worked fine for me, but it does use up the battery much quicker than when it’s not in hotspot mode. Likely you’re not hotspotting for a super long time each time, but in my case when I first got the phone I was hotspotting for my home internet so I just plugged the Punkt in for longer online sessions

[@VladiDusil]

Hotspot tethering chews though the Punkt battery very quickly. Make sure you keep it plugged into a power bank.

[@SubtractiveMoves]

I bought a good quality portable cd player and carry a book everywhere now and I'm absolutely loving it

[@spencers-adventures]

That sounds great! I used to have a Sony Discman growing up and it went everywhere with me 👍

[@Sakurasan2023]

Great video 📹 👍

[@TheAlikat3]

You are soooo right

[@bertiebassat5545]

I dont feel retro tech devices are comparable, to the likes of a smart phone, I think they should be enjoyed and people shouldnt feel guilty for using them, just incase its another form of consumerism, you can take things to far.........

[@elvisfilho]

What do you think about social media being a part of 2020’s life?

[@hejrafa]

I knew it! I am the problem all along :)

[@spencers-adventures]

Lol exactly, we all are! A quote I like to remind myself of when I try to buy my way out of my problems is “wherever you go, there you are.”

[@ahaokej554]

hello 👋

[@ghosttiger84]

Lol, how about just not getting on the internet?

[@spencers-adventures]

There are plenty of other distractions that don’t require internet. See the “Kill Your TV” movement

[@ltltornado3337]

It's funny, what you said about people saying ipods contributed to social isolation (3:48), because before ipods there were portable CD players and cassette players. I am 42 and can remember when kids were called rude for wanting to read BOOKS at the dinner table. Or anywhere, really. Books were considered a big "distraction", can you believe it? haha. But my favorite (google this) has to do with the invention of the kaleidoscope. People were so enthralled with the view in their little tube that they'd charge less fortunate, kaleidoscope-less peers a penny to have a look. The public complained that people were missing out on the beauty of nature all around them. So I guess every generation has a desire to tune out, and how that looks evolves with the times. :)