In the past few days, a thought has been persistently circling in my mind:
What did we do 20 years ago when there were no cell phones?
How did we invest our time and attention?
As I share stories from my college days with Gen-Z, I often encounter looks of bewilderment. The reality I describe, one where I was out and about, engaging in face-to-face conversations with other students, seems almost unbelievable to them. Yet, this reality was merely 20 years ago, and I’m sure many of my subscribers have even more vivid life experiences from 20 or 40 years ago.
(Kinda curious — what did you all, over the age of 50, do for fun back in your 30s?)
So, what did we do when life was simpler? The answer is as clear as day—we lived life. Yes, problems existed, but they weren’t as overwhelming or challenging as they are today. However, as technology grew, it became increasingly more effective in subduing a population so that it would not worry about the country’s problems. The problems slowly grew, and the atrocities became worse, yet the people cared less and less.
With the advent of the cell phone, the attention of an entire nation can be swayed by whatever topic the device demands. More often than not, these topics have little to do with the fundamental aspects of life, which I refer to as the ‘Seven Pillars of Life.’
Today, I’d like to share this article by
, in which she discusses the concept of ‘psyops’ — psychological operations intended to manipulate public opinion and behavior — and how everything is a psyop. I argue that our phones are the primary conduit for these psyops, and unless we are aware of this reality and consciously decide how to use our phones — as I discussed in Podcasts like “To AI or not to AI” or “The Beauty of Good and Evil,” we risk falling for these manipulations.As I prepare to conclude my series on ‘The Seven Pillars of Life,’ I invite you to join me on this journey of reflection and rediscovery.
Let’s take a step back, unplug, and truly live life. Enjoy the article.
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I didn't get my my first cell phone, which I needed for work, until I was 27, so I had a cell phone in my 30's. I was tied to it for work, but initially it was only a phone. I spent my 30's raising kids and working a lot, so it's a blurry decade. If mobile phones had remained phones I don't think it would have been too bad. It would just mean that you couldn't get away from being contacted. It was when mobile phones stopped being just phones, somewhere around 2008, that the problem started. The telephone is just a minor, almost forgotten, function of the device now. If I want to know something, I do a search on my phone. If I want to buy something, I pull out my phone and look for prices. If I want to say something to someone, no need to wait until I get to a landline, I pull out my phone and text them. I will say that I have stopped using it to read news articles and listen to political podcasts recently, and that has been a major improvement, but I think I am in the minority. I definitely agree that they are used for psyops. Remember the creepy Covid contact tracing function of our phones a couple of years ago (I think it is still active)? I turned that off immediately, although I am sure it was still running in the background.
Let's see... how to condense it? Bars, cars, (performing) stars, sports, parties, event vacations on the cheap.
Played and watched live sports. Live music in concert and bars. Vacations to Lake of Ozarks, Mardi Gras, South Padre, Taos, Vegas...
Stayed outside as much as possible, barefoot, occassionally breaking bones and tearing ligaments, water skiing, cycling.
Best time ever!