Suicide by Screen

I read this somewhere, and now can’t find the source. Suffice to say, the insight is not my own.

“The process of aging is an increasing desire for comfort and convenience.”

For the sake of argument, let’s assume this to be true. What does it say about our current condition?

I would argue the general population is sprinting to the grave. At least, they would be sprinting if they were able. Depending on what study you’re quoting, 50-85% of people will never run again after age thirty-five.

We choose the comfort of air conditioning in the summer and heat in the winter, of unlimited movies, shows and podcasts to consume. The convenience of a drive-through burger or a delivered meal. We seek to never experience the discomfort of being alone through constant connection, and never being bored through constant stimulation.

At what cost? Having seen a number of different cultures over the last three years, the observational differences are striking. In Colombia I was borderline overweight, in Morocco close to obese. In the mountain towns of Colorado and Washington I was right on par with the average, and at home in western Kansas I see obesity from pre-school to assisted living.

And why? What changed? The ease and accessibility of convenience and comfort, rapidly accelerating the aging of us all. I’m no stranger to it. I used to pay someone to mow my lawn, clean my house, make and deliver my food, and give me opinions to call my own. I’ve taken what I hope to be a permanent sabbatical from the world of instant gratification, and here have been my observations.

1. I’m no longer handicapped. Look around – how many people are going through life one-handed, the other claw death-gripping a smartphone?
2. My fuse has lengthened. Without constant agitation from news and social media, I don’t walk around constantly feuding the fed, complaining about Kamala, or fearing an impending nuclear war.
3. My focus has returned. Not only in the sense of being able to stay on task, but actual visual acuity. It’s well-known now that constant screen use creates myopia and impairs vision. Staring at your screen all day literally changes the shape of your eyeballs and makes focusing on distant object far more difficult.
4. I’m less forgetful. It takes a good twenty minutes or so to truly sink into a state of deep focus. I recall hearing Jocko Willink talk about going out on a mission on foot – “the first seventeen minutes always sucks, then you’re just out for a walk.” I can relate. It’s the process of quieting the mind that is difficult, not actually doing the thing.
5. My days are longer. I mean, they really feel longer. So many days of my past life blew by in an instant, and 9 pm approach with chores left to do, tasks undone, and a general sense of the day having gotten away. I don’t work any harder, I just work more – and it feels good.
6. I care less about things that don’t matter. Like you reading this blog and judging me, or hearing my play music and not liking it, or what others think about what I drive or wear or how I spend my time. Without the undercurrent of constant comparision, the ability to simply “be” has returned.
7. I have more patience for people. Asking a questions and remaining silent, giving the other person the opportunity to speak and listen to their needs. To truly listen. Most people don’t need help – they just need someone to hear them talk long enough for them to realize the only thing in their way is themselves. I do this especially with negative people, and it’s predictably hilarious. First they piss and moan, then complain, then make a weak attempt at justification, and typically on the fourth try something resembling gratitude of positivity comes out.
8. I’m not happier. But I do feel more. I can feel the joy of having completed a job, of having done the thing. I’m more open to the idea that I have something to offer the world, and feeling as though you have something to share that can help others becomes a cheerful (not at all times) and rewarding obligation.
9. I’m more active. Like, not even close. I have started wearing my smartwatch again, but really only to have a clock and a timer. I just downloaded my data over the last week, and it appears to be about double the steps and triple the “intensity minutes” as before.
10. I’m less hungry. I eat, to be sure, but less at each setting and am able to stop eating earlier in the day.
11. I’m more social. The difference is that it’s in person.
12. I’m more observant. Yesterday I was on a walk and watched a hawk hunt for about half a mile, swooping and swerving like a downhill skier traversing slaloms.
13. I read more. Again – not even close. From maybe ten minutes a day to at least thirty or more. I also find that while reading my mind wanders to solving problems ahead of me for the next day, or lining up dominos to make things more convenient. Take two minutes and pack gym bag, three and clean up to reset the room.

This isn’t everything. In fact, I’d say it’s barely scraping the surface. I didn’t solve every problem or let go of every worry, but I’m moving in the right direction. Trajectory is far more important than location when you’re running a race with no finish line.

In summary, screens make people fat, angry, blind, stupid, gluttonous, selfish, anti-social, poor, oblivious, lazy, dull, fragile, fleeting, forgetful, and distracted.

Also, your phone has poop and pee particles on it from all those hours crapping out one end while feeding yourself crap on the other.

Gross.

Shut that anxiety box and get after it!