Digital minimalism book review
Purchase Cal Newport’s Digital minimalism here
“An endless bombardment of news and gossip and images has rendered us manic information addicts. It broke me. It might break you too.” This quote from Andrew Sullivans 2016 New York magazine 7,000-word essay opens digital minimalism.
As someone who enjoyed Carl Newport’s previous books, Deep work and So good they can’t ignore you. Reading Digital minimalism was a no brainer and of course worth the read.
Digital minimalism goes a step deeper. Whether its the average person or the minimalist with just a cell phone, everyone will benefit from Newport’s Digital minimalism. Despite the title, Newport does encourage
“A philosophy of technological use is needed, rooted in your deep values. What tech tools you need, how to use them and ignore everything else”.
Carl nEWPORT- DIGITAL MINIMALISM
World War 3, the battle for your attention
In our 21 lessons for the 21st-century book review, we discuss that whoever controls data will control the world. If Russia’s involvement in the 2016 election didn’t convince you of this then I don’t know what will.
However, in order for Facebook or the government to collect your data, they need your attention. By becoming a digital minimalist not only will you lead a more fulfilling life, and develop more authentic relationships.
Digital minimalist whether they’re aware of it or not are fighting the war by withholding their data from billion dollar companies that use this data to manipulate its consumers.
Speaking of large data the best selling cell phone in the first quarter of 2018 was the Apple X. Digital minimalism takes us back to the origins of the iPhone when users checked their phones 85 times per day.
Fortunately, Newport is not here to point the finger or make you feel incompetent for not having the willpower to resist social media. According to the DSM V behavioral addiction is diagnosable. Joking aside, Essentially Digital minimalism is 2 parts, why are we mentally and emotionally addicted to social media and how to solve this problem.
“The key to thriving in a high tech world is to ironically spend less time using it”
Carl Newport-DIGITAL MINIMALISM
I would’ve like a more deeper research driven explanation behind why our brains compulsively check their phones but digital minimalism gives us two examples that will suffice. For the sake of suspense, I will only explain one of them. Tech companies manipulate their consumer’s behavioral addiction with intermittent positive reinforcement and the drive for social approval.
Newport explains that rewards delivered unpredictably release more dopamine than those delivered with a pattern.
Facebook’s like and Instagrams heart feedback buttons feed our innate desire for positive reinforcement. Next time you catch yourself randomly and repeated checking your social media stop and think is this a habit or are you intentionally doing this?
Lucky for us our survival for human interaction doesn’t depend upon a $200 router and an internet connection. It’s free and more rewarding emotionally in person.
On the economic side, digital minimalism blows the dust off David thoreau’s new economics which teaches us how much of our time does it cost to support our lifestyle.
Thoreau determines that he can support his minimalist lifestyle by working only one day a week. This nearly 200-year-old theory is more relevant today more than ever because there are more things to consume our time.
Is Silicon Valley programming apps or programming people?
Carl newport-digital minimalism
More important than being a digital minimalist is how you spend your time. The majority of the rest of the book advocates a 30 day declutter period.
During this time you reestablish your relationship with your deeply held values. If you don’t know what these values are, now is the time to learn. At this point, “
“Technology is only used unless its removal would harm or significantly disrupt the daily operation of your profession or personal life”.
In conclusion, cultivating high-quality meaningful leisure time will help you develop valuable skills that a like button or Instagram heart could never replace… After all, only 150 of your Facebook contacts are real friends anyway.
Verdict:READ