It’s amazing how you can just tell if something was written freehand first versus the whole process being screen mediated from start to finish. It’s certainly something I’ve noticed with my own work- the way you think is different with a pen in hand and no facility to cut and paste and move whole paragraphs around.
That said this was excellent and (like many others I’m sure) I’m glad Paul Kingsnorth pointed me in your direction.
Thanks for your comment Thomas and happy to have you here:) Yes, writing by hand forced me to focus the flow of my thoughts. ( I actually wrote the majority of it at my son's climbing gym - this gave me ample, undistracted time away from my computer).
When Nietzsche's eye sight was failing he reportedly started using a 'writing ball' (a precursor to the type writer) and his closest friend started to notice a change in his writing style, which had been rendered more 'tight and telegraphic'. Nitzsche himself noted, "our writing equipment takes part in forming our thoughts."
As Dickens is one of my favourite writers, I take inspiration from his hand-written style (although my penmanship is not nearly as beautiful).
Looking forward to dipping into your writing as well...
I think it's only poor form if it is unrelated. I have frequently added mine if I felt they substantially added to the conversation and have gained many readers that way:) At the same time I just recently deleted a comment from a reader who added a huge list of irrelevant links that looked like pure spam.
Yet again we are simpatico. I’ve only had one or two spam menaces who were quickly dealt with (and of those I think one of those actually meant well but just had zero finesse or whatever the online version of not being able to read the room is)
Thoughts tend to flow easier with a pen (or in my case - a pencil) in hand.
Perhaps this is because one is focused just on the writing (the thought, pen and paper are all that is on one's mind) whereas when one is typing on a machine, all the other open tabs, the presence of the internet, notifications etc are jostling for one's attention even subconsciously.
And for me- despite all of the big talk from the futurists and the app makers- pen and paper is still the most useful and user friendly technology for taking thoughts in the head and making them tangible. It is still the superior interface.
Happy to have you and family join along. Don't feel discouraged if not everything goes according to plan, especially when engaging in the detox together as a family :) Patience, persistence, and gratefulness for small changes can make a big difference. Selecting even just a couple of items from the 'goals' list for the digital detox month are a step in the right direction:)
Love the fact that you tied this piece to your pilgrimage experience Ruth, it worked a treat! So many rich analogies here to help one on their own digital detox pilgrimage.
I especially found the idea of preparing your mind for the (inevitable) trials ahead in the same way a hiker needs to prepare for the journey very helpful.
I think I will follow your advice in footnote 4 and write a piece at the end of May on my thoughts on the cognitive liberty experience.
The pilgrimage experience seemed to fold naturally into the digital detox. I distinctly remember how freely my thoughts flowed while walking, and how it helped me to reflect on the (awful) choices I had been making at the time.
Years later my husband and I realized that pilgrimage can be undertaken wherever you happen to be, no matter the location or life circumstance. At the time we felt the desire to go on a pilgrimage together, our daughter was two and I was pregnant with our second child. We thus decided to start the pilgrimage at our doorstep, plotting a trail from our suburban home to the waterfront in Toronto. We divided it up into sections that were manageable with a stroller and two-year old nap time needs. Whenever we finished a section we would take the bus back home (or get a ride), and then pick up again the following weekend where we had left off.
All that to say, pilgrimage can happen anywhere and right now, many of us are in urgent need of a cognitive pilgrimage, myself included.
Great to hear that you might write a piece about the coming month. I cannot possibly do justice to everyone's experience and hope other writers will follow your lead.
Ruth, I had a thought! I've really enjoyed reading Kingsnorth and the other similar Substacks, but I find that none of them addresses how to live with technology and in our current culture in the context of a family with kids. I have three kids and am making choices about raising them constantly. How much and what kind of tech? How much free play? How much focus on academia and when is too young? And then as a Christian, how to show them the world yet not expose them to unnecessary negative influence through tech, public school, etc. I would love to hear your thoughts about some of these things in future articles!
Thanks for your question Paul. Another reader actually e-mailed me privately and asked the exact same thing. I noted to her that I will be working on a post that will address the question of tech -how much/when, free play, academics, etc.
I highly recommend the Camino! I came across families walking it with kids, although that takes a certain type of parent....As I commented to another reader, a pilgrimage can start from your doorstep (as we did when our kids were small):)
I began the detox and felt so much better for it on the first 3 days, but today, day 4, and I’ve found it really hard. As my mind rewires, I’m feeling withdrawal symptoms 🤦♀️ Here’s my first post about it during the first 3 days — https://whattodo.substack.com/p/digital-detox-and-loving-the-ordinary — I’m wondering if there are others out there finding the same thing?
Good morning Lucy:) What a wonderful post you wrote! I have definitely experienced the benefits during these first few days - more housework got done, more reading, slower meals, feeling less annoyed, and most certainly less distracted.
Yes it does feel hard.
The way I manage is by setting aside a slice of time in the morning after my devotion/prayer but before breakfast. During that time I respond to comments and get to read some articles of interest, check my e-mail. After that. I place aside my computer and don't check it for the rest of the day. This frees my mind for the rest of the day, because I know that I have committed to doing other things and going back online is not on the menu. You could compare it to a marriage, where you know you have committed, there are no other options, you cannot simply walk away if things feel challenging, and importantly if you persevere, you know you will reap wonderful benefits in the long run.
Stay the course, and set yourself how/when to use rules that will help you to persevere.
A great sequel to your first essay on this topic around Digital Minimalism and the Digital Detox Pilgrimage . Like others mentioned, the succint style of your writing flows so elegantly and that definitely highlights how writing freehand is far superior when it comes to articulating our thoughts in depth and rich imagery. Your Structure complements this aspect so well as the simple tips and steps flow in unison with your personal anecdotes. It refreshes the imagination in its entirety when one can reap the seeds of both practical wisdom and a story to indulge in its delicate wholesome details. The Pilgrimage sounds like it planted the seeds of your current worldview and how contemplation through moments of solitude brought you closer to Faith. Lastly, I will be joining the Digital Detox community this month and look forward to see the change in my relationships with technology in your life, mine and others here on Substack.
Wonderful to have you join along in the digital detox Kyle! Thank you also for your thoughtful comment - I greatly appreciate it:) I have set myself a time in the morning to view messages and reply to comments, but have otherwise no access to the internet throughout the day. It has only been two days, and I marvel how much of a difference it makes, how much more housework, reading, and thinking I get done, and how much more tied up I apparently was with using my laptop than I had realized. Looking forward to hearing about your experience at the end of the month!
You're very welcome, its reassuring to see others to take a step back too from the Digital chaos. That doesn't surprise me one bit, it is amazing to hear already how its opening your eyes to how life was like before the Internet and the peace it brings to our attention and enjoying the simple things in life. Thanks for sharing. Me too I hope the tranquillity continues and spreads to your friends and family too!
Thank you, Ruth for encouraging us all to try this. I will be joining in the detox and am looking forward to testing myself, and hopefully gaining some of my focus, and humanity, back!
Apr 29, 2023·edited Apr 29, 2023Liked by Ruth Gaskovski
Oh I like the digital detox ideas! I will talk about it with my husband and kids and maybe we can all try. Thanks for telling the story of your pilgrimage: I really enjoyed.
Thanks for the shout out!
It’s amazing how you can just tell if something was written freehand first versus the whole process being screen mediated from start to finish. It’s certainly something I’ve noticed with my own work- the way you think is different with a pen in hand and no facility to cut and paste and move whole paragraphs around.
That said this was excellent and (like many others I’m sure) I’m glad Paul Kingsnorth pointed me in your direction.
Thanks for your comment Thomas and happy to have you here:) Yes, writing by hand forced me to focus the flow of my thoughts. ( I actually wrote the majority of it at my son's climbing gym - this gave me ample, undistracted time away from my computer).
When Nietzsche's eye sight was failing he reportedly started using a 'writing ball' (a precursor to the type writer) and his closest friend started to notice a change in his writing style, which had been rendered more 'tight and telegraphic'. Nitzsche himself noted, "our writing equipment takes part in forming our thoughts."
As Dickens is one of my favourite writers, I take inspiration from his hand-written style (although my penmanship is not nearly as beautiful).
Looking forward to dipping into your writing as well...
Funnily enough, I’ve written on both writing by hand ( https://thomasjbevan.substack.com/p/on-writing-as-opposed-to-typing-at ) and Dickens ( https://thomasjbevan.substack.com/p/rereading-a-christmas-carol ). We are clearly of one mind on a great deal.
Happy to be here, Ruth, everything of yours I’ve read thus far has been excellent.
Cheers.
Ha - I'll certainly take a look at those!
I know that in most cases plugging your work in the comments is poor form but it seemed relevant to the conversation at hand!
I think it's only poor form if it is unrelated. I have frequently added mine if I felt they substantially added to the conversation and have gained many readers that way:) At the same time I just recently deleted a comment from a reader who added a huge list of irrelevant links that looked like pure spam.
Yet again we are simpatico. I’ve only had one or two spam menaces who were quickly dealt with (and of those I think one of those actually meant well but just had zero finesse or whatever the online version of not being able to read the room is)
This is so interesting
Thoughts tend to flow easier with a pen (or in my case - a pencil) in hand.
Perhaps this is because one is focused just on the writing (the thought, pen and paper are all that is on one's mind) whereas when one is typing on a machine, all the other open tabs, the presence of the internet, notifications etc are jostling for one's attention even subconsciously.
This is surely a large part of it.
And for me- despite all of the big talk from the futurists and the app makers- pen and paper is still the most useful and user friendly technology for taking thoughts in the head and making them tangible. It is still the superior interface.
My family is in! We tried and utterly failed something similar during Lent, but I’d like to have another go at it. Bless you for encouraging us all!
Happy to have you and family join along. Don't feel discouraged if not everything goes according to plan, especially when engaging in the detox together as a family :) Patience, persistence, and gratefulness for small changes can make a big difference. Selecting even just a couple of items from the 'goals' list for the digital detox month are a step in the right direction:)
Love the fact that you tied this piece to your pilgrimage experience Ruth, it worked a treat! So many rich analogies here to help one on their own digital detox pilgrimage.
I especially found the idea of preparing your mind for the (inevitable) trials ahead in the same way a hiker needs to prepare for the journey very helpful.
I think I will follow your advice in footnote 4 and write a piece at the end of May on my thoughts on the cognitive liberty experience.
The pilgrimage experience seemed to fold naturally into the digital detox. I distinctly remember how freely my thoughts flowed while walking, and how it helped me to reflect on the (awful) choices I had been making at the time.
Years later my husband and I realized that pilgrimage can be undertaken wherever you happen to be, no matter the location or life circumstance. At the time we felt the desire to go on a pilgrimage together, our daughter was two and I was pregnant with our second child. We thus decided to start the pilgrimage at our doorstep, plotting a trail from our suburban home to the waterfront in Toronto. We divided it up into sections that were manageable with a stroller and two-year old nap time needs. Whenever we finished a section we would take the bus back home (or get a ride), and then pick up again the following weekend where we had left off.
All that to say, pilgrimage can happen anywhere and right now, many of us are in urgent need of a cognitive pilgrimage, myself included.
Great to hear that you might write a piece about the coming month. I cannot possibly do justice to everyone's experience and hope other writers will follow your lead.
I hope to complete El Camino one day.
Ruth, I had a thought! I've really enjoyed reading Kingsnorth and the other similar Substacks, but I find that none of them addresses how to live with technology and in our current culture in the context of a family with kids. I have three kids and am making choices about raising them constantly. How much and what kind of tech? How much free play? How much focus on academia and when is too young? And then as a Christian, how to show them the world yet not expose them to unnecessary negative influence through tech, public school, etc. I would love to hear your thoughts about some of these things in future articles!
Thanks for your question Paul. Another reader actually e-mailed me privately and asked the exact same thing. I noted to her that I will be working on a post that will address the question of tech -how much/when, free play, academics, etc.
I highly recommend the Camino! I came across families walking it with kids, although that takes a certain type of parent....As I commented to another reader, a pilgrimage can start from your doorstep (as we did when our kids were small):)
I’ve made a plan to write my list tonight. Very much looking forward to this. Thanks again Ruth!
Yes, I'll do the same. Looking forward on embarking on this detox pilgrimage Monday as well:)
Absolutely loved this. I've long wanted to do this pilgrimage and this was an inspiring account of what it's like.
I began the detox and felt so much better for it on the first 3 days, but today, day 4, and I’ve found it really hard. As my mind rewires, I’m feeling withdrawal symptoms 🤦♀️ Here’s my first post about it during the first 3 days — https://whattodo.substack.com/p/digital-detox-and-loving-the-ordinary — I’m wondering if there are others out there finding the same thing?
Good morning Lucy:) What a wonderful post you wrote! I have definitely experienced the benefits during these first few days - more housework got done, more reading, slower meals, feeling less annoyed, and most certainly less distracted.
Yes it does feel hard.
The way I manage is by setting aside a slice of time in the morning after my devotion/prayer but before breakfast. During that time I respond to comments and get to read some articles of interest, check my e-mail. After that. I place aside my computer and don't check it for the rest of the day. This frees my mind for the rest of the day, because I know that I have committed to doing other things and going back online is not on the menu. You could compare it to a marriage, where you know you have committed, there are no other options, you cannot simply walk away if things feel challenging, and importantly if you persevere, you know you will reap wonderful benefits in the long run.
Stay the course, and set yourself how/when to use rules that will help you to persevere.
All the best, Ruth:)
A great sequel to your first essay on this topic around Digital Minimalism and the Digital Detox Pilgrimage . Like others mentioned, the succint style of your writing flows so elegantly and that definitely highlights how writing freehand is far superior when it comes to articulating our thoughts in depth and rich imagery. Your Structure complements this aspect so well as the simple tips and steps flow in unison with your personal anecdotes. It refreshes the imagination in its entirety when one can reap the seeds of both practical wisdom and a story to indulge in its delicate wholesome details. The Pilgrimage sounds like it planted the seeds of your current worldview and how contemplation through moments of solitude brought you closer to Faith. Lastly, I will be joining the Digital Detox community this month and look forward to see the change in my relationships with technology in your life, mine and others here on Substack.
Wonderful to have you join along in the digital detox Kyle! Thank you also for your thoughtful comment - I greatly appreciate it:) I have set myself a time in the morning to view messages and reply to comments, but have otherwise no access to the internet throughout the day. It has only been two days, and I marvel how much of a difference it makes, how much more housework, reading, and thinking I get done, and how much more tied up I apparently was with using my laptop than I had realized. Looking forward to hearing about your experience at the end of the month!
You're very welcome, its reassuring to see others to take a step back too from the Digital chaos. That doesn't surprise me one bit, it is amazing to hear already how its opening your eyes to how life was like before the Internet and the peace it brings to our attention and enjoying the simple things in life. Thanks for sharing. Me too I hope the tranquillity continues and spreads to your friends and family too!
Thank you, Ruth for encouraging us all to try this. I will be joining in the detox and am looking forward to testing myself, and hopefully gaining some of my focus, and humanity, back!
Excellent! It's great to have you along and I look forward to hearing about your experience at the end of May:)
Here because of Paul. Liked immensely what you wrote and will join the detox this month and hopefully longer💙
Welcome Rose and happy to have you join along!
Oh I like the digital detox ideas! I will talk about it with my husband and kids and maybe we can all try. Thanks for telling the story of your pilgrimage: I really enjoyed.