"Print is the only way to go now"
"Print is the only way to go now"
by Anne Marie
I deleted my Facebook account in 2020, all other social media last year, and just deleted my Pinterest account as well. I have never been on LinkedIn, Twitter/X, Instagram or TikTok.
Years ago I deleted my Google and YouTube accounts. I deleted my Amazon account more recently after years of disuse.
I did not renew my website. I have unsubscribed from a lot of emails, even ones I liked, because I don’t want all that distraction. There is just as much fear-mongering on the right as there is on the left. The Anxious Generation is not just young people. I cut out so much. The Substack, coffeeandcovid.com, is my main (and almost sole) source of news now.
I have a flip phone personally, but it’s rarely on. The home phone is a so-called smart phone, and I do use that to go around the web sometimes, as well as a laptop. I do not want to ever own a ‘smart’ phone personally because of its addictive qualities.
I deleted my Evernote account and have rediscovered the joy of taking notes longhand. I wrote this out originally longhand.
I have almost completely disappeared online, partly because I don’t want a presence there right now with the world getting nuttier by the second, partly because your blog and Paul Kingsnorth’s so inspire me, and partly because I just don’t want all those time sinks when I need to focus on writing books.
I have not completely given up online, as much as I would like, but then I would have no access to you or a few other people I like to visit. I still pay my credit card online. I still buy things that I can’t get locally, but I have also deleted many accounts to reduce my digital footprint, and I’m not done yet! I have renewed or started magazine subscriptions (print of course) by sending the company a check instead of just plugging in my credit card. I pay cash whenever I can if buying in brick and mortar locations.
I don’t like reading e-books so earlier this year, for many of them, I either deleted them unread, printed out what I could and read them that way, or at least skimmed them over in my Nook and then deleted them there, to get those out of my life. My Nook is now empty and the box is collecting dust on my shelf. Print is the only way to go now! I’m enjoying just sitting at the library and reading books there, not even taking them out, just reading them there. Phone off!
I don’t watch TV and haven’t for years outside of the occasional Star Trek re-run and a bit of Olympics. I watch movies on DVD often.
On vacation recently, I spent part of my time at a home that has no TV, computer, or wi-fi, just books! What freedom!
Cal Newport – and you and Paul – are right. Digital Minimalism is the way to go. Cal inspired in me a few years ago a longing for the 80’s when there was no internet. You and Paul continue to rekindle that.
Thank you, Peco, Ruth, Cal, and Paul for showing us the way and inspiring the longing for as much as possible a screen-free, offline, real life! I look forward to reading what others have to say. God bless you all.