The "Analogue" Movement

[Vardalis]

I've started to have this whole idea of "going analogue" popping up in my Youtube feed lately. Probably prompted by stuff I've been looking at or buying, but that's just how it is these days.

The idea behind it is effectively ditching smart devices. Subscriptions. Algorithms. Doomscrolling. Always being connected to the internet. Think a regular old watch instead of a smart watch or a dumbphone instead of a smartphone. Something that's not a complete jack-of-all-trades either. The device itself can have some outside interfacing with the internet through third party devices, like filling an SD card of ROMs to put into a handheld, but in spirit it's supposed to be about severing yourself from the constant stream of social media or notifications with a less "one size fits all" device. Reported benefits? Being happier and paying less for stuff you don't need. Is it more convenient? In most cases, no. But that's part of the appeal I think; trying to slowly undo years of instant gratification and dopamine hits from having everything at your fingertips all of the time.

Do I practice it myself? A little, here and there. I go through phases with those Chinese handhelds where I'll segment maybe an hour or two an evening to just play something without distractions from being at the PC. I've got a Snowsky Echo Mini that I carry around and use for music when I'm trying to concentrate without constantly being tempted to swap to other tracks or search for something else to listen to. Less successfully I've got an Xteink e-book reader, but it hasn't really encouraged me to change my habits with reading even if I want to and has gathered dust since the first two weeks I had it.

How about you? Do you consciously use any of these more "analogue" devices? Or do you not see the point in swapping one thing for several just to cut subscriptions or separate yourself from the internet a bit?

 

[Dyne]

I have physical books, a pre-touchscreen car, and old home appliances that dont connect to the internet. Does that count?

I sometimes think about ditching my smart phone but I dont think it would be practical. However I do make it a point not to take it with me all the time. I will leave it at home when I go run quick errands, for example. I try not to look at it more than I need to.

 

[Sheepy765]

I do too much with my smartphone to warrant tossing it out completely, though I have been wanting to get a dedicated MP3 player to save phone battery and so I don't need to use an adapter for my headphones. Otherwise a lot of the changes I've made are behavioral, catching myself when I've scrolled a certain amount without selecting a video on youtube, cleaning up links that I send people, et cetera.

 

[BejitabroFZ]

I kinda already have? I still use a smartphone, but it doesn't even have a browser on it, let alone communication apps like Insta or Discord. It only serves as a means of contacting my family/IRL friends and nothing else. As well as that I use a YT alternative w/o stuff like shorts, recommended videos, endless scroll & all that stuff. Listening to music when I'm out & about is a duty now relegated to my PSP or GBA (there's actual official Nintendo software for that role), which alongside my DS have completely replaced time that would once be spent mindlessly scrolling. As well as that, in my room a CRT now sits where a standard HDTV was once plugged into, w/ my Gamecube & PS2 being hooked into it.

All in all it's helped me to stop being a depressed slob as well as being able to actually hold a conversation & starting to eat healthier, cutting way down on the dopamine kicks that come from junk food. It's nice.

 

[Strategist Strategist]

I've been trying to ditch doom scrolling and reading more but I've had mixed results. The pull to chat with folks online is too strong.

 

[ArchienineZXAdventArchienineZXAdvent's icon]

For a moment i thought that this was about gamepads and if your prefer analog movement or tank controls

 

[LiberoVulpesLiberoVulpes's icon]

I use my PC for entertainment and practicality, and I have my phone just for people to call me.

I do read physical books, and prefer them over digital, as long as their price doesn't give me a heart attack. I also play a lot of board games.

I can reliably stay off of most social media, I only follow meme pages anyway, as for youtube, I only check my subscriptions tab, and nothing else.

That's the best I can do for analogue live style.

 

[TruthandConsequence]

With all the bullshit going on today I've had intrusive thoughts of trying to integrate into an Amish family. I don't want computers anymore mane.

 

[Nebulon_Galaxy]

I draw, i dont use social media at all. I do have twitter for art inspiration, although i never used it for anything else. My car is an antique so it cant even run cd's lmao

 

[SamanthaSamantha's icon]

I can't ditch my smartphone — it knows too much xD

But yeah, I tend to draw lines in the sand (literally) everywhere else.

I don't care what the alleged benefits are, my dishwasher has no business going online.

I have also ditched all social media and browse YouTube on a private tab so it doesn't build a "dossier" to trigger and depress me more effectively.

 

[Sanarchy]

It's hard to say, so I cannot cast a vote as I don't belong in any of those ballparks.

I aptly prefer books over trying to read things on the PC as I am consciously always aware on how distracting something like this is. But some books are insanely expensive. I can't aways expect the manga I want to read to be English translated AND actually distributed in physical form. And old books (for example, Hideaki Senna's Parasite Eve will cost you £400 just for a hardcover) Going full analogue is just an impossibility and it feels like a scapegoat for our problems, people need to stop relying on tech and actively fight the addiction yourself.

I only check the subscriptions tab on Youtube and I am not addicted to the idea of finding new channels, I'm very content with the little I have. I'm very adamant on watching things, and due to my schedule of watching 5 episodes of an anime, I don't check the internet or anything during that timeframe. And only allow myself to go on things like this forum during the downtime before I start the next thing. I definitely catch myself lingering on here sometimes, and I actively hate myself for that whenever it happens, but I will improve. I know I will.

I barely use my phone myself, only for listening to music when I'm going into the kitchen to prepare a sandwich.

 

[PrismRed]

I dunno if it counts but I use stuff that does not have internet dependency as much as possible, always have.

 

[Strategist Strategist]

I've been preferring books for learning art over youtube or social media. I can take the book to a silent space without distraction and grind some practice whereas with online materials/youtube videos I get distracted every half hour or so. However, I do appreciate getting feedback online so social media has its place.

I draw, i dont use social media at all. I do have twitter for art inspiration, although i never used it for anything else. My car is an antique so it cant even run cd's lmao

 

[fbnaulin]

I have a physical books collection (which I read!), a huge selection of music in FLAC (never subscribed Spotify, and such), and sometimes I read manga and comics in an old offline tablet.

I've been enjoying playing games in devices disconnected to the internet (no multiplayer, online friends, or achievements). I hope to grow that habit.

I avoid techno feudalism farms all I can, always looking for old forums, and sites to interact with real people, without being mediated (and controlled) by algorithms. Internet how it should be.

 

[Nebulon_Galaxy]

I've been preferring books for learning art over youtube or social media. I can take the book to a silent space without distraction and grind some practice whereas with online materials/youtube videos I get distracted every half hour or so. However, I do appreciate getting feedback online so social media has its place.

I use e books instead of actual books. Actual books take a lot of space for my desk. Have a big tablet i have to setup when i draw do space gets used up quick

 

[MorriganW0lf]

Yeah, I relegated my phone to only calls & photographic camera & I either way have a library of around 1500+ songs in MP3 & WAV so I daily drive this bad boy, I also have a notebook for sketches & my backlog list of games I have to fully complete & same goes with the newer consoles, ps5 & Xbox One are always playing offline since I got all the games I needed on them (Say hello to my little friend!..Mini Godzilla lmao)

 

[Burzuru Burzuru]

i actually didn't get a smart phone until about 2018/2019. not that i couldn't i just chose not to.

Post automatically merged: Today at 1:42 AM

I only check the subscriptions tab on Youtube and I am not addicted to the idea of finding new channels, I'm very content with the little I have. I'm very adamant on watching things, and due to my schedule of watching 5 episodes of an anime, I don't check the internet or anything during that timeframe. And only allow myself to go on things like this forum during the downtime before I start the next thing. I definitely catch myself lingering on here sometimes, and I actively hate myself for that whenever it happens, but I will improve. I know I will.

i'm beginning to give up on youtube. all my subscriptions aren't really putting out much that's too worthwhile. trying to find something new and decent is difficult. i'm afraid of using the search bar, because i know its going to be full of slop. i've been trying to focus my attention towards other things.

 

[4C374552A1CA2638]

I don't really analog anything, though I know I'm neglecting my actual camera in saying that... but I'd have to physically pull out the card and rename all of the files to fit with the ones my phone takes. I can understand the merits in going analog/de-miniaturizing, but if stopping doomscrolling is your aim, you can still work to address that without ditching your phone and having to carry five more things to cover what it did. Like deleting your account and seeing if your so-called friends even notice. :V But wait, how would they contact you to tell you they did...?

For analytics and spyware, though, I'd love to be rid of that shit.

 

[SpcDaicon SpcDaicon]

Had a interesting experience some time ago. After some torrential rain , my ISP had some problems and I didn't have internet access for a entire weekend.
I took the opportunity to have some wardrobe cleaning and furniture rearranged on my room, boring stuff. Luckly for me, I had found and old SONY soundsystem and some old CDs. To my surprise, it was working perfectly and I had a great time doing my chores while listening to some music.
I could've used Spoity on my phone but I didn't wanted to use my phone's internet.

For quite some time now, the internet services in my area are becoming unreliable due to rain, wind and a total lack of quality of my ISP, so "going analogue" is more as a means to have backup option when """smart""" devices fail.

Also, it really get on my nerves how everything has to be "smart" nowadays. No, I don't want my freezer to be smart, I want it to keep my food frozen.

This whole "smart" thing is bullshit used to inflate appliance prices and steal our data.

 

[Nuxx.exe]

Probably not what you mean, but I've been a proud owner of a Sony Walkman MP3 player since 2019 and 3 cassette players (2 portable) since 2020. Yeah I still have Deezer for streaming, but sometimes I wanna be offline

 

[Strategist Strategist]

For quite some time now, the internet services in my area are becoming unreliable due to rain, wind and a total lack of quality of my ISP, so "going analogue" is more as a means to have backup option when """smart""" devices fail.

I feel that. I have unreliable power services AND ISP! Whenever there is a gust of wind, the power goes out. I've invested in some sketchbooks and jogging shoes, so I can make the best of that time.

 

[Mr. SyS]

Sort-of. I have a few old devices that don't have any accounts tied to them and I have a hand me down iphone I only really use for calls. If anything happens to that one I might get a Moto Graphene, lightphone, or dumbphone. I don't do media subscriptions and all my games, movies, and books? Local and pirated. None can be taken away by the whims of rightsholders or ISPs.