Would any of you ever go back to a flip phone?

[BlueAlpha1]

I apologize if this is the wrong forum for this, but nobody reads 'Anything Else' and I wanted to get the mature man's input on this.

Smartphone addiction is rampant in our society. We've already had a "zombie apocalypse" of sorts with electronics. You can walk down a busy street in any major city and see 80% of the population walking with their head down. That's one degree of crazy, but seeing people driving cars or crossing busy intersections with their face in their phone is almost surreal. And yet I understand how powerful the impulse is as I've caught myself doing it..

I have never owned an iPhone or Samsung Galaxy. I have a cheap, $80 piece of garbage phone by Alcatel on the Metro pcs network and I pay $30 a month. I was basically happy with any phone that takes decent pictures and can give me GPS navigation. But I'm really starting to question the severity of this addiction and whether or not it's doing more harm than good.

So here are the pros and cons of getting off a smartphone in my opinion.

PROS
1. Increased awareness - Your ability to stop and smell the fresh air will improve your state of mind and chance to remain in the present moment. Face it, the impulse is too strong with these phones and we are living our lives ALWAYS distracted.

2. Increase productivity - But you say you get a lot of productive things done on your smartphone? I believe you, but when you do a cost-benefit analysis, do you waste more time on social media, YouTube and Reddit that actually cancels out that productivity and then some?

3. Safety - By eliminating a phone with apps and internet, you will not feel compelled to pick up your phone while driving or crossing the street unless it's to take a voice call, in which case you still have your eyes in front of you.

4. Less stress - Boss wants you to have corporate email on your phone and monitor it off the clock? Tough, you don't have that type of phone.

5. Cheaper phone bill - I bet you cut your bill 60-70% doing this. The average smartphone bill for a single person is $74, and having worked in the industry it's common to see them over $100. A cheap prepaid smartphone will cost you $25 a month for unlimited calls and texts.

CONS (these are the 5 ways a smartphone has benefited me the most)
1. Loss of cool features - If I got rid of my smartphone, I'd have to invest in a decent camera and GPS. Those are the two hardest things to lose.

2. Mobile check deposit - Many times I've saved an arduous trip to the branch by depositing checks right from my phone.

3. Front door app - My apartment complex is very modern and actually has an app that allows you to open your front door. This has come in very handy on the 2 occasions I locked my key inside.

4. Video chat - I keep in touch with friends and family on Skype (although I can always use my computer for this)

5. Making side cash - I have done Uber and Lyft for a few hours a month when I needed an extra $50 in my pocket.

Thoughts?

 

[Bible_Belt]

I got my first smartphone three months ago. I wanted another stupidphone, but Verizon would only offer smart phones for their Black Friday deal. I like the much-improved camera and email access it offers, and I tether it to a desktop for Internet access, which is handy. But honestly, I spend most of my time playing Shadow Fight 2

 

[Who Dares Win]

I liked it more when there were only simple phones and everyone had just them.
Now its tricky on the left you have freedom and isolation while on the right you have services and obligations.
Its up to you to sit closer to either one or the other.
One sure thing for me is that Im keeping everything separated in terms of privacy, skype has a profile, my email is an other and I dont have facebook let alone everything connected to it.

 

[Billtx49]

Like all outdated technology they will disappear. The only thing keeping them in the market now are mostly seniors that can't or don't want to use smart phones and others with less money to spend on a phone.

 

[The Duke]

In my 40 some years of life, I haven't seen one piece of technology that didn't improve life with out making it worse as well.

I wouldn't want to give up my smart phone, but I do worry about the effects it has on human interaction. I see less social skills with the 20-somethings. I see couples on dates ignoring each other because their noses are buried in their phones. I think most lack the will power to overcome these bad behaviors.

 

[taiyuu_otoko]

I don't remember who it was, but a couple of years ago an owner of an NFL team was photographed using his flip phone during a game and twitter went crazy.

But for me, I only have a flip phone.

(or as they call them in Japan, a "Galapagos" phone.)

 

[Colossus]

Smartphones are amazingly handy tools, but socially one of the worst things to happen to modern women, and men to a lesser extent. No one is doing real sh!t anymore. You know, stuff that requires you to use your hands or your body, get outside, and make something.

Do you ever see a woman, say under 40, who isnt on her phone every 5 seconds? It drives me crazy. This younger generation of women is so completely useless. They have no skills, no hobbies, no real personality because they are all interconnected on the social media pipeline. Clones.

I've thought about going back to a flip phone, but since I have zero social media I would mainly be losing the convenience of GPS, looking things up, weather, etc.

 

[skinnyguy]

Smartphones are amazingly handy tools, but socially one of the worst things to happen to modern women, and men to a lesser extent. No one is doing real sh!t anymore. You know, stuff that requires you to use your hands or your body, get outside, and make something.

Do you ever see a woman, say under 40, who isnt on her phone every 5 seconds? It drives me crazy. This younger generation of women is so completely useless. They have no skills, no hobbies, no real personality because they are all interconnected on the social media pipeline. Clones.

I've thought about going back to a flip phone, but since I have zero social media I would mainly be losing the convenience of GPS, looking things up, weather, etc.

Listen if you were attractive and had a Tinder you'd be on your phone 24-7. I think it just depends on the man. I need stuff like Uber and safari and google maps. Women are on the phone all the time, yes, but the fact is that there are men out there who are cleaning up because of smartphones

 

[Dingo]

Jesus...

Smartphones don't control you.... It's a phone... turn it off... put it away... use when convenient.

 

[glass half full]

I would go back to a reliable touch tone, indoor desk phone if they ever come back.

 

[BlueAlpha1]

Like all outdated technology they will disappear. The only thing keeping them in the market now are mostly seniors that can't or don't want to use smart phones and others with less money to spend on a phone.

There are also an increasing number of young people like myself and also corporate people who are tired of being on call 24/7 who are trying to move away from these things. I predict you will see a minor comeback with flip phones in the next 2-5 years.

Smartphones are amazingly handy tools, but socially one of the worst things to happen to modern women, and men to a lesser extent. No one is doing real sh!t anymore. You know, stuff that requires you to use your hands or your body, get outside, and make something.

Do you ever see a woman, say under 40, who isnt on her phone every 5 seconds? It drives me crazy. This younger generation of women is so completely useless. They have no skills, no hobbies, no real personality because they are all interconnected on the social media pipeline. Clones.

I've thought about going back to a flip phone, but since I have zero social media I would mainly be losing the convenience of GPS, looking things up, weather, etc.

Great post. I hate the little fvcking thing, but at the same time can't deny the convenience of a calendar, calculator, GPS, a decent camera, a front door key, and mobile check deposits all in the same device.

Listen if you were attractive and had a Tinder you'd be on your phone 24-7. I think it just depends on the man. I need stuff like Uber and safari and google maps. Women are on the phone all the time, yes, but the fact is that there are men out there who are cleaning up because of smartphones

Actually, I once went back to a flip phone for 30 days back in 2013. Went out one time in that span and hooked up with a girl. The flip phone was the conversation starter as she thought it was funny.

Jesus...

Smartphones don't control you.... It's a phone... turn it off... put it away... use when convenient.

Sounds easy enough, but why do you think so many people can't? Because the validation we can get from these phones produces dopamine, the same hormone released when you have sex and gamble.

In other words, these phones are physically addicting. What you're doing is telling an alcoholic to always keep 1 beer in his pocket, but drink in moderation.

Either you get rid of it entirely or get used to the idea that you'll be using it more than you like.

 

[Dingo]

Sounds easy enough, but why do you think so many people can't? Because the validation we can get from these phones produces dopamine, the same hormone released when you have sex and gamble.

In other words, these phones are physically addicting. What you're doing is telling an alcoholic to always keep 1 beer in his pocket, but drink in moderation.

It's a ****ing phone... let's the weak be controlled..

 

[BlueAlpha1]

It's a ****ing phone... let's the weak be controlled..

Okay champ. Go ahead and tell us how you are a model beacon of strength in a weak society, who has never experienced addiction before.

Even CEOs who make 1000x more money than you do get snared by these phones and are on call 24/7, text and drive, etc.

But tell me more about you. Are you 6'7" and been with 250 supermodels by aged 31 too?

 

[9Volt]

Nah. Too much shyt on a smartphone to ever go back. I use it like a lunatic. no social media. no time for that.

 

[Dingo]

Okay champ. Go ahead and tell us how you are a model beacon of strength in a weak society, who has never experienced addiction before.

Even CEOs who make 1000x more money than you do get snared by these phones and are on call 24/7, text and drive, etc.

But tell me more about you. Are you 6'7" and been with 250 supermodels by aged 31 too?

Naw..... Just a normal guy that doesn't complain about how a phone is so controlling or important that I can't keep looking at it 24/7 for validation or entertainment...

Smart phones are great tools.... not heroin.

 

[dasein]

There are also an increasing number of young people like myself and also corporate people who are tired of being on call 24/7 who are trying to move away from these things. I predict you will see a minor comeback with flip phones in the next 2-5 years.

Agreed. I still use a flip, and had a "smartphone" way back in 2001 (blackberry) and again in 2007 (some Samsung monstrosity). Couldn't get rid of them fast enough. My admittedly "eccentric" view is that phones should be -not- seen and especially -not- heard, and I find many people out there with the same attitude, especially in socioeconomic/social class strata well above mine (men mind you, expecting women of any social strata not to overuse a cheap portable phone is like expecting a dog not to lick its own taint). I consider overuse of a cellphone a sign of weakness in a man. YMMV of course, and I realize I'm probably in the minority.

Will expand on your prediction above that the backlash will not include only phones, but lots of tech, and rather than showing it off, the style will swing to getting the benefits of tech while hiding it whenever possible. Of course marketers will call this "the new luddites" because it will scare the sht out of them, but I do agree it is coming, and sooner rather than later.