I hadn't always been a Luddite. When I was in college, I worked at an Apple Store. I would direct the massive lines of people waiting to purchase the next shiny Apple product.

I can remember when Siri came out and everyone thought this was the greatest invention since the Guttenberg printing press.

And I loved technology. I loved when apps and software had distinct and thoughtful design. I loved the possiblities that technology offered for people.

"I think I need to get rid of my iPhone," I told a mentor.

It was mid-2023. I had been let go from a job I loved at a production company where I worked as a producer. I was on the job hunt, applying to almost any job I saw on LinkedIn.

But I was also disconnected. I hadn't been involved as I used to be at the church I went to. And I found myself numbing any emotion I had by doomscrolling into the ween hours of the night.

I knew I had a problem when anytime I had a negative emotion, I would turn to my phone.

I called my mentor because I knew something needed to change. And after discussing it with him, we both agreed the best decision was to unplug.

So I deleted my social media accounts and purchased the cheapest flip phone I could find at a local Target.

I remember when I first got a Myspace account. All my friends were on it. And it was a high honor to be listed as your top 8 friends, or whatever it was.

And then a few years later, getting a Facebook account. And then an Instagram account.

The promise of social media was that it allowed the human race to connect with each other, at any time.

But now that social media has become more of a utility than a novelty, more and more influenual people are sounding the alarm.

Jonathan Haidt, a socialoist, just published a book called the Anxious Generation, highlight all the issues of giving kids smartphones and access to social media.

For me, I saw a few issues with having and maintaining a social media account.

There's something incredibly odd of meeting someone at networking. Sometimes not meeting them in real life and then exchanging social media accounts. Platforms like Facebook and Instagram promote sharing our lives with the world. The issue with that is we end up giving access to some intimate parts of our lives to people who haven't deserved that access.

The other part of the problem is we now gain access to people's intimate parts of their lives when in real life, we barely know them.

Cal Newport is known for a book he wrote called Deep Book. He wrote another book called Digital Minimalism that further reinforced my decision to get rid of my smartphone.

One of his big points in the big is that our smartphones prevent us from experiencing *solitude*.

He defined solitude as "freedom from other people's inputs." So that would include books, music, even talking with another person.

Human beings had so much solitutde throughout history that only recently in this age of technology have we learned what happens when we go without it.

For me, after a few weeks of solitude and time spent alone with my thoughts did I experienc the biggest influx of creativity I've ever experienced.

And the most productive I've ever been.

“we are forever elsewhere” my pastor said in a sermon.

Walk anywhere and you see people glued to their phones. Sometimes in spaces meant to foster intimacy and connection, like at a fancy resturant or a family gathering.

We have become a society that is forever elsewhere.

The Amish have a principle that I think makes sense when it comes to technology. They only use technology that supports their values.

When I got laid off my first real job out of school, my friend Obed sent me an article about taking the Sabbatical.

The premise of the article was that taking a Sabbatical is like pulling everything out of a kitchen cabinet. And then slowly putting back in what's needed.

And that idea could be applied to taking a "tech Sabbatical", removing all the technology in our life than slowly putting back in what we need to enhance our life, not take away from it.

I was fully content with my Luddite ways of living without a smartphone. Until I met Jack.

Jack is founder of an app called Flare, a simple group messaging app. But the goal or objective of the app is to promote community.

And he challenge me on my assumptions about technology.

What if instead of technology prevented or twisted community, it enhanced it?

"iPhone 15 Pro," I told the AT&T employee.

I was nervous. I got so many benefits from giving up my smartphone that would I lose them by going back?

So what I advocate for now is not so much going completely Amish or off the grid. But doing a technology fast.

There's a social movement of people reverting to flip phones because of the growing conseus that these incredible devices are not helping society flourish, but preventing it.

Getting a flip phone is weird, trust me. But after a few months, like me, you might see the benefits of tech and start to slowly bring it back into your life.

I got rid of my smartphone when I was not in a season of community. I was working part time at a home improvement store. I wasn't as plugged into the church I was attending. And mainly felt isolated from myself and others.

I found myself spending late nights completely glued to my phone. And looking back, I realize that it was more to numb emotions. Emotions that I didn't want to feel.

When I got rid of the phone, I finally had to confront those emotions.