qbit@bookwyrm.social reviewed Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport
Great book
5 stars
Has me re-thinking a lot of my relationships with tech.
E-book, 317 pages
Published Feb. 4, 2019 by Portfolio.
The key to living well in a high tech world is to spend much less time using technology.
In recent years, our culture's relationship with personal technology has transformed from something exciting into something darker. Innovations like smartphones and social media are useful, but many of us are increasingly troubled by how much control these tools seem to exert over our daily experiences – including how we spend our free time and how we feel about ourselves.
In Digital Minimalism, Newport proposes a bold solution: a minimalist approach to technology use in which you radically reduce the time you spend online, focusing on a small set of carefully-selected activities while happily ignoring the rest.
Has me re-thinking a lot of my relationships with tech.
Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport is a great read that offers a fresh perspective on our relationship with technology. The author argues that our excessive use of technology is leading to a lack of focus and satisfaction in our daily lives. He proposes a minimalist approach to using digital tools, which involves choosing a small number of valuable ones and avoiding the distractions of time-wasting apps and activities. The book is well-written, insightful, and offers practical tips for a more balanced digital life. If you're feeling overwhelmed by technology, this book is definitely worth a read!
If I had finished this back when I started (2019) I would have lived it. Now, in 2021, a lot of what Newport talks about seems like common sense. Beyond the advice, the anecdotes of the digital minimalists that he encountered while preparing this book are à propos and well-chosen to highlight the underlying call to action: quit faffing around on your phone, stop with the constant Facebooking, put your phone down and do something else that keeps your hands busy or puts you in a social situation.