Shimra Ahamed
The Rise of “Slow Tech”: Why Some People are Choosing Less-Smart Devices on Purpose
Technology makes life easier, by giving simple solutions for our complex problems while connecting to everyone around the world. Everything we use is becoming smart: phones, watches, televisions and even fridges. As we are surrounded by smart objects, life can become overwhelming as it demands our attention which would lead to stress and exhaustion.
To escape from this overwhelming reality, few people have started looking back to older versions of technology which would promise them a simple and a slow life.
What is “Slow Tech”?
The Slow Living Movement is slowly becoming more common among people as it encourages people to live at a comfortable pace with mindfulness. From selecting simple local food in place of fast food, to spending their leisure time in nature without wasting the time scrolling social media, Slow Living Moment is attaining popularity among people who are feeling overwhelmed by the constant attention smart devices need.
“Smart everything” offers us convenience but without providing us a simple and an easier life, it has complicated our life as anxiety has risen with short attention span, digital fatigue and feelings of being constantly ‘on call’. This has led people to ask; “what if smarter is not always better?”
Slow-tech or Slow Living Movement does not mean that one entirely rejects but limits themselves by deciding on when, how and why to use it. People who had started to go slow-tech are reclaiming their old refrigerators and wrist watches. They have gone low on social media and limited the use of smart devices to work and business purposes.
What’s the reason behind Slow Tech?
There are many reasons as for why people are choosing to downgrade their devices, here we will see the key reasons:
- To improve mental health
There are many studies that prove excessive use of social media and screen time has led to anxiety, depression and poor sleep. By drawing a boundary on social media and screen time, people have started to feel at ease and get a good night’s sleep that has gradually improved their mental health.
2. To feel more present
Smart devices have replaced everything; calendar, clocks, paperbacks, newspapers, cameras, and even the notebook. Reclaiming the old ways makes you feel what you are doing and give undivided attention, without letting you check the email and social media every now and then.
3. To be more focused
A study by The Hindu Business Line claims that “users check their smartphones an average of 150 times during a waking day. This includes checking time, notifications along with scrolling on social media, checking mails, etc.
This study clearly shows us that with every notification our urge to know hits, breaking our focus or scrolling on social media results in low attention span. Therefore, people have begun to use Light Phones that limits to calls and texts only — which have made them more focused on what they are doing, while also allowing people to reach them through texts and calls without completely disappearing.
4. To reduce surveillance –
Smart devices come with a huge cost — our data. Voice assistants, smart watches, televisions, and even refrigerators track our behavior, location and preferences to store the massive data. Though these data are used to study us and provide us with more smart applications and devices, it violates our privacy and chances of using our data against us are high.
Choosing less-tech is one of the ways to escape the radar and live a worry less life.
5. To avoid obsolescence –
Smart devices are fragile and are built to be replaced. In many cases, a simple crack or an accidental fall with less damage cannot be repaired or will not have the same outcome even if it is repairable. But mechanical watches, cameras and even light phones are easily fixed and align with sustainable living.
Examples of “Less-Tech” people are Choosing
- Light Phone
A phone that doesn’t support browsing the internet or social media on purpose but allows you to call and text which helps to stay connected without disappearing from friends and work circles altogether.
- Dumb TVs
Televisions without tracking your behavior and preference or ads that show up with the influence of the algorithm. It’s often paired with external players or antennas.
- Paper Planners and Journals
With the rise of productivity apps and tools that feed the massive database, simple paper planners and journals
- Mechanical Watches
Watches that don’t track our every step, or need charging every day, but does its job perfectly timekeeping.
- Standalone MP3 Players
We can choose to upload and delete the songs that we like to hear, without the influence of algorithms.
- Point and Shoot Cameras
Capturing the moments for what it is without the urge to use filters and post on social media.
- Analog Alarm Clocks
Simple clocks that get the work done wake you up at the right time, without any distractions or screens that would urge us to check all the notifications once we touch the device.
Does Slow Tech Mean Anti Tech?
Though the slow-tech may seem like anti-tech or tech-backlash, it is not. People who have embraced slow tech still use the technology, but control themselves on how it should be used, and protect themselves from getting addicted. They try answering the following questions:
- Does this app or tool help me do what I want it to do without losing my own value?
- Am I using it or is it using me?
- What if I choose to use it less?
Less-tech is basically getting the benefits of the technology without losing your worth, getting addicted or completely giving away your private life. It is a choice to lead a simple life while using technology only when it is needed.
Will it be the norm?
Though slow tech becoming mainstream is unlikely as the whole world depends on technology for basically everything, it is growing gradually. Searching for “dumb phones” on Google has increased while minimalist tech companies are gaining attention.
Even the mainstream apps and tools are including “focus modes” and “screen time controls” on their dashboards and products.
Final Thought
For decades, technology has progressed with added features, speed and complexity. But it has also complicated people’s lives. Therefore, people have begun to find the solution and are adapting to slow-tech movement, which allows them to use the smart devices minimally while also living the life simply with calmness and clarity.
Slow Tech doesn’t mean avoiding tech completely but using less-tech while you live-more.
