Life of Ty(ler)

About three weeks ago I felt compelled to do a Disconnect Day. I defined ‘Disconnect Day’ as follows: from 9pm Saturday night to 12am Monday Morning, I would turn off my phone and laptop, unplug my Xbox, and unplug my router. The motivation behind was to see what would happen. Of course, the purpose of doing such a thing nowadays would somewhere in the realm of self-improvement. The Dopamine Detox is a popular topic in the discussion of Human Optimization. My experiment was not quite as structured. I had no plan beyond turning everything off and then going about my day. My hypothesis was simply that if I stay within those constraints, I will experience something worth writing about. I can say by my own subjective reasoning that I have failed to reject this hypothesis. This post will be limited to speaking about my personal experience as I remember it now. There will be no mentions of scientific research done in this area or of the experiences of other people who have done a similar thing. The only source I have for this article is my memory and some notes I wrote down throughout the day. The Day – Some General Notes Despite telling everyone I would go dark at 9 I actually did so at about 9:45 because I was really invested in a movie I was watching. Upon the end of the film, I turned off my phone. I immediately felt … something. It was a combination of relief and a sudden rush of mental recharge. This feeling became more apparent as I proceeded to my other devices and peaked as I placed my phone and laptop in the confines of my microwave. Was this placebo? I had no way of knowing. All I knew was I felt better. I quickly felt compelled to go for a walk. I did so for about a half hour if I recall correctly. I went to sleep at about midnight. The following day I experience a few coincidences that perhaps would excite those of us who are spiritually inclined. I drove to the 11am Mass at my church. The Deacon gave a sermon about how people should turn off their phones every once in a while. When I got home, I read a portion of Bruce Feiler’s Abraham. According to my notes, the book echoes the Deacon’s sentiments somewhere in the second or third chapter. I would provide quotes, but I don’t currently have access to the book. The Good - What Did I Learn About Myself? I learned that phones amplify my anxiety. When you’re plugged in, it feels like the whole world is watching you and scrutinizing your every move. With my devices turned off I felt my anxieties weaken and my inner voice become stronger and more positive. I learned that in the absence of constant simulation you begin to process your backlog of thoughts. As these thoughts are processed you feel lighter and more alert. Finally, I learned that your body will literally thank you for taking this time to care for it. While I was on my patio, I felt a rush of love and gratitude towards my own self. It was as if a part of me was thanking another part of me for doing this. It was the simultaneous feeling of giving and receiving a great gift. Satisfaction in providing someone with love and gratitude for being provided for. The Bad – What are the Drawbacks and Risks? It would be disingenuous to say I was walking on air the entire time. I began to really crave my devices again at around 1:30 Sunday Afternoon. Without sufficient planning, there is only so much you can do to pass the time besides think. Perhaps there are better ways to spend your weekend then introspect. There is of course the reality that I was unable to talk to my family or friends. If there was an emergency, then that would have been a serious problem. The Ugly Your life will not change from just one Disconnect Day. I can’t say that I was more productive or more motivated to do better myself. Nor can I say that I no longer felt a need to check my phone or entertain myself with online content. In fact, in the weeks following my disconnect day I saw an increase in screen time. I have no way of explaining this. What Now? The things I experience during the Disconnect Day were overwhelmingly positive and at times even mind-blowing. I think everyone should experience what I experienced because I truly like we as a people have forgotten what it feels like to just be a human. But to quote Robert De Niro in Heat, there’s a flip side to that coin. If you live by yourself far away from your loved ones, they will have no way of contacting you during that time. That is a real sacrifice to consider aside from the fact that you’ll a tickle here and there when you want to check Instagram but can’t. There is also the reality that this will not solve all your problems. Take me for example. I was supposed to write this article immediately after the experience yet here I am posting it almost a month later. There are few problems in this world that be fixed with just one dose of anything. This is something that will have to be done in a regular, healthy, and safe way. I’d like to move forward from this by integrating a disconnect period semi-regularly. It also wouldn’t hurt to give an honest look into what we know about the effect that our technology has on us as human beings. If I can truly become more independent from technology, what will be the benefit? Will I be more productive? Will I have super powers? I owe it to humanity to F around and Find out.