Smartphones, pros and cons [I Dont Have A Smartphone]

I have lived the past few months with a regular phone, just casual phone calls and sms. I am now considering whether should i get an android or not.

- I miss the camera. But also i feel grateful that i live in the moment and don't get into that meta-ideas of recording.
- I feel freer knowing i don't carry a gps with me constantly. But I miss certain apps, like navigating apps, couchsurfing, habit trackers(well that one works as well in my notebook), and the various recording apps like sound recording, photo and video.
- I miss on the sharing aspect. I hate it but also i believe it can help me with my career in the long run(i'm a visual artist).

Share with me your experiences as well as your opinion if you like, as to whether should i get one or not.
I am planning on traveling long term, mainly backpacking, and maybe it will be handy if not necessary? But then again, not having one, as a backpacker, i would feel safer in the sense that i won't rely on anything that might get stolen from me.

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acpguy · C

Smart phones have dumbed-up people terribly bad. I have had a flip phone since the first cell phones died out. My wife got a smart phone as soon as they came out and a new one at least once per year. I would say she wastes at least 4 hours a day with that damn thing but she is convinced that she cannot get by without it and I have yet to figure out why. She teaches at our state college and every day cusses as the kids spend so much class time on the things doing social media and looking up answers for class that are usually wrong. I hike and hunt since I was 12 have never gotten lost and when I drive I can look at a map once and drive to my destination sometimes over 300 miles away. I admit that cell phones are necessary for my work and are great in an emergency but smart phones kill mindfulness that we used to have.

elafina · 36-40, F

@acpguy but it's also a whole new culture of 'sharing' and people somehow have become a large community where space has changed meaning, and 'happening now' is another way of sharing with many, ideas images and thoughts of the certain moment. I don't mean to be nihilistic agains the new practises, i am questioning whether that is for me or not.
Not that i don't see what we compromise, our cultural loses, equally..

I'm afraid that if i get out of this culture, i'll be even more alienated than i already am, that is my biggest concern to be honest. And second is safety, that comes from people/friends knowing constantly where you are.

acpguy · C

@elafina Try reading "ON WALDEN POND"

elafina · 36-40, F

@acpguy I read a quick review on wikipedia and it sounds interesting. I might try to find that book ,even though i might just prefer to go live it myself !