The emerging market of dumb phones amid the mental health crisis

This is not a rant. As you know we’re slowly, very slowly but surely, realising that the smartphones are becoming smarter than us and we’re more and more—with each generation—merging with these—I should call it—augmentations, or prostheses or implants. Much research and literature is emerging addressing the effects of this merger, negative effects—no surprise there. Even if I will carefully mention the maha movement in the states—it is not a fancy of one man, there is a build-up of subconscious suffering at play seeking an outlet, people are becoming more and more miserable as technology is pulling us apart just as much as it brings us together over long distances.

The capitalists are watching this shift carefully, and attempts to capitalise on it are in process. I wonder what is the opinion of the Fairphone team and users on this topic. How will these brain-augmentations we call smartphones—the personal assistants—the attention hogs—distraction devices—you name it!—how will it be tackled by the industry. Does Fairphone have anything in planning? Or it has bowed down to the industry, carving a profitable niche and a loyal fanbase of feel-gooders for itself in this huge market?

What of the science? Or is it all just about nice-politics? Green politics—you name it!

I’m in no way speaking while sitting on some high horse. I’m just a voice in the noise. A consumer. So my question is what can we do?

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It is striking: both optimists and pessimists ascribe to techniques like AI properties that it mostly does not have. It might be useful to read carefully the scientific article linked to this link ( ChatGPT is bullshit | Ethics and Information Technology ). However, the increased use of so-called “Social Media” is disturbing for an entirely different reason: in fact, it is unabashed gossiping in public with grim consequences for normal social relations. In fact, one should speak of “Asocial” or even “Amoral” (maybe even “Antimoral”?) media.

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