Being Selectively Analogue: A Way to Stay Sane

Achieving balance

If I could sum up my life philosophy vis-a-vis tech it would be:

Use technology when it benefits you. Don’t use it when it doesn’t.

The internet is the greatest wealth-creation engine that has ever existed in the history of the world.

You can make millions without even leaving your house.

There has never been a time in human history where making money has been this easy.

If you don’t take advantage of this moment: you will regret it for the rest of your life.

But is that what most people are doing with this technology?

Of course not.

All you have to do is go anywhere in public to see people doing the opposite.

They’re rotting their brain with short-form video. They’re depressed because they spend all day doomscrolling and arguing about politics with people they don’t even know.

No attention span, no thoughts worth thinking about, no sense of self.

They’ve subsumed themselves to the worst parts of internet culture with nothing to show for it other than the hollow shell of a human they’ve become.

Why you need to become Selectively Analogue

The way you avoid this fate is by becoming Selectively Analogue.

We all have a sense that, at least in some aspects of life, the old way was much better. That’s why nostalgia is such a powerful force in society.

Spending time on the internet convincing people to trade their dollars for whatever it is that you’re selling can lead to a negative view on life.

It’s easy to simply declare that it won’t happen to you, but it’s very hard to avoid falling into the trap of negativity.

The entire internet revolves around negative emotionality. Resisting it through sheer force of will is a losing battle.

Instead you need to live the way people have always lived, but only in situations where it provides a real psychological benefit.

There is value to reading physical books.

Our brains have evolved alongside the written word, and even reading on a Kindle or God-forbid an iPad doesn’t quite scratch the same itch that physical paper does.

So start reading physical books, preferably including fiction.

Fiction makes you feel more alive/human and less robotic/weird.

There is also value in carrying physical cash.

Holding a tangible representation of money in your hand feels more significant than swiping a credit card or scanning your phone. It just does. You know it, I know it. Don’t try to rationalize your way out of it.

Going outside has benefits.

I always say that socializing with other people is a Radical View Dampener. You realize that the world isn’t quite as bad as it’s made out to be on social media (by political commentators who are making serious money riling people up).

You simply weren’t evolved/designed to sit indoor in LED light, staring at and getting angry at a computer screen.

It’s not natural.

Maybe in 100,000 years the human brain will evolve to take computers into account, but for now: they will continue sucking the life out of you.

The list of Beneficial Selectively Analogue pursuits goes on an on.

Vinyl records, real watches instead of smart watches, fashion, fitness; it all makes a serious difference in your life.

Start being Selectively Analogue and you’ll see.

It’s the Yin to the WiFi Money Yang.

Conclusion

The technology gods have given us the greatest tool for making money the world has ever seen.

But the Universe isn’t in the habit of serving free lunches.

The same technology that is making people rich comes with a side effect of making people completely insane if they spend too much time on it.

So use it to make money. Then log off and live your life.

The End.