On the weekend I met someone who has swapped their smart phone for a dumb phone; that is, a phone that just allows calls and texting, none of the bells and whistles. And I thought to myself, could I live without my smart phone? How many times have I found myself looking at my phone when I’m watching TV or a film, or even reading a book? Or answering work emails on a Sunday night. It’s time for a change, and the first thing that needs to change is how I use my phone.
This hasn’t come out of the blue for me; recently I’ve been trying to slow down, create more space to think and be creative, and simply to relax. I’ve found myself not entirely living the life I want, one of balance and harmony. But it hasn’t been easy, mainly because everything around me is set up to distract us. Distract us from what, I’m not sure, but gratification is instant, and this makes us dumb and always chasing the next dopamine hit.
Realistically I can’t get rid of my smart phone as I need it for work. Clients contact me not only by calling or texting, but also via email or social media. I also use it as a work calendar and for taking payments. It sounds as if I’m making excuses. Anyway, I’ve removed the Facebook app from my phone but kept messenger, and I’ve turned off all the notifications on the other apps. I’m also limiting my time surfing by leaving my phone in a drawer at work, and in another room when I’m at home.
From Digital back to 35mm
I’ve also swapped my digital camera for an old 35mm analogue camera. It’s great, although ironically, I bought it on the Ebay app on my phone. You only get 24 or 36 shots, so you have to take time thinking about the shot, composing it and then taking the shot. Just the mere action of loading the film and winding it on is very soothing. And the snap of the shutter is extremely satisfying. Gratification is delayed. You must wait for a couple of weeks to get the developed film back to see if your work is any good. But the whole process is much more tangible, and much more mediative.
We live in a world where we expect everything instantly. We get annoyed if our text messages are not answered immediately, or if we wait for more than a few days for a Prime parcel to arrive. How easily we have forgotten the days of writing letters to stay in touch, or waiting weeks for a parcel to arrive, or having to wait till next week to watch the next episode of a TV programme!
Dopamine Addiction
It’s all about dopamine, the feel-good chemical released by the brain and the Kidneys.
The dopamine hit we get from a ‘like’ or a retweet is so good, that we keep coming back for more. Companies like Meta, the company that owns Facebook, Instagram and Whatsapp, are well aware of this and do everything in their power to keep us scrolling. Whether it is to distract us, I don’t know, but it’s certainly great for getting us to buy stuff we don’t need.
It is potent and highly addictive, and drives us to do things that we think will bring us pleasure, like surfing the net and social media…and buying things. Like any addiction, the hit weakens so you need to do it more to get the same effect.
Here’s a great article from the Guardian all about our addiction to Dopamine https://www.theguardian.com/global/2021/aug/22/how-digital-media-turned-us-all-into-dopamine-addicts-and-what-we-can-do-to-break-the-cycle
The Chinese Medicine bit
In Chinese Medicine we equate the brain with the Kidneys. It’s a long story, so I’ll leave you in the hands of the knowledgeable Giovanni Maciocia…
The Kidneys produce Marrow, fill up the brain, and control bones. This function of the Kidney is also derived from the Essence. Essence is the organic foundation for the production of Marrow. “Marrow” does not correspond to bone marrow in Western medicine. “Marrow” in Chinese medicine is a substance which is the common matrix of bones, bone marrow, brain and spinal cord. Thus the Kidney-Essence produces Marrow which generates the spinal cord and “fills-up” the brain. For this reason, in Chinese medicine the brain has a physiological relationship with the Kidneys. If Kidney-Essence is strong, it will nourish the brain and memory and concentration, thinking and sight will all be keen. Chinese medicine holds that “the Kidneys are the origin of skill and intelligence”. If the brain is not adequately nourished by the Essence, there may be poor memory and concentration, dizziness, dull thinking and poor sight. Brain and spinal cord are also referred to as “Sea of Marrow”.
(p.96, The Foundations of Chinese Medicine, Giovanni Maciocia, Churchill Livingstone, 1989)
So, basically, Kidneys produces Essence which in turn produces Marrow. The brain and spinal cord are Marrow. And here is my point…constant hits of dopamine and adrenaline fatigue the Kidneys, which causes all sorts of problems. For instance, in Chinese medicine we believe that weak Kidneys are the main cause of lower back ache, but it can also cause menstrual and fertility problems, amongst lots of other ailments.
I’ll keep you posted on how I get on with my ‘detox’, but in the meantime here’s a picture of my new camera!
If you have any questions about acupuncture, or any of the topics in my blogs, please do contact me. Find out more about me, or my treatments here.
Enjoyed your article. Your thoughts are the same as mine. Life is becoming too demanding on our time and energy.
I have a very simple phone, which I find perfectly adequate. The main “usefulness” is being able to receive and send calls while out of the house.
Have fun with your camera. It makes you think which photos you really need to take. You could have had John’s one, which is languishing in the loft.
Enjoy your new “slowed down” life.