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I don't actually want anyone to get their phone stolen, but I did. And it changed my life.
Mere minutes after living through a spiritually fulfilling experience (seeing Hozier live), my brand new phone and two of my friends' wallets got stolen at the bootleg merch booths outside the concert venue. One moment we were looking at tote bags and hoodies. Next thing we knew, we were smushed by a swarm of people, unable to move. My friends and I decided to retreat and, once we were out into a clearing, we were the same people... minus a phone and two wallets.
The experience of being non-violently robbed is existentially weird. One would think they'd realize they're being targeted. I mean, how can you not feel something out of the ordinary is happening on your person? I wasn't dumb. I was using a fanny pack under three layers of clothing, but these people are artists. The moment we got out of the ocean of people and realized what happened, we were in total shock.
I swear I went through all stages of grief in less than an hour, but at the end of the day... it was just a phone. Was it a recently big personal investment? Yes. Did it have all of the videos and pics of a life-changing concert? Also yes. Was I now in the middle of a "random" city without access to my digital wallet, GPS and other phone-related life essentials? Mhmm, yes. But it was still just a phone nonetheless.
The next day, I bought a Nokia 110 in a nearby convenience store, restored my sim and just kept on living. I was on the trip with my closest friends so I knew I would be fine being contactless for another four days. But now, I had to adapt to survive with nothing other than my manually-inputed contacts (for calls and SMS), my brand new 0.3 megapixel camera, and Snake.
This is something we all know, but you never really think about the type of bond you have to this material plane until it's challenged.
A month prior to the incident, I thought about getting a non-smartphone to limit my access to tech whenever I felt like my brain was getting too absorbed into my Pixel. I was feeling less present in my life and wanted to make a conscious decision to dumb-down my online activity, without actually getting rid of my cool camera and all-in-all amazing phone. Ironically, I had already researched slightly smarter Nokia phones and was even planning out a way to introduce a less tech-y lifestyle into my everyday. I guess the universe took my intentions too literally and decided I needed to go all in on the tech-less experience.
There are many reasons why I'm grateful for this experience, and one of the most important ones is the way I bonded with my friends over this brick phone. My Nokia takes some cool 0.3mp pictures, and the aesthetic became the entire vibe of the trip. We took cool pictures, laughed at the distorted audio the videos captured, and made fun of the cute noises it did when I texted someone. Most of all, I was forcibly present in every moment, and it actually felt freeing. I looked at my Nokia with love, and it looked back at me with no judgement at all.
Being a phone-less foreigner is not something I recommend. I had trustworthy company and was slightly familiar with the city I was traveling in, but it was still a challenge. Security-wise, no bueno. But I also haven't bought a new phone. I downgraded back to my old Pixel, which has issues with speed and battery (reasons why I decided to upgrade after five years in the first place), but I'm not sure if I'm ready to make that big of a purchase again quite yet.
There's a ton of morals to this story. Be safe and conscious when you travel; Look both ways before approaching a bootleg merch booth; Reflect on the way you engage with technology on your day-to-day; Memories are best lived being present; Nokia 110 phones sound funny, take cool pictures and might actually change your life.
Whatever it is you take from my experience, I hope it makes you feel grateful for something in your life.
Apr 17, 2024
Related Recs
I've been rocking the flip phone since March - went through a few different models till I landed on this utilitarian workhorse; the Sonim XP3800. This thing feels like it can stop a bullet. The battery lasts for 3 days. Service is 5 bucks a month.
remixed my brain:
-got lost a few times (feels amazing + found my way back)
-bought an iPod mini (eBay, refurb 256gb)
-forgot about 1 million people that I didn't need to remember
-missed brat summer entirely (found out in late September, loved the album)
-learned how to wait and do nothing
-minimized unnecessary / instantaneous communication
-started taking photos with real cameras again
-started reading again
-stopped impulsively buying instagram shirts
-phone can be turned off during the charging cycle (not possible with iPhone)
-regained control over the flow of information into my brain
-restored my relationship with the computer as an appliance bound to one physical location
Am I a better person for this? Probably not. Is this all of this a bit loaded and pretentious and boomer esque? Definitely. But it feels good to know that I have the freedom to say no to smart phone tech that has been foisted on us as an essential to living for the sake of convenience - convenience which has a cost. I could go on and on and on about this but I would highly recommend that everyone gives this a shot for while even if it's just an experiment. You will be surprised by how you feel after a few weeks.
Dec 11, 2024
I've am using a dumb phone for a month and I'm now one week in! I have switched from my beloved iPhone SE 📱 to a trusty Nokia 225 ☎️. The first few days I was on a high I felt unstoppable 💫, strutting down the halls with my rose gold brick 🧱 glistening in the light. I got so many fans come up and take photos 🤳 with it and try it out, I was on top of the world 🌏! Until ... I started feeling symptoms of instagram reel withdrawal 🤬. My one true love is no longer I have been forcibly ripped from the hands of heaven due to our forbidden romance 🥀.
My sleep health has notably improved due to me not going on my phone before bed 🛌, it has increased my sleep quality and quantity 😴. This experiment has made me more laptop-dependent considering all the apps I need to use are online or on my Mac 💻. Overall my mood has increased and I am texting less but calling more 😊. I mainly communicate through mouth of words 🗣️, SMS, and phone calls. I found many challenges with the limitations of apps like I couldn't use my training apps or WhatsApp which hindered my ability to complete trainings and communicate with coaches 🏋️. I couldn't use Apple Pay, Airdrop, or Find My Phone which affected my organisation and safety👷♀️.
My studies have interestingly 🧐 remained the same, I thought because I wouldn't have access to distractions like social media my academics would improve however I procrastinated equally as with my smartphone 📚. To me it is clear why this has occurred, my attention span from my use of social media has shortened 😬 which makes me procrastinate similarly to previous times but instead of being distracted by my iPhone, I am distracted by other things like food 🍱.
Overall it has been pretty smooth sailing ⛵️, I do feel superior because I catch myself being more present and notice more things like how super awesome I am 🤘🤠
Mar 18, 2025
📞
I made the decision to "downgrade" to a flip phone and I genuinely think it is the best decision I've made in a long time. It's weirdly connected me to my inner-child. Which, in retrospect, I reckon I should have expected. The camera quality sucks in the best way, but I carry my Canon camera around too in case I need to capture something more important. I've been calling my friends more because T9 texting is a drag. Haha, I've been texting like "do u wanna c a movie l8er?"
I talk to strangers more when I'm waiting in line, when I can't look something up. I've been writing questions in my journal because I can't look it up in the moment, I have to get onto the computer later in the day and satiate my ever-flighty mind. Don't get me wrong, it sucked at first, but the intrigue absolutely helped. It has just been a fun way to spend the summer I guess. Screen time is down, my boredom has breed creativity, and I feel far more present in the world.
If you've been thinking about trading your smart phone in for a dumb phone, take this as a sign. I recommend it immensely.
Jul 15, 2024
Top Recs from @flat_white
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Make the person you're talking to get really riled up on their topic. Even just repeating the last couple of words they say as a question helps them dive deeper.
May 6, 2024
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Now it's easier to go into knowledge rabbit-holes on my phone B)
Jun 6, 2024
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Wrinkles are our body's way to document that we've lived. R u getting lines from smiling? Gorgeous. Crow's feet from laughing? Magical.
I don't fear getting wrinkles from moving my eyebrows too much, either. Conveying emotion is cool, and aging is too.
May 6, 2024