I’ve invested so much energy in building up the anticipation for this article that I’m tempted to linger for yet a moment longer and allow the suspense to kill BOTH of you who are waiting with baited breath. Bait the sheol out of your breath, what do I care.
Okay that was fun. But here we go, as promised: what you have before you know is the Rosetta Stone of phone usage, the magic decoder ring found in the bottom of the box of sugar cereal. This, muchachos, is how my family navigates smartphones, dumbphones and the internets.
1. I own a Blackberry. Remember the Blackberry?
I do. The classic blackberry came with great fanfare and was king of the hill for, what–five years?–then was extinguished without so much as a piddle or squeak. WELL I’M BRINGING IT BACK FROM THE DEAD BABY. People see me with my Blackberry and think that I’m somehow behind the times, as if I have yet to catch up the past 10 years. Laugh all you want, simpletons! I’m actually from the FUTURE and I performed a RESURRECTION on the tech you threw out! (Suckaz never learn.) I’ve arrived at my device of choice, I hasten to add, after several failed attempts to implement the dumbphone. One thing I learned early on is that your standard flip phone makes texting so cumbersome that you’ll probably ignore most texts instead of hammering out a reply which will take you 5 minutes (even with the miracle of modern technology that is T9 predictive texting… remember that erstwhile innovation?). Now, you might be saying “sounds great, I hate texting”. If that’s you, pick yourself up a nice flip phone, it’ll do ya just fine, and we’re done here. Pick another article and click away, my smoke signaling friend.
For me, the eventual refusal to respond to text messages as a whole created problems all over the place, and I came to realize that I needed a better option. Namely, I needed a keyboard. I realized that my dream device has a keyboard, a passable camera (at least, a nicer one than the 1 megapixel flip phone standard crapfest), can play the podcasts I so enjoy, can navigate me around town if I need help… and doesn’t kill my relationship with my God and wife along the way. Sounds perfect, right? …well to be candid, I haven’t found all that yet… but the closest thing I have found is the Blackberry Bold 9900. Oh baby.
These can be had BRAND NEW(!) by the Abraham-about-town for about the same price of a flip phone (price = cheap). They will ship with twitter, facebook and all sorts of terrible, privacy-invading, shalom-degrading apps installed, but don’t worry – when Blackberry maker, RIM, went belly up, all those apps stopped working! Hooray! So what’s left is an easy-texting, nicely photographing, not perfect (okay, terrible… but seriously, it’s good enough) navigating cell phone (maybe it’s time you acted like a grown man and learned how to navigate using heavenly bodies?! How about that!? Just sayin’). And get this: If you’re ebay savvy (meaning, you can search for something 3 days in a row), you can find one there for 25 bucks. 25 BUCKS!
I know what you’re thinking. “What about the podcasts? I gots to have my Gladwell!”. Well you can’t have it all, but I’ll get back to that later. The big point is that the Blackberry offers NOTHING that beckons to my attention when I’m going through life. And if you’re worried about the pornographic opportunities presented by a phone, this thing probably could display some pixelated boobs but it would take serious effort and quite a bit of imagination. Kinda like your parents’ dial-up modem in 1998. Last but not least, there is a conversation piece factor in carrying my Blackberry. All the cool startup nerds around me love to chuckle when I whip it out (the Blackberry) and start typing away. “They still make those?” No, coworker/coffee shop patron, they don’t. I BRING THEM BACK FROM THE DEAD. And now, gird your loins for the coming dumbphone proselytizing at which I’m becoming adept as well…
2. My wife uses an iPhone
Hey what can I say – she’s just not as spiritual! I kid. It’s actually quite nice that she has one of these devices that’s a threat to me (and hey, it’s been a threat to her too: more on that below*) When we travel, she’s the AirBnB and Turo operator. We DO sometimes need a good navigator, and she covers that, too. Because she’s never had a hard time avoiding the dark arts on her phone, and she is better than I am at leaving the phone on the shelf when we are having family time, we’ve decided that this setup works just fine for her.
The iPhone is also really useful for her work situation – which echoes something I heard from my friend Amish John, whom I referenced in an earlier installment of this series. It’s important to keep in mind that there is nothing inherently bad about this technology- by that I mean the communication device or the simple fact that information can travel seamlessly from a sender anywhere in the world to a receiver anywhere else in the world. (In fact it’s good! We can create amazing things and reflect the image of the Father when we do it! Hooray for that!) The trouble lies when we mindlessly accept something that is useful in one area (work) into an environment that we should be protecting with the nervous energy of a vegan in a rib joint (that would be, our homes). Again I’ll say: I’m not against technology per se. It’s not as pat as “let’s go back to a simpler time: 2003”. But technology unexamined has a way of ruling us in ways we end up regretting.
3. I also have an iPhone
The sleuths among you might be thinking, “hey, I found this blog on Instagram… so I know you actually use a smartphone, Beavis.” Well boys, you’ve indeed found me out. I just wrote all these phone bits to sell magazines… it’s a clever ruse.
Nay, tisn’t so, but I do indeed have an iPhone. I even carry it around with me because I delight in a good podcast (aha! The previous loop CLOSED!). It doesn’t have a cellular plan on it, so it’s basically the same thing as an iPod touch. It is not smart. It doesn’t know where it is, doesn’t know who I am, and isn’t selling my choices to the highest bidder. This allows me to connect to the internet and use Instagram for several business ventures, test out apps that I’m developing, quickly list stuff for sale on my local classifieds as a part of my productive hobbies… the list goes on.
When I’m in line at the grocery store, however, no dice. When I’m in a doctor’s office, no time killers available. When I’m sitting in the carpool line, it’s just me in that car, no boobs. You get the idea; there’s a limitation that I welcome with not being on a cellular plan. The only time this phone works is when I’ve connected it to a network (and I make a point of not connecting it to networks other than my home and my office). So when I cross the threshold into one of these places, my tiny phone-shaped computer updates itself with all my great knowledge-filled entertainment. And if I want to do smartphone things, I can do them there.
At this point you should be thinking, “Okay: you said that your phone takes your attention away from your family at home, and if you’re connecting this thing to the internet it’s basically the same thing as having a full-fledged smartphone”. Thanks for your concern – let me explain how we deal with that would-be truth…
4. Our home internet runs through Circle
The Circle Device is a KEY component our our family’s home internet strategy and, knowing what I know now, I would never never never live without one again. It’s honestly the best $100 I have spent on tech for our home, ever. This device sits between your modem and your router, allowing an admin person to set whole-home controls on the internet for:
- content (whatever you don’t want in, doesn’t get in);
- time limits for specific devices (device X won’t work after X o’clock, or it won’t work after X minutes a day);
- time limits for specific websites or apps (no more than 20 minutes per day on website X), and;
- profiles for different users who might use multiple devices. It also keeps records of anything that anyone is accessing via my internet connection on any device so that I may review it.
HOW ABOUT THIS THING DUDES? Knowing what I know about you (and that is that almost all of you are trading in spiritual and relational health for things that you hate yourselves for later), I can’t imagine ANY of you not needing this and benefiting from its immediate integration into your scene. Seriously.
So anyway, here’s how the Circle Device shakes out in the real world: If a guest comes to our home and connects to our wifi – they will notice that they cannot access certain sites and content categories that we have banished from anyone in our house who might want to access them (think about things like porno and essential oils multi-level marketing outfits. These must never never be in my home). But we really own this thing for our own sakes. For me, that means my iPhone won’t connect to the internet outside of some small windows. So that iPhone becomes merely a podcasting device once again for all but a few minutes a day in my house. For my wife* (remember that * up above! Imma address that now!), she also noticed that she was wasting time on celebrity news and Facebook (anxiety and self-hatred factories that they are), so she blocked those sites from all of her devices. And so on. So Circle controls what and when we look at on our Apple TV, our computers and our phones. Hooray!!
5. Blammo! Personal tech tranquility!
So let me connect all the dots above for you: At home, my internet access is whatever size I want it to be via Circle (program your Circle right after family prayer and reading The Tech Wise Family or The Benedict Option, NOT right after reading Wired Magazine Online). And remember, because of my dumbphone, I don’t have the ability to just flip over to 3G and ignore whatever limits I set for myself by using the cellular connection. Because I don’t HAVE a cellular connection on my phone, I’m truly subject to the rules I established when I was planning out my ideal time and content allocations – there’s no way around it. And here in this place of self-imposed boundaries, I’ve found SO MUCH FREEDOM, my friends! My phone ceases to be a constant distraction (wherever I find myself) and my time with family is much more frequently undefiled by whatever else might pop up on a screen.
Those 5 steps again, for those of you scoring at home:
- I have a Blackberry for life in the wild
- Mrs. Abraham has an iPhone
- I also have an old non-cellular iPhone at home
- The Circle, with my directives, limits us all the way around
- And we are happy.
I’ve dedicated a lot of digital ink to the topic of why you should put A LOT of thinking into your choice of phones. Some of you have taken the time to write and let me know that I’m crazy, but I guess this is my thing. And it is my thing because I rarely talk to people on any side of the phone conversation who have thought deeply about how their phones impact so many aspects of their life. Agree with me (and order your Blackberry today!) or don’t – my primary hope is that by the time you’ve read all these articles you’ll have a very intentional position and that whatever you’re doing with your technology is done with eyes wide open.
To recap where we’ve been for posterity’s sake, here’s what has been covered:
- Why should you even think about Smartphones?
- Give boredom a chance!
- Phones and porn
- The financial benefits of dumbphones
- Wisdom vs. information – why asking God what He thinks matters
- How my family does technology (you’re already there, no link required)
I’d love to hear how you’ve thought this one through and where you’ve arrived at similar or different conclusions to my own – email us, social media us or just comment below.
Notice: Some of the links above are affiliate links, so we get paid if you purchase products through them. No recommendations were made based on the availability of affiliate links or the commissions from potential sales, just so ya know…
*Mark Parrett is one of the founders of Abraham’s Wallet. When not blogging for you here, he’s raising a family in Salt Lake City, UT and working as a financial planner at Outpost Advisors.
Great set of articles! I’m in the IT profession, and we rely heavily on mobile devices, but some days when I get home, I want to chuck my personal phone (along with its “Shalom-degrading apps” lol) in a drawer and break out ye olde quill and scroll to communicate with my family and friends, or even use the time-tested verbal communication. Okay, maybe not that far, but I admit, I miss the days of the BlackBerry! I had an old, previously-owned Blackberry that I used even after the roller ball broke for its final, satisfying roll under my thumb (I can still feel the calluses on my thumb tip from that thing). Mine couldn’t even display pixelated boobs since it had some kind of Korean operating system on it (my youthful, adventure-seeking speculation was that it was a de-registered North Korean spy phone that somehow made its way to the US, and onto eBay for me to buy, but it was probably something much less exciting). This thing used some built-in web proxy that blocked all skin-showing websites …and even most American news webpages. Anyways, I definitely recommend Circle over the phone/method I used, but it worked for me in my 20s 🙂
I would just like to say that I learned how a Circle Thing works from this post and have finally gone out and acquired one! Now my kids is super SAFE from the internet monster!
Thanks writer!
I fought against getting a smart phone for the longest time. I eventually was “forced” to get one to be more accessible for work (they paid for it). I think those early years fighting against getting a smart phone helped me create God honoring habits as the technology was booming and I now see technology as a tool that I use rather than letting it control my life.
Nice to hear it’s going well Jordan! I always am glad to think there are folks who haven’t been swept away in the tech wave (like I was for a long while!).
Great series. I’m glad you emailed it out in its entirety as I was able to go through it all yesterday and today. Have to sit on this for a bit and let it marinate. Then, discuss with the wifey. …
I have to say, the Blackberry suggestion scares me to death. I’ve never used one, nor do I ever want to.
You didn’t dive into all of the troubles with flip phones other than texting. I’m wondering what are the biggest losses for you of using the Blackberry in the wild.
For me, I’m thinking a couple of things:
1) Google Maps – as a realtor, I’m on the road a lot going to unknown places and avoiding traffic.
2) Bluetooth – My headphones/microphone allow me to talk while driving
Hm … Now, I’m looking into the “Screen Time” feature that Apple recently revealed. I’ve been actually really happy about this as it gives you the data and some eye opening accountability. Looking at my problem areas, it’s veering towards Cincinnati.com (news and Bengals), Twitter (news and Bengals) and Youtube (Jordan Peterson videos) …
I’m trying to get a grasp on what would be the costliest cut with going Blackberry. I think it’s the Maps (which, I could buy a car GPS, but not have the live traffic updates). Plus, the occasional children’s app (PBS to help in a parenting pinch).
Hm … so, I know this comment doesn’t make any sense because I am researching while evaluating and typing as I go.
Wondering the impact of Circle while keeping the iPhone. Arguments against that? I guess cost of keeping the iPhone would be one. Waste of time with the boredom issue is another. I assume it blocks out the porn well for you since you have the iPhone that is wifi enabled in your home?
Hey Eric – all good questions and thoughts. Lemme hit them in order:
1. The biggest troubles with a dumbphone for me is 1)music and podcasts, 2)navigation and 3)I guess I sometimes wish I had some other apps? This is all cured for me by carrying a retired iphone. navigation just means that you plan ahead. Or buy a gps unit for your car (they still sell those w/ google maps integration). I could see that being useful in the real estate world. Most dumbphones also allow you to use gps navigation.
2. Every device, blackberry or otherwise, will allow you to connect headphones and/or bluetooth devices. Not an issue there.
3. Circle DOES have a mobile solution that attempts to put the same constraints on your when you’re connected with cell service that you have in your home. This could be a good deal for you if it doesn’t kill your battery life. It was pretty tough on an iphone 5 battery, but that doesn’t prove anything. Maybe try that (it’s like 6 bucks a month, but might be perfect so you can keep your waze). And yes, circle is pretty good at blocking out the crap. It also keeps logs of every site you visit so just tell someone to skim those once a week and you’ll be good.
So Mark, first off you have wildly overreached on your viewership quota of 2 congrats!🎉
Also it’s Black Friday and Disney Circle only $50 on Amazon use promo code MANYSONS (that promo part was a joke…but they are currently discounted the price of two blackberrys)
Now to the business at hand, it still seems your antiporn plan is based on your “not gonna connect to WiFi outside the house” deal. So from where I’m sitting here (with my slick Android) it looks like you are still two clicks away from unguarded internet.
Grab old iPhone, pause snarky Malcolm, select free McDonald’s WiFi, agree to terms, and there you go…
Needless to say I’ve enjoyed your dialog about your similarities with Hillary (watch out for the russian hackers) and your love for stellistial navigation. I still feel your plan has a glaring hole.
I have personally found that God blesses the effort to put him first. The constant choosing to not have the best the world offers in tech in order to bring God glory.