Article Your smartphone is a parasite of humans, according to evolution

[C C]

https://theconversation.com/your-smartph...ion-256795

INTRO: Head lice, fleas and tapeworms have been humanity’s companions throughout our evolutionary history. Yet, the greatest parasite of the modern age is no blood-sucking invertebrate. It is sleek, glass-fronted and addictive by design. Its host? Every human on Earth with a wifi signal.

Far from being benign tools, smartphones parasitise our time, our attention and our personal information, all in the interests of technology companies and their advertisers. In a new article in the Australasian Journal of Philosophy, we argue smartphones pose unique societal risks, which come into sharp focus when viewed through the lens of parasitism.

Evolutionary biologists define a parasite as a species that benefits from a close relationship with another species – its host – while the host bears a cost.

The head louse, for example, is entirely dependent on our own species for its survival. They only eat human blood, and if they become dislodged from their host, they survive only briefly unless they are fortunate enough to fall onto another human scalp. In return for our blood, head lice give us nothing but a nasty itch; that’s the cost.

Smartphones have radically changed our lives. From navigating cities to managing chronic health diseases such as diabetes, these pocket-sized bits of tech make our lives easier. So much so that most of us are rarely without them.

Yet, despite their benefits, many of us are hostage to our phones and slaves to the endless scroll, unable to fully disconnect. Phone users are paying the price with a lack of sleep, weaker offline relationships and mood disorders... (MORE - details)

[Magical Realist]

How then can users redress the imbalanced relationship with their phones, turning the parasitic relationship back to a mutualistic one?

Our analysis suggests individual choice can’t reliably get users there. We are individually outgunned by the massive information advantage tech companies hold in the host-parasite arms race.

I am living proof that an individual can totally shirk this parasitic infestation of cellphones by never ever having bought one to begin with. 20 years now without one and I'm doin just fine. I'm not entirely sure why I opted out of the cellphone bandwagon, which has pretty much taken over and transformed our whole world. Something along the lines of its annoying intrusion into my daily life. It's audacious demand for attention when I'm engaged with more important matters. I never really liked phones to begin with, hating it when the phone rings like some Pavlovian bell that prompts my response. How much more did I hate the idea of carrying this device around with me, never released from its relentless clutch on my life.. Control and freedom. That's what it came down to and what it continues to come down to. I will not be sucked into the slippery slope of becoming more and more dependent on something I never needed to begin with.

[Secular Sanity]

How then can users redress the imbalanced relationship with their phones, turning the parasitic relationship back to a mutualistic one?

Our analysis suggests individual choice can’t reliably get users there. We are individually outgunned by the massive information advantage tech companies hold in the host-parasite arms race.

I am living proof that an individual can totally shirk this parasitic relationship by never ever having bought a cellphone to begin with. I'm not entirely sure why I opted out of the cellphone bandwagon, which has pretty much taken over our whole world. Something along the lines of its intrusion into my daily life. It's audacious demand for attention when I'm engaged in my real life. I never really liked phones to begin with, hating it when the phone rings like some Pavolovian bell that prompts my response. How much more did I hate the idea of carrying this device around with me, never released from its arbitrary control over me. Control and freedom. That's what it came down to and what it continues to come down to. I will not be sucked into the slippery path of becoming more and more dependent on something I never needed to begin with.

I leave mine turned off, and in my car, or purse when out with friends. Most people keep theirs on the table. It makes me feel like I'm not important. If a call comes in, it's usually taken, and if they don't know something that we're discussing, they google it.

[confused2]

I have a smartphone. 
I have no idea why some people are continually answering their phones while others, like myself, are never troubled by such calls.
The only time mine rings is when ratcam sees a rat - I consider the rats to be the problem rather than the phone.
It also gives unreliable estimates of bus times and is used to display the performance of my solar heating things.
I could live without it if I had to.

[stryder]

I went for many years without a mobile phone, however my human rights of not requiring one by choice were undermined by companies FORCING adoption of mobiles through the usage of two tier passphrase systems. (I don't just see it as forcing a phone for security, it's actually forced Consumerism. Forcing the purchasing of a phone as well as paying for keeping it connected to a network etc)

The current new threat on the network is 3G ending, where you start getting messages like "update your phone to support 4/5G" like you need a new replacement one.... (I'm pretty sure mines so basic it's still running on 2G)

Too much reliance on phones can be seen if there is a network outtage or no wifi with people proverbially twiddling their thumbs as their anxiety level raises waiting for the return of the accursed tech.

[Syne]

I've only bought 2 cell phones in my life. My first flip phone (which I bought mostly because I moved around too much for a land line) and a second flip phone once the first wore out. Both before the advent of smart phones.
My cell phone company gave me a free smart phone when they moved to 3G and gave me my current one when they moved to 5G. If they weren't free, I would have been very slow to adopt a smart phone.

[Zinjanthropos]

I've only bought 2 cell phones in my life. My first flip phone (which I bought mostly because I moved around too much for a land line) and a second flip phone once the first wore out. Both before the advent of smart phones.
My cell phone company gave me a free smart phone when they moved to 3G and gave me my current one when they moved to 5G. If they weren't free, I would have been very slow to adopt a smart phone.

Similar here. Loved my flip phone because it was closer to a land line than these newer ones. That’s all I wanted, a phone that basically rang, like my old house phone.

Couldn’t care less about the extra stuff but it’s there so why not play around when nothing else to do?

As for games I only choose word games, nothing else appeals to me. It also replaced the newspaper I enjoyed so much. Practically forced to look for news using the phone now. For a skeptic, online news is full of truths and half truths to outright BS. Went from trusting information to being highly suspect of it.

[Magical Realist]

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[Syne]

Couldn’t care less about the extra stuff but it’s there so why not play around when nothing else to do?

As for games I only choose word games, nothing else appeals to me. It also replaced the newspaper I enjoyed so much. Practically forced to look for news using the phone now. For a skeptic, online news is full of truths and half truths to outright BS. Went from trusting information to being highly suspect of it.

I never turn my data on and don't do games that have to be online. I mostly do crosswords and play freecell. I have one or two other games on there, but they don't usually hold my attention long. But yeah, it's the source of most my news. Just gotta find sources you think you can trust (or at least trust which way their bias leans).