This is How I Cured My Smartphone Addiction

Like most people, I've got a bit of a smartphone addiction. More like a habit. "Addiction" might be too strong a word. When I think of addiction, I picture meth addicts or people messed up. I just needed to cut back on my phone use by about 15-20%. Just take the edge off a bit. I didn't need to ditch my phone or switch to a basic one. A small tweak was all I needed to improve my life and stop glancing at my phone casually.

I own one of those foldable phones with screens on the inside. I got it as an experiment, to break away from the usual phone design. But I hardly ever opened it up. Most people don't. It's just simpler to use the front screen.

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Then, something unexpected happened. I dropped my phone, and the front screen shattered. I couldn't just glance at it anymore. To use any apps, respond to messages, or make calls, I had to open it up. It takes about 1.5 seconds to open, compared to 0.1 seconds to glance. That extra 1.4 seconds made a difference. I stopped checking my phone as much because it wasn't worth the hassle.

I never bothered fixing the screen or getting a new phone. It meets my needs without taking over my life. Sure, I'm now that person with a broken phone, but it's a small price to pay for a bit more peace of mind.

What solved my problem was FRICTION.

Today's designs often fuel addiction, so we need to tweak our devices to break that cycle. Maybe that means switching your phone to Assistive Access Mode

Or some people are even switching to e-ink to slow everything down

Friction matters because of this principle:

It's not just about the thing itself. It's about how easily we can access that thing that drives our actions.

The Invisible Force of Friction

Friction has always played a significant factor in life. Ever try to invade an ancient city? There’s layers of walls. Friction.

Throughout most of history, friction wasn't a significant concern except in warfare. Daily activities naturally involved some level of friction, such as physically going to the market to purchase food. However, this scenario has shifted in recent times. With advancements in software and business research strategies, we now encounter friction in unexpected areas. For instance, have you ever tried to cancel a subscription? Companies frequently implement obstacles to make cancellation challenging, hoping you'll abandon the effort and allow the subscription to continue renewing. It's a cunning strategy.

A small tweak in convenience can significantly alter our behavior. Take Amazon's 1-Click Ordering, for example. It's incredibly convenient, and we likely end up buying more than we need because of it. At the time Amazon implemented it, it was revolutionary. It absolutely helped their sales.

The latest friction-related controversy centers around the NBA's integration of live betting into its NBA League Pass platform, where fans watch games live. Previously, placing a bet required walking to a bookie. Then it became visiting a dedicated betting site. Now, the process is seamless and integrated directly into the game experience. This level of integration is unprecedented, even in European countries where sports gambling has been legal for decades.

Even successful gambling addicts are worried about how easy it is to bet on sports games.

Will this lead to increased addiction? Absolutely. The question then arises: at what point should the government intervene? Or should it all? Gambling, after all, is a popular pastime because it's enjoyable. But should it be regulated in a manner similar to cigarettes, given its potential risks?

But where do we stop? Everything in our life is like this now. Take away friction and most things become addictive.

In This Newsletter

1) Friction is a Hot Topic. We live in an age of addiction. Various aspects of life are being changed by reducing friction, from porn and sports gambling to DoorDash, marijuana, and beyond. Software is paving the way for a world of services with minimal friction, raising concerns about addiction and financial loss. How does the human handle this?

2) Performative Slowness: Performative slowness is another dimension of friction. Some companies intentionally introduce friction to reassure their customers that processes are being thoroughly executed. This practice is particularly common in the financial industry.

3) AI is Going to Decrease Friction in Life. Are we going to be ready for it? From law, to business, to interpersonal relations our world will be changed because friction will be removed.

Friction is a Hot Topic Now

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