Author Jen Wasserstein says,
"My life without a smartphone is getting
harder and harder."
Good on her to resist, but she should stop doubting the rightness of
her resistance.
It is interesting to compare her account my own experiences this year
without any portable phone whatsoever, in Europe as well as the US.
There were inconvenient moments, but I always got through them.
I am fortified in my resistance by knowing powerful moral reasons to
conde,m portable phones. It's not just that I find their effect on
other people alarming. I recognize them as a threat to democracy
due
to their massive general surveillance
as well as an injustice to each user (due to their remotely
modifiable nonfree software). As a result, I never feel abashed about
rejecting them, nor ashamed if the ignorant look askance. I am proud
of my resistance.
When a waiter tells me to scan a QR code, I move my finger slowly over
it while staring at it intently, as if a menu should magically appear.
After sufficient time, I may say, "It doesn't seem to be working."
Try it, it's fun!
Please join me in resisting the pressure to make everyone run nonfree
software.
Even if you only say no once, saying no even once is helping.
And once you've said no the first time, the second time is easier.