Saw an interesting thought, De-automating.
There’s something in it.
I’m not there. Say, I did not disable auto updates for my iPhone, and I update my Arch Linux machines quite often too. But that’s not the point.
The point is, there’s too much of all of them. The things craving for our attention, and when you don’t pay attention, you think that’s for free. When it’s not.
These days, I automate everything I can reach for. The most recent thing, copying my Kindle’s clippings to this blog. And I’m obsessed with automating my blogging to the point of having zero barrier between me scribbling some thoughts, and them being published.
And I try to write down as much as I can, which helps with keeping track of the things I automate.
This can be applied in general too. That helps keeping track of the life, in a way, too.
In the similar fashion to what the original author wrote, I remove unnecessary things.
The physical world is too complicated for now, it feels like I’m not having my own place at all. It’s either my kids’ or my wife’s, but not mine. The office is, but it’s not mine mine.
So, the virtual world is much easier. I remove unnecessary programs off all my computers. I don’t keep any unnecessary apps on my phone. Even the taxi ones. Or maps. (I still have Apple Maps, which solves my case of finding someplace.)
I don’t use rely on any online services.
Except email, maybe. But I think I’d self-host it at some point too. Having no energy for that these days. I mostly not use it anyway.
Ah. And I don’t have any subscriptions in my inbox. Any subscription anywhere, not just inbox.
The messengers situation is somewhat complex thing, especially in the context of the ongoing war Russia wages on us. Well, mostly Telegram. All news channels are in there.
I won’t call it de-automating though, rather simplifying. At least in my case. I’m striving for simplicity. And it takes a tremendous effort.