The saying “There is but one step from love to hate” usually describes unexpected and complicated romantic sagas, but today it has proven relevant to a rather extraordinary situation. This is the most accurate way to characterize the relationship between humans and their smartphones. Several decades ago, a touchscreen phone, free internet access, the ability to accomplish everything in one place, and connectivity from anywhere in the world seemed like an unattainable dream. Early gadgets were just emerging, and nobody could foresee the ultimate outcome of this leap in cutting-edge technology.
With time, it became clear that smartphones are nothing less than forbidden fruit. We plucked it out of curiosity and temptation, and it has now become our trial. Mental health must be sacrificed for interactivity and convenience. In 2026, humanity has firmly embarked on a path to combat digitalization. How far are people prepared to go to overcome their smartphone dependency? We explore this in our article (also read: Zoomers Learn to Live Life, or What They Called 2026 the “Analog” Year).
How Interest Escalated into Addiction
In our teenage years, grandmother’s phrase, “People managed just fine without all your internets back in the day,” usually provoked mockery and indignation—we just wanted our relatives to stop nagging about our time spent on the phone and let us enjoy the moment. Who knew that the elders would turn out to be right: today, we are fighting for the ability to spend time without gadgets.
Not long ago, checking social media simply to see what was happening in the lives of our friends and acquaintances seemed harmless. Today, this has morphed into a trap of endless algorithms, short video feeds, comments, and likes. The goal is clear—the user must scroll relentlessly, returning to the online sphere again and again. We attempt to escape the labyrinth: we try digital detoxes, taking weekend trips to remote wilderness hotels, but every new turn in this path invariably leads back to the starting point.
Living without the internet and social media is the new luxury, a trend, a form of cultural currency affordable only to a select few. People only recently realized that internet addiction poses a genuine danger and threat to the future. This habit began to cause unease, and anxiety became the scourge of several generations simultaneously. The first signs of toxicity emerged during the pandemic—when the whole world was forced to confine itself indoors, and the only way to distract from events was endless content (also read: When Digital Detox Results in Emotional Regression?).
The Strategic Offensive
The coronavirus crisis is behind us, but things haven’t gotten easier. We recognized the value of real life and offline moments and started taking action. Early attempts to establish boundaries were quite innocent: in 2016, media mogul Arianna Huffington founded Thrive Global—a platform dedicated to combating stress and burnout. The woman decided to sell tiny beds specifically designed for smartphones. The idea was that while we recharge for the next day and gain strength, our phones should do the same. Crucially, far away from us and the perpetual nighttime urge to scroll the feed.
Essentially, it’s a small, wireless charging station, though crafted in the shape of a wooden doll’s bed. The belief was that by giving the phone a designated sleeping spot (complete with a tiny mattress and blanket), one could calmly conclude the day and achieve healthy, restful sleep.
Next came innovations from Apple in the form of Focus modes and weekly Screen Time reports, serving as reminders of how many hours we dedicate to our online existence. This was followed by black-and-white screen options, an attempt to make unlocking the smartphone less appealing. But all these were stopgap measures, leading humanity in 2026 to opt for more drastic methods.
“You Don’t Have a Phone, You Have a Brick”
You’ve likely heard acquaintances use the phrase “brick phone” more than once. It refers to smartphones that have broken down and are no longer usable. However, the expression is taking on a new meaning today. The company Brick has released a specific device designed to temporarily block access to selected applications. For $60, you purchase a brick that you attach to your smartphone to disable what distracts you the most. Reversing this requires a physical action—you must return home and press a special button a second time.
Additionally, there’s the Opal app, which helps schedule deep focus sessions for $99.99 annually. More “hardcore” methods also exist—one subject shared such a technique with The New York Times editor. The young woman uses a belt and coat hooks to tether her smartphone to the wall, turning the gadget into a classic landline. The originator of this method insists that scrolling the feed afterward is undesirable—presumably due to the effort involved.
There is a certain irony in purchasing supplementary hardware to restrict smartphone use; however, the money spent serves as motivation not to stray from the chosen path. Thus, we are entering a new reality where digital detox is becoming a luxury few can afford.
TikTok has already embraced the trend—users are actively creating videos praising this “invention” and urging everyone to revert to times when a phone was only useful for calls. Followers in the comments have already been labeled “performative,” but the war against digitalization cannot be stopped regardless (also read: Why Everything, from Men to Clothing, Has Become “Performative”).
For those who have long wished to lower their screen time metrics but are unwilling to spend money on it, there are no elaborate life hacks to offer. Only one crucial piece of advice that might save you money: look around you, observe how beautiful the surrounding world is, and remember your friends and loved ones. You won’t need to try to construct an analog virtual life if you simply return to reality.
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