Or... people are just the mechanism by which smartphones reproduce. </s>

This article of smartphones being “parasites” covers my current dilemma. While I’m not sure how far the biological metaphor goes, I do relate to the experience of being gradually nudged into compulsive behaviors.

In my case, I avoided interacting with social media for most of my life. No Twitter, no Facebook, and until recently, not even HN (aside from reading). This was to protect my focus, and my attention span. My smartphone was just phone.

But I recently started a creative writing practice, and sharing ideas has become important to me. HN felt like a safe place to engage, and I genuinely enjoy the discussions here. That said, I’ve already noticed myself checking my phone more often, anticipating replies, and chasing that little dopamine spike. What was once just a phone is now a catalyst for distraction and creative connection, all at once.

I’ve held off posting to platforms like X because I suspect it’ll get worse. But in today’s world, where writing or building anything online often means “building a following,” is it even possible to avoid the trap?

Are there meaningful ways to engage and grow publicly without becoming trapped in doom-scrolling, infinite feeds, and notification loops ? Or is distraction now the entry fee for visibility?

Would love to hear from others who’ve tried to strike this balance, especially writers, developers, and indie founders.

I'm a much happier person when I'm away from my smartphone. I have taken a few year+ long breaks from smart devices and still miss T9 when typing on a touchscreen.

I definitely do not feel the modern smartphone is delivering on the promise of helping us in life.