Book Review: Reconnected

Last year, something I read suggested fasting from your phone. I tried it, with little success. Plus, I didn't continue. It is amazing how integral phones seem. Heading somewhere? Use maps. Waiting on news from a child? Don't turn off the device. While I'm not addicted to my phone (2 hours per day average), I would love to use it less.

Carlos Whittaker was using his phone almost 7-1/2 hours each day. When he stopped to do the math, he realized how much of his life was frittered away on his device. Now, for Carlos, it is understandable. He is a content creator and has a popular Instagram (I've never heard of him, but it sounds like it is popular). Still, he felt convicted enough to set in motion a phone fast. I didn't even last a full day. Whittaker went 7 weeks without his phone. He spent the first 2 weeks with monks and the second 2 with Amish farmers. Then, the final three, he spent at home.

His book, Reconnected, shares what he learned from this experiment. I should also note that he had a brain scan at the start of the experiment, and again at the end. This was fascinating. With the monks, he learned to move at "Godspeed" (this is something I first read of in Mark Buchanan's excellent book, God Walk). Carlos spent time noticing, wondering, and beholding. Instead of distracting himself, he learned to lean into boredom. With the Amish, his eyes were opened to the imporance of valuing community, sharing meals, and getting lost. 

Honestly, even if you aren't totally addicted to your phone, the insights in this book apply to everyone. We have lost much in our technological advancements. Yet, we can reclaim the imporant things if we are intentional. Reading this book made me want to visit a monastery and an Amish farm. It made me want to slow down my already sometimes-glacial life. I can't imagine how convicting it might be to those whose lives are drowning in busyness and technological interaction.