The first iPhone hit the market in 2007 and most of us jumped on the smartphone bandwagon without looking back. 15 years later, countless studies document the pitfalls associated with reliance on powerful tech at our (literal) fingertips: impaired cognitive functioning, loss of self-esteem, and increased depression and anxiety are just a few.

The minimalist cell phone movement seeks to take back what smartphones have taken from us, and it advocates for the return of simple phones without distractions, apps, or advertisements.

On today's show I answer a listener's question about the Wisephone. Do minimalist cell phones actually give us our lives back, or do they simply seek to target a very particular subset of buyers?

Here's a preview:

[4:30] Why you should be concerned about your cellular data and privacy (plus: how a minimalist cell phone can protect you)

[9:00] What research says about the human tendency to become psychologically dependent on technology

[14:30] 3 benefits to the "pure and simple" Wisephone

[19:30] 3 real-time problems with the minimalist cell phone movement

[25:00] How and why smartphones are necessary for participation in today's economy (and how to fight back)

[27:30] Weighing long-term, intangible benefits with short-term, tangible ones when deciding whether a minimalist cell phone is right for you

Resources mentioned:

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