I love this challenge, but another wild idea? Don’t send in your memories! Don’t have photos to document them in the first place. 75-90% of my day-to-day memories that I find noteworthy I keep in a little notebook that I carry around in my pocket, and I find paging through that to be a lot more rewarding than scrolling through old photos. It’s also easier to write things down and still feel in the moment, as opposed to pulling out a phone and taking pictures which (to me) immediately adds an air of artificiality and a need to be “liked” by the masses which detracts from the whole point of unplugged interaction. Remember: this isn’t about winning the challenge, it’s about disconnecting.
Both ways of doing this work very well, I’m just throwing mine out there in case some of you would want to try it.
Paul, your comment really impacted me. Do you think that we are underestimating Gen Z by adding the photo/video element?
Do you think we could get a large mass of people to do this without the incentive? Do others agree this is taking away from the experience? Would love to know what everyone thinks.
Hey Zach, I get the approach of using a medium that Gen Z is comfortable with to encourage them to participate. It is meeting them where they are at and I think it is an excellent first step. Yet if we are trying to encourage Gen Z to step away from their phones, but use their phones to document and display stats it is still keeping their mind space attached to the virtual world. My husband Peco and I wrote recently on alternative approaches to documenting memories, see https://schooloftheunconformed.substack.com/p/building-people-with-three-dimensional
An additional approach would be to have participants write about their experience. Writing has the added advantage of prompting reflection and processing of the experience rather than snapshots and stats that are part of the disconnection to reality. My husband Peco and I are planning a community story project at School of the Unconformed where we will invite readers to share stories (500-2000 words) of how they live life differently in the digital age. We will be curating a collection of these stories in a section that readers can freely access to gain encouragement and inspiration.
I personally would love for it to be an essay contest, like the Substack platform started as (despite their luring of YouTube and TikTok “celebrities”).
I want to be clear: this challenge is great. It’s inspiring people to do a great thing. I also love the impact that online community can have, and having everyone come together like this by submitting their experiences is a powerful way of letting people feel supported by a community when they’re doing something that is out of the mainstream for this generation.
I do worry, though, about two things.
1. If you tried to add the photo/video element to connect with Gen Z, even with the best of intentions, it could come across as patronizing (“do they seriously thing we need to photograph everything for it to seem real and worthwhile?”).
2. Like I said in my initial comment, pulling out a phone and taking a picture without telling anyone is the wrong thing to do, but if you do tell people, they will make themselves try to look better for the camera which can easily snap them out of whatever moment you’re experiencing together. Maybe the benefit of the photo element outweighs the cost—I don’t know. If you do this again in the future (which I really hope you do), maybe next time try doing written submissions instead of photos. It’d be a lot more dependent on the honor system, but writing down what happened and how it made you feel lets you connect with it on a deeper level than just snapping a photo.
You all are the experts, not me, but it’s something to think about.
I was all about this challenge, but I had to start laughing when I realized they were going to need to use their phones to document what they did. It seems rather contradictory.
I think the whole thing only makes sense if we interpret “phone” to mean “social media.” The way that society is organized these days, I’m not sure it’s possible to organize a group activity and then go out and do it without using one’s phone at any point.
Love this idea, but I am confused why you are asking Gen Z to not use their phone in one sentence and then asking them to use their phone in the next (by taking screenshots, photos and videos). Sincerely confused, thanks for the clarification.
Wonderful, practical, and doable! Small committed steps that help to seed lasting change. I'll be sure to share this challenge along with our readers on School of the Unconformed.
I’m 1000% supportive of ditching the screen for a day, a week, however long you can get away from it.
My husband has assigned screen-free nights to his students for several years now and it makes an absurdly big difference in the way they show up to school the next day. Less grouchy, more eager to engage with the class. That said, the “prize” for such a challenge is truly intrinsic, and may perhaps be skewed and even ruined by turning it into a competition of who is the best at going analog. My hot take.
I love this challenge…except for the call for photos and videos. I’d hazard the person who embraces this the most would be the one who takes photos and videos the least.
I am really impressed by this - in my humble opinion, there's too much 'Why' in the world and not enough 'How'. Endless articles bemoaning something or lecturing us we 'should' be doing x,y,z. I grew up with parents who left it to the culture to instill values and practical skills - neither of which happened. Actionable tips give me a map out!!!
Why just Gen Z? Why doesn't everyone on this substack sign the phone-free challenge? This smug American "adult" attitude of "do as I say, not as I do" accompanies a culture far more dangerous than any similarly affluent (and most second-world) societies. The American grownup is so much more messed up than the American teenager in almost every measurable way, from suicide, addiction, and crime to crazed political and social attitudes, that teens would be far more justified in demanding severe restrictions on grownups than the other way around. If phones and screens are really so apocalyptically dangerous as those on here insist, why aren't the "adults in the room" joining the phone-free challenge? Wouldn't it be the "mature, grown-up" thing to set a good example rather than just pointing fingers?
Let’s go Gen Z! This is an incredible idea. I agree, maybe an essay would be more appropriate? Showing screenshots of screen time is a good idea though. And I also feel similarly, this is for all generations!
I started doing Screen-Free Sundays with my kids, and it’s my favorite day of the week now. We spend the day reading in the backyard, throwing frisbees at the park, jumping on the trampoline, and playing board games and card games. Giving up screens one full day a week is life changing and I highly recommend it.
Hi, member of the generation myself here:
I love this challenge, but another wild idea? Don’t send in your memories! Don’t have photos to document them in the first place. 75-90% of my day-to-day memories that I find noteworthy I keep in a little notebook that I carry around in my pocket, and I find paging through that to be a lot more rewarding than scrolling through old photos. It’s also easier to write things down and still feel in the moment, as opposed to pulling out a phone and taking pictures which (to me) immediately adds an air of artificiality and a need to be “liked” by the masses which detracts from the whole point of unplugged interaction. Remember: this isn’t about winning the challenge, it’s about disconnecting.
Both ways of doing this work very well, I’m just throwing mine out there in case some of you would want to try it.
100% agree with this. Life happens when you’re not taking a photo or a video of it.
Paul, your comment really impacted me. Do you think that we are underestimating Gen Z by adding the photo/video element?
Do you think we could get a large mass of people to do this without the incentive? Do others agree this is taking away from the experience? Would love to know what everyone thinks.
Hey Zach, I get the approach of using a medium that Gen Z is comfortable with to encourage them to participate. It is meeting them where they are at and I think it is an excellent first step. Yet if we are trying to encourage Gen Z to step away from their phones, but use their phones to document and display stats it is still keeping their mind space attached to the virtual world. My husband Peco and I wrote recently on alternative approaches to documenting memories, see https://schooloftheunconformed.substack.com/p/building-people-with-three-dimensional
An additional approach would be to have participants write about their experience. Writing has the added advantage of prompting reflection and processing of the experience rather than snapshots and stats that are part of the disconnection to reality. My husband Peco and I are planning a community story project at School of the Unconformed where we will invite readers to share stories (500-2000 words) of how they live life differently in the digital age. We will be curating a collection of these stories in a section that readers can freely access to gain encouragement and inspiration.
I personally would love for it to be an essay contest, like the Substack platform started as (despite their luring of YouTube and TikTok “celebrities”).
I want to be clear: this challenge is great. It’s inspiring people to do a great thing. I also love the impact that online community can have, and having everyone come together like this by submitting their experiences is a powerful way of letting people feel supported by a community when they’re doing something that is out of the mainstream for this generation.
I do worry, though, about two things.
1. If you tried to add the photo/video element to connect with Gen Z, even with the best of intentions, it could come across as patronizing (“do they seriously thing we need to photograph everything for it to seem real and worthwhile?”).
2. Like I said in my initial comment, pulling out a phone and taking a picture without telling anyone is the wrong thing to do, but if you do tell people, they will make themselves try to look better for the camera which can easily snap them out of whatever moment you’re experiencing together. Maybe the benefit of the photo element outweighs the cost—I don’t know. If you do this again in the future (which I really hope you do), maybe next time try doing written submissions instead of photos. It’d be a lot more dependent on the honor system, but writing down what happened and how it made you feel lets you connect with it on a deeper level than just snapping a photo.
You all are the experts, not me, but it’s something to think about.
This is embarrassing, but (if it wasn’t obvious), in the second paragraph I meant to type “seriously think” instead of “seriously thing”
Thanks everyone for the comments on this -- this is really helpful feedback. We will discuss as a team
Thank you for hearing us out and for doing what y’all do!
I was all about this challenge, but I had to start laughing when I realized they were going to need to use their phones to document what they did. It seems rather contradictory.
Had the same exact thought.
I think the whole thing only makes sense if we interpret “phone” to mean “social media.” The way that society is organized these days, I’m not sure it’s possible to organize a group activity and then go out and do it without using one’s phone at any point.
Love this idea, but I am confused why you are asking Gen Z to not use their phone in one sentence and then asking them to use their phone in the next (by taking screenshots, photos and videos). Sincerely confused, thanks for the clarification.
Wonderful, practical, and doable! Small committed steps that help to seed lasting change. I'll be sure to share this challenge along with our readers on School of the Unconformed.
A good way to make sure you do the challenge:
Get out and see the Sunrise first thing, vs looking at your phone first thing.
The AM Sun has more blue light than your phone, and will give you a natural shot of adrenaline to kickstart your day, nature's way.
Get out there!
Agree with the person below - photos and videos of that day- how will you get them without your phone?
How about a haiku?
I’m 1000% supportive of ditching the screen for a day, a week, however long you can get away from it.
My husband has assigned screen-free nights to his students for several years now and it makes an absurdly big difference in the way they show up to school the next day. Less grouchy, more eager to engage with the class. That said, the “prize” for such a challenge is truly intrinsic, and may perhaps be skewed and even ruined by turning it into a competition of who is the best at going analog. My hot take.
I love this challenge…except for the call for photos and videos. I’d hazard the person who embraces this the most would be the one who takes photos and videos the least.
I am really impressed by this - in my humble opinion, there's too much 'Why' in the world and not enough 'How'. Endless articles bemoaning something or lecturing us we 'should' be doing x,y,z. I grew up with parents who left it to the culture to instill values and practical skills - neither of which happened. Actionable tips give me a map out!!!
Why just Gen Z? Why doesn't everyone on this substack sign the phone-free challenge? This smug American "adult" attitude of "do as I say, not as I do" accompanies a culture far more dangerous than any similarly affluent (and most second-world) societies. The American grownup is so much more messed up than the American teenager in almost every measurable way, from suicide, addiction, and crime to crazed political and social attitudes, that teens would be far more justified in demanding severe restrictions on grownups than the other way around. If phones and screens are really so apocalyptically dangerous as those on here insist, why aren't the "adults in the room" joining the phone-free challenge? Wouldn't it be the "mature, grown-up" thing to set a good example rather than just pointing fingers?
My teens don't have phones but maybe my husband and I can give this a go to set an example.
I didn't initially see an issue with sending in screenshots..., but after reading the comments, yeah maybe not document a phone free day with a phone.
I’ve got three Gen Zers in my house and we will be doing this!! We already do phone-free Sundays. I’m thrilled to add phone-free Fridays!! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
instead of my phone i used my dads old camera from 1990 to take the pics and vids of my activity's
Let’s go Gen Z! This is an incredible idea. I agree, maybe an essay would be more appropriate? Showing screenshots of screen time is a good idea though. And I also feel similarly, this is for all generations!
Wait, are there really Zoomers on Substack? I have yet to see any of the slick photo filters on Notes for them to LYBL by.
I started doing Screen-Free Sundays with my kids, and it’s my favorite day of the week now. We spend the day reading in the backyard, throwing frisbees at the park, jumping on the trampoline, and playing board games and card games. Giving up screens one full day a week is life changing and I highly recommend it.