{"id":1845624,"date":"2026-03-25T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-03-25T06:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1845624"},"modified":"2026-03-25T09:00:00","modified_gmt":"2026-03-25T06:00:00","slug":"we-asked-young-americans-how-theyre-getting-offline","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1845624","title":{"rendered":"We asked young Americans how they\u2019re getting offline"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/1200\/0-0-1552-1035\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1440\/2\/1442367.jpg&#8221;]<\/p>\n<article class=\"main-article standard \">\n<div class=\"article-main-content article-wrapper has-media-but-its-an-image\" data-status=\"loaded\" data-primary-article=\"true\" data-url=\"\/life-culture\/article\/69969\/1\/how-to-get-offline-spend-less-time-on-phone-brick-opal-print-media\" data-article-id=\"69969\">\n<header class=\"article-header has-landscape-image no-media\">\n<div class=\"wrapper dg-max-width\">\n<div class=\"inner\">\n<figure class=\"main-img has-figcaption\" data-img-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\" data-img-aspect-ratio=\"1.53\" data-template=\"Standard Article\"><span class=\"has-css-custom-props image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Not Okay (2022)\" class=\"img\" height=\"1035\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/1400\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1440\/2\/1442367.jpg\" width=\"1586\"><\/span><\/span><figcaption class=\"img-caption\"><span class=\"inner\"><span class=\"credit\">Not Okay (2022)<\/span><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<aside class=\"meta\">\n<div class=\"inner\"><time datetime=\"2026-03-25T09:00:00+00:00\" class=\"timestamp\" title=\"25 March 2026\"><span class=\"month\">March<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\n<span class=\"day\" data-day=\"25\">25,<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\n<span class=\"year\">2026<\/span><\/time><\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<div class=\"titles\">\n<div class=\"tags\">\n<div class=\"sections\"><a class=\"category vertical - life-culture\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\">Life &amp; Culture<\/a><br \/>\n\/<br \/>\n<a class=\"series\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/speakerbox\">Speakerbox<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"standard-tag-container\"><a class=\"standard-category\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\">Life &amp; Culture<\/a> \/<br \/>\n<a class=\"standard-series\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/speakerbox\">Speakerbox<\/a><\/div>\n<h1 class=\"title\"><span>We asked young Americans how they\u2019re <span class=\"nowrap\">getting offline<\/span><\/span><\/h1>\n<div class=\"standfirst\">\n<h2>\u2018This device feels like a part of my skeletal system\u2019: From getting back into print media to throwing phone-free parties, people are getting increasingly creative <span class=\"nowrap\">about unplugging<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<p><time datetime=\"2026-03-25T09:00:00+00:00\" class=\"timestamp\" title=\"25 March 2026\"><span class=\"month\">March<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\n<span class=\"day\" data-day=\"25\">25,<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\n<span class=\"year\">2026<\/span><\/time><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><time datetime=\"2026-03-25T09:00:00+00:00\" class=\"timestamp\" title=\"25 March 2026\"><span class=\"month\">March<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\n<span class=\"day\" data-day=\"25\">25,<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\n<span class=\"year\">2026<\/span><\/time><\/p>\n<div class=\"providers\">\n<div class=\"contributors\"><span class=\"contributor\" data-contributor-role=\"Text\"><span class=\"contributor-role\">Text<\/span><a class=\"contributor-name\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/user\/isabelbekele\">Isabel Bekele<\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"article-body-container\">\n<div class=\"article-body wrapper\">\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><span>\u201cThis device feels like a part of my skeletal system,\u201d Adora Mehala, a 25-year-old living in New York, says of her iPhone. Those of us who grew up in the digital age know it\u2019s not uncommon to feel that our\u00a0bond with technology has become practically biological. We are so attatched to our devices that they\u2019ve begun to feel like extensions of ourselves, with the lines between where the \u201ccloud\u201d ends and our minds begin blurring more and more each day.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>So perhaps it\u2019s not surprising that, as tech begins to feel less like a choice and more like a mandate, young people are craving a more <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bsigroup.com\/en-GB\/insights-and-media\/media-centre\/press-releases\/2025\/may\/half-of-young-people-want-to-grow-up-in-a-world-without-internet\/\"><span>offline life<\/span><\/a><span>, and coming up with increasingly creative ways to achieve one. Everywhere you look, there\u2019s evidence of the offline renaissance. People are forgoing dating apps and taking up <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/article\/69689\/1\/singles-wrestling-alternative-to-dating-apps-hinge-brooklyn-grownkid\"><span>speed dating<\/span><\/a><span>. They\u2019re hosting <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/article\/69883\/1\/lost-property-east-london-lecture-series-thinkers-artists-lovers-friends\"><span>lecture series<\/span><\/a><span> and attending <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/article\/68247\/1\/can-game-nights-and-social-clubs-cure-the-loneliness-epidemic\"><span>game nights<\/span><\/a><span>. The yearning for a screen-free lifestyle has become so strong that a para-economy of startups, including companies like Brick, Opal and Forest, have sprouted up to meet the demand. It\u2019s a pendulum swing that arguably sums up late-stage capitalism best: first we are sold the problem, and then we are sold the solution.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>It\u2019s not all grim, though. From getting back into print media to throwing phone-free parties to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/article\/69100\/1\/could-bricking-my-phone-help-me-feel-more-present\"><span>bricking their phones<\/span><\/a><span>, people are finding creative ways to reclaim technology\u2019s hold on their lives. Below, we asked six young Americans how they\u2019re getting offline. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<h1><span>ADORA MEHALA, 25, NEW YORK<\/span><\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><span>\u201cOne day, I left my phone at home by accident, and that spurred this idea to just go phoneless. Obviously, it\u2019s not something you can do 24\/7, but I started intentionally leaving my phone at home for 15-minute walks, and I\u2019ll see if I can go longer if I don\u2019t have anything pressing to do.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cWhen I started these \u2018no phone\u2019 situations, a book wasn\u2019t always cutting it, so I was like, \u2018Oh yeah, I\u2019ll just get an iPod.\u2019 Then, I thought it could be a really cool project to style it and make it a part of my personal expression. I actually made a prototype for these [iPod] cases because I\u2019ve noticed more people buying older tech. I also bought a Nintendo DSi so I can play games and listen to music. It\u2019s helped me straddle that line between being fully present and not being on a touchscreen.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<h1><span>ACE DINER, 22, CALIFORNIA<\/span><\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><span>\u201cI\u2019ve been collecting print magazines, and the collection is pretty big now. I have a huge section in the corner of my living room with stacks of them. Most weeks, I\u2019m at the magazine store buying new copies. Every time I leave the house, I take a print magazine to read on the train or during downtime. I also started my own print magazine two years ago.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cIn the digital age, things move so fast. Something can be trending one second, and an hour later, people forget about it. With \u2018doom scrolling\u2019, you don\u2019t really retain what you see. With print, people took time with the work, and you can take your time consuming it. It\u2019s also never going away \u2013 you have this forever.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<h1><span>GEORGIA DUISENBERG, 22, CALIFORNIA\u00a0<\/span><\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><span>\u201cThe biggest thing for me is an app called Opal, particularly for Instagram. It\u2019s a blocking app marketed toward social media. Every time I want to open Instagram, I have to wait five to 15 seconds before I can take a short break \u2013 usually five to 15 minutes. Once that time is up, it resets. I\u2019m really hardcore about it; my setting is actually called \u2018Touch Grass\u2019. Most people set it for \u2018work focus\u2019 or \u2018morning time,\u2019 but I just leave it on all the time.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cOpal plays nature sounds and tells you to breathe in and out [while you wait]. It also shows you funny quotes \u2013 like how \u2018Michael Cera doesn\u2019t have a cell phone\u2019 or statistics about how many hours of your life you\u2019ve saved. Right now, mine says, <\/span><em><span>\u2018<\/span><\/em><span>To sit in the shade on a fine day and look upon verdure is the most perfect refreshment,\u2019 a quote from Jane Austen.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<h1><span>OLIVIA GORK, 23, ILLINOIS\u00a0<\/span><\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><span>\u201cEven in high school, I was the person telling everyone to put their phones on the table. I\u2019ve always been aware of how much they take away from the actual moment. When a DJ drops an amazing beat, and you\u2019re filming it, you aren\u2019t living it in real time. On the nights I went out without my phone, I came home with a different, fulfilled energy. I wanted something unrestrained \u2013 no filters, no walls, just complete presence.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/saturnaliareturns\/?hl=en\"><span>\u201cSaturnalia<\/span><\/a><span> was essentially the first public, ticketed, phone-free party in Chicago. We use a file cabinet system \u2013 it\u2019s like a coat check for phones. You walk in, we scan your ticket, and we check your phone and give you a number. At the beginning of the party, you can\u2019t hide. Gen Z isn\u2019t used to sitting in that discomfort. But because you can\u2019t bypass it with a screen, you eventually hit this natural build where people feel more responsible for the \u2018whole\u2019. It moves people into a \u2018creation\u2019 energy instead of a \u2018passive consumption\u2019 energy. Saturnalia is a co-creation of the night.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<h1><span>SEAN FERGUSON, 23, DC<\/span><\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><span>\u201cI did the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/article\/69882\/1\/month-offline-smartphone-support-group-unplugging-flip-offline-detox\"><span>Month Offline<\/span><\/a><span> program, which is an opportunity to exchange your iPhone for a \u2018dumb phone\u2019 for a month. You do it with a cohort of people who are all doing the same thing. It\u2019s a chance to stop scrolling and learn what it\u2019s like to use analogue tools \u2013 like a paper map \u2013 to navigate a city without a supercomputer in your pocket. Like anyone else, scrolling was my biggest vice. It\u2019s habitual at this point because these tech companies have so many people working to keep you locked into their apps. I felt like the only way for me to get away was to go cold turkey.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cI used my time during the program to get into the digital preservation of old film and media. My girlfriend actually bought me an old 8-millimetre camera, so now I spend my time using that. I\u2019ve always wanted a camera, and it\u2019s nice to have that through-line from the project to what I\u2019m doing now. Now, anytime I think about picking up my phone, I remember why I did Month Offline and try to divert my attention back to the real world.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<h1><span>CAROLINE MEADE, 24, New York<\/span><\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><span>\u201cI have to admit \u2013 this is really embarrassing \u2013 but I have a really bad <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/apps.apple.com\/us\/app\/tetris\/id1491074310\"><span>Tetris<\/span><\/a><span> problem. I think it just has to do with the fact that I have to do something with my hands all the time. It would be better to literally have a fidget cube like a 4-year-old, but I\u2019m an adult, so I got the Brick. I wasn\u2019t using it a lot at first because I was scared. I\u2019d think, \u2018What if I go out and need my phone?\u2019 But in the last three weeks, I started \u2018bricking\u2019 before I left the house. You get five emergency un-bricks, and I haven&#8217;t used one yet.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cThis past weekend I slept out, so I bricked the longest I ever have \u2013 about a day and a half without social media. Since getting a Brick, I feel like I\u2019m more present in my life. Now, I don\u2019t have to exercise as much willpower as I used to. I have a lot less guilt. Constantly saying, \u2018No, I should get off my phone,\u2019 is like putting drugs in front of you all day and saying, \u2018I probably shouldn&#8217;t take them.\u2019\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"newsletter-inline-last\">\n<div class=\"newsletter-small\">\n<div class=\"inner\">\n<h1 class=\"newsletter-title\">Escape the algorithm! Get The Drop<\/h1>\n<div class=\"meta-row\">\n<p class=\"meta\">Get must-see stories direct to your inbox every weekday.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/privacy-policy\" class=\"meta-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\nPrivacy policy<br \/>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"confirmation\" aria-live=\"polite\">\n<p class=\"confirmation-title\">Thank you. You have been subscribed<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/privacy-policy\" class=\"meta-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\nPrivacy policy<br \/>\n<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<footer class=\"article-footer\">\n<div class=\"wrapper\">\n<div class=\"article-series\">\n<h4 class=\"heading\">More on these topics<\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-series\"><a class=\"series\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\">Life &amp; Culture<\/a><a class=\"series\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/speakerbox\">Speakerbox<\/a><a class=\"series\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/tag\/america\">America<\/a><a class=\"series\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/tag\/smartphones\">smartphones<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/footer>\n<div class=\"grid\">\n<div class=\"lava-lamp\">\n<div class=\"lava-lamp-text-container\">\n<h3 class=\"lava-lamp-subheading\">Expand your creative community and connect with 15,000 creatives from around the world.<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"grid section-header\">\n<div class=\"section-header__link\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/article\/69969\/1\/life-culture\"><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"section-header__title\">READ MORE<\/h2>\n<p><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"grid tag-article-list\">\n<div class=\"swiper swiper-latest\">\n<div class=\"swiper-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"swiper-slide list-element\">\n<div class=\"scard-latest__section\">\n<div class=\"card-latest__wrapper\"><a class=\"card-latest\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/article\/69961\/1\/funmaxxing-should-we-all-be-playing-more-alysa-liu-community-games\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"card-latest__img-wrapper\"><span class=\"image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"GettyImages-2267046189-2\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/480\/0-100-2745-1826\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1440\/2\/1442312.jpg\"><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"card-latest__content\">\n<h3 class=\"card-latest__title\">Funmaxxing: Should we all be playing more?<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><a class=\"card-latest\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/article\/69956\/1\/5-hidden-easter-eggs-in-the-world-cup-2026-away-kits\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"card-latest__img-wrapper\"><span class=\"image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"20260319_AdidasKitCampaign_26 Above_1973_R01_3x4\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/480\/0-615-2000-1330\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1440\/2\/1442323.jpg\"><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"card-latest__content\">\n<h3 class=\"card-latest__title\">7 easter eggs hidden in the World Cup 2026 away kits<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><a class=\"card-latest\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/article\/69962\/1\/in-defence-of-chappell-roan-11-year-old-child-jude-law-fan-harassment\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"card-latest__img-wrapper\"><span class=\"image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Photo by Alena Zakirova\/Getty Images\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/480\/31-66-899-598\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1440\/2\/1442310.jpg\"><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"card-latest__content\">\n<h3 class=\"card-latest__title\">In defence of Chappell Roan<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"swiper-slide list-element\">\n<div class=\"scard-latest__section\">\n<div class=\"card-latest__wrapper\"><a class=\"card-latest\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/article\/69808\/1\/polly-barton-what-am-i-a-deer-novel-book-interview-2026\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"card-latest__img-wrapper\"><span class=\"image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"polly profile picture colour\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/480\/207-594-2562-1704\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1440\/0\/1440047.jpg\"><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"card-latest__content\">\n<h3 class=\"card-latest__title\">This new novel unpacks the highs and lows of limerence<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><a class=\"card-latest\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/article\/69943\/1\/trans-drivers-kansas-1700-licenses-invalidated-us-america-trump\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"card-latest__img-wrapper\"><span class=\"image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"One Battle After Another\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/480\/203-0-809-538\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1440\/2\/1442062.jpeg\"><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"card-latest__content\">\n<h3 class=\"card-latest__title\">\u2018I\u2019m not giving up my rights\u2019: Why Kansas is coming for trans drivers<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><a class=\"card-latest\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/article\/69942\/1\/how-to-cultivate-your-own-taste-books-film-fashion-taste-tiktok-culture\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"card-latest__img-wrapper\"><span class=\"image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"1*STjXczVDRHPAcenwWt3zLg\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/480\/317-0-1630-1084\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1440\/2\/1442030.jpeg\"><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"card-latest__content\">\n<h3 class=\"card-latest__title\">How to cultivate your own taste<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"swiper-slide list-element\">\n<div class=\"scard-latest__section\">\n<div class=\"card-latest__wrapper\"><a class=\"card-latest\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/article\/69923\/1\/meningitis-outbreak-uk-symptoms-vaccination\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"card-latest__img-wrapper\"><span class=\"image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Photo by Carl Court\/Getty Images\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/480\/0-0-1024-681\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1440\/1\/1441757.jpg\"><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"card-latest__content\">\n<h3 class=\"card-latest__title\">How to not freak out about meningitis, according to an expert<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><a class=\"card-latest\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/article\/69732\/1\/zakia-sewell-finding-albion-myth-folklore-quest-hidden-britain-interview-2026\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"card-latest__img-wrapper\"><span class=\"image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Zakia Sewell (Buster Grey Jung)\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/480\/0-580-2250-1496\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1430\/8\/1438559.jpg\"><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"card-latest__content\">\n<h3 class=\"card-latest__title\">This new book brings Britain\u2019s folk history out of the shadows<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><a class=\"card-latest\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/article\/69882\/1\/month-offline-smartphone-support-group-unplugging-flip-offline-detox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"card-latest__img-wrapper\"><span class=\"image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"The Matrix\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/480\/73-0-818-544\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1440\/1\/1441382.jpg\"><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"card-latest__content\">\n<h3 class=\"card-latest__title\">Would you try the 30-day flip phone challenge?<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"swiper-slide list-element\">\n<div class=\"scard-latest__section\">\n<div class=\"card-latest__wrapper\"><a class=\"card-latest\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/article\/69908\/1\/inside-the-manosphere-the-rise-of-conservative-non-monogamy-louis-theroux\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"card-latest__img-wrapper\"><span class=\"image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Louis-Theroux-Inside-the-Manosphere-6\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/480\/41-0-1052-700\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1440\/1\/1441592.jpg\"><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"card-latest__content\">\n<h3 class=\"card-latest__title\">The Manosphere is rewriting the rules of non-monogamy<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><a class=\"card-latest\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/article\/69878\/1\/why-are-straight-men-so-unfunny-tiktok-reels-relationships-dating-women\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"card-latest__img-wrapper\"><span class=\"image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"MV5BMzEwMWI1YmMtZWUwNi00MmQyLWFmNjctZmRkMGNhY2Y0YW\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/480\/96-0-1202-800\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1440\/1\/1441286.jpg\"><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"card-latest__content\">\n<h3 class=\"card-latest__title\">Why are so many straight men so unfunny?<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><a class=\"card-latest\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/article\/69883\/1\/lost-property-east-london-lecture-series-thinkers-artists-lovers-friends\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"card-latest__img-wrapper\"><span class=\"image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Screenshot 2026-01-26 at 18.20.11\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/480\/0-88-2031-1351\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1440\/1\/1441331.png\"><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"card-latest__content\">\n<h3 class=\"card-latest__title\">Lost Property: A lecture series for \u2018thinkers, artists, lovers and friends\u2019<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"newsletter-inline\" data-newsletter hidden>\n<div class=\"newsletter-small\">\n<div class=\"inner\">\n<h1 class=\"newsletter-title\">Escape the algorithm! Get The Drop<\/h1>\n<div class=\"meta-row\">\n<p class=\"meta\">Get must-see stories direct to your inbox every weekday.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/privacy-policy\" class=\"meta-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\nPrivacy policy<br \/>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"confirmation\" aria-live=\"polite\">\n<p class=\"confirmation-title\">Thank you. You have been subscribed<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/privacy-policy\" class=\"meta-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\nPrivacy policy<br \/>\n<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div class=\"article-body wrapper\">\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><span>\u201cThis device feels like a part of my skeletal system,\u201d Adora Mehala, a 25-year-old living in New York, says of her iPhone. Those of us who grew up in the digital age know it\u2019s not uncommon to feel that our\u00a0bond with technology has become practically biological. We are so attatched to our devices that they\u2019ve begun to feel like extensions of ourselves, with the lines between where the \u201ccloud\u201d ends and our minds begin blurring more and more each day.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>So perhaps it\u2019s not surprising that, as tech begins to feel less like a choice and more like a mandate, young people are craving a more <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bsigroup.com\/en-GB\/insights-and-media\/media-centre\/press-releases\/2025\/may\/half-of-young-people-want-to-grow-up-in-a-world-without-internet\/\"><span>offline life<\/span><\/a><span>, and coming up with increasingly creative ways to achieve one. Everywhere you look, there\u2019s evidence of the offline renaissance. People are forgoing dating apps and taking up <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/article\/69689\/1\/singles-wrestling-alternative-to-dating-apps-hinge-brooklyn-grownkid\"><span>speed dating<\/span><\/a><span>. They\u2019re hosting <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/article\/69883\/1\/lost-property-east-london-lecture-series-thinkers-artists-lovers-friends\"><span>lecture series<\/span><\/a><span> and attending <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/article\/68247\/1\/can-game-nights-and-social-clubs-cure-the-loneliness-epidemic\"><span>game nights<\/span><\/a><span>. The yearning for a screen-free lifestyle has become so strong that a para-economy of startups, including companies like Brick, Opal and Forest, have sprouted up to meet the demand. It\u2019s a pendulum swing that arguably sums up late-stage capitalism best: first we are sold the problem, and then we are sold the solution.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>It\u2019s not all grim, though. From getting back into print media to throwing phone-free parties to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/article\/69100\/1\/could-bricking-my-phone-help-me-feel-more-present\"><span>bricking their phones<\/span><\/a><span>, people are finding creative ways to reclaim technology\u2019s hold on their lives. Below, we asked six young Americans how they\u2019re getting offline. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<h1><span>ADORA MEHALA, 25, NEW YORK<\/span><\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><span>\u201cOne day, I left my phone at home by accident, and that spurred this idea to just go phoneless. Obviously, it\u2019s not something you can do 24\/7, but I started intentionally leaving my phone at home for 15-minute walks, and I\u2019ll see if I can go longer if I don\u2019t have anything pressing to do.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cWhen I started these \u2018no phone\u2019 situations, a book wasn\u2019t always cutting it, so I was like, \u2018Oh yeah, I\u2019ll just get an iPod.\u2019 Then, I thought it could be a really cool project to style it and make it a part of my personal expression. I actually made a prototype for these [iPod] cases because I\u2019ve noticed more people buying older tech. I also bought a Nintendo DSi so I can play games and listen to music. It\u2019s helped me straddle that line between being fully present and not being on a touchscreen.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<h1><span>ACE DINER, 22, CALIFORNIA<\/span><\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><span>\u201cI\u2019ve been collecting print magazines, and the collection is pretty big now. I have a huge section in the corner of my living room with stacks of them. Most weeks, I\u2019m at the magazine store buying new copies. Every time I leave the house, I take a print magazine to read on the train or during downtime. I also started my own print magazine two years ago.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cIn the digital age, things move so fast. Something can be trending one second, and an hour later, people forget about it. With \u2018doom scrolling\u2019, you don\u2019t really retain what you see. With print, people took time with the work, and you can take your time consuming it. It\u2019s also never going away \u2013 you have this forever.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<h1><span>GEORGIA DUISENBERG, 22, CALIFORNIA\u00a0<\/span><\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><span>\u201cThe biggest thing for me is an app called Opal, particularly for Instagram. It\u2019s a blocking app marketed toward social media. Every time I want to open Instagram, I have to wait five to 15 seconds before I can take a short break \u2013 usually five to 15 minutes. Once that time is up, it resets. I\u2019m really hardcore about it; my setting is actually called \u2018Touch Grass\u2019. Most people set it for \u2018work focus\u2019 or \u2018morning time,\u2019 but I just leave it on all the time.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cOpal plays nature sounds and tells you to breathe in and out [while you wait]. It also shows you funny quotes \u2013 like how \u2018Michael Cera doesn\u2019t have a cell phone\u2019 or statistics about how many hours of your life you\u2019ve saved. Right now, mine says, <\/span><em><span>\u2018<\/span><\/em><span>To sit in the shade on a fine day and look upon verdure is the most perfect refreshment,\u2019 a quote from Jane Austen.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<h1><span>OLIVIA GORK, 23, ILLINOIS\u00a0<\/span><\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><span>\u201cEven in high school, I was the person telling everyone to put their phones on the table. I\u2019ve always been aware of how much they take away from the actual moment. When a DJ drops an amazing beat, and you\u2019re filming it, you aren\u2019t living it in real time. On the nights I went out without my phone, I came home with a different, fulfilled energy. I wanted something unrestrained \u2013 no filters, no walls, just complete presence.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/saturnaliareturns\/?hl=en\"><span>\u201cSaturnalia<\/span><\/a><span> was essentially the first public, ticketed, phone-free party in Chicago. We use a file cabinet system \u2013 it\u2019s like a coat check for phones. You walk in, we scan your ticket, and we check your phone and give you a number. At the beginning of the party, you can\u2019t hide. Gen Z isn\u2019t used to sitting in that discomfort. But because you can\u2019t bypass it with a screen, you eventually hit this natural build where people feel more responsible for the \u2018whole\u2019. It moves people into a \u2018creation\u2019 energy instead of a \u2018passive consumption\u2019 energy. Saturnalia is a co-creation of the night.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<h1><span>SEAN FERGUSON, 23, DC<\/span><\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><span>\u201cI did the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/article\/69882\/1\/month-offline-smartphone-support-group-unplugging-flip-offline-detox\"><span>Month Offline<\/span><\/a><span> program, which is an opportunity to exchange your iPhone for a \u2018dumb phone\u2019 for a month. You do it with a cohort of people who are all doing the same thing. It\u2019s a chance to stop scrolling and learn what it\u2019s like to use analogue tools \u2013 like a paper map \u2013 to navigate a city without a supercomputer in your pocket. Like anyone else, scrolling was my biggest vice. It\u2019s habitual at this point because these tech companies have so many people working to keep you locked into their apps. I felt like the only way for me to get away was to go cold turkey.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cI used my time during the program to get into the digital preservation of old film and media. My girlfriend actually bought me an old 8-millimetre camera, so now I spend my time using that. I\u2019ve always wanted a camera, and it\u2019s nice to have that through-line from the project to what I\u2019m doing now. Now, anytime I think about picking up my phone, I remember why I did Month Offline and try to divert my attention back to the real world.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<h1><span>CAROLINE MEADE, 24, New York<\/span><\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><span>\u201cI have to admit \u2013 this is really embarrassing \u2013 but I have a really bad <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/apps.apple.com\/us\/app\/tetris\/id1491074310\"><span>Tetris<\/span><\/a><span> problem. I think it just has to do with the fact that I have to do something with my hands all the time. It would be better to literally have a fidget cube like a 4-year-old, but I\u2019m an adult, so I got the Brick. I wasn\u2019t using it a lot at first because I was scared. I\u2019d think, \u2018What if I go out and need my phone?\u2019 But in the last three weeks, I started \u2018bricking\u2019 before I left the house. You get five emergency un-bricks, and I haven&#8217;t used one yet.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cThis past weekend I slept out, so I bricked the longest I ever have \u2013 about a day and a half without social media. Since getting a Brick, I feel like I\u2019m more present in my life. Now, I don\u2019t have to exercise as much willpower as I used to. I have a lot less guilt. Constantly saying, \u2018No, I should get off my phone,\u2019 is like putting drugs in front of you all day and saying, \u2018I probably shouldn&#8217;t take them.\u2019\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"newsletter-inline-last\">\n<div class=\"newsletter-small\">\n<div class=\"inner\">\n<h1 class=\"newsletter-title\">Escape the algorithm! Get The Drop<\/h1>\n<div class=\"meta-row\">\n<p class=\"meta\">Get must-see stories direct to your inbox every weekday.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/privacy-policy\" class=\"meta-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\nPrivacy policy<br \/>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"confirmation\" aria-live=\"polite\">\n<p class=\"confirmation-title\">Thank you. You have been subscribed<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/privacy-policy\" class=\"meta-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\nPrivacy policy<br \/>\n<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>[analyse_source url=&#8221;https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/article\/69969\/1\/how-to-get-offline-spend-less-time-on-phone-brick-opal-print-media&#8221;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/1200\/0-0-1552-1035\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1440\/2\/1442367.jpg&#8221;] Not Okay (2022) March\u00a0 25,\u00a0 2026 Life &amp; Culture \/ Speakerbox Life &amp; Culture \/ Speakerbox We asked young Americans how they\u2019re getting offline \u2018This device feels like a part of my skeletal system\u2019: From getting back into print media to throwing phone-free parties, people are getting increasingly creative about unplugging March\u00a0 [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[226,76],"class_list":["post-1845624","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-politics","tag-crawlmanager","tag-dazeddigital-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1845624","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1845624"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1845624\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1845624"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1845624"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1845624"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}