Escaping the Matrix

What was I doing?

My life was in my iPhone - my friends, my camera, Instagram, Twitter and the weather (I'm British, this is essential) and I was about to turn it off for entire weekend for a ridiculous detox. It wasn't going to work.

It worked.

I tucked all my Apple products away and said goodbye, hoping to see them soon. I needn't have worried; 15 minutes later I was “unplugged”, it was just me and the world, it felt liberating.

Let me say, I love my iPhone, and Apple Watch. I've had an iPhone since 2008 and have never thought of replacing it. Then I received the MP01. A beautiful piece of tech, I thought that was all it was; beautiful and a gimmick. Then I held it, heard it the bird noise come from it as it turned on and was immediately impressed by the quality.

By the time is gotten to a quaint little place called Symonds Yat, I'd fallen in love with the MP01 and the freedom it suddenly gave me. I sat there, in the sun with family, friends and pint, and felt like I was taking it all in. Without being too dramatic, I felt like I'd just escaped The Matrix.

I also read an entire book. And it didn't even have pictures.

For the first time in years I felt like I was actually there in the moment. My weekend felt like it lasted longer than usual (in a good way). Currently my iPhone has been relegated to an iPod; only to coming to life only when I have a wifi signal. I've not missed social media at all.

So where do I go from here? Smartphone-free weekends is what I'll be going forward with, I want that freedom back.

Luke Davies

Twitter: @itsMrLuke
Instagram: @mrluke