Hacker News commenters debate whether smartphone burden is mandatory or self-imposed
2Yesterday 9:00 AM · 1d ago · 2 comments · 1 source · development 2 of 7
Discussion emerges across multiple comment threads with readers taking divergent stances: some validate Duggan's sense of compulsion, others argue he's conflating genuinely mandatory services (government apps, airport access) with voluntary consumption (AliExpress, social media, streaming). Several commenters propose practical workarounds like using FOSS apps, disabling notifications, or simply deleting optional apps.
“The emotions are relatable, but the examples are strange and don't back up his argument. It is true that there are many situations in modern life where a smartphone has become effectively mandatory. But Ali Express is not one of those.”
> The people who love being connected never let the thing leave them be it pocket, palm, face-down next to the forkI'm tired of convincingly presented falsehoods. I hate being on my phone. I also can't stop being on my phone.