I am (obviously) just as guilty of this, but I have no idea how to stop.
Every week my phone reminds me that I’m spending between 4-6 hours each day looking at it’s screen. Some of that is responding to work messages, but most of it is just faffing around on HN, which I tell myself is valuable, but…
I find I don’t notice the world any more. Or daydream much. Any extra time is automatically spent with my tiny screen. I can’t even stop it. Grabbing my phone is as near to a reflex as it comes at this point.
I don’t really have a point, or a solution, I was just curious if anyone had any thoughts on this ‘evolution’ of society. And if possible, let me know how to kick the habit.
Get a phone with physical buttons which don't put you into that state of mind where all the various gestures are memorized, which leads you to remember all the other "fun" things you can do in that fugue state between riding the train and riding the dopamine waves. Stop letting your machine condition your behavior in exchange for intangible rewards.
If you really need the texture difference, use an epaper ebook, too. A story by E. M. Forster might give you ideas*. Paper maps and train schedules are nice, and easy to unfold and pass to strangers, and they work without charging.
But me, how do I feel? It doesn't involve me, so I don't think about it.