HACKER Q&A
📣 niceice

Why aren't smartphones in our dreams?


Smartphones are omnipresent in our daily life, but rarely show up in dreams.

Why?


  👤 jstanley Accepted Answer ✓
Great observation.

I find that while computing hardware of any kind generally doesn't show up in my dreams, computing concepts do. It's more like I'm directly interacting with a piece of code, but not in any particular programming language, and without using any particular computer.


👤 OhMeadhbh
I think it's because smartphones don't exist. I think they're just illusions. Though I wonder if it's common to dream about the content smartphones often carry. Like do you ever dream of listening to music? These days if you're grooving on your favourite jam, it's common to be listening to it on a smartphone. Or if you dream of receiving news? I've dreamt this, but I think I almost always dream that someone is leaning over whispering in my ear. Also... are you younger than 20-something? Maybe kids who grew up seeing adults with smartphones will dream about them more often?

👤 dudul
Source for this claim?

👤 codingdave
Kinda hard to give an answer to a question that is based on two questionable claims.

Smartphones are common, not omnipresent. And they do show up in dreams. I'm not sure how often, but "rarely" seems like an odd statement to make without some data behind it. Besides, most dreams are not remembered - how can we be sure what does or does not show up in an experience that is mostly forgotten?


👤 CM30
Uh they're not?

I don't really remember most of my dreams, but from what I can tell, the technology in them usually matches real life pretty well minus a few exceptions. Smartphones would be about as common as TVs or computers or cars.


👤 jjgreen
Your dreams are real life; real life is the nightmare.

👤 yellow_lead
Doors aren't usually in my dreams either.

👤 dazc
Most of my dreams involve me being naked so it would be awkward?