Dear reader,
I usually address issues related to homemaking and productivity around here but today, I would like to discuss minimalism. I will not go in depth about my definition of the word or about decluttering, but I would like to share with you my views on technology.
First, I want tot address you main question: yes, I do own an iPhone because after using several other brands (Samsung, Nokia and Xioami), I still find they are the most intuitive to use. Minimalism is about simplifying your life and having an iPhone rather than another telephone really simplifies mine.
The purpose of an item
I personally do not need a bunch of tech-items in my everyday life: a laptop, a telephone and I am fine. I think that is the very first one reason I do not upgrade my iPhone: it works just fine and I am happy with it. In my eyes, an item should always have a purpose and as long as that purpose is fulfilled, I do not feel like I need to change it for another one.
An indicator of the value of an item: the improvement of “quality of life”
It feels so sad to me that people are putting all their money in new telephones every year simply because the camera of the previous iPhone has been upgraded. I totally get the point in upgrading your phone when you use it for work. For instance, Youtubers who use their phones to film (yes, they exist and most of the time, you could not tell from the quality of videography!) may obviously see meaning in getting the last iPhone, but I personally do not given my lifestyle.
Buying out of habit
I think most people upgrade their telephones merely because it feels “normal”. After having purchased the last iPhone for five years, there is nothing more normal than buying another one, right? It is almost a yearly-routine and we have all been there. The goal is to realize there is a path out of that tricky habit.
Finances and social status
Last but not least, I think too many people buy telephones they can’t afford simply because they feel not only “used to it” but “forced to do it”. There is a social pressure that is so important that thousands of people get into debt in order to have an iPhone they will be proud to take out of their pockets at a party (using your phone at a party already being kind of a problem).
I would say that twenty years ago, cars were the absolute status symbol but nowadays, I feel like phones have more or less replaced them in that purpose. Not that car do not give the social status (or the dreamt social status) of a person anymore but I do think phones are an even more obvious way to show that. It actually makes you feel like you belong to a “community”, which is a fake community as no “community” worth belonging to would ask you to get into debt to get in.
For all the reasons above, I do not upgrade my iPhone SE that still works fine. I would obviously do if it broke (I had it repaired once already) and I would go for another iPhone as those are the most intuitive to me but I will not merely replace it out of boredom. I think we should all be more conscious of the areas we put our money in and of the feelings we hope we will get through our purchases. You really can’t buy happiness and you really can’t buy the feeling of belonging to a “group”. Stay true to yourself and to your finances and you will see, that time the quality of your life will improve.
I hope this post has been helpful and will help you feel less alone next time you do not want to put a thousand dollars in a new telephone.
Lots of love,
TABOULOT Camille
The English-speaking Frenchie 