Before You Use the Internet
Before buying online, consider going to a small shop or market.
Before writing a personal email, consider writing a handwritten letter and sending it off by mail.
Before sharing a personal thought on social media, consider writing a diary.
Before looking up a recipe online, could you find the same in a cook book?
Before downloading an e-book, is there a book on your bookshelf you might want to read?
Before giving more to Big Tech, Google, Facebook, Twitter, Amazon—which small organisations or family businesses need your support?
Before chatting and messaging online to someone far away, is there someone near you, you could to talk to?
Before uploading photos on social media, ask yourself, when was the last time you stuck real photos into a photo album?
Before paying with your card or phone, consider paying cash. It will make you less trackable!
Before wasting time on social media, ever thought of deleting your social media account?
Before ordering a meal online, thought of cooking yourself?
Before … consider… there’s a lot more you could add to the list.
We have to stop feeding the beast with data! I know it’s not easy, and I can’t claim for myself that I fulfil everything in the above list, but the first important step is to get rid of your (not-so-)smart phone. Just use an old phone or the landline… and if necessary, a computer for internet. Half of the stuff they are planning will become impossible if most people stop walking around with a trackable, face-recognition spy phone.
Kindle a small fire, and as the wood gradually burns, feel the heat rays and watch the flickering flames. Enjoy. Fire is freedom. Never forget.
See also:
- Writing Challenge: How to Avoid Digital Slavery
- They Want to Stop You From Having Your Own Little Fire
