SCENE Recommends: Digital Minimalism

SCENE recommends a book for you to read each month. Starting off with a practical guide for a fresh new year from computer scientist Cal Newport.

(Image: Shyam Mishra, Unsplash)

I have a constant compulsion to pick up my phone. Is it making me depressed and anxious? If so, why?

If you have any of these questions, or you think other people are glued to their phones and it’s annoying you, read this book, it will help…probably.

American computer science professor Cal Newport guides you through the history of smartphones, the story of who invented the Facebook ‘like’ button, and what impact our constant digital habits are having on our lives.

(Image: Portfolio Penguin)

Digital Minimalism provides practical advice for reclaiming your free-time by overcoming social media’s (intentionally-designed) addictive pull, with simple practical steps, and a clear actionable philosophy.

While this book was published back in 2019, it still remains starkly relevant today, as it tackles one of the most pressing issues of our time: the effect of technology on our lives and whether or not it’s actually making us any happier.

(If you have the attention span to still be reading this review right now, you’ll probably be able to read this book)

Recommendation by Dan Gordon-Potts