This book is a guide to simplifying; although, ironically, it's a bit wordy. I've re-written Cal's introduction below -- yes, I am a professional writer -- in the 1st person as Cal wrote it, to make it more concise and distill the nuggets. My Version – Intro - Digital Minimalism “I Used to Be a Human Being” — wrote blogger and commentator Andrew Sullivan in a widely-shared 2016 essay in New York magazine, referring to the inhuman “bombardment of news and gossip” in danger of turning us into broken “manic information addicts”. At first, I did not “get” his point, as I do not use social media, surf the web much, or center my life around my smart phone. Everything changed after I wrote the book, Deep Work — promoting the value of intense focus to produce our best work by avoiding distractions — and got many responses from readers leading me to understanding that everyone, not just businesspeople, wanted help to simplify inputs, especially digital ones, to gain more meaning and satisfaction from their lives. This led me to an unexpected crash course on the pros and cons of digital life, discussions about the benefits of the internet, and — while no one wanted to give up Google or Instagram — everyone I spoke with wanted relief, not from a single app, e-missive or device, but from the net effect of all the shiny digital baubles whose bombardment was, as Sullivan said, dehumanizing. The feeling of exhaustion, distraction and losing control was a common theme, and “addiction” to checking email, text messages, or Twitter, a common lament. Some research, shared in the next chapter, shows how the addictive nature of digital content is accidental or intentional; e.g., text messaging is compelling, while social media firms may promote compulsive use as a business strategy. One irony is that the desire to stay in touch through digital tools may be a barrier to deeper relationships — and an intentional life — and the superficial, carefully curated content posted on Facebook can give a false sense that others’ lives are better and more interesting than our own; leading some young folks and others to feelings of loneliness and inadequacy. Media coverage of and online discussions about news leans toward negative, emotionally-charged, and divisive content to attract attention — stoking dark, depressive views, and leading to a situation in which we too might say: “I used to be human.” From talking with readers, I knew the impact of the digital lifestyle was worth exploring to grasp the nature of the effect, attempted hacks and why these often failed, and understand those rare people who could cope with the flood without losing their minds. Digital tools are a two-edged sword: Access to a wireless world of 24/7 information through smartphones/devices using platforms that connect people everywhere is great; but always-on intrusion, notifications, and pressure for obligatory responses is tiresome, addictive, and enslaving. “Digital Maximalism” has prompted hacks such as a “Digital Sabbath” day or turning off notifications at night — i.e., trying to keep the benefits while minimizing negatives — with limited success, as ad hoc steps do not work well to combat the relentless invasion of our cognitive landscape. A more systemic philosophy and method is needed, Digital Minimalism — built on the concept of “less is more”, spending less time “connected” (actually disconnected from more important things) and more time on the right activities and relationships. This book makes the case for digital minimalism, how and why it works, and when to adopt it, in two parts. Part 1 deals with the philosophy of minimalism, the forces driving digital overload, and how digital decluttering for 30 days helps you reduce online dependence by instead taking walks, talking with friends, reading books, staring at clouds—and most importantly, thinking about and doing what you value most. After a month, you can add a few online activities that align with your values and help transition you from frazzled maximalist to intentional minimalist. Part 1 includes a guide to digital decluttering, based on a Winter 2018 experiment in which 1,600 people agreed to perform a digital declutter, then reported what helped and what traps to avoid. Part 2 shares ideas to create a sustained minimalist lifestyle, such as the need for solitude, leisure time, friendships, and being hard to reach by text message! It also looks at people who use many digital tools but are “resistant” to overload; and shares their secrets. Each chapter in Part 2 ends with a toolbox of best practices that you can customize for building digital minimalism into your own life! “The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation,” Thoreau famously said in Walden. Thoreau followed that by saying the sun rises anew each day and it’s never too late to “give up our prejudices” and make choices based on “alert and healthy natures”. While digital overload leads many to quiet desperation, it’s a new day and never too late to give up our pro-tech prejudice through an “alert and healthy” philosophy built on commitment to find long-term meaning over short-term satisfaction, aka, digital minimalism. (797 Words)