“We need to go places and touch things”

We noticed in today’s Guardian this fascinating article about the move away from so-called smartphones towards the “haptic world” - or as we call it down here, stuff you can touch.

And it’s young people, it seems, leading the charge.

We love this!

And Street Wisdom is the perfect antidote to the smartphone frenzy that seems to have taken us all over. More on that in a sec.

Of course, first things first, a smartphone doesn’t necessarily have to distract us. And in fact, it’s a very useful device, especially if you’re trying to remember who played Mrs Daniels in Neighbour’s in the 90s.

But the fact is, we have let ourselves get distracted by these little digital critters.

So, let’s have less screen time and more touch time. In touch time. As in - in touch with our lives time.

What would that even look like?

More time to wander, perhaps, time to think, time to touch the bark of trees, to smell the roses, to smile at strangers, even strike up a conversation with one of them.

How vivid could life be?

As David Sax says, the author of The Revenge of Analog, touch and other physical senses are also important. “We are haptic,” he said. “One of the benefits of analogue is its tactility – things you can use and touch and taste and feel. There was this assumption that we would be living in a digital future … The experience of the pandemic showed us one truth we kind of downplayed: we have bodies that exist in the physical world and need to go places and touch things.”

We love that for sure.

So, give it a go, let your feet be wiser than your head. Follow your nose. Be drawn to what attracts you, like a kid who just can’t help run up and be fascinated by something the adult in you disregarded about ten minutes ago. (Though don’t be the kid who screams when he doesn’t get his own way; we’re adults now and that’s a great thing.)

Street Wisdom is an awe-some, easy way to get back into your body and back into the analogue world. To touch and be touched. Move and be moved.

Maybe keep your phones handy, just in case they’re useful, but maybe it is time to set them aside more, and get up, and get out?

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Inspired? Fancy some more Street Wisdom? Join a Walkshop near you, or head out for your own wander right now with our Audio Guide. Buy a copy of founder David Pearl’s book Wanderful, all profits go back into Street Wisdom to help keep it free. Share your insights and follow us @StreetWisdom_