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A review by richardbakare
Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World by Cal Newport
5.0
Another great book by Cal Newport. In “Digital Minimalism” he focuses his astute observation and analytical skills on digital technologies and our pervasive relationship with them. If you have read his book “Deep Work” this one is a natural follow on that goes levels deeper in optimization. However, it is not just about a reclaiming time for work. The book also focuses on taking back agency and autonomy from the social media and digital platforms.
Newport kicks things off with a thoughtful discussion on the history of the rise of these digital services. Along with a critique of what the hope for them was versus the reality we ended up in. He also lays down his argument for what we gain and lose by engaging with various digital services. The argument is simple, we almost always lose; time, attention, focus, and freedom. Newport’s assessment is that the price is too big for the ROI the social and media platforms promise.
Newport follows up his argument with numerous examples of the trade offs for ceding your autonomy to technology versus simplifying your digital life. After that the book goes into high gear going through the tenants of his Digital Minimalism philosophy and detailing out a myriad of practical tools and techniques for immediately applying the practice into your life. The core of it being purge everything, bring back deliberately only what you need, and go analog more.
I love everything Newport has to offer in this book and already practice many of the same tactics in my own engagement with technology. I refreshed a few approaches after reading and more importantly asked myself “why am I using this?” Newport’s succinct, pragmatic, and stoic style may not win over everyone but the message is clear and worth the read. I highly recommend it and almost all of Cal Newport’s works.
Newport kicks things off with a thoughtful discussion on the history of the rise of these digital services. Along with a critique of what the hope for them was versus the reality we ended up in. He also lays down his argument for what we gain and lose by engaging with various digital services. The argument is simple, we almost always lose; time, attention, focus, and freedom. Newport’s assessment is that the price is too big for the ROI the social and media platforms promise.
Newport follows up his argument with numerous examples of the trade offs for ceding your autonomy to technology versus simplifying your digital life. After that the book goes into high gear going through the tenants of his Digital Minimalism philosophy and detailing out a myriad of practical tools and techniques for immediately applying the practice into your life. The core of it being purge everything, bring back deliberately only what you need, and go analog more.
I love everything Newport has to offer in this book and already practice many of the same tactics in my own engagement with technology. I refreshed a few approaches after reading and more importantly asked myself “why am I using this?” Newport’s succinct, pragmatic, and stoic style may not win over everyone but the message is clear and worth the read. I highly recommend it and almost all of Cal Newport’s works.