What's it like to ditch your cell phone and only use a landline for a month?

Jeremy Rolosa, an associate editor at New York Magazine, lived without a smartphone for over a month, relying instead on a landline to navigate modern life. This experiment, sparked by a nationwide Verizon outage that left many feeling liberated, highlights the profound shift in social friction and vulnerability caused by mobile technology. Rolosa discovered that while dating and coordinating plans required more trust and "intentionality," the absence of constant connectivity made days feel longer and increased his awareness of his surroundings. Although he eventually returned to his smartphone, he now uses it primarily for its calling features and has significantly reduced his engagement with group chats and social media. The experience underscores the value of "cold calling" friends and leaving trivial voicemails as a way to maintain meaningful human connections without the constant pressure of digital availability.