Just some thoughts about this end-of-year semi-retreat I take from digital life:

Life is inherently digital these days, so it’s not like I’ve turned off my computers, unplugged the television, or — let alone and — put my phone in a safe. I make no claims to using my devices significantly less often. In fact, just this week I upgraded my second generation iPad Pro to this year’s model, aiming to take advantage of the laptop-like benefits of iPadOS 26, aka Tahoe.

I’m not really that concerned about the extent to which I use personal technology. I already read a lot of books. I already go for walks. I go to concerts and spend time at museums. I may not spend ten minutes with a single piece of art, but I can easily do five. I have meals with friends. I spend much of my non-work hours with family. In other words, the main break that I take at the end of the year is that of digital connection to other people. Even then, I’m still checking email. I still work. I’m vaguely responding to DMs, though because I turned off social media I find many go missing for extended periods of time.

The distinction here is what I think of as “formal social media,” or “immediate social media” — by which, for my purposes, I mean the likes of Bluesky, Mastodon, Facebook, Instagram, and Threads. These are technological platforms in which much of the response cycle is short and rapid. For good measure, I also fold into this category of social media a solid number of the email lists, Discords, and BBSs (most founded on Discourse) I’m part of. I’m not a purist about just about anything, including this segment of digital activity. There are a couple book discussion groups I participate, between email and Discord, that I won’t be turning a blind eye to, simply because I want to continue those asynchronous conversations.

What I am turning down, if not off, is the number of conversations — especially the explicitly short-term ones inherent in social media — that I participate in. I’ll almost certainly re-up come January. For now, the respite is, first and foremost, cozy. Digital cozy.