We come into this world analog, and we leave this world analog. Everything in between? It’s kind of a fucking mess right now…
If you find yourself lost and lonely in a pit of digital doomscrolling as you spin too many plates, wear too many hats, and lose your days to putting out other people’s fires, come join me—a Xennial raised before wi-fi—as I take you on a journey to a place where your time, energy, and attention can once again be spent on making things that actually matter.
Welcome to This Analog Life.
As the masses succumb to living in front of screens in service of our robot overlords, I’m instead re-embracing a simpler (not to be confused with easier) life filled with purpose, peace, and genuine human connection.
The only thing stopping me? The digital hellscape we now call “reality.”
We are bombarded 24/7 with:
Never-ending “breaking” news cycles that keep us enraged and afraid
A bottomless pit of “content” reminding us that we’re never good enough...until, of course, we buy the next product peddled by the latest influencer
Endless dings and chimes that “connect” us to everyone on the globe except those who are actually present with us in the moment
Algorithms telling us what to like, what to buy, what to watch, and most importantly WHO TO HATE in any given moment
An artificially generated reality where we no longer trust anything or anybody.
While our modern hearts and minds drown in a toxic cesspool of 1’s and 0’s, our primitive brains are still busy adapting to the introduction of the light bulb.
I’m opting out. I invite you to come join me.
This Analog Life is NOT about:
Living off-grid and disconnecting from reality.
Shunning modern technology or becoming Amish.
A 24/7 elimination of the Internet, social media, or the news.
This Analog Life IS about:
Embracing modern technologies that serve our most important goals
Being more intentional about the apps and news feeds that get our attention (and avoiding those that manipulate it)
Reconnecting with the analog world, including both nature and real people in three dimensions
Living from a more analog perspective is about more than setting screen time limits or using app blockers. This is a philosophy of technology usage I call digital essentialism, a concept at the intersection of Cal Newport’s Digital Minimalism and Greg McKeown’s Essentialism.
Digital essentialism is my own personal philosophy of living whereby I’m very intentional about only embracing the modern technologies that are my servants, not my masters.
🎧 Listen to my podcast with Cal Newport about Digital Minimalism
🎧 Listen to my podcast with Greg McKeown about Essentialism
What to Expect When You Subscribe
Given my lifelong struggles with depression, burnout, and ADHD (consistency is my achilles heel), I will do my best on a regular-ish basis to share with you a combination of personal essays, educational and actionable content, and the occasional soapbox rant about the frustrations of trying to embrace a more analog life living in digital hell.
Essay Topics May Include:
More effective ways to “balance” your work and your life (without burning out)
Navigating mid-career (and mid-life)
existential crisestransitionsHealthier ways to build genuine relationships...without social media
Strategies to live a more analog life without the algorithms
Deep thoughts (but not by Jack Handey) about what it means to be human in the face of artificial intelligence
Unfiltered, raw, and personal stories about the darker side of being a creative, including anxiety, depression, ADHD, and burnout
Soap box rants about the endless stupidity we’re bombarded with 24/7
But wait…there’s more!
If you enjoy my writing, I invite you to subscribe to The Zack Arnold Podcast where I have conducted hundreds of interviews with world-class experts and athletes, NYT-bestselling authors, and award-winning, brilliant artists and creatives...not to mention inspirational stories of everyday people achieving extraordinary things.
» Subscribe to The Zack Arnold Podcast via Apple Podcasts | Spotify
The obligatory “About Me” section...
My twenty-five year career as an award-winning Hollywood filmmaker turned writer, podcaster, and career coach has been featured in The Washington Post, Forbes, NPR, The Telegraph, Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, The Wrap, and The Huffington Post, among many others.
But to be honest, I don’t give a shit about any of that.
What I actually care about is doing meaningful work that has a positive impact on the lives of others while still having the time and energy left over to be present for my wife, my two teenagers, and my best friend in the whole world, Addy. 🐶
