I'm not suggesting the tech equivalent of hair shirts and scourging for the populace to demonstrate their devotion to the cause.

I wish I could have a landline but in my area I can only have a faux one. I love TV, always have. I love movies. I love my darling little laptop, and that is surely heretical to my younger self reading this in horror. I have a Substack, and midget little thing though it is, I love it too. But I don't promote it anywhere now except right here as part of my username.

My cellphone is only for emergencies (and it was useful today when my service provider "upgraded" in the neighborhood). My kid keeps telling me to keep it on when I leave the house but I never do because I feel creepy if it rings.

But I do think it's necessary to rethink our means of connecting to loved ones. There is something wrong if the family is gathering on Facebook. Yes, I know people often live very far away from each other. They can email and try to simulate thereby the lost art of letter-writing. They should understand that putting the faces of minor children all over the internet is a bad idea. They should give their children dumbphones, because sometimes it is absolutely necessary that a kid be able to reach you or emergency services, or you to reach them, but it's absolute bullshit they should need apps.

And all the fun stuff we like to look at? We can get our fill of cat videos and memes here and on the other select Substacks we love. Don't diminish their sacrifice on our behalf!