“I exchanged my smartphone for an ax”

We translated an inspiring text by Caleb, an American teenager who managed to free himself from his techno-addiction. Here is her story.

At 15, Caleb Silverberg made the most important decision of his life. He abandoned technology and set his sights on the forest.

During the pandemic, I became a slave to screens. For hours, online courses continued, Scroll of Instagram and Fortnite games. When I immersed myself in this pixel world, I would go so far as to forget to eat.

My Saturdays were pretty grim: I would wake up and drag myself to the couch where my Xbox had been waiting for me all night. The closed blinds blocked the sun's rays and any hope of enjoying them — swimming in the ocean, biking in the mountains, hiking with my dogs.

At 15, I looked in the mirror and saw the shadow of myself. My face was pale. My eyes were hollowed out. I needed a radical change.

I vaguely remember one of my older sister's friends describing her high school, Midland, an experimental boarding school in Los Padres Forest. The school was founded in 1932 according to the principle”Needs Not Wants” (needs, not desires). In the forest, mobile phones and video games are forbidden and replaced by tasks to make the establishment work: washing dishes, cleaning the bathrooms or the refectory. Students rely on each other.

As soon as I heard about this tech-free oasis, I immediately applied to spend my high school years there. A few months later, on the morning of April 12, 2021, I had the best news of my life. At 7:30am, an email with the subject line “Welcome to Midland! ”.

I screamed, “Mom, I've been accepted! ” She rushed up, still in her bathrobe, to congratulate me.

September 2, 2021 was my first day in Midland. That day, I exchanged my smartphone for an ax.

In Midland, students have to cut wood to heat the water in the showers, their rooms and classrooms. If no one does it, it will be a cold shower, a cool night and a frozen room. No punishment by a teacher or an adult. Just the disappointment of your classmates. Your friends.

Armed with my ax, I was freed from the constant technological pull. I discovered the joys of one-on-one conversation and enjoyed moments without having to post them on social media. I embraced an existence close to land, on the self-sufficient farm managed by high school students and teachers. In spring, I went to the garden regularly to enjoy handfuls of fresh strawberries. At dinners, I enjoyed meat from grass-fed cows in Midland. I started doing strength training to gain back the pounds lost by playing video games and neglecting my hunger. Living in nature without Instagram, Fortnite, or TikTok allowed me to reconnect with the world and rediscover the value of authentic human relationships.

https://youtu.be/QV1_xEXuPVA?si=nxKGVvx7ZMMryka7

This song by Zippo fits perfectly with the theme of the article:)

Digital addictions like mine are a pervasive problem today. Excessive screen time can lead to attention disorders, nearsightedness, and depression. Since 2005 and the advent of smartphones, the percentage of Americans with symptoms of major depression has increased by 52%. It is a phenomenon that I have witnessed firsthand in my close circle.

Many teens struggle to socialize with their peers face-to-face, and are content with virtual interactions via Instagram and Snapchat. In many classical high schools, no one stops to say hello. Instead, the silence in the halls is only disturbed by the shrill sound of AirPods playing rap songs.

Before Midland, every time I sat on the couch engrossed in TikTok or Instagram, my parents warned me: “Caleb, your brain will melt if you keep looking at this screen!” At first, I did not heed their concerns. But I ended up experiencing life without a screen stuck to my hand and understood that they were right all along.

Today I am starting my Junior Year (first) at Midland High School. Every time I am at home, I use my cell phone a lot less, and only to watch my favorite TV shows or talk to the many friends I made at school. Midland has helped me change the way I live my life. I am no longer dependent on screens.

I am lucky to go to Midland. But anyone can benefit from his lessons. To my generation, I would like to offer a 5,000 year-old solution to our 21st century dilemma. Shabbat is the weekly holiday of Jewish custom, during which individuals take 24 hours to rest and relax. This weekly break allows our body and mind to recharge their batteries.

I envision three potential levels of “technological shabbat.” The first level is an immersive experience, similar to Midland, where you live without a cell phone. The second is similar to the traditional weekly shabbat, taking one full day per week to cut yourself off your phone. The third is to put your phone away when you are in an educational setting, for example in a classroom.

I went from using a smartphone frantically to wielding an ax, and I became aware of the power obtained by freeing myself from the grip of screens. I hope that other young people my age can follow the same path, from telephone to ax. To do this, simply log out.

Caleb Silverberg