The ugly cost of smartphones

The Hidden Cost of Smartphones: A Reflection on Opportunity Cost

Author

Ark
May 08, 2025

In the summer of 2010, my life took a pivotal turn. I was a law student, spending my summer break as a legal intern in the remote Swedish town of Insjön, working at the corporate headquarters of a retail chain. It was the quintessential law student summer job—great for the resume, but in practice, it felt futile. I sat through meetings I barely understood, wrote legal memos that went unread, and consumed far too much office coffee. But one weekend, everything changed. A package arrived at the post office: my very first smartphone, an HTC Desire. Little did I know that this device would herald a transformation not just in my life, but in the world at large.

The Smartphone Revolution

On January 9, 2007, Steve Jobs introduced the iPhone, declaring it a revolutionary product that would change everything. He wasn’t wrong. In less than two decades, smartphones have become ubiquitous, outpacing the adoption of nearly every other technology in history. While innovations like electricity, running water, and flush toilets took decades to become mainstream, smartphones achieved near-universal adoption at an astonishing speed. Today, 4.3 billion people—53% of the global population—own a smartphone. In the United States, that figure is 91%.

As smartphones spread, Silicon Valley’s brightest minds set out to maximize the time we spend glued to our screens. Features like the like button, push notifications, algorithmic feeds, infinite scroll, and short-form videos have made these devices irresistibly addictive. The results are staggering: Germans spend an average of 3.35 hours per day on their phones, Americans 4.34 hours, Indians 4.77 hours, and Indonesians over 6 hours.

The Cost of Screen Time

Researchers are raising alarms about the consequences of this screen time. Gloria Mark’s studies show a steep decline in attention spans—from 150 seconds on a task in 2003 to just 47 seconds in 2016. Jonathan Haidt and Jean Twenge, in books like The Anxious Generation and iGen, argue that excessive screen time is harming younger generations, contributing to mental health issues. The term “brain rot,” named the Oxford English Dictionary’s Word of the Year in 2024, encapsulates the perceived intellectual decline from overconsuming trivial online content.

However, the research isn’t unanimous. Scholars like Andrew Przybylski and Amy Orben suggest that the link between screen time and mental health issues may be overstated. While this debate rages on, it risks overshadowing a more undeniable truth: the massive opportunity cost of smartphone use.

Understanding Opportunity Cost

In 1911, economist Friedrich von Wieser coined the term “opportunity cost,” defined as the loss of potential gain from other alternatives when one option is chosen. If you spend an hour scrolling on your phone, the opportunity cost is what you could have done instead—perhaps meeting a friend, reading a book, or baking bread. The value of phone use diminishes the longer you engage in it, while the value of alternative activities remains high, making the opportunity cost of excessive screen time enormous.

Scaled globally, with billions of people spending hours daily on their phones, the collective opportunity cost is almost incomprehensible. This realization hit me personally in 2018, when I was living in Washington, D.C., fulfilling a childhood dream. Instead of exploring the city, I found myself doomscrolling and chatting with friends from home. I hadn’t read a book for pleasure since that summer in Insjön. I had hit rock bottom.

A Personal Awakening

Determined to change, I took drastic action. I stashed my phone under the bed, bought an e-reader, and headed to a café in DuPont Circle. I began reading again, starting with Yuval Harari’s Sapiens, which reshaped my worldview. Books like A Job to Love by The School of Life and Range by David Epstein gave me the tools to rethink my career and embrace new possibilities. Breaking my screen addiction—however temporarily—allowed me to leave corporate law and pursue creative projects, including writing essays like this one.

Yet, I still struggle with excessive screen time. This personal battle raises broader questions: Can we make it easier for people to put down their phones? Is regulation the answer, or is it a matter of personal responsibility?

A Three-Layered Problem

Tristan Harris, featured in The Social Dilemma, argues that tech companies’ addictive designs demand regulatory intervention. Nir Eyal, author of Indistractable, insists that individuals must take control of their time. Both perspectives have merit, but there’s a third, often overlooked layer: societal norms.

Today, it’s not only acceptable but expected to be on our phones in almost any setting. However, norms can shift. In the 1940s, doctors smoked at work; today, such behavior is unthinkable. Racist, sexist, and homophobic jokes, once common, have largely faded from private settings due to changing norms, not laws. If we can shift norms around smoking and offensive humor, why not screen time?

Changing Norms Through Example

Social science supports the idea of “behavioral contagion.” Your likelihood of smoking, drinking, or installing solar panels depends heavily on what those around you do. Similarly, phone use is influenced by the behavior of others. I’ve noticed that when I’m on a train where people are reading books, I’m more likely to put my phone away and read. As author Brian Klaas suggests, we may control nothing, but we influence everything.

To reduce screen time, we can lead by example. By choosing to engage in meaningful activities—reading, conversing, or simply being present—we can inspire others to do the same. Over time, these small actions could shift societal norms, making it less acceptable to be perpetually glued to our screens.

A Call to Action

As a content creator, I’ve faced pressure to produce short-form videos for platforms like YouTube Shorts and TikTok. While this could boost my channel’s growth, I avoid short-form content because it disrupts my dopamine levels and leaves me feeling miserable. Instead, I focus on long-form content, which aligns with my values and encourages deeper engagement. Supporting creators who prioritize meaningful content—through likes, subscriptions, or platforms like Patreon—can amplify this shift.

The smartphone has undeniably transformed our lives, but at a significant cost. By recognizing the opportunity cost of excessive screen time and working to change societal norms, we can reclaim our time and attention for the things that truly matter.

This article is inspired by the work of Andres Acevedo and The Market Exit, with thanks to Karla Núñez for motion design and Anna Clara for camera work.

#Innovation #Leadership #Entrepreneurship #DigitalMarketing #Technology #Career #Networking #Business #Motivation #FutureOfWork

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