Going Analog
What does it tell us when Cybersecurity professionals are pursuing an Analog lifestyle
Lately, I’ve been having more conversations with cybersecurity veterans who are turning back the clock when it comes to embracing all things digital. I’ve been an advocate of this for several years, and I included it in the Epilogue of my book as a resilience strategy.
However, even if you aren’t ready to give up on being part of a digitally connected world through almost everything that you own except your clothes (and that’ll be changing soon too), you might want to ask yourself why some well-known experts in this field have made that decision for themselves.
It’s not because they’re “Boomers” or “Gen X.”
In some cases, it’s due to burnout.
For others, it’s the only security policy that actually works.
Or, it’s because they’re tired of being tracked, surveilled, and fed content designed to keep them scrolling on their devices; of being digital serfs to their Social Media land baron masters.
Here are a few ways that you can put your big toe into the Analog ocean!
Your Vehicle
Buy a car that was built in the 1980s or before. It depends on the model, but key developments during the eighties and nineties included:
The widespread adoption of the Engine Control Unit (ECU) managing fuel injection, ignition timing, and emission controls.
of transmission control units (TCUs) for automatic gear shifting optimization.
Expansion of electronic safety features such as traction control and electronic stability programs.
The increasing number of ECUs also necessitated the development of standardized communication protocols such as Controller Area Network (CAN) bus
And we want none of that.
Your Phone
Get rid of the surveillance device that you’re currently using and buy a Dumb Phone or a Lite Phone.
A Dumb phone is a phone without apps, especially social media. You make calls, and you answer calls. There’s a wide variety to choose from almost everywhere and the cost is less than $100.
A Lite Phone is made by a New York startup, also named Lite Phone, that includes a few more features like the ability to play music or listen to podcasts, and includes bluetooth so that you can connect it to your headphones. But that’s it.
Pen and Paper
We’re so used to email that it seems incomprehensible to want to return to “snail mail.” In fact, there are probably millions of people alive today who have never written a letter as an intimate form of communication with a loved one. Letters are romantic precisely because they’re hand-written and not typed. When you write a letter, you are making a serious effort in time, and thoughtfulness, and an expenditure of energy that all gets indelibly imprinted on a piece of parchment. Then carefully folded, placed into another different paper construction (the envelope), stamped and mailed. When it arrives unexpectedly, it’s a delightful, emotionally charged experience for the recipient. And most likely, they’ll return the favor by sending you a letter of their own.
Part of the awesomeness of letter-writing is the fact that you get to choose the pen or pencil that you want to use, as well as the paper stock.
For example, I love Modern Fuel’s pens and pencils. They’re machine-tooled to look like a single piece of metal. The company was founded by a veteran and everything is made in the U.S.A.
When it comes to stationary, there many options to explore. For example, there’s Pineider, Levenger, and Papier. I don’t have a personal favorite, although I’m kind of in awe of Karst’s stone paper that I’ve been using lately.
These are just a few suggestions to spark your interest. If you agree with me, and want to share your own ideas for going Analog, please include them in the comments. Speaking of which, to make it easier for everyone to engage in these posts, I’ve cut the cost of a monthly and annual subscription in half. Consider becoming a paid subscriber if you aren’t one already.
I’m also looking for feedback on whether I should put the logo on a coffee cup or t-shirt. Just shoot me an email (or send me a letter) if you want to share your thoughts.
While a 1980s vehicle has less electronics, many of the advances in the 1990s added significant reliability to vehicles. I'm extremely happy with my 1996 Honda Civic (it will probably last me the rest of my lifetime).
In my opinion, the better approach to a phone is to get a faraday bag and turn the phone off and store it in the Faraday bag when you aren't using it. There are two reasons that I don't think I could go without a "smart" phone: 1) Google Maps (very handy when traveling); 2) Signal (encrypted messaging)
I don't think there is any need to whip out a pen to write a letter. Composing a letter with a word processor and then printing it has numerous major advantages: 1) Faster than handwriting; 2) Editing to compose your thoughts; 3) Printed text is far easier to read than scribble. 4) You can save (encrypted of course) a copy on your computer for future reference to remember what you wrote to someone. The receiver of the physical letter will still be just as thrilled to get such a unique, thoughtful surprise.