2024 Screen Time Policies

Three key policies for a healthy relationship with screens

There are many paths to a satisfying life. Screens are not among them.

Accordingly, I have developed three key policies designed to dramatically limit my screen time: the Unwatched Episode Ban, the Electronic News Ban, and the Social Media App Ban. These will be enforced for the entirety of 2024 and into 2025.

Photo by Glenn Carstens-Peters on Unsplash

Policy #1: Unwatched Episode Ban

It’s hard to build more satisfying habits. But the effort is worth the more satiating evenings. Ever since I dramatically reduced my TV watching, the quality of my nights has dramatically improved. I can’t go back to the Before Times. I must stand guard against a relapse into emptiness.

The opportunity cost of television is immeasurable. Virtually any other activity, including staring silently into space, would be better for me. The nightly televisional habit is a sure path to dementia. “Flee from televisional immorality,” St. Paul wrote. “All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but he who sins televisionally sins against his own body.” Never did a saint speak more truly.

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All unwatched episodes of serial television shows are banned. Rewatches only.

The Unwatched Episode Ban includes:

• All shows on all platforms (cable, Youtube, Instagram, etc.)

• All forms of shows on all platforms (short clips, trailers, etc.)

• New seasons of shows I have already started

• Recurring news, punditry, and political comedy shows

• Mockumentaries as well as most documentaries

Four exceptions

1) Unwatched episodes of Reality TV are acceptable if:

a) at least two other adult humans are present and 

b) unrestricted talking over the show is permitted.

2) Unwatched episodes of serial documentaries are acceptable if:

a) the documentary contains truly enriching educational content and

b) the primary purpose of the documentary is neither entertainment nor comedy

3) Music is always acceptable

All non-fiction music content (KEXP, TinyDesk, interviews with artists on recurring shows, etc) is permitted under all circumstances.

4) Sports

Live sports are always acceptable.

Policy #2: Electronic News Ban

It’s a presidential election year, one we’ve all been dreading. I’ve spent enough of my life arguing with random people on the Internet about politics. I’ve spent enough time knowing what random people online even think about politics. Generally, I’ve spent enough time obsessing over the news and current events. I want to be informed, but why make a daily habit out of something that usually serves to disrupt my inner peace and then suck me into a bottomless news vortex? There are other ways to be informed. This year, to be informed but also protect my sanity, I’m sticking with paper.

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Electronic news consumption is banned.

If presented electronically, all current events related content is banned.

The Electronic News Ban includes:

• Articles

• Televisional News

• Podcasts

• Radio

• Short videos

• Presidential debates

• Presidential election coverage

• Punditry and activist-created content on all social media platforms

• Commentators such as Trevor Noah, Bill Maher, and John Oliver

• Infographics, charts, Instagram stories

• Facebook statuses

• Online videos / photographs of protests and protesters

• Online videos / photographs of international and domestic conflicts or events

Electronic News Ban: Enforcement Regime Triad

1) Conducive Social Media Environment

My social media accounts have been completely purged of nearly all political and current events related content. Accounts that overshare political content have been muted. All politicians, news outlets, and activists have been unfollowed. Joe Biden’s ads have been reported as offensive speech and they no longer appear on my feeds. I won’t ever mute anyone who is actually my real-life friend, but I will continue to report all political content on Facebook as content that I “do not want to see.” Over time, this will provide feedback to the algorithm to ensure my feeds remain as apolitical and as divorced from current events as is possible.

2) The Purged Cell Phone

All news apps have been deleted from my cell phone. No news notifications.

3) The Tamed Machine

When I am working on my computer, white-list apps will block all but a handful of websites.

Six Exceptions

1) Weather

I may check weather-related news on my phone or computer.

2) Foreign Invasion

In the event of a foreign invasion or other attack upon the United States, I may briefly check crisis-related news on my phone or computer.

3) Mass shooting

In the event of a mass shooting either within the state of Michigan or near my present location, I may briefly check crisis-related news on my phone or computer.

4) Civil unrest

In the event of civil unrest in the United States that could immediately affect the physical safety of me, my friends, or my family, I may briefly check crisis-related news on my phone or computer.

5) Election Day

On the 2024 presidential election day, I may watch the news on television beginning no earlier than 8 PM EST and ending no later than midnight. All other conditions of this ban will otherwise apply.

6) Art and Sport

Electronic news about musicians, athletes, writers, and other performers or artists is permitted under all circumstances without any exceptions.

Policy #3: Social Media App Ban

Ever since I purged my accounts of political content, I have come to see Facebook as a place where I can see nice pictures of my friends and family. That said, no matter what I do to control it, the mindless scrolling always creeps back.

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Social media apps are banned from cell phones. Furthermore, social media content cannot be accessed through the web browser on a cell phone.

Social media is only permitted when accessed through a computer’s web browser.

This ban does not apply to Goodreads.

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And so at last, liberated from the screen, we eagerly await the night.

Policy Effective: 1/17/2024 - 1/16/2025

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