Dear Dumbstruck,As more and more of the formerly mute objects in our lives (refrigerators, thermostats, doorbells, even toilets) are christened "smart," it often feels as though the entire inanimate world were undergoing a process of enlightenment. And "smart" is a difficult adjective to resist, particularly in a society that regards intelligence as a form of currency-or even, at times, a spiritual virtue. So while "dumbing down" one's phone ostensibly describes a rather mundane process of removing apps, blocking internet access, and choosing unappealing aesthetic features (gray scale, bland wallpaper), I understand the anxiety it can provoke. It's hard to avoid feeling that such digital minimalism is swimming against the current of this awakening, that you are not just simplifying your life but also downgrading your mind.
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