Rebellion as a litmus test
That which feels "rebellious" in 2026 reveals a lot about the current state of technology, society, and life. I've recently noted a handful of actions that make me feel like a rebel, which in previous decades would have been incredibly mundane. A non-exhaustive list:
Long-form reading
Especially a physical book. Spending time reading anything longer than a few hundred words feels like you are really sticking it to all of those companies trying to monetize—and increase—time spent staring at screens.
Not using social media
Perhaps this was more a rebellion five years ago, as the pendulum has swung in favor of people simply opting out of social media. That being said, an adult that does not use at least one platform between Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Reddit, LinkedIn, etc., remains something of an oddity.
Minimizing the use of LLMs
Or not using it altogether. I've been increasingly trying to stop myself from quickly searching for a clean answer or help with copy editing. It's my sincere belief that an over reliance on LLMs will atrophies thinking, which will further increase reliance on LLMs. And so the spiral will go.
Using a faraday bag
Purchasing a faraday bag was the result of watching the excellent Dr. John Padfield. Not only has he performed an extensive review about the best way to make your phone "disappear," he's made a powerful argument about the importance of doing so. Dropping my phone into a faraday bag in the evenings as a way to signal the end of screen time, and mentally disconnect the digital tether, is something I'd highly recommend.