Is it possible to live an almost completely digital life?
And is it a worthwhile goal to have?
Well, I won’t aim to answer the second question. That’s up to you.
But in regard to the first question, I think the answer is: yes.
I think it’s very possible to construct your life in a way that almost completely eliminates physical possessions. They can be digitized. Physical experiences work the same way.
Indeed, it’s possible to live a life that’s almost completely digital in nature.
Although eliminating most physical possessions is required to live a mostly digital life, a mostly digital life isn’t a necessary component of a very flexible and free life.
I’ve had a flexible and free life for a number of years now. It’s been totally blissful.
Regarding what’s now mostly a digital life, it’s been a bit of an evolution that took a flexible and free life to the next level. It’s been a digital transformation for me. A slow process of digitization has led me here.
My life is now mostly digital. My minimalist FIRE lifestyle has partially facilitated this digital transformation, which I’m actually grateful for.
Ahead Of The Curve
This is an idea that’s ahead of its time, much in the same way that my decision to allow my driver’s license to expire is perhaps ahead of its time.
There’s very likely a future – maybe really only a few years out – in which a driver’s license is outdated, due to a combination of automated transportation and greater public transit infrastructure no longer requiring such a license. That future is coming.
Maybe I’m extreme.
Or maybe I’m just ahead of the curve, like how I developed my own basic income that totally bypasses all the hemming and hawing from governments as they debate and marginally test UBI in anticipation of a day when most jobs are automated.
I was also a bit ahead of the curve when I first started blogging way back in 2011, with Dividend Mantra. Blogging was somewhat strange and new back then. It’s now yesterday’s news. But I felt compelled to write about this incredibly exciting idea of achieving FIRE at a young age.
Indeed, FIRE itself is probably only a bit ahead of its time, something to be seen as not only not extreme in the not-too-distant future, but something that will likely be an outdated concept when society at large no longer has jobs in the first place (jobs that must be thoughtfully and creatively avoided by achieving FIRE) due to mass automation.
I see a future in which lifestyles are designed and aligned with passion and purposes right from the outset. This more or less defeats the main purpose of FIRE, rendering it moot.
FIRE is a bit radical today. But it’s born partially out of a desire to escape unsatisfactory, exhausting, and inflexible jobs. And I think a “job” is a very contemporary thing. Jobs haven’t even existed for that long. And it looks like they might not be around for too much longer.
FIRE, as we think of it today, will one day be mundane. It’ll be a relic of a bygone era.
A Digital Society
Well, something else that I think will one day be more of a mundane idea is to live a life that’s largely digital.
This life has long been coming.
Don’t believe me?
Just take a look around.
People are practically attached to their electronic devices. People already spend a significant portion of their time and days in the digital space – social media, content production and consumption, entertainment, communication, etc.
I believe merging with technology itself is the obvious next step. Virtual and augmented reality will aid this transition.
Then will come digital attachments and enhancements, allowing for humans to become bigger, better, and stronger, potentially even overcoming many diseases and injuries that physically and/or mentally limit people.
I think it’s very possible that people will one day – a day not far off from today – be able to almost completely live inside of virtual worlds, much in the same way that some gamers do so right now.
Other than certain physical functions (like eating, cleaning, reproduction, and waste), there’s not much that would even be necessary in the physical realm at that point, and even those physical functions could be solved in a way (via technology) that wouldn’t require disconnection.
I don’t think it’s unrealistic to expect a near-term future in which we’re able to model, build, and live in our own digital worlds. We’ll be able to make the rules as we go and do as we please.
We’ll be gods. No pain, no judgment, no suffering, no limits. You could be omnipotent and omnipresent. You could visit far-off places instantly, or create your own places. Be the hero of your own story.
It might even be possible one day to completely upload your consciousness, providing immortality.
That may sound futuristic, very sci-fi, and utopian (or dystopian, depending on your perspective), but I’m simply extrapolating out our current development as a species. In fact, if Elon Musk (vis-à-vis Nick Bostrom) is to be believed, all of this has already happened and we’re all living inside of a giant simulation.
Regardless of how far this goes, I’m showing you that where I’m at really isn’t that extreme at all.
My Digital Life
So where am I?
Mostly digital.
And I must admit, it feels pretty good. It’s taking the idea of #minimalism to a whole new level.
There’s very little I own in the physical realm. Very little to slow me down, weigh on me, and own me. Because when you own things, they actually own you. That’s the truth, folks.
Everything I brought with me to Thailand fits inside of two small bags.
And I could probably cut that in half, if I needed to. It’s actually quite likely that I’ll be doing just that over the course of time. If I were to suddenly die, anyone cleaning out my apartment would think I had no money at all. There’s no wealth in my physical life.
Most everything I own, use, and enjoy exists in digital form.
My wealth and assets are completely digital.
Other than a little bit of money I keep on hand, my wealth exists digitally.
My cash is a number on a screen.
And my stock portfolio ends up being boiled down into stock tickers and amounts I can go look at when I log into my brokerage account.
That’s really it. It’s not like I’m Scrooge McDuck jumping into a pile of gold coins.
Even my business is completely digital.
My blog isn’t a place you can physically visit. It’s not something you can hold in your hands.
My writing doesn’t have physical weight.
And my coaching is not a physical product. Moreover, my coaching is done via Skype with clients all over the world, which means I’m not even physically present when I’m coaching. It’s all done digitally.
Other than the paperback version of my recent best-selling book, my business has no physical presence at all.
I own no car, no house, no accouterments of the 21st century.
And the only physical assets I actually value at all are those that allow me to access my digital life: my dated (and barely working) iPhone 4S and my old laptop.
That’s because these physical assets allow me the connection I need to not only my digital assets, but also my digital life as a whole: my entertainment, my income, my communication, my research, my education, my ability to write (which is a major part of my identity), and my access to the sum of humanity’s knowledge.
My avatar is digital. And he is as much me as I am me.
That avatar is, in my view, arguably more representative of who I am than the me that exists in the physical space. I spend just as much, if not more, time with that avatar, curating my digital life, as I do with the version of myself that physically exists.
It’s kind of crazy when you really take the time to think about it and what it means to live and exist. It blows your mind. It can be a bit much, which is probably why Musk has banned certain existential conversations from the hot tub.
The Physical Realm
Where I live, in the physical space, is something I view as more of an abstract construct than anything else.
It’s ephemeral. Just a place where I’m at in the moment. It’s short-term physical occupation that’s designed to be most advantageous to me.
And since most of my life is digital, which can be accessed anywhere, the physical world becomes less valuable and instrumental to me as the days pass.
That’s an interesting thing for me to say, since I actually see myself as an urbanist, walking enthusiast, urban planning connoisseur, architecture admirer, and public transportation advocate. I enjoy the study of cities.
Beyond that, relationships are extremely important to me.
And I love food as much as the next guy.
I still enjoy much of the physical: food, intimacy, exercise, etc.
So how do I reconcile that with my digital life and still find some value in the physical realm?
When your life becomes almost completely digital, that’s precisely when you can actually immerse yourself in and enjoy the physical world that much more openly, truthfully, and clearly. Once I’ve been able to see it this way, it’s quite easy to reconcile.
Otherwise, you’re just using the physical space to commute through, work through, and eat through. There’s nothing special about it. It’s an obstacle to clear. Something temporal to temporarily trudge through.
I mean, there’s nothing enjoyable or special about the physical realm while you’re commuting in your car, or while you’re shuffling paperwork at a desk (or whatever it is you might be doing).
Visiting a park, paying attention to architecture, or people watching is great. But most people don’t actually use the physical realm in this manner because they’re too busy. It’s instead just a place where they collect the paycheck, wolf down some food, shuffle the kids off to school, etc.
In this sense, living a life that’s mostly digital actually enhances the physical realm, as you’re more appreciative of it and likely more free to enjoy it (in terms of time, finances, awareness, openness, etc.).
Conclusion
I’m not writing this piece to convince anyone to live a more digital life. That doesn’t behoove me.
Instead, I’m only sharing with you what has turned out to be a natural evolution in my own growth as a human being, where my life has merged to a great degree with technology. There’s an avatar of myself that’s probably more representative of who I am – based on how I allocate my resources – than the me that physically exists.
I see this as an amazing and wonderful development.
And it appears that I won’t be alone for long. Human beings are slowly merging with technology. Smartphones are already practically considered an appendage. And there’s a future out there in which life might be able to fully be digitized. A digital revolution is coming, whether everyone is ready or not.
This excites me. I embrace change. But I can also understand that this is a scary idea for many people.
Nonetheless, I thought this would be interesting thought process and growth story to share with everyone as post-FIRE life continues to surprise, delight, and change me.
I asked a question at the outset of this article regarding whether or not this is all worthwhile. Well, I believe it’s an eventuality, so it kind of answers itself.
Regardless, I do believe it’s worthwhile to live a life that’s at least slightly more digital than it might be now. Less consumption and less stuff owning you is a good thing. And the more free you are, which arguably goes hand-in-hand with living a more digital life, the more you’ll actually enjoy and truly experience the physical space.
What do you think? Do you think it’s possible to live almost completely digitally? Do you see the digital transformation that’s coming? What do you think about it?
Thanks for reading.
Image courtesy of: blackzheep at FreeDigitalPhotos.net.
P.S. If you’re interested in becoming financially free, which could allow you to minimize, downsize, and even become more digital across your life, check out some awesome resources that I personally used to become free at 33!
What a fantastic post Jason. Those are some wonderful ‘Deep Thoughts’ as Jack Handey used to say on Saturday Night Live. Yes, technology that can be viewed as an unfortunate enabler of minimal human contact, and can be viewed as ‘cold’ and lonely and not very social. But digital can also be an enabler of enjoying more of the physical surroundings and all things physical and ‘real’. It depends on how we use it.
I see the optimism in the overall concept and in your post.
I used the digital world to semi retire in June of 2018, and I also aim to help investors find that FIRE or live a better financial life in many ways. I can blog from anywhere. My first home office was a small beach side cottage on Prince Edward Island, PEI Canada. I’ve had a few trips. Work from wherever. Whenever.
All said it all does have potential pitfalls. I wrote this week on my first 6 months of semi-retirement, and waiting for my wife to retire. There can be loneliness too. One has to find that balance. Retirement needs a purpose and ample contact with the world and others. I want digital in its own silo so that it enables freedom (I can completely leave it behind) and then go enjoy the world with no thought or mention of technology or anything digital. Two opposite worlds.
Thanks again for the great post.
Dale
Dale,
Thanks a lot. Glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
With great power comes great responsibility. The Internet is an amazing tool if you use it appropriately. It can also be used for destructive, isolating behavior. I guess I’m just the type of person that naturally gravitates toward the former. It’s been incredible for me. I’m living the life of my dreams, due in part to the ability to digitize most elements of life.
You’re right, though, in that you do need some balance. I still enjoy aspects of the physical world. I actually enjoy them more fully than ever before because my interactions with the physical world are so different nowadays. It’s no longer just “going through the motions” most of the time. That’s so boring and brutal.
Thanks for stopping by!
Cheers.
Those are some deep thoughts and I do think you are on to something. Your consciousness is on the leading edge to be downloaded into a server to reside there for all of time. It’s like what Ray Kurzweil writes about with The Singularity, where human and machine consciousness merge together.
In the meantime it is wonderful to be fully absorbed to enjoy the physical world. Even those who are crunching through tasks can appreciate this ifbonlybwe all learn to be more mindful.
Best regards,
Mike
Mike,
It’s really interesting stuff. I mean, our relationship (between you and I) is totally digital. Never met you. You’ve never met me. So our only interactions with each other have been between our digital avatars. Indeed, 99.9% of the interactions I have are digital, since I rely on only a few very close people in my real life. I’m consuming and producing content, creating all of these interactions, and yet I’m not actually physically meeting anyone or creating anything physical. It’s pretty incredible.
That all said, I do still enjoy the physical world very much. More than ever before, really. Back when I was spending 50+ hours/week at the dealership, much of my time was spent getting ready for work, going to work, working, coming home from work, unwinding after work, preparing for the next day of work, and sleeping. It wasn’t like I was taking the time to “smell the roses”, if I may. Now I take that time. Because I have the time.
Best regards!
Hi Jason,
Actually we did meet in person over dinner in late March this year 😀. This is my digital avatar. Looking forward to catch up with you later this month, hopefully…
-Mike
Mike,
Met over dinner in late March this year?! Ahh, gotcha. I was looking for a Mike…
Hopefully we can meet again soon!
Cheers.
Have you seen Ready player one? reading this reminded me of this movie. this is the trailer https://youtu.be/cSp1dM2Vj48
FV,
Haven’t seen the movie. Heard of it, though.
I believe (and so do a lot of much smarter people) that a fully digital, interactive, immersive, cohesive world will one day be accessible. As it stands, our smartphones and devices are practically appendages. They’re like an extra brain. Or a third hand. I remember being out to dinner not too long ago. And I think everyone I was surrounded by was looking down at their smartphones. I guess that’s what separates me from them. When I’m out enjoying my life, I’m actually “disconnected” because so much of my day is spent in the digital world. These other people, meanwhile, likely have day jobs. So it’s very different.
Cheers!
Would be interested in your comment “society at large will have no jobs due to mass automation” , and how you think FIRE would be affected. I agree that automation, robotics and advanced technology are becoming the new workforce, at an ever growing rate, but how are the companies that we hold in our portfolios, going to sell the goods & products that pay the dividends that we count on. People, or more precisely workers, buy the goods and services offered by the businesses we own, not robots, and without good paying jobs, which is the engine to economic growth, I fail to see how the P&G’s, KO & JNJ’s of the world can pay a dividend if their goods and services are less in demand. This not only affects the worker who is trying to feed a family, the companies who sell those products & services also but the retiree who counts on the stability of the companies we have invested in, and their ability to pay a dividend.
Brian,
Yeah, I don’t think it’ll be a thing where demand will be lessened. You’re not going to not wash your clothes or not take your medication because automation and AI is taking over. I’m of the opinion that this oncoming revolution is a great thing. Most of the jobs that are most in danger of being automated are bummer jobs that most people don’t want to do. I’m a fan of the idea of increasing quality of life for our species. There should be plenty of abundance ahead.
You could look at the economics of it all a lot of different ways. But it would all stretch way beyond anything I could comment on here. On one side, cheaper/less employment improves margins. So that’s great. But governments will probably have to step in at some point and figure out how to make sure the dynamics at play don’t limit people’s abilities to reasonably access most goods/services.
Best regards.
especially during raining days in SE asia, I got this deep intuition that we are living in a simulation.
If life is a videogame, I guess the strategy of the game is leave this planet and go colonize next planet until we can escape our universe and create a new one with our technology.
then i look all the bilionaire (Bezos, Branson, Musk, Allen – r. i. p. -) are interested in space flight. then i think all old sci fi movies that are now reality.
then i start to think that virtual reality escape that everyone is actracted to, is not a new place to, but a place where we come from and we aim to come back.
have a nice weekend Jason 🙂
praya,
I don’t think we’re actually living inside of a simulation already, but it’s no doubt a very interesting hypothesis.
No matter if it’s a simulation or not, a reasonable end goal of it all should be to live a happy and meaningful life. If that’s not “winning the game”, I’m not sure what would be. 🙂
Best wishes.
I don’t know. Analog is better than digital. I guess I’m old school. Our senses are developed to deal with real life and various queues. I still enjoy interacting with good friends in real life more. The future will be a lot different. Once we have a good immersion interface, digital might be able to substitute for IRL. Cheers.
Joe,
I hear you. I still thoroughly enjoy the real world. Like I noted, the real world is far better now for me than it ever was before. The real world isn’t very great when it’s just used to go to work, work, come home from work, relax after work, etc. It sucks. In that case, the digital (video games, the Internet, etc.) is nothing more than an escape. Nowadays, each one is very complementary of one another for me. However, I do spend more hours online than I do in the real world (outside of sleep, which I don’t count).
Best regards!
The human race is transitioning rapidly to a digital world. I believe the benefits outweigh the downsides but it’s important to weigh both. Human bodies have developed over 10s of thousands of years to operate in the physical world. Many are trying to resist digitalization but those that fail to adapt will fall behind.
Brian,
Agreed. There will surely be drawbacks. There’s never a drawback-free solution to anything. It’s just hard to say exactly what they will be right now because it’s still so far ahead of our time. I remember reading something about all of these tech titans back in the day trying to forecast what the Internet would do/allow for, and they were mostly way off. They weren’t thinking big enough.
Best regards.