Are you curious to know WTF I am on about?
Well bare with me, and then you will bare the fruits of newfound knowledge. 🙂
For starters, I am not a fan of the hazards of excessive exposure to non-natural EMF on the cells of our body (and it’s effects on our neurology).
Seems I am also not a big fan of “smart” cities.
They totally make me cringe.
Ewwwwww!! 🙂
And while I am having a wee rant, I am also not a fan of smart phones, smart TV’s, smart refrigerators, and a lot of other things labelled as “Smart”.
Here’s my theory:
The more I outsource ‘smart’ to something OUTSIDE of myself, the more likely I am going to decrease my internal smarts.
Not a cool play if you are on the path to elevated wisdom.
So let me explain how the “Dumb as F#ck” Principle works when it comes to your physical and mental health.
And maybe we just use the acronym “DAF”, so I deposit a few less “F” bombs throughout this post.
Background
As you may know, I live in Bali.
And recently, my partner Ferry and I decided we wanted to create a little more sovereignty in our lives, especially in the healthy food production department.
Plus we thought a little bit more peace and quiet would be a bonus.
So we have secured 1000m2 of land in Bali, where we intend to build from scratch (starting in days days) a tiny house, main house, and a mini ‘farm’.
I am super excited about the chickens and fresh daily eggs. Woohoo!!
Since we are creating from the ground up, and using our own script, I am choosing to incorporate the DAF Principles, which are essentially the opposite to the “SMART” principles, and which I will explain shortly.
How the DAF Principle works
Another piece of background information is in paleolithic times, it was estimated that people were physically active (running, walking, climbing, lifting, humping, etc.) about 50 hours a week!
That means for the vast majority of our human history we did about 50 hours of physical activity a week.
Fast forward to 2023, and we are told if we do 3 x 30-mins of physical activity per week we are good to go.
That’s about 3% of what our ancestors did.
So…
The DAF Principles support movement, thinking (as opposed to outsourcing your smarts), and actually figuring sh#t out with your very capable brain.
And as I said earlier, a primary principle for me is a reduction of non-natural EMF in my living environment.
This reduced exposure creates less over-stimulation of the brain, and therefore less of a monkey mind.
But there are other benefits too.
Applied DAF Principles: Movement #1
An example of this is that I like the idea of drinking filtered rain water.
I could build the house so a pipe runs from the water tank to the kitchen.
Easy. But actually – too easy.
Using the DAF Principles, I have decided I will walk through the house, down the stairs to the water tank, manually fill a bucket, carry the bucket (10litres = 10kg) back up the stairs and into the kitchen. Then I lift that bucket up to pour it into the filtration unit on the kitchen top (lifting 10kgs up I use core muscles, back muscles, chest muscles, etc.).
Plenty of movement.
Not smart. DAF. But VERY GOOD for my physical health.
Applied DAF Principles: Using my Brain (aka: figuring sh#t out)
I don’t want a ‘Smart’ Refrigerator, which tells me when I have run out of something, and automatically orders a new batch for me.
I want to use my brain to do some basic arithmetic, to figure out how much I need of something, or how many days I have before something will expire, and either write it on a list or “remember it” (which is an underutilized function of the brain).
Then I head off to the supermarket to buy what I need.
For extra points, I might even skip the scooter and ride my bicycle!
Good for physical and mental health, which are closely related.
Applied DAF Principles: The spice of life
I quite like the idea of “variety being the spice of life”, or saying like “a change is as good as a vacation”.
I don’t want my Smart TV data mining what shows I do or don’t watch, or programs I use, collecting that data, and marketing back to me what it ‘thinks’ I most want to spend my money on.
I like variety.
I like to change my mind.
I like to be spontaneous and adventure into the unknown (aka: something I have not done before).
So I don’t need a piece of technology telling me what it thinks I want to do or have.
I like making that stuff up myself.
And making my own mistakes, if that is part of my journey.
Applied DAF Principles: Movement #2
One other DAF choice I have made for the construction of our house is to have different levels.
We could have it all one level, but I like steps.
I like walking up them and down them.
And I like having a routine through the day, which means I am up and down those suckers on a regular basis.
My office is on a higher level.
So up and down I go.
A built in StairMaster providing free incidental activity and resistance for my muscles.
I might even build in a monkey bar, so I can get a bit more workout on the transit back and forth to my office.
Hmmmm…
My Key (Serious) Message with applying the DAF Principles
I am conscious of a bunch of things, given my research of physical and mental health for the last 2 decades:
- We definitely don’t move enough and it adversely affects our physical and mental health.
- Most people were healthier (and had a great quality of life – throughout life) even 50 years ago.
- Technology done well can be a great outcome multiplier.
- Technology done poorly can atrophy parts of our brains and bodies, and lead to illness.
- Overexposure to non-natural EMF’s is detrimental to our health.
- Over-dependency on technology can lead to significant anxiety and decision paralysis when it is not available.
- We can all benefit from sticking our hands in the soil and connecting with nature, the microbiology, and its inherent life force; as we unplug from technology and ‘synthetic’ things.
My Parting words
My colleague laughed the other day as I explained my DAF Principles to her.
She agreed it would be a fun thing to share.
And for me, it really is of value – physically and mentally – to simplify our lives.
To use our own blood, sweat and tears, to get sh#t done.
The doing so not only builds our self-esteem and self-reliance, but connects us to our humanness.
Which ought to be celebrated!!
You are WAY smarter (and WISER) than your smartphone!!
You also have the creative potential in you which will blow away any AI.
Don’t forget it.
And now, have a day full of wonder and a DAF week (which will actually make you healthier.
Take care,
Carl
