Alienation from Leisure: Smartphones and the Loss of Presence

Smartphones have exacerbated the devolution of humans’ ability to maintain presence, or the practice of being aware of what is happening while it is happening in all manners of their lives, especially in their leisure. Further exploration is needed to understand the numerous, diverse, and nuanced ramifications smartphones have on our health and well-being, especially as it relates to our leisure experiences which tap into a sociocognitive system of behaviours that require our full attention. What remains underexplored is how leisure experiences are trivialized, minimalized, disempowered, and adulterated by the omnipresent interloping of the smartphone. Is our pervasive use of smartphones disconnecting us from our leisure? This think-piece examines how the omnipresence of smartphones in our lives leads to a loss of presence and the potential for alienation in our lives and leisure.