The presence of the Internet in daily life
We are living in an era where global connectivity is no longer an option, but a prerequisite for functioning. In countries experiencing rapid digitalization like China and Vietnam, internet access has reached 80% to nearly 90%. This widespread coverage is the foundation for a comprehensive shift: from public services, transportation, shopping, and banking to even the most basic daily needs like ordering food or checking into a hotel, everything is now miniaturized to a touch of a touchscreen.
The convenience is undeniable. However, the downside is that people are becoming increasingly dependent on, or even trapped in, a virtual world shaped by algorithms. Smartphones, once a helpful tool, have transformed into centers controlling behavior. From elderly people sitting for hours on their porches mindlessly scrolling through social media, to children in small rural barbershops glued to repetitive short videos, the internet is silently seizing people's time and attention.
This very reality prompted Duong Hao, a 34-year-old artist who recently earned a PhD in the UK, to conduct a bold social experiment: Shifting from a digital lifestyle to a more primitive one, to see how far life could go if completely disconnected.
The image is a screenshot from the trailer for the documentary about Duong Hao's phone-free journey, edited by Lam Huy.
The impossible
Discarding his phone and mobile data, Yang Hao's luggage for the trip consisted of only a few sets of clothes, two cameras, a notebook, a paper map, cash, an ATM card, and a few brushes and some paper for writing letters. From the moment he stepped out the door, he faced skeptical questions from his own family, who considered giving up technology in this day and age a meaningless "joke." However, for him, the greatest purpose of the trip was to experience firsthand the extent of digitalization's impact on life.
Yang Hao's luggage (left) and a photo of him departing from Taiyuan , Shanxi Province in 2023. Photo provided by the subject.
Without the internet, things that were once incredibly simple in daily life instantly became challenges. In large, modern cities, booking hotel rooms directly at the counter became impossible because their systems only accepted online booking codes. When wanting to travel, instead of a click to check train schedules, one had to pack their bags, go straight to the train station, search for trains on the information board, and then wait for the earliest train. Even manually changing train tickets at smaller stations was met with complaints from ticket vendors, who were too accustomed to automated systems via smart applications.
Yang Hao is looking at a paper map (left) and a map drawn by the hotel receptionist to guide him to the hotel where he could book a room directly (right). Photo provided by the subject.
But that wasn't all; his electronic device-free lifestyle sparked deep skepticism from those around him in a society that had normalized digital identification. At a bus station in Inner Mongolia, when he couldn't use the internet to pinpoint the exact town he wanted to go to, Yang Hao was suspected of being a spy by the station staff, who argued, "Only spies don't use phones for fear of being tracked." In a small county in Xinjiang, with only 6 yuan left and no ATM to be found, he had to go from shop to shop asking the owners to swipe his bank card to get cash, an act so bizarre that locals suspected he was involved in a money laundering ring.
Yang Hao is pictured chatting with an elderly woman in Yunnan Province in 2024. Photo provided by the subject.
Recover the original value.
Yang Hao returned home on April 9, 2024, exactly 134 days after leaving. He began organizing the materials he had collected, including notes, photos, and diary entries, and has now completed a documentary and a book about the trip.
Despite facing countless inconveniences and misunderstandings, the 134-day journey of being disconnected proved one truth: life without the internet, though slow and awkward, opened up incredibly rich spiritual spaces that the digital world had inadvertently deprived humanity of.
Without the constant notification sounds from apps, without the pressure to respond to messages immediately, people have the opportunity to return to their original values. During the trip, Duong Hao read about 40 physical books on history and travelogues and wrote dozens of handwritten letters to his family. Instead of traveling by high-speed train to save time, he chose slow, traditional trains so he could fully admire the natural scenery outside the window, from lush green fields to snow-capped hills.
A scene of snow-covered hills on the edge of the Taklamakan Desert, Hotan, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, in 2024. Photo provided by the subject.
In particular, the absence of phones forced people to interact directly with each other instead of through screens. Unable to look up information himself, Yang Hao had to ask for directions and chat with strangers on the train, from elderly people in Yunnan to other passengers. It was through these direct encounters that understanding and kindness between people were fostered. Many people, after learning about his experiment, enthusiastically left their phone numbers to stay in touch. Disconnecting from the virtual world turned out to be a stronger connection with the real world.
Balance in the digital age
Reflecting on his groundbreaking journey, Duong Hao frankly shared: "When I was in seclusion and away from the internet, I could have enjoyed things I've always cherished, but that also came with significant costs. A slow train means beautiful scenery, but the efficiency of life is low, and that trip certainly doesn't bring immediate economic benefits. But the important thing is that I'm pursuing a life that I personally enjoy the most."
This is the first letter Yang Hao wrote to his parents during his trip, in 2023. Photo provided by the subject, translated by Sixth Tone.
Clearly, abandoning the internet entirely is not an extreme call to eradicate technology, as those involved acknowledge that artificial intelligence (AI) and technological advancements are powerful resources that help free up human labor. The core issue this journey raises is a wake-up call about the relationship between humans and technology. Are we using technology to serve our lives, or are we allowing technology to manipulate and determine our lives?
After returning to his daily life, Yang Hao chose a balanced yet disciplined approach. He installed Wi-Fi at home for work but completely omitted mobile data on his phone. This meant that the moment he stepped out of the house, he would immediately go offline, returning himself entirely to the real world, to the sounds of car horns, to the countless unfamiliar faces on the street, and to his own thoughts.
Yang Hao's 134-day journey away from the whirlwind of technology is a vivid testament to the fact that life without the internet can be perfectly normal if people have the courage and self-control. Slow pace and genuine, direct connections are gifts we easily miss when we are too immersed in the virtual world. Yang Hao's story is not an extreme piece of advice, but simply a reminder to help each of us readjust ourselves in this fast-paced digital world.
Source: https://phunuvietnam.vn/cuoc-life-will-be-what-if-there-is-no-internet-238260629191011949.htm
