After Arnold Schwarzenegger, Ex-Wife Maria Shriver Urges to Put Down Smartphones: “Make a Difference”

“If you think whatever is on your machine is more important than whatever is right in front of you in the real world, you’re setting yourself up for a life with a lot of regret.” Who would’ve thought that Arnold Schwarzenegger, the original Terminator – who starred in Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, no less – didn’t like the rise of present-day machines, or what he calls “phones and iPads”? He’s not the only one worried about the future we’re heading toward, courtesy of “the rise of the machines.”

According to a study by the Pew Research Center, almost 97% of American adults own a phone of some kind. Of this, 9 out of 10 people own a smartphone, a drastic jump from just 37% in 2011. While smartphone usage has its positives, there have been significant issues with the pocket gadget, with over 47% admitting to being addicted to their phones. That’s precisely what Primetime Emmy Award winner Maria Shriver shed light on through an Instagram post.

Shriver, who was married to Arnold Schwarzenegger for 25 years, shared footage from an event in Amsterdam where people “dumped their phone to unplug in a church – to read, paint, slow down, and meet others.” It was like the Läslov festival in Sweden, where a week is dedicated to celebrating books and reading, and even schools shut down. Shriver found the video fascinating and highlighted how people’s behavior toward one another changed by just putting down their smartphones.

Her post comes after Schwarzenegger wrote about how smartphones distract us in his newsletter last year. While they did it differently, Shriver and the bodybuilding legend had the same message. The 68-year-old wrote, “I saw this video from @theoffline_club shared by my friend @jessseinfeld and was blown away! 250 people, all gathered together, without their phones, in a 400-year-old church in Amsterdam — WOW!” 

The event that Shriver showed was hosted by The Offline Club, a venture offering individuals an environment to unplug from technology. Amsterdam is a pioneer in such activities, with many pop-up cafes in the city giving customers the space to leave aside their phones and engage in me-time or socialize. The burgeoning phenomenon has seen many takers, with many touting the benefits of the detox.

Hinting at the same, Shriver wrote, “Even just this short video shows so much connection happening. So many people engaging with each other, artistic endeavors, focus, collaboration, laughter! When we put down our phones, magical things can happen.” Interestingly, Arnold Schwarzenegger’s newsletter had a very similar take, albeit on a much more personal level.

Referring to looking down at your phone at every possible opportunity, the bodybuilding legend wrote, “You probably won’t remember the news article or the Instagram post in ten minutes. Meanwhile, if you weren’t looking down, your kids might have said something hilarious that you’d be telling stories about in 50 years.” And isn’t it true? It’s those small, seemingly insignificant moments that really count at the end of the day. They’re the moments you’ll remember and want to reflect on as you grow older. On a similar note, Shriver urged her followers to take something away from her video as well.

“Remember this as you travel through life. Remember to look up, look around, and look out for how you can make a difference!” The positivity in the video moved the mother of four and took her back to a time when smartphones didn’t rule our lives. Speaking of smartphones not ruling our lives, did you know Arnold Schwarzenegger doesn’t own one?

Why does Arnold Schwarzenegger not own a smartphone?

In an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live, Maria Shriver and Arnie’s son, Patrick Schwarzenegger, revealed, “My dad doesn’t have a phone. He refuses to text. He only uses his iPad and FaceTime.” While it may sound absurd that someone today chooses not to own a smartphone, the bodybuilding legend has his reasons. And they make a lot of sense.

In his newsletter from last year, the 76-year-old former Governor of California wrote about how smartphone addiction has become the biggest challenge for people on the path to achieving their goals. While they have given us access to nearly limitless information, Arnie believes that people rarely use that information to their benefit. 

“They are designed to distract us from going all in on whatever we are doing,” he wrote. Social media apps on smartphones sap our energy and concentration. People often bury themselves in their phones, whether at the gym or with friends and family. In the gym, phones “inspire half-a**ing” and keep people “from being all-in,” Schwarzenegger said. While this was enough reasoning to understand why he prefers to live his life away from a smartphone, Arnie explained his choice in a CBS interview.

“I don’t have a phone. Why would I have a phone? I have an iPad,” he revealed. Explaining his reasoning for FaceTime-ing instead of making normal calls, he added, “I don’t want to take a phone call and not see the people’s faces. I want to see them on FaceTime.” That said, while he and Maria Shriver used two different ways to put their thoughts out, they had the same message to impart to their followers. The former Governor and First Lady believe smartphones keep us from focusing on tasks and isolate us even in a social setting. Do you feel the same? Let us know in the comments.