I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one who gets caught up in a cycle of mindlessly opening and closing apps, as if I’m browsing through digital shops just to fill time and feel occupied.
IAIYWOYP presents an intriguing scenario where you’re mimicking being busy on your phone. The website throws random instructions your way, giving you little tasks to do intermittently:
You might have to widen your eyes and then scowl.
You’ll be tapping circles as they appear, swiping when prompted, and occasionally you’re instructed to clean your screen.
Combined, these tasks create an almost perfect illusion for that nosy person at the next table—you’re apparently deep in concentration on your phone, not eavesdropping.
What struck me the most, though slightly unsettling, is just how enjoyable this experience is. There’s something oddly satisfying about double-tapping a bright pink circle, or pausing to touch your lips as if contemplating. Maybe it’s the element of pretend, or perhaps this straightforward feedback is essentially what I subconsciously crave from my phone use. I’m quite the habitual phone user, with little to show for it aside from nearly 2,000 wins at Sawayama Solitaire.
If a crafty phone game keeps my attention just as much as aimlessly scrolling through Bluesky, I have to wonder—what exactly am I doing here?
