About Paper & Smoke

I am no Luddite. But I am a technologist who’s getting sick of technology.

That’s why I startedPaper & Smoke.

I want to help people do more things with real people and real tools…without the complete and utter reliance on technology. Paper & Smoke explores that.

You will learn tools and tactics for digital detoxing, observations on how tech has changes our society, and how we can practice better critical thinking.

You’ll also get a look into analog/real-world hobbies…and of-course, how AI is impacting all of this.

The name Paper & Smoke pays homage to my favorite non-tech, non-digital hobbies. I love fountain pens, I love notebooks, I love analog tools. And I love smoking cigars. I love drinking coffee.

The feel of the paper, the sound of writing on it, is a tactile, visceral feeling. And the smoke from a cigar or coffee shows that you’re doing something in the real world. That you’re taking some time for yourself.

But the name also pays homage to two of the most significant human inventions in history: paper, and fire.

This is Paper and Smoke: a look at critical thinking, being more present, and analog hobbies through the lens of a technologist going through digital detox. In a society increasingly online (and outsourcing more to AI), Paper and Smoke celebrates our ability as humans to connect and think critically.

Thanks for joining me on the journey,

Joe Casabona