Probably. But the hyphen felt awkward to me, and I quite like how “Free Life” stands out when the hyphen is removed.

Sigh. If only I had written this site in French. “La vie sans les téléphones intelligents” has such a nicer ring, don’t you think?

Yes, that’s me. Empathic Finance was also previously known as Unlikely Radical, so that’s me there as well.

I’m Mike Pumphrey, author of Empathic Finance, a website about the intersection of personal finance, emotions, and goal setting. (It was previously known as Unlikely Radical.) If you want to know more about me, you can see my about page over there.

Not in the slightest. I have worked in the technology field (mainly in software) for most of my adult life and have been playing around with computers since I got my first Tandy 1000 EX in 1985. I’m the person who my family and friends call when they have technical issues, and while I’m not a software developer, technology is an integral part of my life.

I am, however, very intentional with my usage of tech, and gadgets in particular. While many people are content to get every new gadget that’s marketed to them, I remain ever-skeptical, and make sure to ask myself “will this improve my life?” before getting on board. Often, the answer is no.

Do you really? While I’m sure that there are a few of you for whom you really do need an always-on connection to the internet in your pocket, I’d wager that you just think you do, because that’s the way that these devices have been marketed to you, and you’ve had no one to tell you otherwise.

And let’s say you really do need a smartphone. Do you really need to use it so often and for so many purposes? I think not.

Yes! The purpose of this site isn’t specifically to get you to ditch your smartphone. The goal is to get you to think critically about the role that technology plays in your life, so that you can make better decisions and be more intentional.