VANCOUVER — Before she went outside today, Zoë Flaschner felt stuck inside on her phone. “You’re trying to get the high,” Zoë says. “Get the ping of dopamine over and over again.” But despite spending up to four hours a day scrolling, Zoe was left feeling empty. So, she decided to try something she never imagined she would. “It’s totally a joke that as you get older you’re suddenly interested in birds,” the 25-year-old laughs. “So, it got me a little early.” Now Zoë goes for regular walks in the park to not just hear birds but to really listen for them. “There’s something grounding about actually stopping to hear the birds,” Zoë says. “And being intentional about listening to them.” Now, Zoë did use a bird call app on her phone to learn who’s who and does take photos of who she meets. But when she starts talking about the pictures she’s taken today of a couple American coots and a few northern flickers, or see her enthusiasm when our conversation is interrupted by an Anna’s hummingbird zipping beside us, or hear her imitate the big sound erupting from their little bodies, you start to appreciate why, instead of scrolling through social media on her phone, Zoë is choosing to use it for zooming in closer to the birds. “It just feels so special, like a treat,” she says. Zoë smiles as the hummingbird ruffles his feathers, revealing a flash of pink around his throat. “I’m very happy. This is such a simple joy.” But how does this simple joy compare to whatever’s being offered by that complex algorithm? “It’s the birds for sure!” Zoë says. “Seeing a bird is a better dopamine hit than something really amazing on social media?” I ask. “Yeah,” Zoë says. “I fear the birds are winning.” So, although Zoë still finds herself getting stuck in her phone, she’s grateful to the birds who showed her how to fly free from it. “Sometimes it feels a little painful (putting down my phone),” Zoë says. “But once I’m out of the house, I can’t think of anything I’d rather do.”
