> We convince ourselves we need phones, but I promise you, they are optional.

Many people's employer's use of MFA (including my own) says otherwise.

For many people ensuring their spouse and/or their children's school be able to reach them for emergencies and sudden matters says otherwise. Or an elderly parent (e.g., location tracking).

> Many people's employer's use of MFA (including my own) says otherwise

yubikey/nitrokey. Much more secure by a mile and works when your phone battery is dead. I switched multiple past employers from apps to these, joining as an SWE.

> tracking elderly parent (e.g., location tracking)

meshtastic asset tracking tag which will work even in emergencies when cell towers are down.

> children's school be able to reach them for emergencies

call-to-one-way-pager bridge, or voip-to-meshtastic bridge. Cheap to free solutions that will also work when cell towers are down.

Hit me with more perceived blockers if you are actually interested. Give me your gotchas. I have probably heard it all and am passionate about engaging people on this topic.

My wife and I have lived without a cell phone subscription for going on a decade and live a modern life as silicon valley tech workers.

Most have the choice to enjoy mostly the same lifestyle they have today, without Apple or Google or proprietary software or cell phones or even debit cards. There are reliable solutions for everything outside of the US surveillance capitalism bubble for those that actually want them.

Exiting surveillance capitalism is possible without major lifestyle changes.

Read Digital Vegan by Andy Farnell.