Here’s a conversation I have a lot:
Here’s a conversation I have a lot:
Friend: WHOA. You don’t use a phone case?
Me, incredulously, because you are looking at my phone and you know the answer: No.
Friend, condescendingly: That’s ridiculous! You should really use a case.
People who use phone cases fucking love to drag me for going naked, pointing out how foolish and vulnerable I’m being. And yes, phones are stupid expensive now, and the cost for replacing one pains me to think about. But I have gone caseless for years, only cracking my screen once a few years back because I drunkenly dropped it face down on concrete. In fact, I drop my phone a lot. I probably dropped it this week! And it’s not because I have a total disregard for my belongings. I’m clumsy, and the scratches along the edge of my iPhone 6s reflect that. I have only once purchased a phone case after seeing a viral tweet of squishy seal cases on Twitter. It was completely impractical—it didn’t fit in my pocket and barely fit in my small purse. I dropped the assemblage that day, and my phone landed squish-side down, the once-cute seal I named squisho was now covered in New York City sidewalk trash. I threw it out that evening.
I see that I’m not building a case for no case right now, except to tell you that, yes. I drop my phone a lot. No, it has never crapped out on me. And no, I don’t regret my decision to let my rectangular life source exist exposed to the elements.
Here’s why: phone cases suck. I know they have slimmed down a bit over the years, but they are still clunky and ugly, and I hate them. I love the ease with which I can slide my iPhone into my back pocket. I love the way the cold metal feels on my hand on a winter’s day. I love sliding my finger across the Apple logo on the back of my phone when I’m thinking, feeling the transition from glossy to matte. If you haven’t gathered yet, I’m not here to give you a logical explanation as to why I don’t use a case. I’m here to tell the smug case loyalists to leave us caseless idealists alone.
There have been plenty of articles on this blog ( Stop Ruining Your Phone With a Stupid Case and How I Broke My Last Five Phones) written on both ends of this argument. And there are plenty of good reasons for both. If you prefer a phone case, I think that’s great! Good for you! It literally has no impact on my life whatsoever, and if it makes you happy, it makes me happy. I’m writing this article less to convince you that case-free is the superior way of life. I’m writing this article as a message to loved ones, acquaintances and colleagues around the world who, upon seeing a caseless phone, feel it is their responsibility to give that person shit. Stop. We’ve made up our mind.
