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Lessons From a Family Living Like It's The 90s
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Key Moments
A journalism professor and his family live without internet or cell service to achieve intentionality, but Chris Moody admits this extreme choice requires building 20th-century systems like phone books and landlines.
Key Insights
Chris Moody previously worked as a senior correspondent for CNN politics, covering presidential campaigns and Congress, which he describes as a "life of permanent constant digital connection."
The Moody family lived for two years in a solar-powered tiny house built into a cargo van, traveling the country and seeking alternatives to modern distraction.
Moody's three-year-old son, who has only known 90s tech, can focus on a modern dance performance while surrounding adults are distracted by their phones.
Sales teams spend approximately 50% of their time on administrative tasks instead of selling, according to PipeDrive's insights.
Moody emphasizes that creating a "Sabbath space" — a specific time or physical location free from digital connection — is essential for many people, even if it's just for an hour.
Moody's Substack, 'The Opt Outers,' aims to help people achieve digital off-grid living, with plans to turn their experiences into a book.
The deliberate disconnection: Trading constant connectivity for intentional living
Chris Moody, a journalism professor, and his wife have intentionally created a "Sabbath space" within their Boone, North Carolina, log cabin by eliminating internet and cell service for the past three years. This decision stemmed from a realization that their previous frenetic, hyper-connected lives, particularly as political journalists and then during the pandemic, were not serving them or their family. Moody describes his own screen time reaching 8 hours a day as a new parent, feeling like he was "disappearing" from his family. The tipping point came when his wife suggested getting rid of the internet, and they did so immediately. This deliberate disconnection, from infant stages of their son's life, aimed to reclaim presence, introspection, and connection within their home, turning it into a sanctuary from the digital deluge. While they still engage with the internet outside the home, their home remains a space where digital connection is intentionally absent.
From political correspondent to cargo van living: A path to intentionality
Moody's journey to this intentional lifestyle began long before the cabin. As a CNN political correspondent based in Washington D.C. and New York City, his life was dominated by work and constant digital connection, leaving little room for hobbies or a personal life. He and his wife began small "rebellions," like "cabining" for a couple of hours each evening in their NYC apartment to simulate disconnection. After being laid off in 2018, they embraced a more extreme opt-out by converting a Ram ProMaster cargo van into a tiny, solar-powered home. For two years, they traveled the country, living off-grid in national forests, paying off significant student loans, and seeking alternatives to modern distraction. This period, with limited power and 72 square feet of living space for two, forced them to simplify, be hyper-aware of resource consumption, and engage deeply with each other. It also highlighted imbalances in their household labor, making Moody a more attentive husband. This experience was foundational in shaping their vision for a richer, more intentional life, even after returning to a more conventional setup.
Reclaiming time and depth amidst digital saturation
The experience of living with minimal distractions in the cargo van profoundly changed Moody's perspective on consumption and time. He describes how, after extended periods offline, returning to society made advertising and constant media consumption seem "crazy" and of "lower quality" compared to the richness of nature and genuine connection. He observed the overwhelming flood of new streaming services and content that emerged while he was away, realizing that most people were gradually acclimated to this digital saturation, while he and his wife experienced it as a stark contrast upon re-entry. This separation from the digital culture allowed them to clearly define what they wanted and did not want in their lives, a clarity that is difficult to achieve when immersed within the culture itself. The van's simple living – managing water, collecting wood, preparing meals – stripped life down to essentials and offered an abundance of time for introspection and deep conversation, which they found to be a luxury in the modern age.
Rethinking work, fame, and identity without constant connection
Leaving a high-profile career in political journalism in New York City was a significant personal challenge for Moody, as work had become his identity and "idol." This departure, while difficult, allowed him to cultivate a healthier relationship with his career, enabling him to pursue writing he desired and maintain a presence in media without letting it consume his life. He no longer regrets the incredible experiences of his reporting career but recognizes that without leaving that environment, he wouldn't be raising his son in the current, more grounded lifestyle. The move to Boone, North Carolina, facilitated by a university teaching position, offered a more stable base, but they intentionally chose a rental without cell service. This physical separation from town, about 15 minutes away, allows him to segregate work from home life, driving to campus or a coffee shop to work, and then returning home to be fully present with his family. This separation, he argues, is essential, contrasting with the modern convenience that blurs work and home life boundaries.
Navigating work and communication in an offline home
The reality of communicating professionally without constant internet access has been surprisingly manageable. Moody notes that people are often less concerned with immediate availability than one might assume. He makes his expectations clear: emails will be answered within 12-24 hours during work hours (9 am to 6 pm), and colleagues generally respect this boundary, with few important interruptions after hours. While some colleagues expressed surprise or even encouragement for his disconnected approach, his university chair noted he hoped Moody wouldn't go back online. This system requires setting up intentional communication methods, such as a landline for urgent calls and clear protocols for freelance work with editors. He contrasts this with demanding jobs like his former CNN role, where such a lifestyle might be impossible, but still advocates for building systems that protect personal time. Moody draws parallels to his 1980s/90s childhood, where family time, like playing catch with his father, was possible precisely because of the lack of work-related intrusions into the home, highlighting what has been lost with ubiquitous connectivity.
Intentional entertainment and child-rearing in a digital-free home
Entertainment in the Moody household is a deliberate, premeditated affair. Instead of the instant gratification of streaming, they rent DVDs, requiring about 10 minutes to set up a projector and screen. This friction ensures they thoughtfully choose what to watch, and each viewing has a clear beginning and end, preventing endless scrolling or binge-watching, particularly important with their three-year-old. They also utilize downloaded library magazines and newspapers on an iPad, which also have defined endpoints. Books are abundant, and outdoor activities are plentiful. Moody argues that this deliberate process prevents boredom, replacing addictive consumption with engagement in meaningful activities. He proudly shares an anecdote where his three-year-old son sat attentively for a two-hour modern dance performance, a feat of focus that eluded many adults in the audience engrossed in their phones. This demonstrates the profound impact of growing up without constant digital stimulation, fostering a different capacity for attention and presence.
Building 20th-century systems and reclaiming human connection
Moody acknowledges that most people cannot completely disconnect their homes, but he advocates for creating "Sabbath spaces"— a room or a block of time—where digital devices are intentionally excluded. He stresses that simply removing internet access isn't enough; one must actively rebuild the '20th-century systems' that have atrophied. This includes installing a landline, obtaining a phone book, and clearly communicating new contact methods to friends, family, and colleagues. This deliberate effort is crucial because, as he notes, without the necessary infrastructure and clear boundaries, the temptation to reconnect is immense. He emphasizes that thriving without constant digital access is possible, leading to greater engagement with community, libraries, and enriching texts, a stark contrast to the "slop" of endless scrolling. This approach is framed as personal independence, a declaration that one does not solely rely on external digital validation to thrive, mirroring the ancient tradition of Sabbath.
Raising a child intentionally offline: Challenges and rewards
Raising their son without internet access has presented unique challenges but has been the best decision the Moodys have made. They cannot simply Google medical issues, instead relying on their pediatrician, family, and community for advice, which fosters reliance and strengthens social ties. Their wife, for instance, gains wisdom from older mothers, a connection often bypassed by digital searches. This intentional approach requires constant engagement, with frequent reading of physical books, including classics like 'The Odyssey,' which their son enjoys even at age three. The lack of digital "veneer" of community compels them to actively seek social interaction; his wife started a volunteer forest school, and weekends involve visits to public libraries, museums, and playgrounds. Media consumption with their son is always premeditated, and he learns to behave in social settings without the crutch of an iPad. While this path is harder, especially for his wife who spends most of her time with their son, both parents are fully committed, leading to profound benefits in their child's development and their overall family life.
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Living With Intentional Digital Disconnection
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Common Questions
Living 'like it's the 90s' in this context means intentionally disconnecting from constant internet and cell phone service at home. It involves using landlines, renting physical media, and creating a sanctuary free from digital distractions to foster deeper connections and more intentional living.
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Mentioned in this video
The town where Chris Moody and his family live in a cabin without internet.
Scenic road near Boone, North Carolina, where the Moody family's cabin is located.
Chris Moody's previous residence and workplace as a political journalist.
Chris Moody's previous residence and workplace in a frenetic, highly connected environment.
A place where Chris Moody and his family stayed briefly after returning from van life.
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