[aeturnum]

I generally agree, but I would put it a little more neutrally:

I've setup my life so that I expect the people I care about to be able to reach me at any moment. It's something I desire. I don't want them to hold back telling me something important (or even something trivial). I've invested in the ability to be present (even in a limited way) at nearly all times. It's an enormous benefit to me and to the people I care about and I feel very strongly it's a valid way to live.

At the same time, I experience no discomfort with choosing to leave my phone at home. It's fine to have periods of focus on the circumstances that physically surround you. The same systems of contact I generally surround myself with make it easy for me to arrange periods of isolation.

The problems comes up when I am forced (by circumstance or by authority) to isolate myself in a way I don't consent to. That does feel uncomfortable and it should feel uncomfortable - not because humans should "naturally" live in some particular way - but because I am being stopped from living in a way that I want and causes no harm to any other being.

Edit: neutrally in the sense that I think this way of living was introduced to me by the era in which I live, but I don't think our era forces it on us. You can still live other ways, but I don't think we need to fall back on circumstance to justify it.

[panaffa]

That's a great way of living! I like how you make yourself very available to the ones you love. Honestly you've inspired me to reprioritize who I spend my social energy on over the phone.