Readit NewsWhat a spiteful company
I wish there were some easy solution to this problem, but I don't see one. I do recommend the NASA document "What Made Apollo A Success". https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/19720005243
> I want to be liked too much, and in my emotional core, I'm frightened. I don't think I'm alone in this.
This makes at least the two of us. Of late, I’ve been observing how frightened my inner child becomes when it perceives not being liked. I’m straddling the line between the temptation to feel relieved by being liked and the survival-level fear when faced with disapproval. Breathe in, breathe out, breathe in, breathe out.
Edit: while writing my earlier comment, I didn’t realise that you were the author. I did not mean to say your title is clickbait. I was only trying to make a concession to anyone who thought so.
Similarly, the American philosophy of “manifest destiny” (ugly as it is), also carries that same scent of exceptionalism. And so does the “divine right of Kings” from our history. Modern prosperity gospel exploits those same flaws in our cognitive make-up.
In contemporary times we see these philosophies as egocentric and perhaps outdated. But just like children pass through very egocentric stages (well some never grow past that), so too does collective human consciousness evolve past exceptionalism and towards maturity and humility.
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“Doesn’t iOS already support this?”
You’re right — iOS offers Focus Modes with location-based triggers and automation via Shortcuts. But in practice, these are underused because they’re not easy to configure or manage. Smart Silence builds on that by making the process simpler, more flexible, and community-oriented.
Here’s how it’s different: • Quick Silent Zone setup: Add any location (house of worship, library, classroom, etc.) and the app handles the rest — no need to mess with Focus Mode automations. • Silent Zone Sharing: You can share a Silent Zone with others, so groups (like schools or religious organizations) can all use the same settings. • Smart Reminders: It sends a prompt (or runs a Shortcut) when you enter/leave a Silent Zone — keeping you in control, while avoiding disruption. • Easy Reversion: When you leave a Silent Zone, it reminds you to turn sound back on, avoiding the classic “why am I missing calls?” issue.
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New: Scheduled Silent Sessions
In addition to location-based detection, Smart Silence also supports scheduled quiet times in those locations.
You can set silent hours for things like: • Classes • Meetings • Services • Daily focus blocks (like 9–11 AM “deep work”)
This is especially helpful if you work or study in one place, but need silence at specific times.
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Coming Soon: Focus Points System
One of the most exciting features I’m working on is Focus Points: • While Do Not Disturb is active in a Silent Zone, Smart Silence uses motion data to see if your phone stays still. • If you don’t pick it up or use it, you earn Focus Points. • These points contribute to daily or weekly focus scores, with streak tracking and possible rewards later on.
It’s a lightweight way to encourage discipline and reduce unnecessary phone use during important moments.
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Not Just for Houses of Worship
The original inspiration came from watching someone’s phone go off during a quiet moment in a house of worship. They were clearly embarrassed, and it disrupted everyone else too. But this app isn’t just for religious settings — it works anywhere silence and focus are important: • Libraries • Classrooms • Meetings • Meditation groups • Study blocks • Movie theaters
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*“Do people still need this?”*
Yes — many people still forget to silence their phones or get distracted by notifications. Smart Silence is about reducing friction and making it easy to be present, whether out of respect for others or to improve your own focus.
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Thanks again for all the feedback. I’m continuing to improve the app and would love more input. Let me know what you’d want it to do — or if you think something could be done better.
– Gabe
I imagine that there are three personas -
1. one who wants others’ phones to be silent
2. one who wants to silence their own phone
3. one who is indifferent
Type 1 is motivated to download the app and encourage others to do so, especially if they are in the administration of that place.
Type 2 might choose to manually silence their phone. There is a subset of type 2 that might constantly forget to silence their device. This subset might be motivated to download the app.
Type 3 is simply not motivated to download the app.
I’d suggest checking if this is really a need that people feel and will be motivated to download an app for, or a projection of one’s own preference of order and discipline that one wishes others to have.
> He just wants things to look cool and design-y
> some random photo
> That doesn't mean anything
This leads me to believe the author of this post doesn’t know what they’re talking about