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Here's a radical idea: cultivate some self-discipline when it comes to smartphone use.

Mine is a glorified iPod. I don't know where it is half the time.

Addiction is not a moral failure. Your experiences may not translate to others.

I don't think he was suggesting it's a moral failure, but I'd agree if he meant (and I think he did) that it's a personal failure. This idea that nothing is anybody's fault any more and nobody is to blame, logically leads to nobody being responsible, even for themselves.

It depends on of you care about outcomes or blame. It’s easy to say “you use your phone more than me, you should just use it less” which is completely ineffective at anything except making the person feel inadequate and hopeless.

Suggesting how to use a phone less would be far more constructive but also more difficult because it requires engagement rather than drive by commenting.

Telling someone “you should be more responsible” is an ineffective way to get them to act responsibly.

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