The growing body of evidence that digital distraction is damaging our minds
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The growing body of evidence that digital distraction is damaging our minds
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Re: The growing body of evidence that digital distraction is damaging our minds
#2It's probably a vast problem to analyse, but I can sense tangible negative side effects. Even though I don't use it that often, it does tickle a part of my brain that distort the sense of time and creativity. You become a passive consumer of idea and social validation, both of which (at least in my case) are shallow incarnation of the real ones (creating and having meaningful social bonds)
it's surprising that something "liberating" ends up backfiring that way, not that surprising but still a bit considering how hyped up it was not long ago.
Re: The growing body of evidence that digital distraction is damaging our minds
#3I think this thesis is correct but it ignores the good things you can do.
I don’t think it is true for everyone .
I like texting people or using a messaging service . Yesterday I hanged out with my friend to code I wouldn’t have done that if I didn’t have a cell phone.
Today I used my phone to aid in my work activities .
Frequently I use my cell phone to write down notes about ideas during the day and learn new things (ML and program synthesis).
But, I know that I have bad habits that the author says in the text. I think you should take a balanced approach . Moderation is always a good idea .
Re: The growing body of evidence that digital distraction is damaging our minds
#4I am terrified about giving smartphones to my kids.
France's new rule (no smartphones in schools - no exceptions) is genius, and I applaud them for that.
What is a supercomputer in your pocket, with access to a significant portion of the sum total of human knowledge, good for, for most people?
Playing fucking candy crush.
We wish that we, humans, were better, but we are not.
So what can we do about it? I have no idea. The economic model already exists for games and facebook, and so on. And people have since the beginning of time been amused by trivial entertainment.
I guess the fact of the matter, or one way of looking at it is, there will always be people who choose trivial entertainment, and there will always be folks who chase knowledge and self improvement. And now, like always, we can do both of those things. But at least now, we can quantify ourselves better, and know more about the benefits and risks. And in that way, maybe more of us will choose to improve ourselves with these amazing tools.
Re: The growing body of evidence that digital distraction is damaging our minds
#5I am terrified about giving smartphones to my kids. France's new rule (no smartphones in schools - no exceptions) is genius, and I applaud them for that. What is a supercomputer in your pocket, with access to a significant portion of the sum total of human knowledge, good for, for most people? Playing fucking candy crush. We wish that we, humans, were better, but we are not. So what can we do about it? I have no idea…
I'm not sure why all students should be punished just because because some cannot use a new tool well.
Socialism at its worst, in my opinion. The irresponsible drag down those with more potential.
Re: The growing body of evidence that digital distraction is damaging our minds
#6I am terrified about giving smartphones to my kids. France's new rule (no smartphones in schools - no exceptions) is genius, and I applaud them for that. What is a supercomputer in your pocket, with access to a significant portion of the sum total of human knowledge, good for, for most people? Playing fucking candy crush. We wish that we, humans, were better, but we are not. So what can we do about it? I have no idea…
It's easy to forget that thousands of scientists, researchers and experts are working hard on manipulating every aspect of your psyche so you keep using using their sites, apps and services.
Re: The growing body of evidence that digital distraction is damaging our minds
#7I am terrified about giving smartphones to my kids. France's new rule (no smartphones in schools - no exceptions) is genius, and I applaud them for that. What is a supercomputer in your pocket, with access to a significant portion of the sum total of human knowledge, good for, for most people? Playing fucking candy crush. We wish that we, humans, were better, but we are not. So what can we do about it? I have no idea…
I'm not sure why all students should be punished just because because some cannot use a new tool well. Socialism at its worst, in my opinion. The irresponsible drag down those with more potential.
I'm curious to why you think not having a smartphone constitutes a punishment.
Re: The growing body of evidence that digital distraction is damaging our minds
#8I am terrified about giving smartphones to my kids. France's new rule (no smartphones in schools - no exceptions) is genius, and I applaud them for that. What is a supercomputer in your pocket, with access to a significant portion of the sum total of human knowledge, good for, for most people? Playing fucking candy crush. We wish that we, humans, were better, but we are not. So what can we do about it? I have no idea…
>What is a supercomputer in your pocket, with access to a significant portion of the sum total of human knowledge, good for, for most people?
>Playing fucking candy crush.
The same could be said for any entertainment that people get via computers, and none of it is really relevant.
If they only use wikipedia once a month from their phone in a situation where they wouldn't have used it at all, I count that as a win.
Sure, they might spent 99.9% of their time on the device for entertainment purposes... But that other .1% is still enriching them.
And I suspect the numbers are quite far from that.
Re: The growing body of evidence that digital distraction is damaging our minds
#9Earlier quoted context omitted.
I'm not sure why all students should be punished just because because some cannot use a new tool well. Socialism at its worst, in my opinion. The irresponsible drag down those with more potential.
I'm curious to why you think not having a smartphone constitutes a punishment.
Not OP here, but there are literally thousands of ways that not having a smartphone could be a punishment. The first thing to realize is that times change. People didn't used to have clean shirts either, but they do now. Making someone wear a dirty shirt might not have been a punishment in the past (what else did they know of?) but it could certainly be seen that way now.
Give a child access to a smartphone for years. It will change their brain, it will become a part of them (as far as they are concerned) as it will be predictable, reactive, entertaining, etc. Then take it away. That is clearly a punishment: you have adjusted the mind of a child to become accustomed to something and then ripped it away. It would be literally insane to not see how this could be a punishing experience for a child (or even, an adult).
Again, I'm not OP and not going to argue the point of phones in schools. But I will say, do not assume that young people today are the same as young people in history.
Our society has given smartphones to children at large. We should not be surprised if taking them away has unknown and potentially negative repercussions. Perhaps access to this kind of technology should be done in moderation (but how to do that? I don't know) so as not to shock anyone's system (or our society's system).
Re: The growing body of evidence that digital distraction is damaging our minds
#10Earlier quoted context omitted.
I'm not sure why all students should be punished just because because some cannot use a new tool well. Socialism at its worst, in my opinion. The irresponsible drag down those with more potential.
I'm curious to why you think not having a smartphone constitutes a punishment.
Because you could have the answer to nearly any question at your fingertips, and yet it's arbitrarily taken away?
How is it not a punishment?