Evaluating the Morality of Studying with Social Media

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Episode 2321:

Allowing children to study while distracted by platforms like Facebook may have more damaging consequences than parents realize. Cal Newport argues that this behavior can impair deep focus and long-term academic success, much like how certain behaviors during pregnancy affect development. By creating environments of distraction, parents could be unwittingly rewiring their children's brains, limiting their capacity for concentration in the future.

Read along with the original article(s) here: http://calnewport.com/blog/2010/06/10/is-allowing-your-child-to-study-while-on-facebook-morally-equivalent-to-drinking-while-pregnant/

Quotes to ponder:

"The dopamine system is not something to mess with! I know professors who can’t go more than a few minutes in a meeting without checking their inbox."

"I just told her if she wanted to not be so stressed she shouldn’t be on the computer all the time."

"This used to be common sense studying. Now, with smartphones, to truly go disconnected while studying is seen as a foolhardy act of extreme courage."

Episode references:

The Shallows: What the Internet Is Doing to Our Brains: https://www.amazon.com/Shallows-What-Internet-Doing-Brains/dp/0393339750

The Data-Driven Life (NY Times): https://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/02/magazine/02self-measurement-t.html

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