#394: What it Means to Be Human in Our Modern, Digital World with Jessica Elefante
Jul 29, 2024
auto_awesome
In this discussion, Jessica Elefante, an author, artist, and educator focused on digital well-being, shares her insights on technology's grip on humanity. She recounts her journey with Folk Rebellion and her experiences with burnout, despite advocating for online balance. The conversation highlights technology's addictive nature and proposes solutions like digital detoxing. They explore the impact of beauty marketing on youth, the manipulation within societal systems, and the importance of fostering authentic relationships amidst digital distractions.
Jessica Elefante discusses the deep cultural impact of technology on personal relationships and identity formation, particularly in children's understanding of consent and privacy.
The speaker reveals her struggle with burnout despite advocating for digital well-being, emphasizing the need to reassess priorities amidst relentless corporate pressures.
The podcast underscores the importance of aligning success with personal values rather than societal benchmarks, highlighting authenticity as key to true fulfillment.
Deep dives
Cultural Influence and Technology
The dialogue highlights how the pervasive nature of technology has reshaped cultural norms and individual behaviors. The author shares a poignant anecdote about her son’s experience with consent and privacy in the digital age, underlining the disconnections between parental guidance and children's understanding of these issues. This gap underscores the need for broader awareness around technology's impact on personal relationships and identity formation in children. The conversation emphasizes that the challenges extend beyond just personal device use to encompass a larger societal influence comprised of various external factors.
Burnout and the Hustle Culture
The speaker reflects on her journey with burnout, revealing how initial success with her brand turned into a cycle of excessive work leading to mental and physical health struggles. Despite intentions of promoting balance and mindfulness, the pressures of entrepreneurship drew her back into the relentless 'go, go, go' mentality prevalent in corporate culture. She acknowledges that her efforts to change the conversation around technology and well-being sometimes conflicted with her personal well-being. This realization sparked a pivotal moment of change, prompting her to reassess priorities and choose a more sustainable path.
The Illusion of Healthy Technology Use
A central theme is the idea that it is unrealistic to maintain a healthy relationship with technology in its current design, which prioritizes engagement and profit over user well-being. The speakers discuss how digital platforms use sophisticated behavioral science techniques to keep users hooked, making it increasingly challenging to disengage from unhealthy patterns. As they explore the effects on mental health, terms like 'digital dementia' are introduced to describe cognitive decline linked to excessive screen time and technology use. The recognition of these consequences calls for a more mindful relationship with tech, one that is currently unattainable without fundamental changes in how these platforms operate.
Rethinking Success and Authenticity
The podcast challenges conventional definitions of success, advocating instead for a more personal, values-driven approach to achievement and fulfillment. The conversation underscores the importance of aligning one's work with personal values, emphasizing that real success should not come at the expense of overall well-being or familial ties. By discussing her experiences during the book's launch, the speaker illustrates the importance of creating memories and meaningful experiences rather than simply chasing societal benchmarks. Ultimately, the focus shifts to how true success is rooted in authenticity, personal satisfaction, and the capacity to thrive beyond superficial societal pressures.
Navigating the Landscape of Influence
In the final insights, the speakers address the significant influence brand strategies and social media have over personal actions and societal norms, particularly among young audiences. They highlight how marketing non-transparently exploits insecurities, especially in beauty culture, and propagates a culture of constant comparison. A call to action emerges, encouraging individuals to discern and question the motives behind media messaging. Through awareness of these influences, the aim is to empower people to reclaim agency over their choices, fostering a culture of critical thinking rather than passive consumption.
In this episode, I welcome author, artist, and educator Jessica Elefante. We dive deep into the culture of influence and technology's impact on humanity. Jessica shares her journey from creating Folk Rebellion, a company dedicated to leading a plugged-in world towards digital well-being, to what inspired her to write her book, Raising Hell, Living Well. She reflects on her experiences with burnout despite advocating for balance and the profound effect it had on her life and career. We discuss how technology triggers addictive behaviors and explore solutions like digital detoxing and the shift towards a mindful online presence. Our conversation underscores the necessity of legislative actions for online safety and the power of individual choice in breaking free from harmful systems. Tune in for a compelling discussion on navigating the digital age with intention and balance.
Jessica Elefante is the author of RAISING HELL, LIVING WELL: Freedom from Influence in a World Where Everyone Wants Something from You (including me) and is a leading artist and philosopher in the space of rethinking our cultural relationship with technology.
—Jessica’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/folkrebellion/
—Jessica’s Website: https://jessicaelefante.com/
—Jessica’s Book: RAISING HELL, LIVING WELL BOOK https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/711835/raising-hell-living-well-by-jessica-elefante/
—Jessica’s Substack: https://jessicaelefante.substack.com/WELCOME
Resources from the Episode:
—Stephen Porges' Podcast Ep: Polyvagal Path: Healing Your Nervous System & Your Life with Dr. Stephen Porges https://markgroves.com/episode/polyvagal-path-healing-your-nervous-system-and-your-life-with-dr-stephen-porges/
—Dr. Ovadia's Podcast Ep: Nutrition, Lifestyle, and Longevity: A Heart Surgeon’s Perspective with Dr. Philip Ovadia https://markgroves.com/episode/nutrition-lifestyle-and-longevity-a-heart-surgeons-perspective-with-dr-philip-ovadia/
—Dr. Kelly Brogan's Podcast Ep: End The War Against Yourself: https://markgroves.com/episode/dr-kelly-brogan-end-the-war-against-yourself/
—Jonathan Haidt's Book: The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness by Jonathan Haidt https://amzn.to/3WfkUxg
—Jessica DeFino's Substack: The Review of Beauty by Jessica DeFino https://jessicadefino.substack.com/
If you want to dive deeper into Mark’s content, search through every episode, find specific topics we’ve covered, and ask him questions, go to his Dexa page: https://dexa.ai/markgroves
Themes: Technology, Digital Detox, Folk Rebellion, Raising Hell Living Well, Jessica Elefante, Influencer, Burnout, Addiction, Social Media, Content Creation, Online Safety, Choice, Authenticity, Boundaries, Self-Worth, Self-Love, Health, Transformation, Parenting, Career, Mental Health, Off-Grid, Offline, Unplugged, Influencer, Slow Living, Digital Wellbeing, Doom Scrolling
This episode is sponsored by BON CHARGE: Use code MARKGROVES to save 15% at http://boncharge.com/MARKGROVES
Contact us at podcast@markgroves.com for sponsor product support, questions, comments, or just to say hello!
