Social media can have negative consequences such as enabling sextortion and cyberbullying. While a minority may be addicted and need to cut back or eliminate social media, the majority of adults can benefit from it in moderation. The self-help world often deals in absolutes, but the reality is that moderate social media usage is generally acceptable for adults. However, the message of moderation is not as attention-grabbing as extremes on social media. Social media has evolved from being mostly social to now being mostly media, where adults benefit from networking and reaching out to a broad audience. The public perception hasn't caught up with the shift from social to media in social media usage.
Is everything going to hell in a handcart because of smartphones and social media? In this episode, I sit down with NYU professor and bestselling author Jonathan Haidt to tackle this burning question.
Dr. Haidt makes a compelling case that our addiction to these devices is wreaking havoc on society, from mental health crises to political turmoil. But is it really all the smartphone’s fault? I'm not so sure it's quite that simple, so I wanted to dive deeper into the nuances.
We get into the nitty-gritty and I challenge some of Haidt’s claims, exploring questions like, why do these issues seem to hit the English-speaking world the hardest? Is this another moral panic, or is this time really different? We also discuss the differences in how smartphones affect various demographics and cultures, and why understanding these distinctions is crucial. Plus, we explore Jonathan’s practical and highly sensible recommendations for parents, educators, and policymakers.
Whether you’re a skeptic or a die-hard believer, this episode will make you rethink your relationship with the technology in our pockets.
Let's do this.
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