We have become obsessed with the idea that screens are destroying human connection. The evidence seems to be everywhere. Each week headlines warn of teenagers addicted to phones, a loneliness epidemic and the dangers of AI.
The release of The Social Reckoning has leads us to ask, “How bad were those guys at Meta?” and then ultimately wonder, “How bad am I if I still use Instagram?” In our day-to-day, we observe workers eating lunch alone while scrolling and friends choosing online games over offline gatherings. But what if we are focusing on the wrong problem? The greatest threat to connection may not be technology itself.
It may be our growing unwillingness to curiously, thoughtfully and openly communicate about the role technology plays in our lives. As a pediatrician, this issue often manifests in my clinic. Parents arrive with worries about their teens’ screen time.
The parent will demand that their child “fess up” and reveal how many hours they waste on their phone every day. The atmosphere is immediately charged. The teen becomes defensive.
The parent is frustrated. I often suggest that we start somewhere else. I ask: “Can you share a little about what you do when you are using technology?
Are there things about your technology use you are worried about and willing to discuss?” The answers are not usually what people expect. One teen tells me about the friendships she maintained on social media after moving to a new town. Another shows me videos he created to promote his school’s upcoming play.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
