Disciples, Apostles, and Saints!
While many have found the impact of cell phones and social media use to be an obvious net negative for us, a collection of recent studies have shown it to be much worse than we assume, with dramatic cognitive decline evidenced by the extended usage that is now the norm. The impact on attention and thinking matches the cognitive decline of aging and seems to stick as we continue to use them, according to scholars quoted in The Washington Post.
The good news is that the evidence points to erasing that cognitive decline by taking a “digital detox”. The simple act of ditching the mindless phone usage — and only the phone, not the computer — for two weeks seems to erase the negative effects completely.
Focus for a second on what seems to be happening and why. I’m not making a “technology bad” argument. Nor is this about “well, I handle myself really well, so this doesn’t apply to me.” Notice what the mindless use of this particular technology is doing to our minds. People who are, say, 65 years old are becoming 75 just by scrolling and not realizing it. And their brains are telling them “oh, we’re just having some fun to pass the time.” And then, even when they put the phone down, they’re still 75 in their bodies.
There is something we can do for each other and that is to learn how to be more present and encourage others to be present with us. Perhaps a few of us need interventions, but resist the posturing and the itoldyousos. We need to help each other kick the habit — and to do that, they have to realize it is a habit that is dangerous, not just to our mental health, but to our long-term health as well.
With love,
Drew+
