When Neil Postman set out to pen what would be his magnum opus regarding the medium of television, he had no idea that the internet was on the horizon.
Reading Amusing Ourselves to Death several years ago, I couldn’t help but wonder how Postman would have responded to the trappings of our current technology (including the internet and social media). Surely, if he were alive today, readers would be expecting a sequel to that book.
It’s in this vein that I wanted to share the following five-minute video clip with you about how excessive smartphone usage is transforming our minds. This video is not only timely, eye-opening, and convicting, it is downright troubling. I encourage you take five minutes out of your busy day and watch this video with an open mind.
In addition to the internal brain-altering side effects that the above video illustrates, if you have just 27 more minutes, I challenge you to watch the following terrifying video about the external dangers our smartphones present as we find ourselves living in the Brave New World that our nation’s forefathers tried to prevent.*
* For those people out there, or at least that one person (you know who you are) who is/are incapable of understanding that someone can critique the overuse or misuse of certain tools or technologies without being completely against the existence of said tools or technologies, I request you refrain from erecting any further straw man arguments, namely, claiming that if I criticize a negative effect of a tool/technology, then it must mean I’m completely against that tool/technology.
Did you know, I can oppose guns being used in the commission of a crime, and still support the 2nd Amendment? Did you know, I can be opposed to people driving their cars recklessly, causing death and injury to other motorists, but still believe motor vehicles are a great tool?
And I can do all that while simultaneously carrying my gun and driving my car, and this does not make me a hypocrite.
See how this works?
For everyone else, please watch these sobering videos in the spirit they’re intended, and I pray they will be edifying to you.
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Bonus video:
