Hi! Wonderful piece on the dangers of electronic social media. More broadly, I feel the challenge is that of overcoming a dopamine rush, of overcoming addiction. Whether we are talking chemicals and hallucinogens, or flashing lights and information overload, the effect appears to be the same. Moreover, young intelligent males seem to more vulnerable than most. This problem appears to be international in scope. I don’t think the solution will be that of sheer will power at the individual level.
Thank you. You are absolutely right James, the dopamine boost is targeted. I can confirm from experience, more than 70% of students on my courses are between the ages of 18 to 25 are male and most agree with some form of electronic addiction, and its not programming or building things! Often games or social media. We do need to improve guidance to avoid this addiction from an early age.
I have been traveling for the next several days and will write more about the above post late in the evening/night. However, I will leave you with two things:
1. A quote from one of the books that made me think a lot about how I spend my time:
“It is not that we have a short time to live, but that we waste a lot of it. Life is long enough, and a sufficiently generous amount has been given to us for the highest achievements if it were all well invested. But when it is wasted in heedless luxury and spent on no good activity, we are forced at last by death’s final constraint to realize that it has passed away before we knew it was passing. So it is: we are not given a short life but we make it short, and we are not ill-supplied but wasteful of it… Life is long if you know how to use it.”
Seneca, On the Shortness of Life: Life Is Long if You Know How to Use It
2. The smartphone was the best invention of the last few decades and the worst invention simultaneously. It gave us all the world knowledge in our hands but also made us addicted to it.
I will not say much about the first quote as it is self-explanatory and probably the best on the topic of life is not short that I have ever encountered.
The Double-Edged Sword of Technology and Social Media:
Let’s dive into something closer to my heart. I’ve never felt the need to display my life for others or follow what others are doing. The way I was raised, I kept my life private and avoided intrusions into other people's lives. This mindset has kept me off social media, including platforms like LinkedIn. Although many argue that LinkedIn isn’t a social media platform, I see it as one. I recently noticed Substack creeping into similar territory when they introduced “Notes” on the home page. I even commented about it at the time. Here’s the link to my thoughts: https://tinyurl.com/mv5tv4vm.
For a month, I slipped into the habit of doom-scrolling through the home page Notes on Substack. Thankfully, I realized what was happening and consciously tried to stop. Now, I’m back to reading more books—something far more fulfilling and meaningful.
This brings me to a more significant issue that’s been on my mind for years. You’ve probably heard stories about how tech pioneers like Steve Jobs and Bill Gates didn’t let their kids use smartphones or tablets until much later in life. They were keenly aware of how addictive these devices could be. For instance, Nick Bilton recalls a conversation with Steve Jobs, in which he mentioned how much Jobs’ kids must love the iPod. Jobs surprised him by replying: “They haven’t used it. We limit how much technology our kids use at home.” Read more here: https://tinyurl.com/2s435yab and [here: https://tinyurl.com/2ajxc2jc.
Even back in 2014, the dangers of excessive screen time and social media use were becoming evident. For example, this [NIH article](https://tinyurl.com/4hk825nj) highlights how platforms like Facebook can create addictive behaviors. Studies have consistently shown that social media use is linked to a host of issues, from mental health challenges to reduced social skills. Yet, despite these findings, nothing substantial has been done to curb the problem. If anything, things have worsened with the introduction of TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and other bite-sized content designed to hook users more effectively than ever before.
The most troubling part of this is the sheer hypocrisy of it all. The same people who knew about the harmful effects of technology and social media still chose to sell these products to the world. Why? To become billionaires. And now, these tools are being used to target the most vulnerable among us—children—who are getting addicted to screens at an alarming rate.
This quote captures it perfectly:
"So the next time the advertising department at Apple, Samsung, or any other major technological corporation attempts to subliminally convince you that life is somehow lacking without their latest little device, remember that even the man who started it all believed somewhat differently."
It’s worth reflecting on how we navigate this tech-saturated world. Are we in control or just pawns in a game that keeps us scrolling? While we may know the answer, the bigger question is: What can we do to change this and safeguard future generations?
I’ve tried to tackle this challenge with my son. It hasn’t been easy, but my wife and I have consciously tried to set an example. My goal here isn’t to judge other parents—unless you’ve lived in someone else’s shoes, you can’t truly understand their choices. However, as a society, we must find a way to shift the focus back to what truly matters: teaching ourselves and our children how to use social media and technology more thoughtfully and effectively.
We cannot expect tech companies or the government to solve this for us. It’s unrealistic to tell everyone to stop using social media altogether, but we can take steps to minimize its negative impact. It starts with awareness, intentionality, and leading by example. Let’s reclaim our time and attention—for ourselves, our children, and future generations.
Hi! Wonderful piece on the dangers of electronic social media. More broadly, I feel the challenge is that of overcoming a dopamine rush, of overcoming addiction. Whether we are talking chemicals and hallucinogens, or flashing lights and information overload, the effect appears to be the same. Moreover, young intelligent males seem to more vulnerable than most. This problem appears to be international in scope. I don’t think the solution will be that of sheer will power at the individual level.
Thank you. You are absolutely right James, the dopamine boost is targeted. I can confirm from experience, more than 70% of students on my courses are between the ages of 18 to 25 are male and most agree with some form of electronic addiction, and its not programming or building things! Often games or social media. We do need to improve guidance to avoid this addiction from an early age.
I have been traveling for the next several days and will write more about the above post late in the evening/night. However, I will leave you with two things:
1. A quote from one of the books that made me think a lot about how I spend my time:
“It is not that we have a short time to live, but that we waste a lot of it. Life is long enough, and a sufficiently generous amount has been given to us for the highest achievements if it were all well invested. But when it is wasted in heedless luxury and spent on no good activity, we are forced at last by death’s final constraint to realize that it has passed away before we knew it was passing. So it is: we are not given a short life but we make it short, and we are not ill-supplied but wasteful of it… Life is long if you know how to use it.”
Seneca, On the Shortness of Life: Life Is Long if You Know How to Use It
2. The smartphone was the best invention of the last few decades and the worst invention simultaneously. It gave us all the world knowledge in our hands but also made us addicted to it.
I will not say much about the first quote as it is self-explanatory and probably the best on the topic of life is not short that I have ever encountered.
The Double-Edged Sword of Technology and Social Media:
Let’s dive into something closer to my heart. I’ve never felt the need to display my life for others or follow what others are doing. The way I was raised, I kept my life private and avoided intrusions into other people's lives. This mindset has kept me off social media, including platforms like LinkedIn. Although many argue that LinkedIn isn’t a social media platform, I see it as one. I recently noticed Substack creeping into similar territory when they introduced “Notes” on the home page. I even commented about it at the time. Here’s the link to my thoughts: https://tinyurl.com/mv5tv4vm.
For a month, I slipped into the habit of doom-scrolling through the home page Notes on Substack. Thankfully, I realized what was happening and consciously tried to stop. Now, I’m back to reading more books—something far more fulfilling and meaningful.
This brings me to a more significant issue that’s been on my mind for years. You’ve probably heard stories about how tech pioneers like Steve Jobs and Bill Gates didn’t let their kids use smartphones or tablets until much later in life. They were keenly aware of how addictive these devices could be. For instance, Nick Bilton recalls a conversation with Steve Jobs, in which he mentioned how much Jobs’ kids must love the iPod. Jobs surprised him by replying: “They haven’t used it. We limit how much technology our kids use at home.” Read more here: https://tinyurl.com/2s435yab and [here: https://tinyurl.com/2ajxc2jc.
Even back in 2014, the dangers of excessive screen time and social media use were becoming evident. For example, this [NIH article](https://tinyurl.com/4hk825nj) highlights how platforms like Facebook can create addictive behaviors. Studies have consistently shown that social media use is linked to a host of issues, from mental health challenges to reduced social skills. Yet, despite these findings, nothing substantial has been done to curb the problem. If anything, things have worsened with the introduction of TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and other bite-sized content designed to hook users more effectively than ever before.
The most troubling part of this is the sheer hypocrisy of it all. The same people who knew about the harmful effects of technology and social media still chose to sell these products to the world. Why? To become billionaires. And now, these tools are being used to target the most vulnerable among us—children—who are getting addicted to screens at an alarming rate.
This quote captures it perfectly:
"So the next time the advertising department at Apple, Samsung, or any other major technological corporation attempts to subliminally convince you that life is somehow lacking without their latest little device, remember that even the man who started it all believed somewhat differently."
It’s worth reflecting on how we navigate this tech-saturated world. Are we in control or just pawns in a game that keeps us scrolling? While we may know the answer, the bigger question is: What can we do to change this and safeguard future generations?
I’ve tried to tackle this challenge with my son. It hasn’t been easy, but my wife and I have consciously tried to set an example. My goal here isn’t to judge other parents—unless you’ve lived in someone else’s shoes, you can’t truly understand their choices. However, as a society, we must find a way to shift the focus back to what truly matters: teaching ourselves and our children how to use social media and technology more thoughtfully and effectively.
We cannot expect tech companies or the government to solve this for us. It’s unrealistic to tell everyone to stop using social media altogether, but we can take steps to minimize its negative impact. It starts with awareness, intentionality, and leading by example. Let’s reclaim our time and attention—for ourselves, our children, and future generations.