TED Talk Reflection Paper: Why our Screens Make Us Less Happy

1 TED Talk Reflection Paper: Why our Screens Make Us Less Happy The effects of spending long periods of time on the screen have been a subject of study over the last decade. The TED Talk discusses the effects that screens and devices have on us, the users. According to the well-researched topic presented in this TED Talk by Adam Alter, the hours we spend on our tablets, laptop screens and smart phones are making us more miserable by robbing us of our valuable time. He begins the TED Talk by giving the example of Steve Jobs who introduced the world to the life-changing devices such as the iPad and iPhone. Despite having created these phenomenal gadgets, he revealed in an interview that his children were not allowed to use them. Steve Jobs had realized early on the negative impact that technology had on people’s lives, thus decided to limit his children’s use of gadgets.

Adam Alter states that the average human being spends a significant amount of time at work, commuting, and handling personal chores which he calls survival activities. After all these activities, there is little time left for someone to truly have their personal time which may be spent nurturing close relationships, working on a hobby, thinking and meditating (Alter, 2017).

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He says that the real danger with technology is that it has no stopping cue. A newspaper, for instance, has a beginning and an end, a TV show also works the same way. Technology, on the other hand, cannot be exhausted. There is always something new to see on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube and the television. The constant flow of new information makes it easy for an individual to get hooked. The devices are made with the primary motive of keeping people glued to them. While it may not be possible to completely avoid technology, it is important to be cautious about the amount of time spent on it. One of the ways people can control their use of gadgets is by creating their own stopping cues. This can be done by saying, for example, that at a certain time each day, the phone will be kept far away. To illustrate how limiting the use of gadgets makes our lives richer, he uses the example of a person who goes for a scenic drive and only takes pictures of the ocean as he drives by, while another parks the car at the side of the road, and walks to the ocean, feeling the sand under their feet.

Obviously, the latter will have a richer experience (Alter, 2017). This is the same with technology; the more time you spend offline, the more fulfilling your life experiences will be.

One of the most important things I’ve learned from this TED Talk is that screens make us unhappy because they rob us of the time that we would be spending making more valuable memories. I have also learned that media is addictive because it lacks a stopping cue, thus it is possible to scroll news feeds endlessly looking for newer and more interesting information for hours on end. Additionally, I have learned how to develop a stopping cue in order to limit the time wasted on social media and other online sites.

I strongly agree with the main ideas presented in the TED Talk. It is a well-known fact that the over-abundance of technology has changed how people work, think, rest and interact.

3 Most conversations and activities have gone online, leaving people dissatisfied with the quality of their lives. Technology is a tool; it should be used wisely or else it ends up working to our disadvantage. I also agree with Adam Alter on the importance of developing one’s own stopping cues since media is designed to be bottomless and hence, more addictive.

I will apply the lessons I have learned from this TED Talk in my own life in three main ways. Firstly, I will monitor the total amount of time I spend on my gadgets and screens daily.

Secondly, I will create stopping cues by integrating technology breaks into my routine. For instance, for around two hours every evening, I will switch off the Wi-Fi and work on my hobby.

One day a week, I will go without my phone or computer for at least half the day in order to slowly wean myself off excessive and compulsive technology use.

Not included in this TED Talk is the effect that media has on the human mind. Like any other drug, social media stimulates the brain to release dopamine, which makes an individual feel elated momentarily. This is a feel-good hormone, and essentially the more one uses social media, the more it is released, leading to addiction. Excessive screen time is thus dangerous because it may rewire our brains to constantly seek the dopamine rush. This could easily lead to or aggravate mental health issues. It is therefore imperative to limit the amount of time spent on gadgets (Oasis Hospital, 2021).

Further research should be conducted on the specific ways that social media corporations make their platforms addictive and whether this should be considered unlawful and unethical.

For instance, based on the type of content one enjoys, Facebook suggests similar content in order to increase the time spent on the platform. Essentially, they earn higher revenues from people’s addiction to the platforms. Knowing the dangers caused by social media addiction, it is worth

4 researching whether social media networks should be required by law to provide a disclaimer about the potential harm of overusing them.

5 References Alter, A. (2017, April). Why our screens make us less happy [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.ted.com/talks/adam_alter_why_our_screens_make_us_less_happy Oasis Hospital. (2021). Social Media Addiction. [online] Addiction Center. Available at: <https://www.addictioncenter.com/drugs/social-media-addiction/> [Accessed 11 November 2021].