Dr. Martin Hash Podcast

There is an aspect of younger generations that changes the world: they spend a lot of time in front of screens, and their phone is their trusted friend and babysitter. They “social network” every single day, every hour, sometimes every minute. This has had a profound, observable result, the most obvious being that so many sedentary hours leads to obesity and social awkwardness for some, but also a new confidence for most; they are definitely more worldly and sophisticated than their parents were at that age; mature in some ways beyond their years, yet lacking in ability to take care of everyday conscientious things, like servicing their car or doing home repairs.

But constant contact with friends and family members actually seems like a return to more primitive times, and it's unclear if it's less or more psychologically healthy. There is also another odd aberration: look around you in any public venue; half the people are occupied on their phones but none are talking. They communicate through fragments of thought, and instantaneous gratification. This can't help but change how people think, in a way that would seem alien to someone from a century ago; it's truly an evolutionary step. Can you imagine if the social network went down?