Smart Phones and Dumb People

By: American Decency Staff

Do you remember when smart phones first became popular with the general public in the form of the Blackberry?

You may remember too, that even in its earliest form, the devices were affectionately dubbed, “Crackberries.” Already smart phone users were noticing how hard it was to disconnect when your email and text messages – and simple games like Block Breaker – were instantly accessible in one little package, and that was well before you could access social networks or Netflix, take and edit high resolution photos and videos, and play augmented reality games like Pokemon Go.

Well, according to the executive director of one of the nation’s leading addiction rehabilitation centers, Dr. Nicholas Kardaras, those early “Crackberry” users may have been on to something.

He recently wrote an opinion piece for the New York Post entitled, “It’s ‘digital heroin’: How screens turn kids into psychotic junkies.”

In it he explains that, “We now know that those iPads, smartphones and Xboxes are a form of digital drug. Recent brain imaging research is showing that they affect the brain’s frontal cortex — which controls executive functioning, including impulse control — in exactly the same way that cocaine does. Technology is so hyper-arousing that it raises dopamine levels — the feel-good neurotransmitter most involved in the addiction dynamic — as much as sex.

“This addictive effect is why Dr. Peter Whybrow, director of neuroscience at UCLA, calls screens “electronic cocaine” and Chinese researchers call them “digital heroin.” In fact, Dr. Andrew Doan, the head of addiction research for the Pentagon and the US Navy — who has been researching video game addiction — calls video games and screen technologies “digital pharmakeia” (Greek for drug).”

And the most disturbing thing, as the title of Kardaras’ piece implies, is the rate at which the developing minds of children are exposed to this “digital heroin.”

He continues, “According to a 2013 Policy Statement by the American Academy of Pediatrics, 8- to 10 year-olds spend 8 hours a day with various digital media while teenagers spend 11 hours in front of screens. One in three kids are using tablets or smartphones before they can talk…

It’s sadly unrealistic in today’s age to attempt to cut children off from screen use completely, but at the least, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no screen time at all for children under 2, and no more than 2 hours per day for older kids and teens.

Both Kardaras and the AAP stress the importance of children interacting with real people face-to-face – not just their cyber manifestations – as well as the example parents set for their children by their own uses of media and portable devices.

On top of those concerns, Christians have the spiritual aspect to consider as well.

Last year, pastor and blogger, Tim Challies wrote a piece at DesiringGod.org entitled, “Letter to a Teen Unboxing Their First Smart Phone.”  In it, he reminds the reader that God has purpose for their smart phone:

“That phone can be used to organize your life better so you can accomplish more of the things that matter most; it can be used to communicate with others so you can speak good news into their lives; it can be used to read the Bible and list your prayers; it can be used in hundreds of ways that serve the purposes God has given you. Thank God for your smartphone!”

But he also notes that Satan has a purpose for that smartphone, and that our own sinful hearts have purpose for it as well:

“What do you love more than you love God? In those times when you are not finding your joy and satisfaction in God, and in those times when sin seems so tempting, what is it that promises joy? What promises satisfaction? What is that thing you need so badly that you will even sin to get it?

“…Whatever that thing is for you, the Bible calls it an idol. An idol is anything you raise up in place of God — something that, at least for a moment, takes first place in your heart. Whatever your idol is will prove a special kind of temptation for you when you use your phone.”

That is the central question for those of us in the digital age, will we use our devices to further God’s kingdom or distract ourselves from it? And what kind of examples and habits will we show our kids?

I leave you with a poignant video (ironically enough) of a spoken word poem by Gary Turk that many may have seen going around the internet a few years ago, which makes the point nicely: “Look Up.”

“Now the park is so quiet it gives me a chill
See no children outside and the swings hanging still
There’s no skipping, no hopscotch, no church and no steeple
We’re a generation of idiots, smart phones and dumb people”

---

To support our efforts please click here or mail your gift to American Decency Association (ADA), PO Box 202, Fremont, MI 49412.  

American Decency Association is a member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability.

 

---