If you are old enough, when you hear the term “The Wall,” you may think of Pink Floyd’s album and/or movie of the same name. Both of which are more pleasant than today’s connotations of “The Wall” (or the lack thereof). We are entering the fourth week of a government shutdown, the longest in…
What can we do as parents when screen problems begin to emerge? Here’s the latest video from my Tech Happy Life YouTube channel. There is much greater detail in my book, Tech Generation: Raising Balanced Kids in a Hyper-Connected World. It’s through Oxford University Press and is available now! Cheers! Transcript provided below. Recap…
Screen challenges and problem prevention Hello! I’m back from a family vacation — a road trip to the Grand Canyon! I was trying not to be TOO much like Clark Griswold from National Lampoon’s Vacation, but there might have been a little of that. Screens were sometimes a challenge with my three boys, but…
Dr. Brooks was recently featured on the Texas Standard, an award-winning radio journalism organization that focuses on current, relevant issues. Dr. Brooks was brought on as an expert in the field to help inform and guide parents in their quest for a balanced life with technology. Follow this link to hear Dr. Brooks, or…
Are you seeking a happier life in this tech world? Here’s how to start. I’ve started a YouTube channel for Tech Happy Life, and this is my introductory vlog. Yes, I get the irony (hypocrisy?) of using YouTube, Psychology Today, LinkedIn, Facebook, etc. as a medium to try to help people to unplug more…
It’s the itch you feel to check your phone and the relief you experience once you do We all know what it feels like to be tethered to technology these days. It’s not just our kids — it’s the rest of us as well. Probably one of the biggest hooks is the smartphone. As…
The seductive pull of screens that you might not know about Blame It on Supernormal Stimuli In my previous blogs, I describe the role of classical conditioning in the pull of technology. There is another, perhaps even more, influential way in which we get drawn into using technology. There is another, perhaps even…
Let’s hope the future of social media isn’t this black I finally caught up on the Netflix show that everyone’s been talking about: Black Mirror. Most episodes are about current or near/possible future tech going wrong. One episode that hit home, in particular, “Nosedive” (episode 1, season 3). After I watched it, I started…
Isolation in a hyper-connected world We must ask: Is social media causing greater social isolation. It’s funny because we are more connected in ways than ever before. Smartphones and social media allow us to connect with people with such ease. Ironically, we don’t seem to be any happier as a society. In fact, there…
Dalai Lama and Finding Common Ground Yoda proposes that hate is the Dark Side of the Force (as talked about in my previous blog), but the Dalai Lama provides a solution to the problem. Finding common ground. The Approach Of The Dalai Lama One of the Dalai Lama’s most notable talents is his ability…