I was at WELS Tech (a technical conference for our church body) this past weekend and wanted to share some of the thoughts and insights they shared.
WELSTech 2015 #welstechconf
The Internet and your Brain
David Tess (father, teacher and always very curious [Curious George reference])
Books he has read that changed his life
“The Shallows: What the Internet is doing for our brains”
“The DIsconnect”
“The Read-aloud handbook”
Dave sez...
“I might sound like an
I am none of those.”
This presentation is not about bad stuff online, privacy, terrible choices.
Those are all real and present dangers.
The devil is busy, busy, busy.
But that’s not what this presentation is about.
What it is about - the internet (and related tech) is changing us.
We have to be really careful about the media we use - because it changes us.
Our relationships.
Our brains.
Information overload
“What information consumes is rather obvious: It consumes the attention of it’s recipients. Hence a wealth of information creates a poverty of attention.” Herbert A. Simon (in 1969)
And we are creating more information (a Library of Congress worth of text) every day.
Wealth of information = poverty of attention (because who has time to pay attention to it)
Multi-tasking = Mediocre-tasking
We aren’t really good at multi-tasking.
Out attempts to multi-task give us hummingbird brains.
(buzz over here, sip, buzz over here, sip, buzz over here, sip...)
You are what you…
think.
Neuroplasticity
old vs. “new” thinking - the brain does keep growing and changing your whole life
brain trauma can be recovered from
Violinists vs. non-violinists - their brains behave differently (trained that way - not born that way)
Professor Harold Hill - the “think” system - it does actually work...
- Experiment with non-piano players
- 1 group was asked to practice a simple 5 notes scale
- 1 group was asked to imagine /think they were practicing it - but not actually touch the keys
- Their brain activity while practicing was identical
A new take on...
The emphasis is on THINK.
Try it in your own life - how can you focus on the "Whatever is..." items?
Maybe listen to a different radio station.
Different Brains
My brain doesn’t care about the quality (of my notifications, interruptions) of what it’s doing.
It just likes to keep doing it.
It get's trained to like to keep doing it.
You feed it, you need it. And need it. And need it.
We've been Affecting our Brains for years
Think about the speed of camera shot changes between the two shows.
Did that affect your brain?
Wonder!
"When we are so far away from where things come from
...we are robbing ourselves of the wonder of understanding all of that.”
We need to encourage wonder again.
Mr. Rogers created wonder moments
- I wonder what's happening in the land of make believe
- I wonder what Mr. Speedy Delivery will bring next
- I wonder how peanut butter is made
Outsourcing of memory
We’ve outsourced our memory to the "brain" in our pocket.
We don't "have to" remember anymore.
“not being forgotten isn’t the same as being remembered.”
Deut 11:18 - Fix these words of mine on your minds and on your heart…
Tools and Tech
We need to be careful about the tools and tech we use.
We form ourselves to the tools.
If all you have is a hammer - everything looks like a nail.
There will be naysayers…
Socrates was one of the first naysayers of the written word.
“People will cease to be wise - they will be filled with the conceit of wisdom - at the written word.”
And ironically - Plato - his follower - wrote down all Socrates' sayings and they live on for us today...
It has come to this.
March 6-7, 2015 - National day of unplugging
Really - it has come to this?
We need a day to tell us to unplug
We think need to be connected - because we think EVERYTHING is an emergency.
Years ago - the only people with pagers were...doctors.
Because they actually HAVE EMERGENCIES.
We just think we have emergencies.
We don’t need to reject or disparage technology.
But we do need to put it in it’s place.
Technology is amazing.
When taken and used properly.
Agree or Disagree
“I think in the olden days families mattered more. It feels like we’re losing the idea that family matters.”
When presented this at a youth rally last year - the overwhelming majority of teens agreed with the statement.
Surprised?
Divided Attention
We are case studies in divided attention.
Multi-tasking (true multi-tasking) is something that humans are bad at.
We don't switch focus well.
We like to linger, and go back, and basically defeat the purpose of trying to multi-task.
Undivided Attention
We are much better off when we focus and just finish.
Letters = Undivided Attention
It means that people take the time and give up the time to write
“I miss those days even though I wasn’t alive.” (A 14 year old boy)
Trust Affected
We are reliant on others for answers - not as willing to find it out for ourselves.
Before the GPS in your hand - a trip to a new place was an adventure.
Sometimes a panic-filled adventure.
Are we trusting the tech in lieu of each other?
Are you tired/overwhelmed?
Do you have FOMO? (fear of missing out)
Or FOBM? (fear of being missed)
Is being disconnected the same as "not being"?
Add as Friend vs. Add as Acquaintance
A Friend Request is REALLY just an Acquaintance Request.
Accepting doesn't make someone your friend.
We substitute connection for conversation.
Facebook is a “perpetual class reunion”.
Do you really need that kind of self-scrutiny?
Aren't you beyond that? Aren't you different now?
Are we losing the ability to “just be” with others?
Family is important.
Multi-generational family is important
Conversation is important.
Our “selves”
Are we ever alone enough by ourselves - to know who we are.
Do our kids know who they are?
Daydreams are a lost art.
Calm.
Unplug.
Get away.
...Later that night - Jesus was there alone...
Is it really important for kids (and grown-ups) to slow down?
“mindfulness” - teaching kids and adults to slow down
Study shows there are two traits that do not develop if you don’t slow down
So now what?
How about games (real honest to goodness, sit down and play) games
Games = more fun that you’d think
Pictionary
Mad Gab
Card games
All of these things take time
That’s good - take the time.
Make the time.
It’s worth it.
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