Brain dump on the role of digital media in stifling potential - a call to action

In each of us there is a threshold of energy to give towards a certain goal or attitude; a force that wants to express itself via creative thinking, physical output, problem solving etc…

Knowledge of self is learning where to direct this energy in order to produce outcomes that are sustainably rewarding to the person - the difference between drive and addiction is the outcome. The beauty of the human experience is that, over time, we can refine and redirect our energy and skills to different places as we learn more about the nature of ourselves and our environment. One may learn that what creates a sense of fulfillment, presence, and joy is artistic expression; as they reap the rewards of artistic expression, they become more skilled at it, as they become more skilled at it, it becomes more rewarding ad infinitum. The same energy can be given to the pattern recognition and creative thinking required to understand dense scientific topics - as someone learns that directing their energy towards scientific pursuits enables them to create sustainable joy, they may also learn that this love of theirs can make positive change in the world and alleviate suffering. The list goes on - different people with different experiences enjoy and pursue different things, it is key to understand that there is an amount of ENERGY required to engage in these pursuits.

If someone experiences a sense of dis-ease in their present moment or is dealing with unresolved pain, they may direct their energies to pursuits that produce a short term reward but results in long-term damage. It takes a subtle attention and self-love to understand this about oneself, and is a topic of discussion fit for a different time.

For now, I am interested in discussing the role of modern technology and constant connectivity in stifling the potential of youth learning where to direct their creative energy. Research is demonstrating that those with highest potential for innovative thinking and creative expression have the highest potential for developing an addiction to digital media. When someone has a force inside them that wants to explore and manifest itself in a behavior, it takes trial and error to learn where this force can manifest itself in order to create a sense of sustainable reward and joy. If the modern child isn’t given the tools and access to outlets that can foster and develop a sense of self rooted in a sustainable behavior, then their potential can be severely limited. If someone realizes that gaming or stimulating digital media can scratch that creative and energetic itch, this is where they may decide to direct their potential. If someone who has the potential to express themselves via peak athletic performance or entrepreneurship isn’t given the right tools or guidancei, they may end up giving up that same skillset to countless hours spent in passive media consumption or gaming; from the perspective of the energy being released in these pursuits, it doesn’t matter where it goes, to the experiencer however, it can result in a myriad of symptoms and behavioral outcomes that are at best neutral to their standing in the world and future development. The issue is not the devices themselves, but the ubiquitous access to them; when adolescents have unlimited access to unlimited stimulation during their formative years, they end up sinking their time and energy into pursuits that mask as rewarding but produce no tangible, sustainable outcomes. Essentially, these devices may be hijacking their potential for growth.

This may lead to epidemic of a lack of future leaders, innovative thinkers, problem solvers, and most pressing, a lack of self-awareness; in an age where things are changing and growing at an exponential rate, it is crucial that we foster a generation of passionate, creative, and curious problem solvers. If we don’t immediately help our youth redefine their relationships with digital devices and redirect their energies to pursuits that are not only rewarding to them but beneficial to the human condition, we may be at risk of an unjust, uncertain future.

All hope is not lost, not even close. The youth today are smarter than ever and have the most potential of any generation past; we just need to fundamentally restructure how they spend their time. We need to equip them with the skills and mindsets rooted in mindfulness and awareness so they can unravel any current deregulating relationships to technology; once they become more aware and mindful of their subjective experiences, we can begin to engage them with tools that can receive the energy they once gave to digital devices. We must foster an environment wherein which the next generation is intrinsically motivated to understand our current human paradigm and understand their place in it. Once an understanding is developed, they can begin to direct their energy and time towards pursuits and activities that strengthen their place in the world and can provide a sense of purpose and joy. It may be that someone realizes their love of social equity; if they are given the right tools and knowledge, they can begin to direct their time and energy towards understanding how to create social equity in the modern age using modern tools. This same person could easily give this potential to hours of media consumption, or they can be nurtured and empowered to direct that same drive to a more rewarding and change-making endeavor. If the youth, however, don’t know about the tools or forces responsible for change, they may never even attempt to engage with them - hence the need to not only foster an environment for growth, but also provide them with relevant outlets to receive their energy.

We must help our youth redefine their relationship to technology using mindfulness and give them access to the knowledge of tools of the modern age in order to create real, sustainable change in the world.