8 Dangers of Social Media We’re Not Willing to Admit | RELEVANT Magazine

I talk a lot with parents about teenagers and social media.  Social media, like technology itself, isn’t inherently evil, but there are definitely some dangers embedded in the very way in which we interact with social media of which we need to be aware.  This article does a great job of pointing out some of those dangers.  As parents, we need to have conversations with our teens about what they are seeking out as they enter into the world of social media and help them to navigate that world without becoming overly self-involved or depressed.

8 Dangers of Social Media We’re Not Willing to Admit | RELEVANT Magazine.

Focus Amidst Distraction

Perhaps the side of technology that subverts good study the fastest is the ease with which we can become distracted.  While reading an e-mail we are tempted to check weather, sports scores, Facebook posts, tweets and text messages.  We have news headlines that pop-up along with calendar reminders, to-do lists  and app updates.  Continuous focus on one task seems a herculean task when faced with so many different stimuli.  One professor, however is doing something about it.  Dr. Levy, at the University of Washington, teaches a class called “Information and Contemplation.”  He trains his students to use technology wisely rather than being used by it.  Dr. Levy uses meditation (a lost art in much of the Christian community) to help his students focus their attention at the beginning of each class.  There is a great article at the Chronicle of Higher Education that describes Dr. Levy’s class, philosophy and background.