@@kaefersammler5142 Obviously Golden Gypsy has a computer. But a cell phone is different - it's everything. People can get a hold of you 24/7. When you are not otherwise occupied, you are checking texts & emails, playing games, making lists & yes, checking in on your favorite social media sites. Never just being in the present. Never just being still. Don't get me wrong, I have a cell phone. But I'm trying to give it a lesser place in my life.
You are lucky. Before, I had a small simple cellphone for calls from my clients and was using my laptop for internet stuff like youtube (rarely)... but in my job of 5 years, i literally HAD to buy a smartphone because you HAVE to have Whatsapp (for the important work-related messages). I wish i didnt have to do this..
I can scroll through facebook or twitter on my phone for ages, and whenever I'm at my parents house my mum will ask "Anything interesting?" and I won't even be able to recall anything noteworthy. Complete waste of time!
I know that I used to know everyone's phone numbers. Now I dont even have a clue what anyone's phone numbers or addresses are. I have to look in my phone, even for my own children's phone numbers. The phone numbers I remember are the ones people have had forever and had long before smart phones came around. I HAD to remember their phone numbers to call them. I just changed carriers and got a new phone number. I can barely remember my own #. Lol. Sad but true.
Lynn same but I do make myself remember one persons number. If there is ever an accident and I don't have my phone its good to know a number for people to call. I had the same # for years and when my best friend was hit by a drunk driver she was able to tell them my number so I could contact her family.
I make it a point to dial numbers that I need to know when I use them. For instance, when my daughter got her cell phone, I made sure to dial and type that sucker every chance I get. Her mom... Well... She's in my address book... (Yeah, we're not together...)
yes I can relate to this so much. But I do know a few numbers like my home number and hubby's cell phone without looking them up :-) Funny how I can remember old phone numbers like my parents and my other relatives.
I recently read an article written by a mother, she decided, for once, to not sit on the couch and use her phone while her kids were playing, and instead just watch them for a change. Both her young boys looked at her over 40 times in 15 minutes, a vital interaction she couldn’t believe she’d been missing, and an observation that completely changed her phone usage. This struck a chord with me. Relationship is the meaning of life, the more I see society go down this path, the more I notice my phone disrupting all my close relationships, gently, quietly and deeply. No more! Thanks for the video.
This is a BIG problem - as people who run their businesses online, we get emails, messages, updates and such which people expect in this modern day and age to be responded to immediately! Social Media is not something we're big into, but if you want to get your name out there, you NEED to use it otherwise you're left behind. It's a sticky situation which few people have answers to.
There's so much more stress in the world today because technology has allowed people to take their work with them anywhere! That's not all bad, but people have a hard time leaving work at work when they walk out the door. There's always those reminders on the phone that there's work left undone and it's like an itch you can't scratch. You have to do it or it will drive you crazy!
Catherine R. Arizona Jen That is so true! I have the perfect example; last night, I went to bed and half an hour later I gave up on trying to fall asleep because I couldn’t stop thinking about all the work I had to do the next day. I worked until 4am until I could get my itch scratched - mind you those were the 6 most productive hours work I have had in a while. :D - Polly
So, Freedom, create a situation where you don't NEED a cell phone for your work and business. Cell phones, as Malik said can be VERY distracting. That much distraction is NOT good for your mental or physical health. You CAN find a way to do that. You can use a landline and a cell phone only minimally. You just have to have the will to do it.
Yeaaa.. I'm technologically Amish. The other side of this coin is that when you have never owned a cell phone in your life, when you know your computer type as "a black tower with a blue 'on' switch" and when you don't own a facebook, or even really know what it looks like, you really feel out of step with the world. I know there is a happy medium. And I plan on getting a cell phone some time, maybe this spring, probably more likely in the fall. But watching the world and the changes in my lifetime without engaging has been a real interesting view. People don't talk to each other in elevators anymore. They seem surprised to see you beside them on a street corner...it's almost like they forgot they were out in public. Love listening to you Mayim. You temper this new world with common sense and often give a point of view that many don't consider. Hugs from Canada!
Great video. I am a psychologist in a college counseling center. I am often talking to my clients about their phone use and how they may be negatively impacting their lives. My students often use their phone for an alarm clock and even respond to texts or emails in the middle of the night. I have them buy an alarm clock. Many scroll thru all their social media as soon as they wake up. Additionally, they are often not present as they walk or transport places, which we discuss to see how it is working for them or not. I am a self-proclaimed luddite and actively work to limit my use and try as much as I can to engage in the present and with people near me. I know this is a challenge for many people, and many don't see how their phone use negatively impacts their mental health, sleep, and relationships. Being more conscious about cell phone use is a positive thing- and very individual and personal.
Great video, Mayim. Hopefully people would start thinking about their phone use. About two years ago I realized that I am using my phone really a lot and from there on I really tried to reduce my phone use, especially when I am together with other people. I think its very rude if you are with another person and keep constantly looking on your phone.
I read 40 physical books this year... my friends all live out of state now. What's interesting is that when I'm not reading, and instead knitting on the subway, more people talk to me, but I didn't get much knitting done this year, cause yarn isn't cheap and the library is free.
awesome video, love it! I really have to reconsider my phone usage... the funny thing is that it is called a "phone" but I think most people don't even use it as a phone anymore... it should be called something else.
Think the key is to use phones in moderation. Cellphones are an amazing tool but if you abuse it and use it constantly it will mean your personal life will suffer.... :) Love your videos! Always so fun to watch you on YT :)
I totally agree, also brings back to mind the "people have never been so connected, or so isolated" my UA-cam account is the closest thing I have to a social media account now and I still find myself on my phone often playing games, listening to music, or watching videos
Ah, as always great content, I am not from the smartphone generation, so I've seen this with younger peers, technology is great and all, but it's so upsetting when people are glued to their phones, when eating, at a movie for crying out loud, we still need to appreciate and use our brains :D
My phone has totally changed my relationship with the world. It allows me to escape from everything. I can watch anything. It’s helped in allowing me to connect to so many other people but has also been a hindrance in connecting with people around me. I love your videos and this one has me definitely thinking about how much I end up using my phone. I grew up without a cell phone for the majority of my childhood and now I use it for most things. Thankfully when I am in a room with people that I am conversing with I don’t use my phone like 95% of the time. So there might be help for me 😂. This video is amazing! Thank you! I’m totally gonna take this information and apply it more in my life. Happy Hanukkah! 😊
Great video and great advice! I’ve noticed all this things you said, the lack in attention, the “being elsewhere” when you are with people you love and also I find it now really hard to read paperback books as everything I read is in a digital format. I’ll try making phone and tablet shifts to see if I can be less dependent on this devices. Thank you very much for sharing this info!
I have made it a habit to not be on my phone when I am presently with people, especially when sharing a meal with someone. But the thing that I found the person across the table is really grateful for this. But the person who is trying to call/text me no matter how trivial is angry that I did not take the 30 seconds to answer a question that wasn't important and could have waited. People expect that you will respond to them instantaneously and get angry when you don't.
I'm really addicted to checking social medias and I could have been more productive without my phone...but at the same time I couldn't have known so many awesome people(such as you) if I weren't involved in social media
I agree, I've met some really neat people here on youtube who feel the same way I do about this over use of Smart phones, but I know I want to control that and not spend too much time messaging to these people on electronics. I get online on my laptop, not my cell p hone. I don't want to get on an electronic in front of other people. I think it's rude.
The study that you tell of the fartherst the phone the better the test went... Mind blowing. The unconcious is powerful! I personally never understood the madness with the smartphones until a few years ago because I guess as a teen I wanted to be different and cool and have a simple carry-on phone (and -oh wow!- text abilities too). But I quickly fell into the google effect. My boyfriend and I were talking about how we look up the same word one time and again because we don't need a heavy dictionary anymore... we can google it! Thank you so much
I would love to see a second video with some practical tips or thoughts on how to wean ourselves from the smartphone and to actually start to use it as a tool instead of letting it master us. Thank you for bringing this to the attention of your subscribers! We need more of that!
Wisdom! Thank you Mayim! I had Twitter and Facebook be a distraction, causing anxiety and pessimism. I ended up uninstalling them off my phone. It’s been a month and I feel much better.
Finally! I’ve been trying to say this exact thing to my two young adult kids for years. Only difference is you say it in a way that makes sense ❤️. I could throw my phone away if I didn’t have kids and elderly family who may need me. My daughter has such anxiety if her phone is dead, missing or confiscated (when she was younger) it is such a worry. Thank you, they will be watching this today. Happy Hanukkah.
I can understand his thinking. Because I am 60 yrs. old, I didn't grow up with any of this kind of tech stuff. There were telephone booths for Pete's sake! I often say that people are in love with their phones and I still think that's true.
This topic has been on my mind and heart a lot this year. I've become so frustrated by seeing people's devices more than their faces! Even so, I have to still reign myself back to reality and out of my phone from time to time. In his book, "Do Over," Jon Acuff says: "In a world growing increasingly distracted, do the wildly unusual. Be present. When you ignore someone you're face to face with, for your phone, you've put him or her on pause and established that he or she doesn't matter. Be present to build better relationships."
Thank you for this video. I also have been thinking about cell phone usage and what it is doing to me and those around me. I have made the decision to keep my cell phone in different rooms while I am working. I have realized that I can concentrate on my work better. Another thing that I am not to fond of is having the cell phone at the dinner table. When we have dinner at the table, whether it be at home or at a restaurant, I want to enjoy my dinner with those around me not with other cell phones involved. I remember growing up having dinner with my family and being able to have great conversations about life and such when cell phones were not in the picture. It was great.
I sold my phone, got a VoIP landline, and bought a camera. It's amazing how freeing it has been, and really shockingly funny when friends ask "so how do people get ahold of you?" Same when they did in 2002, Junior.
Mayim, I'm seeing a lot of comments about cell phone 'addiction', or what I would call 'compulsive behavior'. Maybe you could do another video on the actual Neuroscience of phones, dopamine and all that. And the difference between addiction and compulsion and which one is it. Thanks! Love your videos!
I just stumbled across your video on LinkedIn (though it was subtitled in Spanish) and it really hit home. Over the last few months I've found I've been using my phone more and more but as a consequence I've been feeling more and more anxious because of it. It's definitely made me realise that I need to re-assess my relationship with my phone!
And on the "Google effect," I knew that it existed but I didn't know it actually had a name! Phones are very useful but you have to not become absorbed into it
Freedom Strider I've got another issue with the Google age. Asking questions is not really wanted anymore. Answers are either "google it" or even better: a lmgtfy link.
Yes! I didn't, too. We have discussions constantly about the effect of cell phones, or technology's in general, in critical thinking skills and brain development.
I think the point you make about phones and anxiety are spot on! I've fought hard with myself to maintain "distance" not spatially, but by silencing my phone. Very rarely do I have my sound on. That being said, I find myself annoyed, frustrated, irritated, and what have you with coworkers and even a supervisor who will be in a conversation telling me something work related and their phone makes a noise and all of a sudden I'm on hold. Someone from the office texts or e-mails and all of a sudden my immediate conversation doesn't matter anymore. So, say I'm in the middle of being trained on something and this happens and boss has to take a phone call. Now my entire functionality is on hold. There's voicemail for a reason, right? :-p Great video!
I did an experiment for a college class where I gave up technology (that wasn’t necessary for school-obviously Blackboard and Microsoft Word are necessary in college) for a week. The first three days, I was so anxious and slightly sick, almost like I was in withdrawal. But the rest of the week was the most productive of my life. I got my homework done in a couple of hours instead of taking all night. I slept so much better. I had time for reading for pleasure, which I hadn’t had a lot of since starting college. It was really eye-opening.
Hi Mayim, I have mi phone almost 20hs a day, but as I work with computers I always look at it as a tool which I decide when to check on it. Since the beginning I use my phone with no volume and I always disregard any notification, bacause I decide when to use it. This is always a reason of disagreement with my wife that uses messaging a lot. I simply say to them, I only pick up phone calls which I consider are important. Then when I decide I took time to check messages. It works for me and I feel less a slave to my phone and the people who wants to be followed instantly.
That was a very interesting and relevant video! Yeah, phones do affect us my mum always says " stop looking at your phone, you're always in it " and, yes, it can become too much sometimes but phone and Internet helped me find good friends and support. So it's not just a fancy device ( though it is ) it's more like connection to the bigger world
I've noticed the very same thing about myself and the compulsive checking is out of control at times! I guess awareness is the first step to recovery :) Thanks for publishing this!
I'm always learning something, so my memory is still working a lot. Then I felt some trouble remembering details about researches made on Google, like I remember the whole idea but can't remember dates or numbers. Mayim, thanks for the explanation!
YES. I can't do my homework if my phone is visible. One of the perks of having ADHD is that if it's out of sight, it's out of mind--so if I can't see or hear my phone, it doesn't exist anymore. I've started setting it behind pillows and such while I do my work so that I can disconnect from it to get things done.
Im glad that I didt grow up with phones and computers. I was right at the edge as humanity was introduced to things like the internet and Computers. Im actually surprised that Im not that dependent on my phone right now. I only take it with me for music, if I even take it with me.
Hey Mayim ! I think at some extent I have felt the 'google effect'. I have never thought about it earlier but now I realize that I have actually stopped trying to remember things. I always think like I can find them on web whenever I'll need them. I don't know if it's relevant or not but now I find it difficult to perform basic math operations as I have been using calculator like since forever. Whenever I have something to get done on time, I simply set a reminder and stop myself actually remembering and considering it in real. I can't wake up without an alarm in the morning. There's been days when I have to manage without my phone, and I felt really miserable during that time. Seems like I'm totally dependent on my phone (from wake up alarm to bill payment and grocery shopping reminders). However, I have taken care about my phone impacting my relationship with my loved ones. But my consciousness is quite impacted. Thanks for an insightful video. Love you.
I read a article about those things, the last point specially and the example they gave was things like phone numbers and birthdays that people used to remember, but nowadays is just not a information that we keep, we look it up (in birthday case not even look, just get a warning). However the article did point out that not having to save those informations, allows us to learn more about the things that does interest us. The article didn't have a lot research throw in to it, so I'm not sure how factual that is, but it does makes sense.
Interesting subject. I was never aware of how dependent I am on my phone until now. Like, it's the first thing I look for in the morning and the last thing I use at night. It's madness!! Thank you for giving us perception about these things. Kudos, Mayim! I think you're really great!
Wrist watch: many people also use their cell phones for time keeping. I found that getting a simple wrist watch reduced my "phone checking" dramatically. (Since each "phone check" was also another chance to drop the thing, it helped protect the phone from risk of drops.)
Great video! This should be shared by way more people. There is like an addiction of using the phone at all times. I personally try to control myself and not use it in certain situations, but we are so used to use them all day long that its difficult.
I don't have a phone. We were living in a place that didn't have cell service when smartphones came out, and then when we moved back to civilization, I didn't get one because I could see what they were doing to people and relating even 7 or 8 years ago. I am constantly amazed that people just pull phones out everywhere, waiting, driving, at Thanksgiving dinner. It's a compulsion that I don't want. And I am not immune, I spend too much time on my desktop and am tempted by Google and UA-cam all the time. Thank you for bringing awareness to a problem I'm not sure most people realizing is taking over their lives.
Ok, this is my new favourite video on your channel. I love that you talk about stuff like this here and share parts of your life with us! You're great.
I've always been so sick of pearl-clutching think pieces on how cellphones are ruining our lives, but this one is genuinely really good. Phones can be super helpful, especially when you consider its use as an accessibility tool, and I love that you acknowledge the positives while still having a meaningful conversation about the negatives. Thanks Mayim!
Thanks for a video addressing this Mayim! I'm 27 and I don't have a true smartphone. It's a bit sad and irritating for me to have lunch with coworkers/friends and see everyone at the table looking at something on their phone. I think it's really noticeable when people are too attached to their phones. Personally, I actually hate the idea of always being reachable (but I'm a hard core introvert) and I need people-free time to relax and recharge.
I hear you, HAIC. I've gotten very irritated about what you described, myself. I don't use my phones the way other people do, and I don't use it near as often, either. We just have to hang in there and find a way to deal with how society has become. I'm considering advertising and starting a group or social for people who want to hang out with others who will NOT use their cell phones, except during emergencies, if even then.
Great video, thanks ! I think the key for better phones utilisation is to take in account the things Mayim talks about (negative impacts in general) and act in consequence, not to create bad habits. But that can be really hard, especially for the young generation. It is sad to see that a thing as wonderful as internet can have such a destructive effect on our thinking.
Thank you for sharing this Mayim. Over the last year I've noticed my smart phone use has become a little excessive. I would spend at least an hour on my phone before getting up and going to the gym to start my day...gross. Or I'd spend copious amounts of time watching Facebook videos or scrolling through my Instagram feed at night before bed. To combat the overuse, I've taken up reading before bed and working on homework or answering emails on my laptop in the morning. It's tough to give up the phone, but I'm much better for it :)
I recently put my phone in greyscale to discourage me from grabbing at my phone, so far it's working, on average I'd say it's cut it down close to half my usage time. I didn't think it would actually work, my boyfriend can't stand the look of it. It doesn't bother me enough to change it back, it's kind of the point of doing it in the first place.
Whenever I try to talk to people and there's any moment of silence for even 5 seconds, they'll instantly look down on their phones and I have to work my way to catch their attention again. Whenever I'm at carrider waiting for my dad to pick me up, I'm one of the only kids there who seem to notice a person carrying heavy boxes or an older woman trying to get to the door who needs help. I hear kids at school all the time talk about how they don't need friends in real life because they have "online friends". I see parents in public shoving tablets in their children's faces to shut them up with some Elsagate crap on UA-cam kids. Table after table at lunch I see group of "friends" with all of their heads down while staring at small screens connected to their ears through earbuds (why would they even sit together?). I see older people complain about us kids using our phones constantly, while they're ALSO constantly on their smartphones as well. I'm not saying that I don't also have a phone addiction, because I do, but considering the fact that as often as I use my phone, my problem with the relationship with my phone is no where nearly as bad as with most other people, that's just messed up. Sometimes I feel like we all need to go back to using cellphones that are only used for calling and texting, smart phones are only creating dumb people, as cliche as that sounds. People (around the world, regardless of age) are becoming rude, selfish, forgetful, aggressive, apathetic, socially unstable, antisocial, weak, impatient, sensitive, depressed, paranoid, and just plain crazy.
I’ve had a similar shift. I am less reliant on my phone these days, because I recognized that I was beginning to feel less intelligent and resourceful. It took some work to extricate this little tool from my every waking moment, but I feel better and more connected by using it less.
Omg! You totally nailed it. I have noticed that I have completely changed with regards to learning new things, retaining new info, etc. I have been telling my friend/coworker that I think I'm either ADD, Have the beginning stages of dementia, or have become retarded. 🙄. But, you are absolutely correct when you say we do not NEED to remember stuff anymore because we can retrieve whatever we need on our phones. The problem is, we can't. Well, not always. I cannot look in my phone to remember the last patient we saw, the medication we just handed him, or how this new program works on our new computers. (Computers, yes, but program was built specifically for us, our department.). Now I completely understand. 🤗. And, yet, here I am on my phone responding to this video I just watched.....on my phone!!!!😳 lol.
You know, you can switch the phone off when you want to concentrate on poeple you're with at the moment, or even easier, just switch off the sound. That seems to me to be a very simple solution to this problem that appears to plague so many people.
Jigme Choedzin Balasidis It's a simple concept, but people are so addicted to their phones that it causes them great anxiety to have it off. Phones are a lot like drugs. Addicts can't live without them.
Yes, it's a real shame, but I guess you're right. A phone is such a handy gadget (I find mine quite useful), but if you get so dependent on it that you can't even turn it off when you're in the company of other people, you're likely to develop a love-hate relationship with it in time, just like addicts.
I would agree with Catt, Jigme. I think SMart phones can be very addictive, too, so that's it's not always as easy as turning down your volume on the phone. I'm starting to feel like they could be considered dangerous, they can be so addictive.
Here in Montreal we had the "expo 67 fair"......the phone pavilion was futuristic....like science fiction. Unbelievable how technology advanced. I was just a kid at the time...but remember being amazed at what I saw. Today well the world has changed. People do not look or speak with their neighbours...everyone is busy on a smartphone. In some ways it is sad. Technology is taking over entirely n I feel that things are not balanced. Peace out
I've always been behind on the technology curve usually because of money or non importance. What I've learned is there is a downside to new technology and I just have to wait for the crowd to find out what it is. I learned that smart phones are not so smart. I still have a stupid phone and I plan on keeping a stupid phone as long as they keep selling them. BTW Mayim you failed to mention the addictive nature of smart phones. You described the symptoms of addiction without calling it an addiction.
I guess I shouldn’t be watching this on my phone...Actually, I’ve been thinking about this too. There are so many things that pull us away from being productive: tv, gaming, ”phoneing”. I feel like I am robbing my own time by consuming instead of producing.
i do not own a cell phone they are to much of a headache . i get folks need them for business but when your visiting friends or family and they always have to grab the cell phone nope not worth even spending time with them . i guess i am just strange wanting a persons full attention when spending time with them
I've had a cell phone since '95 and my phone now does the same thing as it did 20 years ago, it is a mobile phone that I can send texts with, nothing more. For everything else that is done on smart phones, that is why I have a computer at home. There is no need to carry it around and be on it all the time like is happening because it is making people become less interactive. I actually saw a group of 6 girls sitting in a coffee shop having a coffee and only communicating using their phones. A comment from one of them was "Can you believe those two, they are actually talking", pretty sad statement about where society seems to be going. Thank you Mayim, someone that is as well known and educated as you saying this has an impact.
I need to start following this!!! Though sometimes I will leave it in my bedroom for hours watch TV chat with my mom and not realize it’s not with me. Which is a great feeling!!!
I am much better connected to people than ever before. Being a pretty extreme introvert always made traditional ways of connection difficult. I have however noticed that my brain craves much more constant and diverse stimuli now that I have it constantly at my fingertips. I also use the sabath as a media fast to help combat this. I was showing a very short film (2 minutes) to a group of 7 year olds and it couldn't hold their attention for 20 seconds. It was made in 1980 something and I couldn't blame them. It was so slow paced compared to videos now. I was a bit bored myself. It is definitely affecting our brain and thinking patterns. Not in all good ways.
I was aware of the whole "i'm checking things I don't need to even when I'm having dinner" and the "I check social media when I meet friends IN PERSON" and I started doing a simple thing to help me (and my friends around) detach a little bit from the phone. Put it upside down and in silent mode on a table. All the phones together. And if someone picks the phone, bother them touching it so they can't check it. They will eventually stop doing it, and you'll be able to spend some quality time with friends or family. Won't last the whole afternoon/night/reunion, but I can usually last and make my friends last around 2 or 3 hours without caring about the phone...
I can really recommend the App "Moment". It tracks your phone use. It helps a lot to reduce time on my phone when i see that I actually spent 20% (!) of my day on the phone. Btw: Pllllllease make more neuroscientific-related videos. I am studying cognitive and affective neurosciences and I love to hear your opinion/knowledge on neuroscientific things. :) Love from Austria :)
Nice video. Phones have become extraordinarily important to us but their utility in practice is questionable. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram feed a different kind of need; that need to feel we are participating in something. That said, I could just sit and read Wikipedia all day (The Spanish Civil War was fought between 1936-1939, btw). The phone itself has become a status symbol and our best friend who's also a personal assistant. The companies that have created these devices want us rely even more on them then we already do (imagine that?). I wish there was still a public square, like in Medieval times except without the pillories. I wish people would gather to discuss things. Which reminds of something I wanted to look up on Wikipedia.... gotta go! .
I get SO annoyed when I meet people who live in my neighborhood who have to check their GPS to get from point A to point B fairly close by; even if I don't know PRECISELY where I'm going to, I can get within walking distance. I used to read these antiquated things called "maps" and "atlases" that showed you how to get from point A to Point B AND you retained the information!
I like that this was a very practical and reasonable approach to examining phones. I fear when I click on videos like this that it's going to be very anti-social media and only talk about the cons in a subjective way. It's just not an accurate critique of how people use the internet to connect and to learn in a positive way, but it's reduced down to "dumb selfies" and things of that belittling sort. I like that this is an interesting scientific aspect I didn't think about. I suppose we all could stand to accept that sometimes they do hinder us from being productive and retaining information.
I don't leave many comments on UA-cam, but this is a subject close to my heart (and this channel seems fairly troll-free) so here goes: Two years ago I switched my mobile service to just text and talk, no data. I also recently dumped my last social media account (LinkedIn). And lest you think I'm some sort of Luddite, I recently retired from a career in Technical Security, with heavy involvement in firewalls, proxy servers, intrusion detection and intrusion prevention. I check my email once a day. I've never posted a selfie, and never felt the need to show the world a picture of the fabulous meal I was just served. I read at least two books a month, and get my news from print and online source material. Social media may be fun, but it is not an important or even necessary component of a fulfilling life. I'll take a good face to face conversation with a friend over Facebook “friends” any day of the week! This video dovetails nicely with the research on multi-tasking, and the need for sufficient uninterrupted time in order to efficiently understand and complete complex tasks. Technology is a useful tool, just make sure you remain it's master, and not the other way around.
My relationship with my phone has made reading actual, physical books that much more important to me. I have a fire hose of information in my hand; I need to stay able to focus on a single steady stream, as well.
Me, always. ALWAYS. I am consulting my psychiatrist about it because it has had an awful influence on my academic life (grades were still perfect, but I couldn't concentrate long enough to write my thesis, so it is postponed), my work (book translator), and my relationships. I am definitely addicted. :(
I made sure I gave my children 1hour of uninterrupted attention (no screens/distraction) for one month and our relationship/their general happiness and behaviour was hugely improved! I need to do this again. Always. Every day.
2:08 The take home message is that the radiation of the phone is damaging the brain tissue and structures and also directly interfering with electrochemical processes as well.
Having a smart phone has allowed me to be better at my job. Also, I have had anxiety since being a child and I've been able to communicate better with it. I can also distract my sense of sight and sound when I feel a panic attack sneaking up. I understand the negative effects as well. I don't use it when we have others over but I realize some won't be able to do that as they have children, elderly parents or a job that requires being more connected.
Hi Mayim!! Totally , completely , absolutely agree!!!!!! I hate people don't pay attention because of the cell phone but I must say sometimes I also do it and I don't like it. I remember when we knew the Phone numbers of family and friends... And I also think that new generation knows nothing compared to generations which didn't grew up without cell phones. By the way I didn't know your channel, I like it!!
I am sometimes a week without phone and I love it (it's not nesseccary and if someone is wondering how I can do it it's for me very simple: I don't text people all the time or have Snapchat that I should watch or work where I would need my phone and I am a student so I don't really find a reason why I should have a phone on). I really miss landline phones, because you talked to people more when you called somewhere and I think you lived out on a moment and nowdays it's not like that so many are watching their phones all the time and it's not neccessarity. We can still enjoy our lifes without phones if we just choose to give up on them like a day for example. Whenever I go somewhere with my friends we never check our phones in company it's just so we enjoy ourselves and we talk and wonder and laugh all together and that's the best part of all of it. Isn't that how it should be? Being with those You love without doing something that is not so necessary. I recommend leaving your phone for a few days and You see a huge difference how much things You can do in that time. People have been without phones and social media (I am not even at Instagram because I don't see the point in it) before so I am pretty sure we can survival still if we just let go for a bit and try! Technology is great to some point but we should not use it that too much.
I'm only 22 but already I see a huge difference between my childhood experiences, relationships etc, and those of kids just 10 years my junior, because of technology. Sometimes I wonder if we'll reach a stage of technological advancement (and social decline, one could add) where people who oppose social media & the internet's grip on our lives will break apart and form their own communities, comparable to the Amish. Food for thought. Anyway, great video. Hope you make more like this!
Funny you say that, Ciara because I'm really considering trying to start a social group where people would get together with OUT taking out/using their cell phones. A few friends have told me it may not be successful since so many are addicted to their phones, but I'm going to try it!
Really enjoyed this video and can totally relate to everything she said. I think that cell phones have affected and impacted people's lives in both negative and positive ways. I am grateful for them but at the same time I am also very grateful that I grew up during a time when they didn't exist, and people spent more time actually relating with each other in a direct, personal way.
I totally agree with you about the Map Apps. My husband and I were just talking about driving around was so much easier when you looked at a map, watched your surroundings then remembered which way to go. With Google Maps we're listening to the voice and concentrating on when to turn, once we get where we're going we need to look up how to get back where we came from because we can't remember how we got there.
Very good point, Michelle Lucas. I will admit I've never used Google Maps or GPS, though I"ve ridden with people who use them. I often find the voice that talks to you on the gps and the map on it, distracting. I've always drawn a map if I needed to and yes, paid attention to my surroundings and even took notes on what businesses I went past and was able to find my way back based on my map. When I needed help finding my way, I got out and asked for directions.
Thanks for making this video! I hadn’t thought of this in this way. Glad that I learned how to read maps and remember how to get there. When it comes to directions, I use the phone and its GPS function in maps as a tool and then try to remember and retain how to get back there another time. Phone numbers I don’t remember or make it a point to remember as I once would have at an earlier time. I remember a few numbers as how often I have talked to certain people. I have noticed that I often have tuned out things when being on the phone. Thanks for giving me a way a new way to look at the phone as look at the phone fully as a tool instead of reliance. Enjoy watching Blossom & Big Bang reruns! You & Jim and you & Jen worked well together and are very funny!
Shabbat is great ! definitely good points and thumbs up for the honesty. I struggle with pupils on this topic. I will definitely open it up for discussion
Hey Mayim, a huge fan from Israel here, and a millennial (although not the typical one - paying all the bills by myself and never had a trigger warning). Anyway, I have some points to contribute on this topic. I'm well-awared to the fact that my actual knowledge on some topics is very limited, but - I have only one profession, a few hobbies, and lots of interests - my brain just can't hold all this information that comes in the forms of great pages like Grok and other sources that I want to be exposed to, and I'd rather have myself focused on my daily work and main hobbies than on the the process of how to get to Tel Aviv from a specific direction. Yes, I do know how to navigate in certain areas, and I don't see the merit in forcing myself to do otherwise (giving up on Waze). The fact is that this machine really *has* the ability to provide us (somewhat) unnecessary pieces of information that we didn't have any access to during the previous decades (well, not easily). We "outsource" what we probably view as redundant tasks through some apps, and willingly using anothers to get the information that we're actually after. I just think we have to learn how to use this machine wisely; create boundaries, not to give up on privacy and personal life, being aware of what we can only Google. But the question is, is it a zero- sum game? not sure. I'm sure we've lost some capabilites, but probably gathered some along the way, thanks to phones. For me, I was way stupid-er 5 years ago. I can see the pros over the cons in this case. -My tip for handling the phone while being with others - don't get it out of your bag and put it on mute.
I keep the sound off on my cell phone and set all my apps to not notify me. I also don't accept friends on Facebook so I don't get email updates every time someone updates their page. I also turn off all sound on apps and play games mute. I hate hearing others' phone ding, ping and ring in public. I look up where I need to go before heading off and refuse to use gps. I use my smartphone every day but I don't allow it to run my life.
I've done the same thing with my cell phone in setting the apps not to notify me. Messenger on Facebook drove me crazy at the beginning with all sorts of pings every time someone sent a message. Once I turned off notifications, it became more bearable and I only check it when I remember.
It sounds like you ARE letting it run your life, Michele, maybe more than you think. Let me ask, could you put it down for more than 4 hours without feeling anxious?
Hi Mayim, one of the big problems with mobile phones I've noticed is people checking their phone at traffic lights, then the lights change too green and the car at the front doesn't move. As a bus driver in London I see this at every set of lights. The other big problem is young people being run over by traffic because there looking at there phones and just walk into the road. Happy birthday for Tuesday . X
I think what you said applies much more to your generation and younger. For me, I live alone and grew up not having internet or phone in hand. I wouldn't think of leaving home without it or admonishing anyone to do that. It's a safety issue. At any moment, the world can become a dangerous place. Knowing my loved ones can get where they need to go, check in safely means the world to me. I agree it should be put away during relationships time. But that just seems like a matter of maturity, like with lots of other things we already had to distract us like TV, alcohol intake, spending money and so on.
Thanks Mayim for those wonderful insights. I totally get it. I teach at university and if you ask students to leave their phones alone their immediate response is: we are a generation who multitasks! 😑
i got rid of my cell phone 2 months ago and got a house phone, feels amazing being free. 24, no social media, no cell phone
Golden Gypsy a youtube account also counts as social media
@@kaefersammler5142
Obviously Golden Gypsy has a computer. But a cell phone is different - it's everything. People can get a hold of you 24/7.
When you are not otherwise occupied, you are checking texts & emails, playing games, making lists & yes, checking in on your favorite social media sites. Never just being in the present. Never just being still.
Don't get me wrong, I have a cell phone. But I'm trying to give it a lesser place in my life.
i am sorry what was that number again? show you my number if you show me yours :}
@@angelm.bouchard3722 this!
You are lucky. Before, I had a small simple cellphone for calls from my clients and was using my laptop for internet stuff like youtube (rarely)... but in my job of 5 years, i literally HAD to buy a smartphone because you HAVE to have Whatsapp (for the important work-related messages). I wish i didnt have to do this..
I can scroll through facebook or twitter on my phone for ages, and whenever I'm at my parents house my mum will ask "Anything interesting?" and I won't even be able to recall anything noteworthy. Complete waste of time!
I know that I used to know everyone's phone numbers. Now I dont even have a clue what anyone's phone numbers or addresses are. I have to look in my phone, even for my own children's phone numbers. The phone numbers I remember are the ones people have had forever and had long before smart phones came around. I HAD to remember their phone numbers to call them. I just changed carriers and got a new phone number. I can barely remember my own #. Lol. Sad but true.
Lynn same but I do make myself remember one persons number. If there is ever an accident and I don't have my phone its good to know a number for people to call. I had the same # for years and when my best friend was hit by a drunk driver she was able to tell them my number so I could contact her family.
I make it a point to dial numbers that I need to know when I use them. For instance, when my daughter got her cell phone, I made sure to dial and type that sucker every chance I get. Her mom... Well... She's in my address book... (Yeah, we're not together...)
So true. I at least have mine and my husbands memorized but everyone else's, not so much.
yes I can relate to this so much. But I do know a few numbers like my home number and hubby's cell phone without looking them up :-) Funny how I can remember old phone numbers like my parents and my other relatives.
Lynn I’m guessing your Irish
I recently read an article written by a mother, she decided, for once, to not sit on the couch and use her phone while her kids were playing, and instead just watch them for a change. Both her young boys looked at her over 40 times in 15 minutes, a vital interaction she couldn’t believe she’d been missing, and an observation that completely changed her phone usage. This struck a chord with me. Relationship is the meaning of life, the more I see society go down this path, the more I notice my phone disrupting all my close relationships, gently, quietly and deeply. No more! Thanks for the video.
This is a BIG problem - as people who run their businesses online, we get emails, messages, updates and such which people expect in this modern day and age to be responded to immediately!
Social Media is not something we're big into, but if you want to get your name out there, you NEED to use it otherwise you're left behind.
It's a sticky situation which few people have answers to.
Freedom Strider exactly why I have a work phone and a personal phone. The work phone stays at home when I go on vacation or a day out with friends.
There's so much more stress in the world today because technology has allowed people to take their work with them anywhere! That's not all bad, but people have a hard time leaving work at work when they walk out the door. There's always those reminders on the phone that there's work left undone and it's like an itch you can't scratch. You have to do it or it will drive you crazy!
Catherine R. Arizona Jen That is so true! I have the perfect example; last night, I went to bed and half an hour later I gave up on trying to fall asleep because I couldn’t stop thinking about all the work I had to do the next day. I worked until 4am until I could get my itch scratched - mind you those were the 6 most productive hours work I have had in a while. :D - Polly
Freedom Strider every chance I get, I leave my phone at home & dont carry it
So, Freedom, create a situation where you don't NEED a cell phone for your work and business. Cell phones, as Malik said can be VERY distracting. That much distraction is NOT good for your mental or physical health. You CAN find a way to do that. You can use a landline and a cell phone only minimally. You just have to have the will to do it.
Yeaaa.. I'm technologically Amish. The other side of this coin is that when you have never owned a cell phone in your life, when you know your computer type as "a black tower with a blue 'on' switch" and when you don't own a facebook, or even really know what it looks like, you really feel out of step with the world. I know there is a happy medium. And I plan on getting a cell phone some time, maybe this spring, probably more likely in the fall. But watching the world and the changes in my lifetime without engaging has been a real interesting view. People don't talk to each other in elevators anymore. They seem surprised to see you beside them on a street corner...it's almost like they forgot they were out in public. Love listening to you Mayim. You temper this new world with common sense and often give a point of view that many don't consider. Hugs from Canada!
Great video. I am a psychologist in a college counseling center. I am often talking to my clients about their phone use and how they may be negatively impacting their lives. My students often use their phone for an alarm clock and even respond to texts or emails in the middle of the night. I have them buy an alarm clock. Many scroll thru all their social media as soon as they wake up. Additionally, they are often not present as they walk or transport places, which we discuss to see how it is working for them or not. I am a self-proclaimed luddite and actively work to limit my use and try as much as I can to engage in the present and with people near me. I know this is a challenge for many people, and many don't see how their phone use negatively impacts their mental health, sleep, and relationships. Being more conscious about cell phone use is a positive thing- and very individual and personal.
Great video, Mayim. Hopefully people would start thinking about their phone use. About two years ago I realized that I am using my phone really a lot and from there on I really tried to reduce my phone use, especially when I am together with other people. I think its very rude if you are with another person and keep constantly looking on your phone.
I read 40 physical books this year... my friends all live out of state now. What's interesting is that when I'm not reading, and instead knitting on the subway, more people talk to me, but I didn't get much knitting done this year, cause yarn isn't cheap and the library is free.
random tip: you can buy $3 sweaters from the thrift store and unravel them for super cheap yarn!
awesome video, love it! I really have to reconsider my phone usage... the funny thing is that it is called a "phone" but I think most people don't even use it as a phone anymore... it should be called something else.
Learn German with Jenny I call mine a MTED
Steven Standridge what is MTED?
How about we call it smartphone?
Phablet...?
Computers. Smartphones are literally small computers.
Think the key is to use phones in moderation. Cellphones are an amazing tool but if you abuse it and use it constantly it will mean your personal life will suffer.... :) Love your videos! Always so fun to watch you on YT :)
You would plug it in .😣🔌📱
I find that when I go out doing photography I completely forget about my cell phone, which is a relief.
What a wonderful analysis of cellphones’ negative impact on modern life. Thank you!
I totally agree, also brings back to mind the "people have never been so connected, or so isolated" my UA-cam account is the closest thing I have to a social media account now and I still find myself on my phone often playing games, listening to music, or watching videos
Ah, as always great content, I am not from the smartphone generation, so I've seen this with younger peers, technology is great and all, but it's so upsetting when people are glued to their phones, when eating, at a movie for crying out loud, we still need to appreciate and use our brains :D
My phone has totally changed my relationship with the world. It allows me to escape from everything. I can watch anything. It’s helped in allowing me to connect to so many other people but has also been a hindrance in connecting with people around me. I love your videos and this one has me definitely thinking about how much I end up using my phone. I grew up without a cell phone for the majority of my childhood and now I use it for most things. Thankfully when I am in a room with people that I am conversing with I don’t use my phone like 95% of the time. So there might be help for me 😂. This video is amazing! Thank you! I’m totally gonna take this information and apply it more in my life. Happy Hanukkah! 😊
Lenette Sites And yet the most important people are the ones around you, not the ones on your phone!
Cosi Wow! Can’t get laid so you angry?
Great video and great advice! I’ve noticed all this things you said, the lack in attention, the “being elsewhere” when you are with people you love and also I find it now really hard to read paperback books as everything I read is in a digital format. I’ll try making phone and tablet shifts to see if I can be less dependent on this devices. Thank you very much for sharing this info!
I have made it a habit to not be on my phone when I am presently with people, especially when sharing a meal with someone. But the thing that I found the person across the table is really grateful for this. But the person who is trying to call/text me no matter how trivial is angry that I did not take the 30 seconds to answer a question that wasn't important and could have waited. People expect that you will respond to them instantaneously and get angry when you don't.
I'm really addicted to checking social medias and I could have been more productive without my phone...but at the same time I couldn't have known so many awesome people(such as you) if I weren't involved in social media
addicted like 95% of women, instagram tinder and other shit like brainless zombie cunts
I agree, I've met some really neat people here on youtube who feel the same way I do about this over use of Smart phones, but I know I want to control that and not spend too much time messaging to these people on electronics. I get online on my laptop, not my cell p hone. I don't want to get on an electronic in front of other people. I think it's rude.
The study that you tell of the fartherst the phone the better the test went... Mind blowing. The unconcious is powerful! I personally never understood the madness with the smartphones until a few years ago because I guess as a teen I wanted to be different and cool and have a simple carry-on phone (and -oh wow!- text abilities too). But I quickly fell into the google effect. My boyfriend and I were talking about how we look up the same word one time and again because we don't need a heavy dictionary anymore... we can google it! Thank you so much
I would love to see a second video with some practical tips or thoughts on how to wean ourselves from the smartphone and to actually start to use it as a tool instead of letting it master us. Thank you for bringing this to the attention of your subscribers! We need more of that!
You took the words right out of my mouth about phones. Brilliant!
Mayim Bialik you are a life saver! Glad I found your channel. Its like watching your OWN Big Bang Theory knock off :) Thank you for your insight.
Wisdom! Thank you Mayim!
I had Twitter and Facebook be a distraction, causing anxiety and pessimism. I ended up uninstalling them off my phone. It’s been a month and I feel much better.
Finally! I’ve been trying to say this exact thing to my two young adult kids for years. Only difference is you say it in a way that makes sense ❤️. I could throw my phone away if I didn’t have kids and elderly family who may need me. My daughter has such anxiety if her phone is dead, missing or confiscated (when she was younger) it is such a worry. Thank you, they will be watching this today. Happy Hanukkah.
My dad called cell phones a ball and chain. After watching this, I think he was right.
I can understand his thinking. Because I am 60 yrs. old, I didn't grow up with any of this kind of tech stuff. There were telephone booths for Pete's sake! I often say that people are in love with their phones and I still think that's true.
This topic has been on my mind and heart a lot this year. I've become so frustrated by seeing people's devices more than their faces! Even so, I have to still reign myself back to reality and out of my phone from time to time. In his book, "Do Over," Jon Acuff says: "In a world growing increasingly distracted, do the wildly unusual. Be present. When you ignore someone you're face to face with, for your phone, you've put him or her on pause and established that he or she doesn't matter. Be present to build better relationships."
Thank you for this video. I also have been thinking about cell phone usage and what it is doing to me and those around me. I have made the decision to keep my cell phone in different rooms while I am working. I have realized that I can concentrate on my work better. Another thing that I am not to fond of is having the cell phone at the dinner table. When we have dinner at the table, whether it be at home or at a restaurant, I want to enjoy my dinner with those around me not with other cell phones involved. I remember growing up having dinner with my family and being able to have great conversations about life and such when cell phones were not in the picture. It was great.
Thanks for reminding me to check myself, and NOT my phone! Always appreciated ^_^
I sold my phone, got a VoIP landline, and bought a camera. It's amazing how freeing it has been, and really shockingly funny when friends ask "so how do people get ahold of you?"
Same when they did in 2002, Junior.
Mayim, I'm seeing a lot of comments about cell phone 'addiction', or what I would call 'compulsive behavior'. Maybe you could do another video on the actual Neuroscience of phones, dopamine and all that. And the difference between addiction and compulsion and which one is it. Thanks! Love your videos!
I just stumbled across your video on LinkedIn (though it was subtitled in Spanish) and it really hit home. Over the last few months I've found I've been using my phone more and more but as a consequence I've been feeling more and more anxious because of it.
It's definitely made me realise that I need to re-assess my relationship with my phone!
And on the "Google effect," I knew that it existed but I didn't know it actually had a name! Phones are very useful but you have to not become absorbed into it
Freedom Strider I've got another issue with the Google age. Asking questions is not really wanted anymore.
Answers are either "google it" or even better: a lmgtfy link.
Yes! I didn't, too. We have discussions constantly about the effect of cell phones, or technology's in general, in critical thinking skills and brain development.
I think the point you make about phones and anxiety are spot on! I've fought hard with myself to maintain "distance" not spatially, but by silencing my phone. Very rarely do I have my sound on. That being said, I find myself annoyed, frustrated, irritated, and what have you with coworkers and even a supervisor who will be in a conversation telling me something work related and their phone makes a noise and all of a sudden I'm on hold. Someone from the office texts or e-mails and all of a sudden my immediate conversation doesn't matter anymore. So, say I'm in the middle of being trained on something and this happens and boss has to take a phone call. Now my entire functionality is on hold. There's voicemail for a reason, right? :-p Great video!
I did an experiment for a college class where I gave up technology (that wasn’t necessary for school-obviously Blackboard and Microsoft Word are necessary in college) for a week. The first three days, I was so anxious and slightly sick, almost like I was in withdrawal. But the rest of the week was the most productive of my life. I got my homework done in a couple of hours instead of taking all night. I slept so much better. I had time for reading for pleasure, which I hadn’t had a lot of since starting college. It was really eye-opening.
Hi Mayim, I have mi phone almost 20hs a day, but as I work with computers I always look at it as a tool which I decide when to check on it. Since the beginning I use my phone with no volume and I always disregard any notification, bacause I decide when to use it. This is always a reason of disagreement with my wife that uses messaging a lot. I simply say to them, I only pick up phone calls which I consider are important. Then when I decide I took time to check messages.
It works for me and I feel less a slave to my phone and the people who wants to be followed instantly.
That was a very interesting and relevant video! Yeah, phones do affect us my mum always says " stop looking at your phone, you're always in it " and, yes, it can become too much sometimes but phone and Internet helped me find good friends and support. So it's not just a fancy device ( though it is ) it's more like connection to the bigger world
I've noticed the very same thing about myself and the compulsive checking is out of control at times! I guess awareness is the first step to recovery :) Thanks for publishing this!
I'm always learning something, so my memory is still working a lot. Then I felt some trouble remembering details about
researches made on Google, like I remember the whole idea but can't remember dates or numbers.
Mayim, thanks for the explanation!
YES. I can't do my homework if my phone is visible. One of the perks of having ADHD is that if it's out of sight, it's out of mind--so if I can't see or hear my phone, it doesn't exist anymore. I've started setting it behind pillows and such while I do my work so that I can disconnect from it to get things done.
Im glad that I didt grow up with phones and computers. I was right at the edge as humanity was introduced to things like the internet and Computers. Im actually surprised that Im not that dependent on my phone right now. I only take it with me for music, if I even take it with me.
Hey Mayim ! I think at some extent I have felt the 'google effect'. I have never thought about it earlier but now I realize that I have actually stopped trying to remember things. I always think like I can find them on web whenever I'll need them. I don't know if it's relevant or not but now I find it difficult to perform basic math operations as I have been using calculator like since forever. Whenever I have something to get done on time, I simply set a reminder and stop myself actually remembering and considering it in real. I can't wake up without an alarm in the morning. There's been days when I have to manage without my phone, and I felt really miserable during that time. Seems like I'm totally dependent on my phone (from wake up alarm to bill payment and grocery shopping reminders). However, I have taken care about my phone impacting my relationship with my loved ones. But my consciousness is quite impacted. Thanks for an insightful video. Love you.
I read a article about those things, the last point specially and the example they gave was things like phone numbers and birthdays that people used to remember, but nowadays is just not a information that we keep, we look it up (in birthday case not even look, just get a warning). However the article did point out that not having to save those informations, allows us to learn more about the things that does interest us. The article didn't have a lot research throw in to it, so I'm not sure how factual that is, but it does makes sense.
Interesting subject. I was never aware of how dependent I am on my phone until now. Like, it's the first thing I look for in the morning and the last thing I use at night. It's madness!! Thank you for giving us perception about these things. Kudos, Mayim! I think you're really great!
Wrist watch: many people also use their cell phones for time keeping. I found that getting a simple wrist watch reduced my "phone checking" dramatically. (Since each "phone check" was also another chance to drop the thing, it helped protect the phone from risk of drops.)
Great video! This should be shared by way more people. There is like an addiction of using the phone at all times. I personally try to control myself and not use it in certain situations, but we are so used to use them all day long that its difficult.
I don't have a phone. We were living in a place that didn't have cell service when smartphones came out, and then when we moved back to civilization, I didn't get one because I could see what they were doing to people and relating even 7 or 8 years ago. I am constantly amazed that people just pull phones out everywhere, waiting, driving, at Thanksgiving dinner. It's a compulsion that I don't want. And I am not immune, I spend too much time on my desktop and am tempted by Google and UA-cam all the time. Thank you for bringing awareness to a problem I'm not sure most people realizing is taking over their lives.
Ok, this is my new favourite video on your channel. I love that you talk about stuff like this here and share parts of your life with us! You're great.
I've always been so sick of pearl-clutching think pieces on how cellphones are ruining our lives, but this one is genuinely really good. Phones can be super helpful, especially when you consider its use as an accessibility tool, and I love that you acknowledge the positives while still having a meaningful conversation about the negatives. Thanks Mayim!
Thanks for a video addressing this Mayim! I'm 27 and I don't have a true smartphone. It's a bit sad and irritating for me to have lunch with coworkers/friends and see everyone at the table looking at something on their phone. I think it's really noticeable when people are too attached to their phones. Personally, I actually hate the idea of always being reachable (but I'm a hard core introvert) and I need people-free time to relax and recharge.
I hear you, HAIC. I've gotten very irritated about what you described, myself. I don't use my phones the way other people do, and I don't use it near as often, either. We just have to hang in there and find a way to deal with how society has become. I'm considering advertising and starting a group or social for people who want to hang out with others who will NOT use their cell phones, except during emergencies, if even then.
Great video, thanks ! I think the key for better phones utilisation is to take in account the things Mayim talks about (negative impacts in general) and act in consequence, not to create bad habits. But that can be really hard, especially for the young generation. It is sad to see that a thing as wonderful as internet can have such a destructive effect on our thinking.
Continues to obliviously watch this, on my cell phone... 😶😂
Oh, I know... We think we're so savvy... :)
Thank you for sharing this Mayim. Over the last year I've noticed my smart phone use has become a little excessive. I would spend at least an hour on my phone before getting up and going to the gym to start my day...gross. Or I'd spend copious amounts of time watching Facebook videos or scrolling through my Instagram feed at night before bed. To combat the overuse, I've taken up reading before bed and working on homework or answering emails on my laptop in the morning. It's tough to give up the phone, but I'm much better for it :)
I recently put my phone in greyscale to discourage me from grabbing at my phone, so far it's working, on average I'd say it's cut it down close to half my usage time. I didn't think it would actually work, my boyfriend can't stand the look of it. It doesn't bother me enough to change it back, it's kind of the point of doing it in the first place.
This video is gold. Mayim is gold.
I knew a woman who had a cell phone (before smart phones) & she only used it for outgoing calls. She never gave out that number.
Whenever I try to talk to people and there's any moment of silence for even 5 seconds, they'll instantly look down on their phones and I have to work my way to catch their attention again. Whenever I'm at carrider waiting for my dad to pick me up, I'm one of the only kids there who seem to notice a person carrying heavy boxes or an older woman trying to get to the door who needs help. I hear kids at school all the time talk about how they don't need friends in real life because they have "online friends". I see parents in public shoving tablets in their children's faces to shut them up with some Elsagate crap on UA-cam kids. Table after table at lunch I see group of "friends" with all of their heads down while staring at small screens connected to their ears through earbuds (why would they even sit together?). I see older people complain about us kids using our phones constantly, while they're ALSO constantly on their smartphones as well. I'm not saying that I don't also have a phone addiction, because I do, but considering the fact that as often as I use my phone, my problem with the relationship with my phone is no where nearly as bad as with most other people, that's just messed up. Sometimes I feel like we all need to go back to using cellphones that are only used for calling and texting, smart phones are only creating dumb people, as cliche as that sounds. People (around the world, regardless of age) are becoming rude, selfish, forgetful, aggressive, apathetic, socially unstable, antisocial, weak, impatient, sensitive, depressed, paranoid, and just plain crazy.
I’ve had a similar shift. I am less reliant on my phone these days, because I recognized that I was beginning to feel less intelligent and resourceful. It took some work to extricate this little tool from my every waking moment, but I feel better and more connected by using it less.
Omg! You totally nailed it. I have noticed that I have completely changed with regards to learning new things, retaining new info, etc. I have been telling my friend/coworker that I think I'm either ADD, Have the beginning stages of dementia, or have become retarded. 🙄. But, you are absolutely correct when you say we do not NEED to remember stuff anymore because we can retrieve whatever we need on our phones. The problem is, we can't. Well, not always. I cannot look in my phone to remember the last patient we saw, the medication we just handed him, or how this new program works on our new computers. (Computers, yes, but program was built specifically for us, our department.). Now I completely understand. 🤗. And, yet, here I am on my phone responding to this video I just watched.....on my phone!!!!😳 lol.
I definitely leave my phone at home on purpose when I go to the gym. So I can have that beautiful, reflective, sweaty time.
You know, you can switch the phone off when you want to concentrate on poeple you're with at the moment, or even easier, just switch off the sound. That seems to me to be a very simple solution to this problem that appears to plague so many people.
Jigme Choedzin Balasidis It's a simple concept, but people are so addicted to their phones that it causes them great anxiety to have it off. Phones are a lot like drugs. Addicts can't live without them.
Yes, it's a real shame, but I guess you're right. A phone is such a handy gadget (I find mine quite useful), but if you get so dependent on it that you can't even turn it off when you're in the company of other people, you're likely to develop a love-hate relationship with it in time, just like addicts.
I would agree with Catt, Jigme. I think SMart phones can be very addictive, too, so that's it's not always as easy as turning down your volume on the phone. I'm starting to feel like they could be considered dangerous, they can be so addictive.
People are addicted to cell phones
Here in Montreal we had the "expo 67 fair"......the phone pavilion was futuristic....like science fiction. Unbelievable how technology advanced. I was just a kid at the time...but remember being amazed at what I saw. Today well the world has changed. People do not look or speak with their neighbours...everyone is busy on a smartphone. In some ways it is sad. Technology is taking over entirely n I feel that things are not balanced. Peace out
I've always been behind on the technology curve usually because of money or non importance. What I've learned is there is a downside to new technology and I just have to wait for the crowd to find out what it is. I learned that smart phones are not so smart. I still have a stupid phone and I plan on keeping a stupid phone as long as they keep selling them. BTW Mayim you failed to mention the addictive nature of smart phones. You described the symptoms of addiction without calling it an addiction.
I guess I shouldn’t be watching this on my phone...Actually, I’ve been thinking about this too. There are so many things that pull us away from being productive: tv, gaming, ”phoneing”. I feel like I am robbing my own time by consuming instead of producing.
i do not own a cell phone they are to much of a headache . i get folks need them for business but when your visiting friends or family and they always have to grab the cell phone nope not worth even spending time with them . i guess i am just strange wanting a persons full attention when spending time with them
love you Mayim!!!
you're awesome!
Love you and your videos Mayim!
I've had a cell phone since '95 and my phone now does the same thing as it did 20 years ago, it is a mobile phone that I can send texts with, nothing more. For everything else that is done on smart phones, that is why I have a computer at home. There is no need to carry it around and be on it all the time like is happening because it is making people become less interactive. I actually saw a group of 6 girls sitting in a coffee shop having a coffee and only communicating using their phones. A comment from one of them was "Can you believe those two, they are actually talking", pretty sad statement about where society seems to be going. Thank you Mayim, someone that is as well known and educated as you saying this has an impact.
Amen!!
I am with you less phone usage helps my anxiety.
I need to start following this!!! Though sometimes I will leave it in my bedroom for hours watch TV chat with my mom and not realize it’s not with me. Which is a great feeling!!!
I would love to read the studies you referenced! Could you possibly include links to these studies?
I am much better connected to people than ever before. Being a pretty extreme introvert always made traditional ways of connection difficult. I have however noticed that my brain craves much more constant and diverse stimuli now that I have it constantly at my fingertips. I also use the sabath as a media fast to help combat this. I was showing a very short film (2 minutes) to a group of 7 year olds and it couldn't hold their attention for 20 seconds. It was made in 1980 something and I couldn't blame them. It was so slow paced compared to videos now. I was a bit bored myself. It is definitely affecting our brain and thinking patterns. Not in all good ways.
I was aware of the whole "i'm checking things I don't need to even when I'm having dinner" and the "I check social media when I meet friends IN PERSON" and I started doing a simple thing to help me (and my friends around) detach a little bit from the phone. Put it upside down and in silent mode on a table. All the phones together. And if someone picks the phone, bother them touching it so they can't check it. They will eventually stop doing it, and you'll be able to spend some quality time with friends or family.
Won't last the whole afternoon/night/reunion, but I can usually last and make my friends last around 2 or 3 hours without caring about the phone...
I can really recommend the App "Moment". It tracks your phone use. It helps a lot to reduce time on my phone when i see that I actually spent 20% (!) of my day on the phone.
Btw: Pllllllease make more neuroscientific-related videos. I am studying cognitive and affective neurosciences and I love to hear your opinion/knowledge on neuroscientific things. :)
Love from Austria :)
More videos on the brain and neuroscience, please :3 it's so interesting.
Nice video. Phones have become extraordinarily important to us but their utility in practice is questionable. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram feed a different kind of need; that need to feel we are participating in something. That said, I could just sit and read Wikipedia all day (The Spanish Civil War was fought between 1936-1939, btw). The phone itself has become a status symbol and our best friend who's also a personal assistant. The companies that have created these devices want us rely even more on them then we already do (imagine that?). I wish there was still a public square, like in Medieval times except without the pillories. I wish people would gather to discuss things. Which reminds of something I wanted to look up on Wikipedia.... gotta go! .
I get SO annoyed when I meet people who live in my neighborhood who have to check their GPS to get from point A to point B fairly close by; even if I don't know PRECISELY where I'm going to, I can get within walking distance. I used to read these antiquated things called "maps" and "atlases" that showed you how to get from point A to Point B AND you retained the information!
I like that this was a very practical and reasonable approach to examining phones. I fear when I click on videos like this that it's going to be very anti-social media and only talk about the cons in a subjective way. It's just not an accurate critique of how people use the internet to connect and to learn in a positive way, but it's reduced down to "dumb selfies" and things of that belittling sort. I like that this is an interesting scientific aspect I didn't think about. I suppose we all could stand to accept that sometimes they do hinder us from being productive and retaining information.
I don't leave many comments on UA-cam, but this is a subject close to my heart (and this channel seems fairly troll-free) so here goes:
Two years ago I switched my mobile service to just text and talk, no data. I also recently dumped my last social media account (LinkedIn). And lest you think I'm some sort of Luddite, I recently retired from a career in Technical Security, with heavy involvement in firewalls, proxy servers, intrusion detection and intrusion prevention.
I check my email once a day. I've never posted a selfie, and never felt the need to show the world a picture of the fabulous meal I was just served. I read at least two books a month, and get my news from print and online source material.
Social media may be fun, but it is not an important or even necessary component of a fulfilling life.
I'll take a good face to face conversation with a friend over Facebook “friends” any day of the week!
This video dovetails nicely with the research on multi-tasking, and the need for sufficient uninterrupted time in order to efficiently understand and complete complex tasks. Technology is a useful tool, just make sure you remain it's master, and not the other way around.
My relationship with my phone has made reading actual, physical books that much more important to me. I have a fire hose of information in my hand; I need to stay able to focus on a single steady stream, as well.
Me, always. ALWAYS. I am consulting my psychiatrist about it because it has had an awful influence on my academic life (grades were still perfect, but I couldn't concentrate long enough to write my thesis, so it is postponed), my work (book translator), and my relationships. I am definitely addicted. :(
I made sure I gave my children 1hour of uninterrupted attention (no screens/distraction) for one month and our relationship/their general happiness and behaviour was hugely improved! I need to do this again. Always. Every day.
2:08 The take home message is that the radiation of the phone is damaging the brain tissue and structures and also directly interfering with electrochemical processes as well.
If my unconscious mind knows where my cell phone is, why do I lose it in the house so often?
cuz you're dumb af
Cuz you’re blonde
@@G23-k5r Type cast much? I'm blonde out of a bottle so there goes your theory.
Having a smart phone has allowed me to be better at my job. Also, I have had anxiety since being a child and I've been able to communicate better with it. I can also distract my sense of sight and sound when I feel a panic attack sneaking up. I understand the negative effects as well. I don't use it when we have others over but I realize some won't be able to do that as they have children, elderly parents or a job that requires being more connected.
Hi Mayim!!
Totally , completely , absolutely agree!!!!!!
I hate people don't pay attention because of the cell phone but I must say sometimes I also do it and I don't like it.
I remember when we knew the Phone numbers of family and friends... And I also think that new generation knows nothing compared to generations which didn't grew up without cell phones.
By the way I didn't know your channel, I like it!!
I am sometimes a week without phone and I love it (it's not nesseccary and if someone is wondering how I can do it it's for me very simple: I don't text people all the time or have Snapchat that I should watch or work where I would need my phone and I am a student so I don't really find a reason why I should have a phone on). I really miss landline phones, because you talked to people more when you called somewhere and I think you lived out on a moment and nowdays it's not like that so many are watching their phones all the time and it's not neccessarity. We can still enjoy our lifes without phones if we just choose to give up on them like a day for example. Whenever I go somewhere with my friends we never check our phones in company it's just so we enjoy ourselves and we talk and wonder and laugh all together and that's the best part of all of it. Isn't that how it should be? Being with those You love without doing something that is not so necessary. I recommend leaving your phone for a few days and You see a huge difference how much things You can do in that time. People have been without phones and social media (I am not even at Instagram because I don't see the point in it) before so I am pretty sure we can survival still if we just let go for a bit and try! Technology is great to some point but we should not use it that too much.
I'm only 22 but already I see a huge difference between my childhood experiences, relationships etc, and those of kids just 10 years my junior, because of technology.
Sometimes I wonder if we'll reach a stage of technological advancement (and social decline, one could add) where people who oppose social media & the internet's grip on our lives will break apart and form their own communities, comparable to the Amish. Food for thought.
Anyway, great video. Hope you make more like this!
Funny you say that, Ciara because I'm really considering trying to start a social group where people would get together with OUT taking out/using their cell phones. A few friends have told me it may not be successful since so many are addicted to their phones, but I'm going to try it!
Really enjoyed this video and can totally relate to everything she said. I think that cell phones have affected and impacted people's lives in both negative and positive ways. I am grateful for them but at the same time I am also very grateful that I grew up during a time when they didn't exist, and people spent more time actually relating with each other in a direct, personal way.
I totally agree with you about the Map Apps. My husband and I were just talking about driving around was so much easier when you looked at a map, watched your surroundings then remembered which way to go. With Google Maps we're listening to the voice and concentrating on when to turn, once we get where we're going we need to look up how to get back where we came from because we can't remember how we got there.
Very good point, Michelle Lucas. I will admit I've never used Google Maps or GPS, though I"ve ridden with people who use them. I often find the voice that talks to you on the gps and the map on it, distracting. I've always drawn a map if I needed to and yes, paid attention to my surroundings and even took notes on what businesses I went past and was able to find my way back based on my map. When I needed help finding my way, I got out and asked for directions.
Thanks for making this video! I hadn’t thought of this in this way.
Glad that I learned how to read maps and remember how to get there. When it comes to directions, I use the phone and its GPS function in maps as a tool and then try to remember and retain how to get back there another time.
Phone numbers I don’t remember or make it a point to remember as I once would have at an earlier time. I remember a few numbers as how often I have talked to certain people.
I have noticed that I often have tuned out things when being on the phone. Thanks for giving me a way a new way to look at the phone as look at the phone fully as a tool instead of reliance.
Enjoy watching Blossom & Big Bang reruns! You & Jim and you & Jen worked well together and are very funny!
Shabbat is great !
definitely good points and thumbs up for the honesty.
I struggle with pupils on this topic.
I will definitely open it up for discussion
Very interesting and thought provoking, Dr. Mayim, I especially enjoyed your bit on cognitive cartographic internalisation.
Hey Mayim, a huge fan from Israel here, and a millennial (although not the typical one - paying all the bills by myself and never had a trigger warning).
Anyway, I have some points to contribute on this topic. I'm well-awared to the fact that my actual knowledge on some topics is very limited, but - I have only one profession, a few hobbies, and lots of interests - my brain just can't hold all this information that comes in the forms of great pages like Grok and other sources that I want to be exposed to, and I'd rather have myself focused on my daily work and main hobbies than on the the process of how to get to Tel Aviv from a specific direction. Yes, I do know how to navigate in certain areas, and I don't see the merit in forcing myself to do otherwise (giving up on Waze). The fact is that this machine really *has* the ability to provide us (somewhat) unnecessary pieces of information that we didn't have any access to during the previous decades (well, not easily). We "outsource" what we probably view as redundant tasks through some apps, and willingly using anothers to get the information that we're actually after.
I just think we have to learn how to use this machine wisely; create boundaries, not to give up on privacy and personal life, being aware of what we can only Google. But the question is, is it a zero- sum game? not sure. I'm sure we've lost some capabilites, but probably gathered some along the way, thanks to phones.
For me, I was way stupid-er 5 years ago. I can see the pros over the cons in this case.
-My tip for handling the phone while being with others - don't get it out of your bag and put it on mute.
I keep the sound off on my cell phone and set all my apps to not notify me. I also don't accept friends on Facebook so I don't get email updates every time someone updates their page. I also turn off all sound on apps and play games mute. I hate hearing others' phone ding, ping and ring in public. I look up where I need to go before heading off and refuse to use gps. I use my smartphone every day but I don't allow it to run my life.
I've done the same thing with my cell phone in setting the apps not to notify me. Messenger on Facebook drove me crazy at the beginning with all sorts of pings every time someone sent a message. Once I turned off notifications, it became more bearable and I only check it when I remember.
It sounds like you ARE letting it run your life, Michele, maybe more than you think. Let me ask, could you put it down for more than 4 hours without feeling anxious?
Hi Mayim, one of the big problems with mobile phones I've noticed is people checking their phone at traffic lights, then the lights change too green and the car at the front doesn't move. As a bus driver in London I see this at every set of lights. The other big problem is young people being run over by traffic because there looking at there phones and just walk into the road. Happy birthday for Tuesday . X
I think what you said applies much more to your generation and younger. For me, I live alone and grew up not having internet or phone in hand. I wouldn't think of leaving home without it or admonishing anyone to do that. It's a safety issue. At any moment, the world can become a dangerous place. Knowing my loved ones can get where they need to go, check in safely means the world to me. I agree it should be put away during relationships time. But that just seems like a matter of maturity, like with lots of other things we already had to distract us like TV, alcohol intake, spending money and so on.
Thanks Mayim for those wonderful insights. I totally get it. I teach at university and if you ask students to leave their phones alone their immediate response is: we are a generation who multitasks! 😑
Thank you! This should be required viewing for everyone.