Tame the Tech Beast.

Many problems that stem from culture-wide smartphone use are now self-evident, however studies are starting to show just how destructive this new cultural experiment has been for people, families, and the young in particular.

Half of the children in the United States own a smartphone by age 11, and nearly 9 out of 10 teenagers have their own device. As teens’ social media use has risen, their happiness has declined. Studies show a strong link between heavy social media use and an increased risk for depression, anxiety, loneliness, self-harm, and suicidal thoughts. Meanwhile studies continue to show the negative effects of blue light on REM sleep and mental health, and how dopamine addiction from social media “likes” can be as powerful as drug use.

But perhaps the greater issue is an effect on psycho/sexual development. 93% of boys and 68% of girls have been exposed to pornography before the age of 18. Many young men (and women) come to college with a pornographic addiction, which can be harder to conquer than a heroin addiction, and can inhibit normal relationships, skew one’s proper understanding of sex and the human person, encourage self-loathing, and impede a young person’s willingness to make life-long commitments.

We want to encourage a better way, a more human way. How do we live in the modern age, utilize the tools offered by technology, and not be owned or tainted by them? How can we be master and not slave to our devices? To find the proper balance is a challenge, but we want to help reclaim the adventure of human living, no matter a person’s state in life.