Can Our Screens Be Redeemed?

When I was in fourth grade, I became part of the vanguard in my public school’s transition to the digital age. Participating in a class assignment, I confidently parroted the benefits of technological convenience in a letter to the district aimed at convincing administrators to supply our class with more technology. Within the year, we were using personal computers and iPads in place of paper and whiteboards. At the time, I remember feeling untempered excitement, understanding that I was part of the first generation to ride this wave of progress, and unaware of any potential consequences or downsides. After two decades, I see the destruction this technology has wrought: equipping middle schoolers with front-facing cameras, isolating high schoolers in COVID lockdowns, and tempting college students with open chat AI has created a culture of distracted, dopamine addicts.