Adam Alter—NYU Marketing Professor and New York Times bestselling author—joins Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience Joel Pearson for an engaging conversation on how addictive technology influences our lives.
Why are so many people addicted to technology? Adam Alter has been investigating the question for years, most notably in his latest book Irresistible. It’s a topic that comes up in his fruitful conversation with Joel Pearson, along with many others. For instance, is there such a thing as sustainable tech? What are the mental health effects of big tech? And can we understand addictive technology as a tax on the poor?
“Screens are pacifiers for adults,” Alter admits. “Everytime we’re a little uncomfortable, whether that’s socially or whether we have some small measure of anxiety, our first instinct is to turn to our phones.” Unsurprisingly, this major shift in instinctual behavior has consequences, for us and for future generations. But there’s always going to be benefits to tech, Alter says, cautioning against throwing the baby out with the bathwater: “The trick is going to be working out just the right balance.”
You can listen to their full conversation here.
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