Technology and Social Media Learning Resources

David Morton

If you want to learn more about the message from 1/8/2023 regarding technology, here are some resources to get you started.

The Social Dilemma - A Netflix documentary covering the social media technologies. This is recommended first, as it gives a good overview in an hour or two.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uaaC57tcci0

Your Undivided Attention Podcast (some episodes may not be kid-friendly)
For a deeper dive into the current events and efforts around creating what Tristan Harris calls "Humane Technology"
https://www.humanetech.com/podcast

Irresistible: The Rise of Addictive Technology and the Business of Keeping Us Hooked, by Adam Alter
This book gives deep details into the addictive properties of social media, the how and why behind what they're creating.
https://a.co/d/hF5EI80

Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business, by Neil Postman
While I haven't read this book, that's probably to my shame. This is easily the most referenced book on the way media changes our approach to the world. It's quoted or referenced by most of the other books in this list.
https://a.co/d/83Gc9Kj

Tech-Wise Family: Everyday Steps for Putting Technology in Its Proper Place, by Andy Crouch
This is a practical book on "what to do". If you're looking for action steps, this is a good one, and it's worth noting that Crouch practices what he preaches--his two kids are grown and have chosen to simply remain off social media entirely.
https://a.co/d/anw4g08

Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man, by Marshall McLuhan
This was a seminal work back in the 60's. McLuhan makes the case that the media that we use isn't neutral, but is rather shapes culture in the same way that the message shapes the culture. We cannot approach various mediums as though they are all equal.
https://a.co/d/hrhYWGn

Stolen Focus: Why You Can't Pay Attention--And How to Think Deeply Again
This is another one that I haven't read, but was a bestseller last year. It came highly recommended by a friend of mine. From what I can tell, it may be a more accessible version of Altar's Irresistible.
https://a.co/d/46TpUeI

Liturgy of the Ordinary: Sacred Practices in Everyday Life, by Tish Harrison Warren
Make your bed. Brush your teeth. Sit in traffic.
These are embodied things we do everyday, but we forget that they can also be sacred moments. Tish Harrison Warren is one of my favorite writers today, and I cannot recommend her work enough.
https://a.co/d/5wnCT7e