The Inside Press

Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

Social Media Addiction

You Are Not Cool.

by

Photo courtesy of https://www.someecards.com/usercards/viewcard/MjAxMi05YWE4MjBkNzM5ZGYwYmZk/

 

When people think of social media, it is typically associated with teenagers and early adults being obsessed with likes and who can project their best lifestyle. Generation Z and millennials are usually linked with social media taking over their lives. The expression “phone eats first” and people, especially girls (I can confidently support this being a girl *wink* ), snapping a million pictures until getting the right one. However, I would like to argue that this logic is wrong. We are the scapegoat for the older generation to hide behind. We are not the true culprits of the epidemic of social media taking over. Adults, especially parents of teenagers, are the true OCD consumers of social media. 

The smallest family gathering happens and you already know all the mothers are going to line up and want to make a huge photoshoot to later post on Facebook, where their 76 friends will comment. Saying “So cute! My kids could never!”, “They grow up so fast!”, and on and on. Cut the BS. We both know you do not care that Sheryl went to Turks and Caicos for the fifth year in a row. And the same goes for Sheryl–stop acting like your kid did not just throw a fit because they missed their sleep away camp meet up in the city to go on this vacation. Social media portrays such a falsehood of what is reality. Simply commenting on someone’s post does not mean you are close with them. Send them a text or call to show you care. These moms are so obsessed with portraying a different (read: fake, or at best, idealized) perception of their family. I truly think that if these moms keep trying to portray their family dynamic like how it seems on social media, that maybe one day their manifestations will materialize. Get a reality check, but it has not been all smiles and a love fest at Thanksgiving with the in-laws. Maybe get some crystals and family therapy. Stop dragging everyone else into your family’s mess.

However, the moms of Facebook are not even the worst of them. The worst are the wannabe influencers. They just learned about Instagram a month ago and think making reels is revolutionary and they’ll become famous for showing their outfits every day in their story. It has been done. And yet, still few have actually become that famous. They think they are hip and cool being on Instagram, posting their lives, thinking that people are just WAITING at their phones for the next post. Like no, what do you think you are influencing? What does “influencers” even mean? What are you changing? The times people want to block you? Because that number is only going up. The only brands that reach out to you to promote are probably bots or a pyramid scheme. There is a reason no one has heard of these companies! Okay, maybe if Gucci or Versace is sponsoring you, then none of this applies to you. But to those of you out there not making this cut, fun fact but typically the number of likes usually lines up with the number of followers you have. We can tell, you buy your followers! Right, because you have 14.7k followers but on a good day get 53 likes, yes! Love the PEMDAS that is happening.

Social media does have its positives of allowing people to stay connected all throughout the world and depicting the time that has passed. But, people own up to the reality of your life and stop posting inspirational quotes that you do not even implement in your life. Time to make social media casual again.

 

SCREENAGERS: Growing Up in the Digital Age; Sept 7 & 8 Film and Forum

by

Town of New Castle release:

screenagers1-e1454601138886-630x457Chappaqua Moms, a virtual Facebook community which includes over 6,800 members, is thrilled to present its first-ever “live” community event: SCREENAGERS: Growing Up in the Digital Age.

•Kids spend on average 6.5 hours a day on screens and that doesn’t include classroom or homework screen time.
•Boys spend on average the equivalent of 1.5 days on video games every week •Some recent studies show us that screen time increases dopamine production and causes behavior that mimics addiction.

During the frenetic yet optimistic fresh-new-notebook feeling of the first week back at school, we are inviting parents *along with* their children ages 10-18 to come view then talk about a topic that pervades all of our households. As seen on Good Morning America, SCREENAGERS: Growing Up in The Digital Age is selling out audiences around the country. SCREENAGERS is the first feature documentary to explore the impact of screen technology on kids and to offer parents proven solutions that work. SCREENAGERS is blazing a new model of distribution, known as a community viewing model, in hopes that parents and educators can start a conversation nationwide about how screen time impacts our lives.Screenagers

Physician and filmmaker, Delaney Ruston decided to make SCREENAGERS when she found herself constantly struggling with her two kids about screen time. Ruston felt guilty and confused, not sure what limits were best, especially around mobile phones, social media, gaming, and how to monitor online homework. Hearing repeatability how other parents were equally overwhelmed, she realized this is one of the biggest, unexplored parenting issues of our time. Ruston turned the camera on her own family and others—revealing stories that depict messy struggles over social media, video games, academics and internet addiction. Examples of stories, include Hannah’s, an 14-year old victim of social media bullying that stemmed from her trying to hide her use of social media from her mom. Issues are different for boys and girls, and the film also follows Andrew’s story, a straight-A student whose love of video games spins out of control when he goes off to college and lands in an internet rehab center.

Interwoven into these stories, are cutting edge science and insights from thought leaders such as Peggy Orenstein, Sherry Turkle, Simon Sinek, as well as leading brain scientists who present evidence on real changes happening in the brain. SCREENAGERS goes far beyond exposing the risks of screen time, but reveals multiple approaches on how parents and educators can work with kids to help them achieve a healthy amount of screen time.

Our moderators for the Wednesday September 7th event will be Audrey Mann Cronin, Dr. Benna Strober, Eileen Kenna, a 5th grade teacher at Bell, and Greeley Counselor Caroline D’Agastino. Our co-moderators for the Thursday September 8th event will be the Reverend Dr. Martha Jacobs and Rabbi Jonathan Jaffe.

Audrey Mann Cronin is a digital culture entrepreneur, a communications consultant, the founder of blog and Facebook community, Our Digital Daughters, the creator of mobile app LikeSo: Your Personal Speech Coach, and, most importantly, the mother of two Greeley teenagers.

Dr. Benna Strober is a child and adolescent psychologist in private practice in mount Kisco. She is an avid writer, sharing her knowledge and expertise on all things teens. By far, her biggest accomplishment and joy is being the mom of 3 Greeley daughters.

Rabbi Jonathan Jaffe serves as Senior Rabbi for Temple Beth El of Northern Westchester in Chappaqua, New York. He earlier served Congregation Emanu-El of San Francisco from 2007-2014. In recent years, Rabbi Jaffe has served on the boards of the Jewish Community Federation’s Peoplehood Commission, the San Francisco Interfaith Coalition, and the Pacific Association of Reform Rabbis and has served as a regular columnist for the J Weekly newspaper. He currently serves as co-chair of the Chappaqua Interfaith Coalition.

The Rev. Dr. Martha Jacobs is the Senior Minister at The First Congregational Church in Chappaqua. Prior to her coming to FCC, Martha was a professional hospital chaplain for more than 20 years, serving New York Presbyterian Hospital – Columbia Campus, and United Hospital in Port Chester, NY. Martha’s work involved providing care to patients and family members of all ages and religious beliefs. Her training included conflict and mediation skills.

This event is generously sponsored by Camp Breezemont, Armonk New York and the New Castle Arts & Culture Committee. All proceeds from ticket sales will be divided evenly among these 2 local charities: “Chappaqua Cares” and “A Kids’ Brain Tumor Cure”.

WHERE: Wallace Auditorium – Chappaqua Crossing, 480 Bedford Rd, Chappaqua

Sept 7th (7:15-9:15pm): https://www.eventbrite.com/e/chappaqua-moms-presents-screenagers-growing-up-in-the-digital-age-tickets-26287338136

Sept 8th (7-9pm): https://www.eventbrite.com/e/chappaqua-moms-presents-screenagers-growing-up-in-the-digital-age-tickets-26287391295

Movie Trailer: www.screenagersmovie.com<http://www.screenagersmovie.com>

Julie Scott, founder of Chappaqua Moms, stated “It’s ironic that the very thing that brings us together— in this case, the same screens featuring the Chappaqua Moms page on Facebook— is also causing consternation at home (Instagram/Snapchat/Games/texts etc.). The back-to-school week double-showing of the film Screenagers will hopefully serve a dual purpose of bringing our community together as well as provide some food-for-thought about teaching our kids how to better balance the need to be connected with the need to disconnect”.

Kimberly L. Gilman, Director of Development A Kids’ Brain Tumor Cure Foundation, stated “A Kids’ Brain Tumor Cure is thrilled to be chosen by Chappaqua Moms as one of the charities to benefit from the ticket sales to the ScreenAgers movie! Cancerous brain tumors are the #1 cancer related death in children. The mission of A Kids’ Brain Tumor Cure is to raise funds and awareness for scientific research leading to new, promising treatments and a cure for children’s brain cancer”.

Jessica Reinmann, co-founder of Chappaqua Cares, stated “I’m thrilled to be a beneficiary of this production. We are thankful that Chappaqua Moms has continued to be a place where we can rally the troops for those in need. Chappaqua Cares our mission is to connect local philanthropic organizations with residents in the community who want to help with fundraising, donation drives and by volunteering. Our goal is to broaden awareness of our neighbors in need and facilitate successful interactions between the community and these organizations.”

Town Board member Lisa Katz, who chairs the New Castle Arts & Culture Committee, stated “I am so excited that we are able to use the Wallace Auditorium to show SCREENAGERS. The Arts & Culture Committee is committed to expanding arts & culture throughout New Castle. This is especially important for our kids who are growing up in this digital age. The Wallace Auditorium will allow us to host so many great community events like this throughout the year”.

New Castle Town Supervisor Rob Greenstein stated ”I would like to thank the co-moderators of Chappaqua Moms,Julie Scott and Georgia Frasch, for bringing SCREENAGERS to our community. I would also like to thank Rabbi Jonathan Jaffe, Rev. Dr. Martha Jacobs, Audrey Mann Cronin, Dr. Benna Strober, Kim Gilman & Jessica Reinmann for their help in organizing this incredible event. I look forward to the two showings of Screenagers & the discussion about the impact screen technology has on our lives and what we can do to find a healthy balance”.

Contact list: