What is technology doing to our brains? Baroness Greenfield for the Centre for Ethics
Last week, as part of Oxley College’s Centre for Ethics lecture series, we were privileged to host Baroness Susan Greenfield, a renowned English scientist, writer, broadcaster, and member of the House of Lords, as a guest speaker to discuss a topic of ever-growing relevance, being how technology shapes the brain.
Baroness Greenfield delivered a powerful message on the importance of considering the way technology may shape our brain just as technology continues to shape the world around us. She led the discussion with a striking overview of the brain and neuroplasticity, including the brain’s incredible ability to continuously adapt and change according to what we experience on a day-to-day basis. It is due to this adaptability that we can continue to learn and grow in our understanding of the world around us and yet it also leaves us vulnerable to the downsides of continuous screen exposure in the digital world. Baroness Greenfield explained that while technology has been used in the past to assist and enrich lives, excessive technology use in the 21st century is damaging, leading to shorter attention spans, weaker interpersonal skills, and a continuous weakening sense of self.
Excessive technology use in the 21st century is damaging, leading to shorter attention spans, weaker interpersonal skills, and a continuous weakening sense of self.
So, what does this mean for us students who are expected to sit quietly and study in order to achieve? Do these documented brain changes mean that the current school model followed in Australia is no longer useful? Are schools now outdated and beyond repair? These were just some of the questions that were brought to the forefront in our discussion with Baroness greenfield.
During our group discussion and at her lecture, Baroness Greenfield mentioned that spending time in nature, reading imaginative texts and enriching all our senses had a huge positive effect on our brain. She was pleased to hear that a large part of the Oxley experience was to take part in big adventures – such as OLE Week, Duke of Edinburgh expeditions and adventure trips like Nepal and Outback. She was of the view that a balanced approach to the use of technology was needed, and she urged us to pursue activities that promoted deep and sequential thinking to help us build a stronger sense of personal identity and mental well-being.
Our generation is the first to have been totally immersed in the digital world from birth. It is more important than ever for us to embrace the real world – play sport, read, go out with our friends, have adventures, and take time to be quiet and think. We can’t escape the digital age, but we can ensure that we take opportunities to ensure our everchanging brain is fit and healthy enough to allow us to lead a fulfilled life.
Our generation is the first to have been totally immersed in the digital world from birth. It is more important than ever for us to embrace the real world.
Ultimately Baroness Greenfield’s speech was a wakeup call reminding us of the importance of intention in using technology and stepping back to engage in the real world. Her insights challenge us to think critically about technology and how it continues to shape our brains as well as ensuring it enriches rather than diminishes who we are.
This was the last talk in this year’s Centre for Ethics lecture series. It has been such a highlight hearing from and having discussions with the broad range of speakers. We thank Dr Hall for arranging and co-ordinating the talks and we look forward to future events that the Centre for Ethics programme will entail in 2025.
Eliza B, Year 11