Deviced! Balancing Life and Technology in a Digital World

Psychologist Dodgen-Magee makes a detail-rich, persuasive case for the need to embrace technology yet also “make some conscious decisions about what place we want technology to hold in our lives.” The dilemma, as she explains it, is that people feel “gratitude for the ways that technology benefits society” but “many are experiencing niggling questions about how a near-constant engagement with devices” affects everyday life. The concerns range from losing touch with the physical senses and having “no sense of our larger environs” to obesity and social isolation. “Take Action” sidebars throughout the book offer suggestions for modifying behavior, along with strong reasons for doing so. People’s lives are changing irrevocably and unintentionally, Dodgen-Magee points out; increased interaction with one’s device encourages a blinkered perspective as users merely “reflect [their] own little worlds back to [themselves].” The overall message Dodgen-Magee strongly presents is the necessity of moving toward “intention” regarding one’s use of devices and technology. A five-component assessment tool will help users understand their “tech engagement and impact” and then develop appropriate “delay skills.” Dodgen-Magee leaves readers with a “Ten (RICH) Minutes a Day” exercise, useful in its simplicity, grounded in meditation, and firmly directed toward “emotional well-being.” This educational, encouraging book leaves its audience with a plethora of helpful suggestions. (Oct.)