The authors explain that all daily habits rewire the brain, which makes connections based on people’s regular behaviors. This process is even more significant in adolescence, when the brain is wiring itself and preparing for life as an adult. Using devices every day impacts brain function. For instance, everyone’s brains are wired to respond to distractions, since they could be threats to survival. If someone’s brain is constantly distracted—for instance, because of frequent notifications—they may lose their ability to deeply concentrate. 

The authors want every teen to have the right to a distraction-free, phone-free learning environment. With the average teen phone user getting hundreds of notifications each day, it is impossible to concentrate on work unless their phone is put away. Short-form content, such as TikTok reels, are fast-paced and constantly changing. This can make real life seem slow and boring in comparison, prompting people to go back online. The authors recommend mindfulness exercises for people who want to rebuild their attention spans.

Another problem with frequent device use is reduced creativity. When people’s brains are constantly entertained, they do not feel the boredom or mind-wandering needed to come up with new ideas. Being online can also change who you are, making you more self-conscious about your looks, belongings, and others’ opinions. However, engaging in the real world helps you build skills, social confidence, and explore your creativity.

In the graphic novel, friends Sophie, Jax, and Callie dance and have fun at their school event. Since they do not have phones, nothing distracts them from their good time. However, Emma, Tyler, and David are worried that people will judge their dancing, or record them and turn them into an embarrassing meme. They post about the dance and make it seem fun, but don’t actually participate in it.

This passage identifies online activities as a threat to young people’s ability to develop attention spans, creative thinking, and real-life skills. The authors’ use of neuroscience in this passage adds substance to their claim. They connect people’s distractibility with certain consequences, such as a loss of focus and resilience, explaining, “the more often you’re distracted, the more distractible you’ll become. Over time, you’ll find it harder to concentrate or focus, and you may find yourself seeking a distraction anytime things get even the tiniest bit boring or hard” (109). This invites the reader to reflect on how time spent on their devices might make the rest of their life feel more challenging and overwhelming. 

This section also reveals how young people experience these distractions in real life. One teen, Ezra, wishes that he had not been so consumed by his devices during his youth. In his personal testimonial, he says, “Spending too much time on gaming and social media has made me a lot less productive and focused” (108). This perspective endorses the authors’ argument that when people spend time on their devices, they not only lose the present moment, but their future ability to concentrate on their tasks and goals.

Chapter Lessons

• Overusing devices can rewire your brain
• Constant distractions and quick content limits your attention span
• Being constantly entertained compromises creativity and other skills

Reflection Questions

• What are the differences between how the kids behave at the dance? Do you agree with the way the story has characterized phone users versus non-phone users?
• The authors believe that phones can make people feel more distractible. How would you describe your own habits of concentration—do you find it easy to focus, or difficult? What could you do in your daily life to increase your concentration skills?
• When was the last time you were bored? How did you resolve your boredom? Did this help you build a long-term skill or a temporary feeling of entertainment?