Dedicated readers of my blog may have noted a certain slowing down in terms of new post in recent months. I’d like to say that so much is going well in the world that, put simply, I don’t need to worry and write, feed and post for therapy. Lots has gone well in school of course, in recent weeks the rain has eased and ‘Bless the workers’, Cookham Bridge has reopened ahead of time – so what’s not to like.

If you wish to jump to the section on how God, the Devil and all faiths between have been captured by the Bots, jump to the end.

After years of study and multiple surveys, at long last we now know the following (according to a current Daily Telegraph survey):

“The poll of 2,496 parents in England with at least one child aged between four and 18 found that 83 per cent believe that smartphones are harmful to children. About 58 per cent back a smartphone ban for under 16s. Among primary school parents, support for a ban for under 16s was 77 per cent.”

Amongst surveys of teenagers too, who have by now experienced the mixed blessings of an always-connected culture, the majority there would agree to a ban, subject of course to everyone else accepting the ban, and returning to a previous life where the home-phone and/or meet-in-the-street activity was the way to kept contact with your peer group. In short, in the right hands and for the right reasons, the connected mobile is absolutely solving problems in the shortest and simplest of ways. Sadly, in the same hands at another time (and lots of them) the hands are scrolling through from one story to the next, each one emphasising and supporting the value systems, likes and interests of the user.

For those new to the concept of Cognitive dissonance, I asked Google Gemini AI to produce a simplification of this concept: this is what Gemini came up with:

“Imagine you just bought a brand new mobile phone. It’s the latest model, with all the bells and whistles. You love the camera, the super-fast processor, and the sleek design. But there’s one problem: it drains the battery incredibly quickly.

This creates a mental conflict, a kind of cognitive dissonance. On the one hand, you believe you made a great purchase (powerful phone, beautiful design). On the other hand, the constant need to recharge disrupts your life (frustrating limitation).

This is similar to cognitive dissonance in general. It’s a mental discomfort that arises when you hold two conflicting beliefs or engage in behavior that contradicts your values. Here’s how it applies:

• Belief 1: Mobile phones are essential for staying connected and productive.
• Behavior: You spend hours mindlessly scrolling on social media, feeling unproductive and wasting time.

The dissonance creates a tension that you try to resolve. You might:

• Justify your behavior: “Everyone does it” or “It’s a good way to unwind.”
• Downplay the negative aspects: “The battery life isn’t that bad.”
• Change your belief: Maybe phones aren’t so important after all.
• Take action: Set limits on phone use or find more productive ways to use it.

Just like with the phone, cognitive dissonance can motivate you to change your behavior or beliefs to create a more consistent mental state.”

I am teaching Year 7 at present about the Dissolution of the Monasteries, and they very quickly understand that the evidence surfaced by Thomas Cromwell for Henry VIII did not always show that the monks in Monasteries were guilty of immorality and lax religious practices. They understand that it suited his purpose to discredit the Church of Rome, recommend the closure of the Monasteries and thus enabling Henry to acquire huge additional revenues for the Crown, his army and navy and thus strengthen England.

And after the lesson, they go back to being children, playing at break, fueling up in the canteen and clearing their minds of such History. As a peer group, they have studied together, swum in the same ‘school’ and together been able to readily judge and learn. Interesting to note, that set such work on their own, the time taken to read, learn, understand, wrestle and arise at a shared answer probably would have taken 3 or 4 times as long. Working together, thinking in the same set of limited facts and focused attention, no Cognitive Dissonance or worse still Overload. Mental well-being is maintained.

But here’s the difficulty with Social Media; like my class, groups of individuals are steadily gathered by the ‘evidence’ being displayed in the ‘stream’, but far from challenge, the stream keeps adding more of the same ‘echo chamber’ set of thoughts, so the excitement of finding a friendly stream that’s supporting you so well steadily becomes an addiction that can’t be left. AI is not replacing the teacher, ensuring balance, caution, reflection and analysis.

Modern schools have always had the purpose of being friendly places in which children learn how to challenge received wisdoms and learn how to think for themselves. I absolutely get that as parents this can feel intimidating, because it’s so much more peaceful if the homework gets done without pain. We can never teach handwriting again successfully as a country because the pain seems to high and the cost of alternative mechanisms by which to be literate are now so much lower. On the plus side, it looks as though we are developing really good dictation skills, so much so that children’s poor spelling doesn’t get caught out because that easy check on read-back allows for quick editing and review.

Back to my central point; we need both social cohesion and cognitive dissonance in the school learning situation. We need to be a safe place to learn as well as offering challenge, argument and resolution for the better. So of course mobile phones need to be off in school all day, and because everyone knows that’s the rule, they’ll both be accepting and relieved. Outside of the school, child and adolescent use needs to be regularly curtailed and more importantly, supervise. Out there in the Wild Internet, where anything and everything goes, there is far too much to lead children astray, a repeating echo chamber of AI generated content and links that is way too smart for us and creating dopamine surplus and addiction amongst us all.

For young people, here are the dangers (thanks Gemini):

Brain Development:

• Teenagers’ brains are still under development, and excessive screen time can impact areas related to learning, memory, and attention span.

Mental Health:

• Social media can be a breeding ground for anxiety, depression, and feelings of inadequacy, especially when teenagers compare themselves to others’ online personas.
• Cyberbullying is another risk, which can have severe emotional consequences.

Sleep:

• The blue light emitted by smartphones can disrupt sleep patterns, leading to fatigue and impacting mood and concentration.

Physical Health:

• Excessive phone use can lead to a more sedentary lifestyle, increasing the risk of obesity and other health problems.
• Text neck, a strain on the neck and shoulders from constantly looking down, is another potential physical issue.

Addiction:

• Smartphones are designed to be engaging, and teenagers are particularly susceptible to developing compulsive behaviors. This can lead to neglecting real-world relationships and responsibilities.

Privacy:

• Teenagers may not be fully aware of the privacy risks associated with social media and oversharing online.

Exposure to Inappropriate Content:

• The internet can be a dangerous place, and teenagers may be exposed to inappropriate content, such as violence or pornography.

Social Skills:

• Constant interaction through texts and social media can hinder the development of strong face-to-face communication and social skills.

Here are the rules:

• Setting screen time limits
• Creating phone-free zones in the house
• Open communication about online safety and privacy
• Encouraging other activities and hobbies
• Being a good role model by showing healthy phone use yourself.

Conclusion.

To summarise – Cognitive Dissonance forms part of the learning process, can cause tensions but is one of the ways our brain manages internal debate to settle uncertainties, helps build learning pathways and informs future actions.

This week’s Scientific American stimulated me to write this blog, in part because of the ludicrous, unthinkable idea that AI engines such as ChatGPT can load up ‘God’ into its large language model and act as the the one supreme being, the creator and ruler of the universe. It’s been done with all the faiths, including the Bible, Islam, Confucian and includes the Delphic Oracle in its works. Of course AI is not just one ‘thing’ but I have been playing with https://bible.ai/ and it’s been really quite a ‘revelation’ – not that the Book of Revelations is actually a favourite story book of mine. To close, I asked Google Gemini what I should think of it:

“The Book of Revelation isn’t necessarily regarded badly, but it is a complex and often misinterpreted text. Here’s a breakdown of why it can be challenging:

Symbolic Language: Revelation is filled with symbolic imagery and apocalyptic visions, which can be difficult to interpret literally. This ambiguity has led to a wide range of interpretations throughout history.

Fear and Violence: The book features vivid descriptions of disasters, war, and punishment, which can be frightening or off-putting to some readers.

Focus on End Times: Some interpretations of Revelation emphasize the end of the world and apocalyptic events, which can cause anxiety or despair.

Historical Context: Understanding the historical context of the book’s writing can be helpful in interpreting its symbolism. It was written during a time of persecution for early Christians, and the imagery reflects their struggles.

Misuse by Extremists: Unfortunately, some extremist groups have used their interpretations of Revelation to justify violence or hatred.

However, there are also many positive ways to view Revelation:

• Hope and Encouragement: Despite the imagery of destruction, Revelation also offers a message of hope and ultimate triumph of good over evil.
• Comfort and Strength: For some believers, Revelation provides comfort and strength in the face of suffering or persecution.
• Symbolism and Metaphor: Viewed symbolically, the book’s message can be about personal transformation, overcoming challenges, and the ultimate victory of God’s will.

Ultimately, the Book of Revelation is a complex and multifaceted text. How someone views it depends on their own religious beliefs, interpretation style, and consideration of the historical context.

Gemini may display inaccurate info, including about people, so double-check its responses. Your privacy & Gemini AppsOpens in a new window