At the New Orleans Book Festival at Tulane University, author Catherine Price discussed how smartphones are diminishing personal connections and student experiences. Price, known for her works such as “How to Break Up With Your Phone” and “The Power of Fun,” spoke in a conversation moderated by Tulane President Michael A. Fitts, highlighting themes drawn from her research and personal experiences.
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Fitts emphasized the relevance of Price’s insights to both student life and academic culture, stating, “Fun is critically important in many aspects of life, but also important to education. It's fundamental to our enjoyment of life and, in many ways, success.”
Price, whose TED Talk on fun has garnered over five million views, outlined a framework for understanding fun as a combination of playfulness, connection, and flow. She defined flow as a deep engagement in an activity where time seems to vanish, contrasting it with the passive nature of scrolling on devices. Connection, she noted, necessitates being present, warning that multitasking on smartphones during conversations signals a lack of attention towards others.
According to Price, smartphones disrupt users' memory formation and focus, while contributing to physical and psychological stress, including increased cortisol levels linked to heart issues and diabetes. “You could think about fun, which we often treat as frivolous, as actually important to us on a physiological level,” she asserted.
Fitts referenced comments from former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy about a growing loneliness epidemic, connecting this to broader concerns regarding student well-being. He remarked that “fun leads to better health, better connection with other people, and a more meaningful life.”
The dialogue also touched on strategies for schools and universities to combat digital addiction. Price noted that students are not only distracted but are missing out on crucial human experiences. She commended K-12 schools with phone-free policies, stating, “The cafeterias are noisy again, the halls are noisy.”
Fitts highlighted the relational culture of Tulane and New Orleans, calling for more face-to-face interactions outside of technology to enhance personal fulfillment. Price cited New York University’s “IRL” initiative aimed at promoting off-campus activities and in-person gatherings as a positive development.
She stressed the urgency for families, schools, companies, and policymakers to address the issue, stating, “It really is our experience of our own lives that's at stake, and what it means to be human.”