hi everyone I stand here with a simple offer an
I stand here with a simple offer an
I stand here with a simple offer an offer that if accepted yields
offer that if accepted yields
offer that if accepted yields instantaneous results and inevitable
instantaneous results and inevitable
instantaneous results and inevitable positive consequences my offer is this
positive consequences my offer is this
positive consequences my offer is this the chance to purge yourself of social
the chance to purge yourself of social
the chance to purge yourself of social media and reclaim your personal identity
media and reclaim your personal identity
media and reclaim your personal identity I challenge everyone to try going one
I challenge everyone to try going one
I challenge everyone to try going one week without social media and I
week without social media and I
week without social media and I guarantee it will change your life I can
guarantee it will change your life I can
guarantee it will change your life I can attest to this because I personally have
attest to this because I personally have
attest to this because I personally have been without any social media for almost
been without any social media for almost
been without any social media for almost a year and it’s completely changed the
a year and it’s completely changed the
a year and it’s completely changed the way I view the world I’m not saying that
way I view the world I’m not saying that
way I view the world I’m not saying that all social media is bad social media can
all social media is bad social media can
all social media is bad social media can be used for marketing or to spread a
be used for marketing or to spread a
be used for marketing or to spread a positive message to the world however it
positive message to the world however it
positive message to the world however it apps like Facebook Twitter Instagram and
apps like Facebook Twitter Instagram and
apps like Facebook Twitter Instagram and snapchat are taking over our lives
snapchat are taking over our lives
snapchat are taking over our lives they’re taking us out of the present
they’re taking us out of the present
they’re taking us out of the present moment and causing us to exist only in a
moment and causing us to exist only in a
moment and causing us to exist only in a virtual world and nobody should live
virtual world and nobody should live
virtual world and nobody should live like that social media has taken over
like that social media has taken over
like that social media has taken over astonishingly quickly if you think about
astonishingly quickly if you think about
astonishingly quickly if you think about it when we meet a new person the norm is
it when we meet a new person the norm is
it when we meet a new person the norm is no longer to ask them for their phone
no longer to ask them for their phone
no longer to ask them for their phone number the norm is to friend them on
number the norm is to friend them on
number the norm is to friend them on Facebook or ask for their snapchat or
Facebook or ask for their snapchat or
Facebook or ask for their snapchat or Twitter username in 2008 only 24% of the
Twitter username in 2008 only 24% of the
Twitter username in 2008 only 24% of the US population had a social media profile
US population had a social media profile
US population had a social media profile now 81% has won this astronomical growth
now 81% has won this astronomical growth
now 81% has won this astronomical growth is because social media is seen as a
is because social media is seen as a
is because social media is seen as a do-it-all platform it’s widely replaced
do-it-all platform it’s widely replaced
do-it-all platform it’s widely replaced texting and email in a lot of cases and
texting and email in a lot of cases and
texting and email in a lot of cases and it’s used as our main source of news
it’s used as our main source of news
it’s used as our main source of news this leads to people spending hours a
this leads to people spending hours a
this leads to people spending hours a day with their noses just glued to their
day with their noses just glued to their
day with their noses just glued to their phones psychologists at Trent Nottingham
phones psychologists at Trent Nottingham
phones psychologists at Trent Nottingham University found that we spend twice
University found that we spend twice
University found that we spend twice as much time on our phones as we think
as much time on our phones as we think
as much time on our phones as we think we do and that amount of time is five
we do and that amount of time is five
we do and that amount of time is five hours a day nearly a third of our entire
hours a day nearly a third of our entire
hours a day nearly a third of our entire waking lives I’m sure you’re familiar
waking lives I’m sure you’re familiar
waking lives I’m sure you’re familiar with this site that used to be me in
with this site that used to be me in
with this site that used to be me in fact I would wake up every morning and
fact I would wake up every morning and
fact I would wake up every morning and immediately reach for my phone the
immediately reach for my phone the
immediately reach for my phone the amount of notifications I had would
amount of notifications I had would
amount of notifications I had would determine how good my morning was yay
determine how good my morning was yay
determine how good my morning was yay people want to talk to me I would spend
people want to talk to me I would spend
people want to talk to me I would spend one to two hours thoughtlessly scrolling
one to two hours thoughtlessly scrolling
one to two hours thoughtlessly scrolling through all my social media profiles
through all my social media profiles
through all my social media profiles before even getting out of bed I would
before even getting out of bed I would
before even getting out of bed I would check Twitter then snapchat then
check Twitter then snapchat then
check Twitter then snapchat then Instagram then go back to Twitter to see
Instagram then go back to Twitter to see
Instagram then go back to Twitter to see if anything new had been posted just in
if anything new had been posted just in
if anything new had been posted just in the last 30 minutes I was an addict
the last 30 minutes I was an addict
the last 30 minutes I was an addict wasting my time and the time that I was
wasting my time and the time that I was
wasting my time and the time that I was wasting was being spent looking at other
wasting was being spent looking at other
wasting was being spent looking at other people’s posts and seeing how I thought
people’s posts and seeing how I thought
people’s posts and seeing how I thought other people lived this influenced me to
other people lived this influenced me to
other people lived this influenced me to shape my life in a similar way and I
shape my life in a similar way and I
shape my life in a similar way and I took on the values of what I saw online
took on the values of what I saw online
took on the values of what I saw online in hindsight I wasn’t living my life at
in hindsight I wasn’t living my life at
in hindsight I wasn’t living my life at all I was living society’s life this is
all I was living society’s life this is
all I was living society’s life this is one of the biggest problems with social
one of the biggest problems with social
one of the biggest problems with social media it causes people to live their
media it causes people to live their
media it causes people to live their life based on some societal standard
life based on some societal standard
life based on some societal standard humans have always had an instinct to
humans have always had an instinct to
humans have always had an instinct to fit in collaboration and cooperation
fit in collaboration and cooperation
fit in collaboration and cooperation were necessary for our species to
were necessary for our species to
were necessary for our species to survive because of this a sense of
survive because of this a sense of
survive because of this a sense of belonging is one of the most
belonging is one of the most
belonging is one of the most sought-after and rewarding feelings
sought-after and rewarding feelings
sought-after and rewarding feelings anyone can experience think of the
anyone can experience think of the
anyone can experience think of the feeling of your favorite sports team
feeling of your favorite sports team
feeling of your favorite sports team winning the big game or finally
winning the big game or finally
winning the big game or finally finishing a group project where each
finishing a group project where each
finishing a group project where each member of the group knew their role and
member of the group knew their role and
member of the group knew their role and carried it out perfectly successful
carried it out perfectly successful
carried it out perfectly successful group interaction triggers a firing of
group interaction triggers a firing of
group interaction triggers a firing of the pleasure centers in the brain
the pleasure centers in the brain
the pleasure centers in the brain and releases amounts of dopamine
and releases amounts of dopamine
and releases amounts of dopamine synonymous with drug use a feeling of
synonymous with drug use a feeling of
synonymous with drug use a feeling of belonging is sought in humans like drug
belonging is sought in humans like drug
belonging is sought in humans like drug addicts seek their next fix and social
addicts seek their next fix and social
addicts seek their next fix and social media is designed to exploit this all
media is designed to exploit this all
media is designed to exploit this all the little features like comments likes
the little features like comments likes
the little features like comments likes and being able to share posts are just
and being able to share posts are just
and being able to share posts are just gimmicks designed to get us hooked by
gimmicks designed to get us hooked by
gimmicks designed to get us hooked by causing dopamine to be released I was
causing dopamine to be released I was
causing dopamine to be released I was guilty of just posting what I thought
guilty of just posting what I thought
guilty of just posting what I thought everyone wanted to see than anyone I
everyone wanted to see than anyone I
everyone wanted to see than anyone I knew that on social media
knew that on social media
knew that on social media I was simply crafting an image of myself
I was simply crafting an image of myself
I was simply crafting an image of myself but I didn’t care
but I didn’t care
but I didn’t care I loved attention and I loved the
I loved attention and I loved the
I loved attention and I loved the ability to portray myself any way I
ability to portray myself any way I
ability to portray myself any way I wanted it wasn’t me I was losing touch
wanted it wasn’t me I was losing touch
wanted it wasn’t me I was losing touch with my authentic self and this problem
with my authentic self and this problem
with my authentic self and this problem manifests mainly in my generation as
manifests mainly in my generation as
manifests mainly in my generation as teenagers have grown up with the
teenagers have grown up with the
teenagers have grown up with the Internet
Internet
Internet we’ve spent our whole lives interacting
we’ve spent our whole lives interacting
we’ve spent our whole lives interacting with our peers online we’re more
with our peers online we’re more
with our peers online we’re more comfortable on our phones than in a
comfortable on our phones than in a
comfortable on our phones than in a face-to-face interaction and this has
face-to-face interaction and this has
face-to-face interaction and this has catastrophic consequences on our mental
catastrophic consequences on our mental
catastrophic consequences on our mental health studies have shown that kids who
health studies have shown that kids who
health studies have shown that kids who spend more time on their phones have
spend more time on their phones have
spend more time on their phones have less developed frontal cortexes and we
less developed frontal cortexes and we
less developed frontal cortexes and we need our frontal cortex to plan for the
need our frontal cortex to plan for the
need our frontal cortex to plan for the future think rationally and solve
future think rationally and solve
future think rationally and solve problems my generation is losing those
problems my generation is losing those
problems my generation is losing those abilities because we can’t focus on
abilities because we can’t focus on
abilities because we can’t focus on anything besides our phones combine that
anything besides our phones combine that
anything besides our phones combine that with the fact that social media is our
with the fact that social media is our
with the fact that social media is our main source of forming connections with
main source of forming connections with
main source of forming connections with other people
other people
other people and it’s easy to see why teen depression
and it’s easy to see why teen depression
and it’s easy to see why teen depression has skyrocketed 33% just since 2010
has skyrocketed 33% just since 2010
has skyrocketed 33% just since 2010 and teen suicides have gone up 31
and teen suicides have gone up 31
and teen suicides have gone up 31 percent in the same period we are
percent in the same period we are
percent in the same period we are killing ourselves just to fit in yet
killing ourselves just to fit in yet
killing ourselves just to fit in yet everyone around me somehow thinks
everyone around me somehow thinks
everyone around me somehow thinks they’re better than social media they
they’re better than social media they
they’re better than social media they tell me oh I only use it to look at me
tell me oh I only use it to look at me
tell me oh I only use it to look at me more I just like to keep up with my
more I just like to keep up with my
more I just like to keep up with my friends that I can’t see every day it
friends that I can’t see every day it
friends that I can’t see every day it the conversation that I constantly hear
the conversation that I constantly hear
the conversation that I constantly hear is gossip and judgment did you see my
is gossip and judgment did you see my
is gossip and judgment did you see my post did you like it did you see her
post did you like it did you see her
post did you like it did you see her post
post
post why was she hanging out with him why did
why was she hanging out with him why did
why was she hanging out with him why did he say that he’s so creepy
he say that he’s so creepy
he say that he’s so creepy why’d she post that she has no self
why’d she post that she has no self
why’d she post that she has no self respect the people around me are
respect the people around me are
respect the people around me are addicted to stalking other people yet
addicted to stalking other people yet
addicted to stalking other people yet maintain the assertion that they’re
maintain the assertion that they’re
maintain the assertion that they’re somehow above it all and all the
somehow above it all and all the
somehow above it all and all the features that I talked about earlier the
features that I talked about earlier the
features that I talked about earlier the gimmicks they can’t replace real life
gimmicks they can’t replace real life
gimmicks they can’t replace real life interaction alike can’t replace a smile
interaction alike can’t replace a smile
interaction alike can’t replace a smile or a compliment but we treat it as if it
or a compliment but we treat it as if it
or a compliment but we treat it as if it can we allow ourselves to become less
can we allow ourselves to become less
can we allow ourselves to become less social and lose touch with the
social and lose touch with the
social and lose touch with the face-to-face interactions that really
face-to-face interactions that really
face-to-face interactions that really matter in a study by Pew Research Center
matter in a study by Pew Research Center
matter in a study by Pew Research Center 55% of participants said they interact
55% of participants said they interact
55% of participants said they interact with their friends online on a daily
with their friends online on a daily
with their friends online on a daily basis only 33 percent said they interact
basis only 33 percent said they interact
basis only 33 percent said they interact with their friends face to face on a
with their friends face to face on a
with their friends face to face on a daily basis think about this how many of
daily basis think about this how many of
daily basis think about this how many of you have ever pulled out your phone and
you have ever pulled out your phone and
you have ever pulled out your phone and stared at it just to avoid an awkward
stared at it just to avoid an awkward
stared at it just to avoid an awkward social situation I know I see that every
social situation I know I see that every
social situation I know I see that every day in school how many of you have ever
day in school how many of you have ever
day in school how many of you have ever taken a long video at a sporting event
taken a long video at a sporting event
taken a long video at a sporting event or concert so you can relive the moment
or concert so you can relive the moment
or concert so you can relive the moment later or share it with your friends
later or share it with your friends
later or share it with your friends instead of actually making sure
instead of actually making sure
instead of actually making sure that you’re living in the moment and
that you’re living in the moment and
that you’re living in the moment and enjoying life as it happens last winter
enjoying life as it happens last winter
enjoying life as it happens last winter I was at a crossroads in my life I’ve
I was at a crossroads in my life I’ve
I was at a crossroads in my life I’ve always been driven but I really had no
always been driven but I really had no
always been driven but I really had no idea what I wanted to do track has
idea what I wanted to do track has
idea what I wanted to do track has always been my main sport but I didn’t
always been my main sport but I didn’t
always been my main sport but I didn’t really think I wanted to run in college
really think I wanted to run in college
really think I wanted to run in college I’ve also always had dreams of attending
I’ve also always had dreams of attending
I’ve also always had dreams of attending a top-level academic school but schools
a top-level academic school but schools
a top-level academic school but schools like that required true excellence
like that required true excellence
like that required true excellence I had no motivating force and nothing
I had no motivating force and nothing
I had no motivating force and nothing that separated me from the people around
that separated me from the people around
that separated me from the people around me I cared more about creating the image
me I cared more about creating the image
me I cared more about creating the image that I wanted of myself online than
that I wanted of myself online than
that I wanted of myself online than working to secure the future that I
working to secure the future that I
working to secure the future that I wanted everybody has dreams of greatness
wanted everybody has dreams of greatness
wanted everybody has dreams of greatness when they’re a kid nobody wants to live
when they’re a kid nobody wants to live
when they’re a kid nobody wants to live an average and unfulfilled life yet so
an average and unfulfilled life yet so
an average and unfulfilled life yet so few people are willing to put in the
few people are willing to put in the
few people are willing to put in the work to developing themselves and
work to developing themselves and
work to developing themselves and unlocking their full potential I
unlocking their full potential I
unlocking their full potential I realized that if I devoted myself to
realized that if I devoted myself to
realized that if I devoted myself to improving on the track I would have a
improving on the track I would have a
improving on the track I would have a way of standing out from other
way of standing out from other
way of standing out from other applicants and maybe reaching one of my
applicants and maybe reaching one of my
applicants and maybe reaching one of my dream schools so I began dedicating
dream schools so I began dedicating
dream schools so I began dedicating myself to track more and attempting to
myself to track more and attempting to
myself to track more and attempting to spend less time on social media however
spend less time on social media however
spend less time on social media however about two weeks into this new routine I
about two weeks into this new routine I
about two weeks into this new routine I realized that while I was training for
realized that while I was training for
realized that while I was training for track more I was spending about the same
track more I was spending about the same
track more I was spending about the same amount of time on social media I was
amount of time on social media I was
amount of time on social media I was simply shirking my academic duties and
simply shirking my academic duties and
simply shirking my academic duties and losing some sleep
losing some sleep
losing some sleep I had to decide if running track in
I had to decide if running track in
I had to decide if running track in college and my future was more important
college and my future was more important
college and my future was more important to me than trying to fit in and it was
to me than trying to fit in and it was
to me than trying to fit in and it was slowly but surely I became disgusted
slowly but surely I became disgusted
slowly but surely I became disgusted with who I was and I wondered how I had
with who I was and I wondered how I had
with who I was and I wondered how I had let myself become so addicted to
let myself become so addicted to
let myself become so addicted to something that had no value in the long
something that had no value in the long
something that had no value in the long run I decided to quit social media cold
run I decided to quit social media cold
run I decided to quit social media cold turkey
turkey
turkey instantly if says if a massive weight
instantly if says if a massive weight
instantly if says if a massive weight had been lifted off my shoulders I began
had been lifted off my shoulders I began
had been lifted off my shoulders I began to see the beauty in the world around me
to see the beauty in the world around me
to see the beauty in the world around me I discovered my passion for life and I
I discovered my passion for life and I
I discovered my passion for life and I found a sense of individuality and
found a sense of individuality and
found a sense of individuality and contentment with who I was in the week
contentment with who I was in the week
contentment with who I was in the week after I deleted social media
after I deleted social media
after I deleted social media I changed more than I have at any other
I changed more than I have at any other
I changed more than I have at any other point in my life I really ate it not
point in my life I really ate it not
point in my life I really ate it not only my actions but my mindset my goals
only my actions but my mindset my goals
only my actions but my mindset my goals and my overall attitude towards life I
and my overall attitude towards life I
and my overall attitude towards life I realized that at any given moment I can
realized that at any given moment I can
realized that at any given moment I can be doing anything I want to in the world
be doing anything I want to in the world
be doing anything I want to in the world I simply have to choose to do what’s
I simply have to choose to do what’s
I simply have to choose to do what’s best for myself and because of this I’m
best for myself and because of this I’m
best for myself and because of this I’m on my own path now and I’m my own person
I’m not standing up here proclaiming
I’m not standing up here proclaiming that I’m a perfect person devoid of
that I’m a perfect person devoid of
that I’m a perfect person devoid of weakness just because I deleted social
weakness just because I deleted social
weakness just because I deleted social media but I am claiming that I’m in
media but I am claiming that I’m in
media but I am claiming that I’m in control of my own happiness and
control of my own happiness and
control of my own happiness and satisfaction with life I’m also not
satisfaction with life I’m also not
satisfaction with life I’m also not claiming that by deleting social media
claiming that by deleting social media
claiming that by deleting social media you will immediately become a better
you will immediately become a better
you will immediately become a better person find happiness and reach your
person find happiness and reach your
person find happiness and reach your goals deleting social media in itself
goals deleting social media in itself
goals deleting social media in itself doesn’t bring anything of a direct value
doesn’t bring anything of a direct value
doesn’t bring anything of a direct value to your life it’s simply an avenue
to your life it’s simply an avenue
to your life it’s simply an avenue towards individual thought and freedom
towards individual thought and freedom
towards individual thought and freedom everybody spends their life searching
everybody spends their life searching
everybody spends their life searching for happiness and yearning for
for happiness and yearning for
for happiness and yearning for fulfilment yet most people spend so much
fulfilment yet most people spend so much
fulfilment yet most people spend so much of it looking at other people’s lives
of it looking at other people’s lives
of it looking at other people’s lives online if you have the superpower to be
online if you have the superpower to be
online if you have the superpower to be present in the moment and you aren’t so
present in the moment and you aren’t so
present in the moment and you aren’t so preoccupied with what everyone else is
preoccupied with what everyone else is
preoccupied with what everyone else is doing you’ll find that life is a little
doing you’ll find that life is a little
doing you’ll find that life is a little easier happiness is always at hand it’s
easier happiness is always at hand it’s
easier happiness is always at hand it’s easier to treat the people around you
easier to treat the people around you
easier to treat the people around you with kindness and have straightforward
with kindness and have straightforward
with kindness and have straightforward but proof
but proof
but proof relationships I think the world would be
relationships I think the world would be
relationships I think the world would be a better place if everyone possessed
a better place if everyone possessed
a better place if everyone possessed this skill thank you
this skill thank you
this skill thank you [Applause]
”
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