USCHHS Self Reflection on The Deadly Sin Discussion Responses

Please reply to 6 students

1. I found this website to be stunningly produced and it was an interesting take to look inwards at my
own online habits. After just stumbling around on the website, I came across Gluttony. I think I
clicked it first because my mouse was closest to it. There was then a tab that stated “over ordering
online” I knew I was a victim of this. The statement was “I order things online just to get the free
shipping.” I do not think that this is good behavior but somehow I justify it. If shipping is $5 but I
am able to get a pair of socks for $10 to get free shipping, even though I technically doubled the cost
of the shipping I feel fulfilled because I am receiving something more.
Envy was another one that I was curious about. “Property snooping” was interesting to me because I
watch a ton of shows that have to do with money and wealth. On Netflix, the show Selling Sunset
shows the audience inside exclusive looks into a multi million dollar home in Los Angeles. I have
been so curious about properties that I have even gone back and done my own research on the home
or fantasized about how I would decorate it. The confession from user Sophie, states “I largely live
in someone else’s moments. In someone else’s house.” I should be enjoying what I have in my own
home.
Finally Lust really stuck out to me. The statement was “I love Twitter and that’s weird.” I find that
mine would be Instagram and Tik Tok. These apps are the first thing that I check in the mornings. I
think it wakes me up in a sense, even if it is only for five minutes. But in reality, not much has
changed since when I fell asleep after scrolling and with hours that I have been awake. It’s almost
like a reflux for my fingers to navigate these apps.
I learned quite a lot from this simulation. The internet has given us so many ways to advance in the
world but also has disrupted our inner peace. I knew that looking at others homes or creating this
imaginary world inside million dollar homes is unrealistic, it is fun but also a waste of time to be
doing this. I also think the internet has given us the comparison game. Especially with the three I
mentioned. Lust and property snooping has internet users comparing themselves. Lust will have
someone fan over an instagram model who we may never come into contact with and property
snooping creates a sense of comparing what you have to someone who seemingly has more.
Everything on the internet appears way better than we have it but that is not always the case whi ch
creates these seven deadly internet sins.
2.
After exploring the interactive story produced by The Guardian in collaboration with the National
Film Board of Canada, I found three of the sins particularly interesting: envy, sloth, and wrath. I was
slightly confronted by what I saw and read, definitely need to focus on cleaning these up in the
coming weeks!
Regarding envy, I think it is a common feeling that arises when scrolling through social media and
seeing the highlight reels of other people’s lives. I am guilty of feeling envious at times, but I try to
remind myself that what people post online is not always an accurate representation of their reality.
In general, I think envy is a natural human emotion, but it can become problematic when it starts to
affect one’s mental health and well-being.
When I think of sloth, I have to admit that I am occasionally guilty of procrastination and wasting
time on my phone or computer. While technology can be a helpful tool for productivity, it can also
be a major distraction if not used properly. I think it’s important to find a balance and set limits for
oneself to avoid falling into a cycle of unproductivity.
Wrath is a sin that I try my best to avoid when using technology. It’s easy to get caught up in the
anonymity of the internet and say things that we wouldn’t normally say in person. However, I believe
that it’s important to treat others with respect and kindness, even in online interactions. I think it’s
crucial to remember that there is a real person behind every screen and that our words can have a real
impact on others.
I think it’s important to be aware of how we use technology and the potential negative consequences
that can arise from certain behaviors. While it’s easy to fall into habits like envy, sloth, an d wrath,
it’s important to strive towards healthy and productive use of technology. This exploration has
reminded me of the importance of being mindful and intentional in my digital interactions, and I hope
to continue to grow in this area.
3. Since the onset of social media, I have kept it and arm’s length, never entirely giving myself over to
it. My social media use is 80% business and 20% personal for entertainment/amusement. However,
I recently heard the author/speaker Seth Godin on a podcast say that “people are not interested in
who you are authenicly; what they really want is to see you as the brand of you that you represent.”
Seth’s words resonate with me when thinking of the sin of envy.
Envy, the feeling of discontent happens to many as they scroll through social media feeds. I’m no
exception; even with a strong sense of self and decent self-esteem, I can find myself doing
something similar to Mary Walsh featured in the envy video, “judging your (my) insides by other
people’s outsides.” Envy happens when scrolling through Facebook, and I see friends who
purchased yet another rental property adding more to their net worth as I’m struggling to make ends
meet. It makes me feel poor and financially inept. I don’t like to admit to feeling envious, but as I
reexamine myself, that is my truth. But, to save face and stay on brand (the positive, happy Jay
brand), as Seth Godin would suggest, I give friends a thumbs up and congratulate them on their
new purchases and success in their business ventures.
I have learned by observation that it is best to keep my inner feelings about the greed of real estate
investors and inequity in the housing market in America to myself; social media is not the platform
for my point of view on the subject.
Online wrath is a sin I find distasteful. It is unsettling that an individual can hide behind their
computer terminal and spew out offensive language, bully or threaten another person, and have
little to no consequences for their actions. Unfortunately, many people feel great power while
writing on social media threads. I learned how unkind and distasteful people can be when running a
healthcare company’s social media engagement spaces. I also learned the power of deleting
unnecessary comments.
The final sin of interest to me is sloth because I am critical of those who are not productive in
society. One of the essays on the Seven Digital Deadly Sins website written by Oliver stood out to
me. He wrote about outsourcing and how easy it is to find people in other countries at low pay to
do a personal assistant job even though he didn’t need an assistant. Getting others to work for low
wages because of laziness is unattractive. After Oliver spent his money on services to save him
time, he did not feel satisfied and stated, “honesty and purity of doing your work out weighs the
luxury of delegation.” I agree with him.
Another idea that surfaced is one that Bill Baily brought up about how campaigning online for
various causes has made it so easy that a person may only see the whole picture after deciding to
participate. Therefore, to stave off slothfulness, due diligence must be done more to research
subjects and discover facts.
In conclusion, the Seven Digital Deadly Sins will not go away any time soon; it will be up to
individuals to learn to navigate through them as the years continue.
4. I am sure you would all agree with me that the impact of smartphones on the world’s cultures and
the behaviors of society are immense. I honestly don’t think we will see another change as hu ge or
impactful on our entire world (in our lifetimes) – I am sure we will see maybe a similar scale but I
do think this has to be one of the most life changing inventions. To fully understand this change we
must start at the beginning. The author of our class text, Grant (2018), states, “The transition to
smartphone technology began with the idea of integrating personal computer tech‐ nology with a
mobile operating system linking voice, text, and Internet data to a cellular network” (p. 273).
Without smartphones the world we live in today would be so insanely different. Personally I think
we would be so much less advanced both tech wise but also as humans when it comes to our
knowledge and ways of communications.
I do believe there are many ways to help break a screen addiction. Firstly, monitoring your time
and activity can be key. Making sure you accomplish all you need to do before using your
technology is important too. I personally don’t have this issue with screen addiction as I am
naturally a pretty self disciplined person, I also work online so if I am not working I tend to be
offline but I know it can be debilitating. If you monitor your use and stick to limits you make for
yourself if this is an issue you can continue to benefit from the advantages of technology. Using
technology for shopping, work, school and more can be vital and this should not interfere with how
you live your life. Using screens for recreational purposes is where we see it being non -essential
and something that some people do have to control like with any other addiction.
5. The impact of smartphones on cultures and behaviors of society has been immense, and not always
positive. I think many of us agree that they assist us in everyday life, but they also have,
historically, changed how we interact with each other and society as a whole around us! For
example, people now often prioritize their screens over face-to-face interaction and real-world
experiences. Additionally, social media platforms on smartphones have been found to contribute to
mental health issues such as anxiety and depression, as well as exacerbating issues such as
cyberbullying and body image concerns. Breaking screen addiction while still benefiting from the
advantages of technology is a difficult balance to strike. One approach is to set boundaries and limit
screen time, particularly before bed, in order to prioritize sleep and reduce the impact of blue light
on the brain. Additionally, using apps that track and limit screen time can be helpful in establishing
healthy habits. Engaging in activities that don’t involve screens, such as reading, exercising, or
spending time with loved ones, can also help to break screen addiction and create a more balanced
lifestyle. It’s also important to consider the impact of screen addiction on children and teenagers,
who are particularly vulnerable to the negative effects of excessive screen time. Parents and
educators can work to establish healthy screen time habits early on, by setting limits and
encouraging alternative activities. Finally, more research is needed on the long-term effects of
screen addiction, as well as strategies for mitigating these effects. I’m curious to see what you my
fellow classmates think about this? Any solutions you can come up with?
6. When the first iPhone came out in 2007, no one could have ever imagined the impact that it had on
society. In today’s day and age, anxiety, depression, and feelings of hopelessness are at an all -time
high for adolescents in the United States. The main contributing factor is smartphones. Adolescents
and people all over the world have access to all of the information they could ever need at their
fingertips, while this can be helpful at times it can cause a lot of damage. Many times on ly the bad
things stick in our brains, especially with news and information that we receive online. Moreover,
the presence of social media can create unrealistic expectations of life and negative comparison to
others. Influencers who post videos online can depict a false reality of their life which may cause
people to compare their lives to millionaire, content-creating teens, and young adults.
A study but the University of Nevada write an article about smartphone addiction and how it affects
our lives. Most adolescents spend a total of 7 hours a day on their smartphones. Such use of
smartphones increases the likelihood of that individual experiencing mental health problems like
anxiety, depression, loneliness, and behavioral issues (University of Nevada). Teens are so
connected to their phones that they don’t have time to connect with the world around them and are
stuck in their online presence.
Individuals can use smartphones for anything and everything now, buying clothes, groceries, and
food online. Searching videos on home repairs, car repairs, and much more. The United States
culture is focused on its online presence through advertisements, media profiles, online dating, etc.
Every facet of our lives has been impacted by smartphones.
Although smart devices have created many disadvantages to our society, there are still many ways
to benefit from their use. One of the ways to break the addiction is to limit screen time. I set a timer
on my phone to track how long I use my phone, after a certain amount of time it will lock me out of
social media apps. Once a year I take a couple of months’ break from social media and delete them
to refocus my energy and re-prioritize my time. Smartphones can help us by optimizing our
schedule through reminders, help us pay bills on time through automatic online payments, learning
new skills online, and many more skills. It is important to create balance in our lives with time
spent on our phones and time spent, with friends, family, and outdoors.