Learning Challenge: Escaping the “Feed”

A young adult science fiction novel, set in the not too distant future, mirrors the challenges that present day teenagers face.

In my years of teaching high school language arts, one of the most popular novels among my students has been Feed by M.T. Anderson. It takes place in a dystopian future in which the majority of the population chooses to have a digital implant that allows them to mentally connect to an advanced form of the internet. The story follows a pair of teenagers who begin to explore the idea of being more in control of their minds since connection to the “feed” is as invasive as it is irreversible. I recommend it strongly both for its story and for the way it slyly makes the reader think about thinking.

It’s impossible to read the novel and not draw parallels between Feed and the very real struggle many teenagers have when it comes to disengaging with technology.

Without being heavy handed or eyeroll inducing, Feed addresses our recent cultural shift towards being connected 24/7. The author imagines the implant as an ever present source of information, consumerism, entertainment and socialization. In my classroom, I see kids getting lost in their devices. Without intervention they’d easily spend the entire 90 minutes staring into their phones. I see them miss opportunities to engage socially. Their parents struggle at home where technology is their biggest obstacle to both completing homework and sleeping. No wonder Feed resonates with the teenagers I work with!

In response to our reading of Feed, we designed an experiment:

It was straightforward. For a week, students put their phone in an envelope and went about their life. Everything was the same: they carried it with them and used it whenever they wanted to, but each time they used it they added a tally mark to the envelope. The results were impressive:

1. Students knew that they looked at their phone a lot. However, most were surprised to realize they looked at their phones that frequently.

2. Students reported reaching for their phone for no real reason. Just the basic desire for stimulation caused them to get their phone out. The physical barrier of the envelope provided just enough of a delay for students to realize that they were making a choice.

3. Students reported not being ashamed of using their phones. Which was great! The point of the experiment was to increase awareness, not use shame to try to force a behavior change.

4. However, many students also felt that they were unhappy with their relationship with their phone because it reflected a way of being that they didn’t want, value, or even particularly remember choosing.

We can’t change what we aren’t aware of. The combo of Feed and this activity helped a lot of my students reflect on and ultimately work towards thinking the way they want to think.

Tristan graduated from the Rochester Institute of Technology in 2008 with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology. He holds a Master in Teaching degree from Seattle Pacific University and currently teaches high school language arts and social studies at an alternative school in Seattle. Tristan has worked with Aspiring Youth as a summer camp counselor and has facilitated rock climbing and board game sessions. In his free time he likes playing soccer, board games and reading about science and history.