Mahzarin Banaji: “Technology has allowed us glimpses of our deepest nature”
In this moment when we are witness to the breakdown of systems financial and social in which so many had such faith, we might remember with a smile and even some mischief the words of Winston Churchill, who said that America--referring to the American government--that America can always be counted on to do the right thing, but not until it had tried every other method first. With much less of a smile, many of us in this room have surely wondered in recent months if perhaps we might have avoided inflicting suffering on so many, especially the most vulnerable amongst…
Read MoreCan Technology Be an Ally in the Fight against Childhood Obesity?
Technology has been a target, rather than an ally, in the battle against childhood obesity. Parents are advised to keep television sets out of their children’s bedroom, turn the TV off during meals, and monitor and limit children’s “screen time”—those hours spent each day in front of computers, TV, or video games. The time children spend glued to these media devices is time they are not outside playing and being physically active. Perhaps even worse, these technologies are vehicles for the junk food industry’s messages, providing direct access to children. And most of these…
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