Tech-Free Today, Free-Tech Tomorrow | Emily Xie | TEDxEdgemont School

Today's theme is youth empowerment, and the surprising answer to how empowerment actually happens is that before you gain, you must learn to lose; before you influence, you must learn restraint. The limits we accept today will become the breakthroughs of tomorrow. Years ago, social gatherings and lunch meant face-to-face interaction, but today, people often interact through screens, reducing emotions to emojis. In the age of technology, despite being more connected than ever, we are truly less connected. While our bodies tell us when to stop eating too much pizza, phones are different. We keep scrolling even when our eyes hurt or we know we should stop. This isn't due to a lack of discipline; technology is designed to capture our attention. Statistics reveal the extent of screen time: teenagers aged 13 to 18 spend an average of 8 hours and 39 minutes daily on entertainment screen media, while children aged 8 to 12 spend 5 hours and 33 minutes, not including school work. Social media use among teens is nearly universal. This is critical because adolescence is a developmental stage where vision is still developing, and the prefrontal cortex, responsible for judgment and self-control, isn't fully mature. Young brains are particularly sensitive to stimulation and reinforcement. There's a concerning trend in youth mental health. The percentage of US high school girls reporting persistent sadness or hopelessness rose from 36% in 2011 to 57% in 2021, with recent data still showing 53%. This timeline closely aligns with the rapid rise of smartphone ownership among US teens, which increased from 23% in 2011 to 95% in 2018. The explosion of social media platforms like Instagram, Doying, and TikTok further coincided with this period. Studies show that teens spending over 3 hours daily on social media face significantly higher risks of depression. While screens aren't the sole cause, experts agree they can act as risk amplifiers, making young people more vulnerable. This is why the idea of a phone-free campus is gaining support, not as a rejection of technology, but as a way to reclaim control and use technology with guidance, discipline, and intention. The same principle applies to AI. Professors are urging students to avoid turning in AI-generated assignments because assignments are about strengthening the mind. While AI increases efficiency, it can reduce brain engagement and deep thinking. Studies show that heavy reliance on AI during writing leads to lower brain connectivity and weaker memory recall, a phenomenon called cognitive debt. The optimal approach is to think for yourself first, then use AI as assistance. Technology is a powerful tool, but understanding the world and its people must always come first. Direct connection to nature, to each other, and to reality gives meaning to our learning and direction to our innovation. Phones and computers can be helpful, but over-reliance can make us forget how to function independently. Passion for life, curiosity, kindness, and self-confidence all stem from real-world connections and experiences. The more powerful technology becomes, the more vital it is to protect what makes us human. If we can put down our phones today, we will pick them up better tomorrow. If we resist depending on AI today, we will command it tomorrow. If we refuse to rely on technology today, we will innovate it tomorrow. We should look up, engage with others, listen, share smiles, and experience the world around us. Technology should amplify our humanity, not replace it. With the tools we have and those yet to be innovated, we can make the world more beautiful than we can imagine.