How to balance your identity, online and offline | Noah Zuijderwijk | TEDxBowdoinCollege

Social media remains a hot topic. There are countless TED talks, op-eds, and academic papers discussing the effects of excessive phone use: shorter attention spans, increased anxiety, and declining self-confidence. However, what newly concerns me is what lies beyond these neurological issues. For Gen Z and Gen Alpha, social media is no longer a low-stakes tool for communication and connection; it has become a high-stakes extension of our identities and communities, deeply affecting our sense of self. In the process of “becoming online,” we are consolidating all social aspects of our lives into the digital world, but in doing so, we lose connections to our real-life communities. Through this talk, I give a name to this experience, which is shared by many of my peers. Please take this as an invitation to carry forward a conversation about online identity and community. Student at Bowdoin College This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx