Steven Johnson is an American popular science author and media theorist. In his book “Everything Bad Is Good For You” (2005), he presents an interesting argument defending modern pop culture, in particular: video games and television.

He argues that, although sometimes violent and sexual, video games stimulate reward centers of the brain and invite exploration and problem solving. Television is a “brilliant medium”, as it exposes how adept a person is in understanding narratives and interpersonal connections (and their AQ: Autism Quotient – higher emotional intelligence=lower AQ). Even reality television shows have merits in the way they display the complexity of social networking in human relations.

Johnson imagines a world where digital media came first and books were invented afterwards. Kids are now starting to read these new ‘books’, and that teachers and parents are worried:

“But perhaps the most dangerous property of these books is the fact that they follow a fixed linear path. You can’t control their narratives in any fashion –– you simply sit back and have the story dictated to you. For those of us raised on interactive narratives, this property may seem astonishing. Why would anyone want to embark on an adventure utterly choreographed by another person? But today’s generation embarks on such adventures millions of times a day. This risks instilling a general passivity in our children, making them feel as though they’re powerless to change their circumstances. Reading is not an active, participatory process; it’s a submissive one. The book readers of the younger generation are learning to ‘follow the plot’ instead of learning to lead.”

Perhaps screen addiction is not as toxic as some would have you believe… Food for thought.