It's the Thought That Counts

Yesterday, Google made some announcements that made us think about the school's mission to turn boys into "men of wisdom and moral integrity." We're going to talk about the technology first and then how it applies to what we do for the boys.

The tech giant announced updates to its Android smartphone operating system. Among other changes, Android will beef up its use of artificial intelligence (a topic for another post). But it was a much simpler, less potentially nefarious feature that stuck out to us. The feature allows you to set an "app timer" that will "nudge" you when it's time to end your time with a given app. Google is making an attempt to give you "control of your digital wellbeing" and "to help you with your life, not distract from it."

Is the app timer a nice thought for a smartphone feature? Or is it more like a swat to the nose with a rolled up newspaper?

Thought is exactly the point. By creating the app timer, Google is offloading some important thought to the phone. Smartphones have already made themselves useful by taking on tasks that used to be cumbersome or just plain impossible without their help. Because we ask phones to do these tasks for us, we're less practiced and sharp in the moments when we have to attempt them without a phone. But with the app timer, Google is asking the phone to do something much more significant: manage our self-control.

Is it a big leap to imagine that depending on a ping or a "nudge" from a smartphone to stop perusing Facebook will weaken our self-control in other areas of life that don't ping or "nudge" us? Google's thought is that the app timer will make us less dependent on our smartphones, but what if the opposite is true? What will happen when a nudge-dependent user of the app timer sits down at a slot machine that's not kind enough to offer a nudge?

Obviously, you can make a similar argument about what boys will do on their own when parents and teachers aren't around to keep them on track. Just as phones can't directly help boys in every life situation, neither can parents and teachers. But how likely is it that a man's self-control will kick in at a crucial juncture in life because he remembers a wise aphorism or witty lesson from his app timer all those years ago?? Not likely.

For those moments we still need the Coach Laniers, Ms. Hollifields, Dr. Baileys, Mr. Moxleys, Dr. Fullers, Coach Euverards, Moms, and Dads. Google can never replace what we do for the boys.

The app timer is a nice thought, Google, but it is the thought that counts...and we'd like to do it ourselves in this case.