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The Village Effect
How Face-to-Face Contact Can Make Us Healthier, Happier, and Smarter
2 of 2 copies available
Marrying the findings of the new field of social neuroscience together with gripping human stories, Susan Pinker explores the impact of face-to-face contact from cradle to grave, from city to Sardinian mountain village, from classroom to workplace, from love to marriage to divorce. Most of us have left the literal village behind and don't want to give up our new technologies to go back there. But, as Pinker writes so compellingly, we need close social bonds and uninterrupted face time with our friends and families in order to thrive—even to survive. Creating our own "village effect" can make us happier. It can also save our lives.
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Creators
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Publisher
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Release date
September 8, 2014 -
Formats
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OverDrive Listen audiobook
- ISBN: 9781494522179
- File size: 325567 KB
- Duration: 11:18:15
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Languages
- English
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Reviews
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Donna Postel gives a solid narration of this timely exhortation to strengthen our personal relationships in an age in which many of us find ourselves hiding behind the screens of our various forms of technology. The author argues that despite the ubiquity of technology-mediated communication, personal interaction is essential to cementing bonds between people and offers both psychological and physical health benefits to individuals and communities. Postel's pacing is easy to follow, and her voicing is clear, albeit sometimes lacking a degree of variation that would liven things up a bit. Ultimately, her performance is good, allowing the material speak for itself and underscoring the need for many of us to take a step back from our devices in order to cultivate relationships the old-fashioned way. S.E.G. © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine -
July 28, 2014
Pinker (The Sexual Paradox) explores the powerful effects of face-to-face contact in our increasingly computer-mediated world. While the benefits of human contact may seem like common sense, Pinker’s witty and informative book reveals a far more complex picture of these interactions. It may not surprise readers that having a web of friends and acquaintances makes both job-hunting and surviving the death of a spouse more palatable. But the biological effects that come from the community, and daily interactions with friends, partners, and parents are much less familiar. Pinker examines the benefits (and quirks) of these interactions, from development during breast-feeding to conversion disorder, and then repositions these findings to an age mediated by computer screens. In a time of constant visual entertainment and digital communication, “screens just don’t do the trick”—they can’t compete with the emotional signaling and modeling of face-time. Educational videos have no significant effect on a toddler’s language skills, and text messages of support have none of the mood elevating benefits of a phone call. Pinker’s book ends with practical tips to make room for community and contact in life, and serves as a hopeful, warm guide to living more intimately in an disconnected era. 15 Illus. Agent: John Brockman, Brockman Inc.
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