The Next Tech Backlash Will Be About Hygiene

For centuries it was biology that made humans sick. Today, it is often stress. So argues Dr Gabor Maté about the unrecognized toll that "normal" modern life has on your mental and physical health. Dr. Maté's research, which struck a chord in 2023, invites reflection on the roll out of generative AI into daily life in 2024. As half of British teens report feeling addicted to social media, and as the U.S. surgeon general offers a rare caution against its health risks, the infusion of generative AI into social media appears to threaten our basic hygiene, meaning "the conditions or practices conducive to maintaining health and preventing disease."