A group of Brooklyn teenagers is leading a revolutionary movement against smartphone addiction with an inspiring initiative called ‘The Luddite Club.’
Our world runs on technology, and many of us find ourselves trapped in a cycle of endless scrolling and screen time that takes us away from what matters most.
God gave us the gift of community and personal connections, yet we often trade these treasures for digital interactions. The pandemic pushed us deeper into our screens, leaving many young people feeling empty despite their constant online presence.
The movement began when Jameson Butler, who studies at Brooklyn Technical High School, faced a stark reality about his phone use. “During COVID, I kind of looked at my screen time and I was like, ‘Wow, I’m spending more than half of my time awake on my phone. Something needs to change.’ And I got a flip phone,” Butler explains.
What started at Edward R. Murrow High School has now spread to other Brooklyn schools, touching more young lives.
Former Murrow teacher Amanda Hanna-McLeer watched her students struggle with phone addiction before understanding the deeper issue. She points out that being a Luddite means fighting against technology’s misuse, not its proper use. “We all benefit from some amount of technology in our lives. But what we’re seeing right now is an abuse of technology,” she states.
The 2022 Program for International Student Assessment reveals that two-thirds of American teens can’t focus in class because of their phones. This distraction affects their grades and creates a chain of problems. Beyond academics, this addiction leads to increased anxiety, depression, and difficulty in making real-world connections.
Film student Ava De La Cruz joined the group after feeling like life had slipped away. “Now I’m suddenly in high school and I’m about to be in college and my life, basically, I feel like it escaped me completely. And so it’s like I had to do something,” she shares her turning point.
These Sunday meetings have changed how these teens live. They spend their time creating art, singing, dancing, and writing – all without phone interruptions. Butler notes the difference: “The average American screen time is like almost eight hours. And so my days are eight hours longer.”
In 2024, New York City named social media a public health threat, and school officials now think about banning phones in schools. McLeer, inspired by the students’ initiative, left her teaching position to create a documentary about the group, co-produced by De La Cruz.
To encourage more young people to disconnect from their phones, the group has launched a scavenger hunt featuring Brooklyn landmarks. This initiative provides a practical way for teenagers to experience the joy of phone-free activities while exploring their community together.
Let’s learn from these brave teens and look at how we use technology in our own lives. We can start small – maybe keeping phones away during meals, taking walks outside, or meeting friends for phone-free activities.
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