Dr. Ellen Langer

You know, there's data showing that kids who are college kids, for example, who use a lot of social media have lower self-esteem and all of this. You know, and I present this to them and I say, this is silly. You're not now going to get off Facebook because of these data. But let's look at it. You're Harvard students, for God's sakes.

You know, there's data showing that kids who are college kids, for example, who use a lot of social media have lower self-esteem and all of this. You know, and I present this to them and I say, this is silly. You're not now going to get off Facebook because of these data. But let's look at it. You're Harvard students, for God's sakes.

Why is it that you're only going to post the picture where you look the prettiest, talk about the – have the nerve to turn it around. Hey, would you believe what I looked like last night when you're having that bad hair day or something didn't go well? Just have the guts to do that. So it's not the social media.

Why is it that you're only going to post the picture where you look the prettiest, talk about the – have the nerve to turn it around. Hey, would you believe what I looked like last night when you're having that bad hair day or something didn't go well? Just have the guts to do that. So it's not the social media.

Why is it that you're only going to post the picture where you look the prettiest, talk about the – have the nerve to turn it around. Hey, would you believe what I looked like last night when you're having that bad hair day or something didn't go well? Just have the guts to do that. So it's not the social media.

It's the lying that – or the mistaken assumption when you see all of the successes that that's the more general truth. Everybody but you is having these successes.

It's the lying that – or the mistaken assumption when you see all of the successes that that's the more general truth. Everybody but you is having these successes.

It's the lying that – or the mistaken assumption when you see all of the successes that that's the more general truth. Everybody but you is having these successes.

But if people learn the three levels that I was explaining before, then you'd see that what looks like is not very good, in fact, may be quite something. You know, you have people who are poor and they can't spend a lot of money on their appearance. And then you have everybody else who's spending a lot of money on their appearance. Then you have some of these very, very rich people.

But if people learn the three levels that I was explaining before, then you'd see that what looks like is not very good, in fact, may be quite something. You know, you have people who are poor and they can't spend a lot of money on their appearance. And then you have everybody else who's spending a lot of money on their appearance. Then you have some of these very, very rich people.

But if people learn the three levels that I was explaining before, then you'd see that what looks like is not very good, in fact, may be quite something. You know, you have people who are poor and they can't spend a lot of money on their appearance. And then you have everybody else who's spending a lot of money on their appearance. Then you have some of these very, very rich people.

I had this editor for mindfulness, wonderful woman. She's recently died. And the first time we went out, this is when I was young, and it was wonderful how they're going to send me all these free books, and they take me out all the time to get me to publish with this company as opposed to that company. And I'll never forget this. We go for this meal, and she looked poor. So I didn't eat anything.

I had this editor for mindfulness, wonderful woman. She's recently died. And the first time we went out, this is when I was young, and it was wonderful how they're going to send me all these free books, and they take me out all the time to get me to publish with this company as opposed to that company. And I'll never forget this. We go for this meal, and she looked poor. So I didn't eat anything.

I had this editor for mindfulness, wonderful woman. She's recently died. And the first time we went out, this is when I was young, and it was wonderful how they're going to send me all these free books, and they take me out all the time to get me to publish with this company as opposed to that company. And I'll never forget this. We go for this meal, and she looked poor. So I didn't eat anything.

I chose the cheapest thing on the menu because I knew she was paying – I found out she was one of the richest people in New England.

I chose the cheapest thing on the menu because I knew she was paying – I found out she was one of the richest people in New England.

I chose the cheapest thing on the menu because I knew she was paying – I found out she was one of the richest people in New England.

But people could be asked at any stage, why is somebody dressed this way? Why is somebody doing what they're doing? And when asked now, you're only given a single answer, right? When you're given multiple answers, you see the three levels. You know, they're doing it for this wonderful reason, for this awful reason. It has this meaning, that meaning. And that's what you want, things to be obscured.

But people could be asked at any stage, why is somebody dressed this way? Why is somebody doing what they're doing? And when asked now, you're only given a single answer, right? When you're given multiple answers, you see the three levels. You know, they're doing it for this wonderful reason, for this awful reason. It has this meaning, that meaning. And that's what you want, things to be obscured.

But people could be asked at any stage, why is somebody dressed this way? Why is somebody doing what they're doing? And when asked now, you're only given a single answer, right? When you're given multiple answers, you see the three levels. You know, they're doing it for this wonderful reason, for this awful reason. It has this meaning, that meaning. And that's what you want, things to be obscured.