Lauren Booth – Technology friend and foe

			Salam aleikum wa rahmatullah here to get to I am joined with the amazing Lauren booth.
		

			I was I was thinking about what introduction I thought I cannot call her amazing because she's gonna
say stuff. And then I did it. I stopped.
		

			Why? Why are we talking?
		

			Soylent? Okay, so Oh, awful, awful. Lauren booth. Handily that true stuff. But something I can
compliment is your course. Yeah, thank you very much. Should we tell people about that as a secret?
No, no, it's definitely not not a secret. And the thing I'm committed to is to sharing what I know
of, of TV work walking into a room interview techniques as a Molson. Now, you know, what, why is
that so different? Because we can bring on negative expectations into the room with us. And that's a
mistake. Most people, if you're going for university interview, and you've got a beard Are you got a
hijab on, because as I offered is on prophetic manners in the public space, because I don't want our
		

			young Muslims to be back footed with their skills. Because we have the brightest, we have the best,
we have lovely manners in our Alma, we have great skills to offer. And I want you to know that you,
you're the best when you go into those interviews, so I've created something called Find Your Voice
based on my experience, and you can find it on teachable. And because you've invited me on, I'm
going to post a special voucher coupon below. So you can come on board, and just press the coupon.
And you'll find out all about the course. It's six parts. I'll be your trainer. I'll see you there.
Cha though today we're going to talk about juggling technology as a Muslim. And I really wanted to
		

			have this discussion for a long time. It's something that affects on my so much, and it's affected
me as affected you as well, about tech technology, we all have our battles exactly across it. And
it's across the age groups as well, right? So I'm in my 50s, you're in your 20s, somebody at nine is
having a very different reality. But for all of us, yes, it's a big issue. And I think it's
something we need to discuss. And it's something that we need to be aware of, because we need to
practice of mindful usage. And I think that's something I want to promote is mindful usage in the
sense of being aware of what you're doing and how it's affecting you. It's kind of like food for
		

			your brain, you know, what we're seeing what we're hearing. So how is it affecting our brains? How
is it affecting the way we think I want to I want to start with this, what is the biggest problem we
think we face today with technology problem that we face with technology today is having a phone in
our hands all the time. And it's like it's glued, like this, even when you put it down? It's like,
oh, I need it for something. It's like it's on, you know, it's like on a piece of string. That's,
you know, so
		

			we can talk in a minute about my coping strategies, I know you have yours. And you please share your
coping strategies out there, because we're all helping each other in this. But imagine, you know, I
didn't even have an iPhone until I was like in my 40s, you know, which is like harder, all of those
20 3040 years of freedom. And it still got me, it got me to the to the extent where you look at that
time, and it's like 13 hours today, or seven hours a day. And it's like, how did that happen? And
then you go into denial, or you switch off the app on the iPhone that tells you
		

			My thing was like, oh, it's Waze. It's Google Maps, Google Maps. Oh, yeah. Really, you know, four
hours a day on Google Maps? I don't think
		

			they even breaks it down. You're like, I'm ignoring that. Because you can't cope with reality.
There's the app uses the AR Okay, well, I use it for my work. Okay. I use it for editing videos.
When you see me on my phone.
		

			I might be speaking to my mom, or, you know, or my sister. So that it's a useful thing. Definitely.
It can be it can be a useful thing. So so, you know, are we making assumptions about the misuse of
it? When does it tip into to danger zone? You know, without a doubt the last five years, it's this
doom scrolling? Yeah, definitely. It's It's the social media apps. Yeah, it's bottomless scrolling.
There's no, there's no end to it. And there's no purpose to it. And you don't know what you're
looking for. Yeah, that's when I get really scared. It's like you start off with, Okay, I've got to
set a timer. Okay, regardless of time, 15 minutes. I'm doing some cooking. And I don't know, but
		

			then, yeah, something's on YouTube. And then it takes me hours go. Yeah, that doesn't that leave a
depressing kind of sick, I feel nauseated feeling definitely. And it's really scary because you
don't always get to shuffle. You don't get to choose what you're going to see unless you're doing
mindful usage and you're picking what you're going to see most of the time. We're recommended things
we see things we don't want to see. It's like you're pretty much giving
		

			Get up permissions to show you whatever he wants to show you. And you can be seeing things that can
affect you. And little by little, you end up watching things that you wouldn't have watched. And
then even worst thing, the worst thing just goes further and further. If someone ran into this room
right now, and said, Come with me, we've got to have a meeting. It's really important and you knew
them, you'd go, Okay, you go to the meeting. But if they then said, Come with me, and they started
running, and they're like, where we're going, we don't know. Let's just go. And it might not be it
might be around but Come with me like, okay, then you go do that you in the physical world, you
		

			never do that. I like think as well, when you're on social media, and you're following people be
mindful that you're following the person you're following? Are they promoting something that's good?
Are they promoting something? That's the Quran? That's as Islamic? You know, are you following
someone that's the opposite of that? Are you following like a rapper who, you know, isn't even
Muslim and doesn't believe, and they're promoting things on their Instagram that you might think are
kind of cool and vile, it's harmless. You know, it's harmless, but you're actually you're following
that person to follow someone is a big thing. You know, what, if you look at who you're following,
		

			it will tell you what you are right now, not who you are. Because because as human beings have
feature, we have a natural inclination to want to be good. Nobody wakes up in the morning goes, I'm
going to be a supervillain today, I'm going to be mean to everybody that I need. And they steal and
lie that just never heard of Kool Aid. But we can get sucked into that behavior. So who have a look
right now, maybe after this video, just go, who other people are. And if they walked into my house,
with my mom like them, you? Would I like them to be friends with my sister or I go toxic? Yeah. Do
you think and also, I think there's an issue with, we might follow somebody because they do a
		

			certain fashion thing. I'm not really into fashion.
		

			Somebody like, Let's do eyelashes, but then then the rest of their life is something really
unhealthy, and they seem really unhappy. And so so do you want to be taking any tips from them?
		

			No, I understand. And it's actually very, very common, especially for people to follow, you know,
these kind of people, and it's something I easily could have fallen into as well, being a young
girl. And you know, we're still, even though we're Muslim, we're still living in this world, with
materials and this kind of always trying to draw us in. And even though, you know, we cover up, we
still have to face every day of people saying, if you want to be accepted, it'd be beautiful. We're
still facing these kinds of things every single day, it's good to upload positive content. But make
sure the stuff you're uploading, you're not measuring your worth on it. Because we can sort of see
		

			there's a social currency that being thrown around now. And that's like sets, views, there's all
these kind of things. And it doesn't necessarily mean just because someone's got more likes the best
Elijah just by piety. So welcome to the channel.
		

			So I think I just want to discuss notifications really quickly. Because the thing with notifications
is, they often take us away from something we're supposed to be doing, whether it's Instagram,
there's there's so many apps we have now like Facebook and even YouTube from sometimes in the like
notifications. And don't even turn notifications on for my channel like don't turn on notifications.
		

			Notification, they can take you away from anything we reading karamba notification comm you could be
praying a notification. So when we say press the bell icon below, that's another irritation to
people. I mean, I guess it could be sorry, to everybody who I've been saying press the bell. I mean,
we all make mistakes all the time, saying it.
		

			I honestly think that only have notifications are really important things as on times fine. Perfect,
amazing. have notifications for that. Some really close family members. Yes. But even friends, I
wouldn't recommend turning on notifications. I didn't even know you saying I mean notifications as
in calls or just on social media or everywhere. Calls. I guess the former notifications, it's a bit
different because causing more emergency I mean, like messages. So even when it comes to like
Instagram messages, a lot of people have notifications for this. I mean, I've personally never
turned them on. You can get notifications for like Instagram messages, Facebook messages, not just
		

			so many apps. And the thing about notifications is once you hear that bell, you all you're going to
be thinking what was that? What was that? You could be reading an amazing book, and you're going to
come away from it because you're going to be like what was that notification? So Bismillah R Rahman
r Rahim. All of our pious predecessors, the learned ones, the scholars, the people of study, they
were people who studied and looked at one thing at one time, if you can't imagine a great gustado a
great chef or a great shake. All right, in a class, don't think sorry, hang on a second. Now an
average person you can do that. Right? But it's clearly bad, adapt, and it's broken the chain of
		

			whatever
		

			was going on. We have to relearn being in the moment. I mean, so for example, my phone did go
earlier, but it was my daughter and if they ring twice, right, okay, now what you've noticed is I've
had it on airplane mode. You wouldn't you wouldn't dream of having the pings go. So I personally, I
don't have notifications for anything.
		

			Because that exact reason I think we all know people or maybe we've been the person who when the
phone goes ping, they dash where's my phone? Where's my phone? And it's not even it's not like
they've got somebody in hospital. It's just like, oh my god, someone else wants me. Yeah. And again,
don't you think it's insecurity? Don't you think it's a neediness to be validated, to be valued
rather than, you know, it can be an interesting moment where it can be a dull moment, it can be a
mundane thing at work, but the interaction face to face trumps the phone and we all really need to
relearn that I have no notifications at all. And I will not be
		

			okay, okay, hang on a second is a Hadith thank God it was a hadith I will lie at the Hadees
		

			alone, okay, I didn't even know that that's a hadith came up. All right, so
		

			I'd be I'd be much worse and much worse state. If that hadn't been a headache that was like, thank
God.
		

			But yeah, those things are they helpful really? The here's the risk. So here's the risk sis about
things that are to do with the dean. If we have notifications like that, and we find ourselves
going, Oh, we're busy. How do you know you're gonna work completely? You know, what are we doing?
Yeah, to the respect that we should have for the Prophet peace be upon I think that was meant to
happen and we're meant to reevaluate about how many times you know in a day do we go on had eaten a
hadith sunnah software Allah? Yeah. Bull Dog Video.
		

			Stopped stopping for. It creates an atmosphere of anxiety. We're talking about a mental health,
illness boo.
		

			It's because we can't focus on anything we can't by ourselves that that headspace forget buying
time, time is elusive. It comes in it goes. Yeah. And you should we should all be using it well, but
to have things constantly break here, I think there was a study done where on an average in an hour
were interrupted over 100 times. So So you know, we're looking at people younger having strokes.
We're looking at people having heart attacks younger, that used to just be road rage. Now. 100% It's
going to be those constantly. And so
		

			we don't need to live in that. Yeah. Like I, my husband and I.
		

			We get we get them out of the room. Now. We don't sleep with them in the room. Sleeping and what we
look at first, yes, in the morning, what's the first thing you see in the morning? For years? It was
it was the phone? Yeah. And that's very normal. Nowadays, it's very normal. Doesn't mean it's good,
but it's very normal. And now, no phones in the bedroom? Definitely. Because when you're waking up
for Fudger with that good intention. Yeah. You want to remain that. So we do have a rule of law. I
think it's a really good rule. Everyone should take in. No phones after fajr. Okay, I think it's a
good rule. It's a very basic rule. I think it's essential. Yeah, yeah, absolutely. You get up you
		

			remember, Allah spawn each other first? When all that's done, then you can start checking done.
Yeah. Yeah. And why we check, you know, here's the other thing by the way, everybody knows
Subhanallah you guys have grown up you probably a lot younger than me. And that's part of your
working life as part of your student life. The phone as part of your your your *, the rest of
your, you know, you take in, but there was a time when we didn't need it. You can push these things
back, the biggest trick that's been played on the workforce, which is all of us, because we all do
some kind of productivity in return for money, right? Is this people do remember, just 20 years ago,
		

			people would do nine to five, and then they get the train home? And then they'd have the night off?
You're looking like really nice. Yeah, sorry. Maybe it was 30 years before you were born. Right? And
then these phones and computers came off and then what happens is a person gets on the train at
seven and they're working Yeah, right. And they get to the office at nine and then they do their
work and then they get trained six to seven and then do another hours work that's three hours extra
work 15 hours extra worker a week, not painful. Interesting. Do not we do not need to be working all
the time. The Prophet peace be upon him at a time for community. Yeah, time for charity. Time for
		

			home time for political and state lifetime for rest. And you don't let it be a constant bleed.
		

			Oh,
		

			La sees everything, whether it's on your phone, wherever it's everything Allah sees. We often forget
when we're using technology, when we're messaging that girl or that boy, or when we're looking on
something we shouldn't be looking on. Allah sees everything.
		

			I don't think people forget that. I think we're deliberately switching off. Yeah, I don't I don't I
don't think it's it's that we're so mesmerized. I think we're to take responsibility. Yeah. I think
I think it's, it's both be aware of what we're watching, and take responsibility for it. Yeah, you
know, and make Toba for it. Because if you don't take responsibility for it, you can't say I'm
sorry. Hola. That was really a poor thing. That poor thing that I've been watching. I'm going to
stop, please help me to stop. And you know, the thing is, when you make Toba, you have to say, and
I'm never going to do it again. Yeah, life. Yeah. Not, I'd like not to do it, and then slip with the
		

			intention. Yeah, you've got to say, I never want to do that again in my life. Because, you know, we
all have those things. And, and do that, but be intentional about it.
		

			Yeah, definitely don't sort of have a half heart when you're making table while you're not really
making. You have to be 100%. Like, I'm so sorry, I'm never going to do this again. If you fall into
it again, you know, and also, we live in a generation of trolls. You guys already probably know this
word. Trolls or people on the internet that pretty much comment on your stuff saying like, that's
bad or go to * as all these kinds of things people suffer realize really awful. And we often feel
like we can say what we want behind the keyboard. And we have to remind ourselves like, one the most
important thing, is it something we're allowed to say and as long are we doing something that is
		

			against our deen, that is showing bad character? Are we backbiting there's so many different things
we could be doing? And secondly, would you say to their face? Yeah, I think those aren't bad
parameters. I think we can actually inshallah go as believers further.
		

			Don't say if you're, if we move to say something nasty, underneath what somebody's done, should have
should we have been watching it in the first place? What are we doing that? That's so true? Yeah.
What? If it's a Muslim, and it's a genuine critique that's gonna save them from the fire or
something? You really have a concern about private message? Yeah, you know, do it do do it, do it?
You know, personally. Yeah. You don't make your humiliation public. Yeah, of course, we're not
supposed to humiliate people publicly. Name is, you know, having a clean name is a big thing about
being otherwise why would it be around to backfire on someone? All of these brothers and sisters
		

			should be if we're honest with ourselves making us go?
		

			Yeah. Oh, yeah, definitely. Everything we say is to ourselves first, and do you guys second, like we
are not perfect. We struggle with these things constantly. And through these conversations, we're
learning just as much as anyone I mean, so best of all, is this right? Get the main apps off your
phone? I say if you're studying languages, do it on your laptop and make time for it. So don't be on
the phone. I might my hand goes fuzzy fizzy pins and needles if I hold my phone too much now, my
daughter's conversation and scientist and there's nothing wrong with holding your phones. I don't
want that in my in my hand all the time. Don't use it when it's plugged in. Have it in another room.
		

			Go out and see the world go out and do something good for somebody else. Yeah, you know what, one
day time that's time ourselves and say right, I normally would have Doom scrolled for I know that
would have been 30 minutes. I've got an hour and a half tomorrow. Right from not doing scrolling.
I'm going to join X y&z I'm going to find a feeding program. I'm going to go and visit somebody who
needs a visit. Yeah. Majan what we can do with that time life? Yeah.
		

			That's like the ultimate goal. Right? That's like the ultimate goal. And I think there's a couple of
steps that some people might have to take some people are struggling a bit more than others. Oh, no,
don't be so woolly. Don't be so woolly. Get on with it, put the phone down and go outside.
		

			Seriously, there are a couple of steps. Just to be gentle. Yeah, now I'm not buying it. I wish it
was that easy. Or eBay. So many people are struggling with this. Like, it's easy. And yeah, it is
addictive. It is addictive. It's and they've made it like like the crack of this generation. And you
pay for it as well.
		

			I think moving on to our laptops is a really positive thing. Because our phones we take everywhere
laptops, we don't maybe you do but we don't. And so when I try and watch YouTube or use a laptop,
because then I'm not just randomly scrolling, I'll be like, Okay, I'm gonna watch a lecture I'm
gonna go on with you make an emoticon whoever I decide to watch. I'm gonna put that on, you know,
make that decision. Make that intention before you use it. And I think even with Instagram, I
personally would recommend deleting it from your phone. I know some people that's a really fast step
for them to turn off the notifications. If you're if you decided to keep it turned off notifications
		

			and find the people that are really negative. They're the main thing
		

			If you're able to delete it, delete it. And as someone who's a creator, I upload it to upload. I
mean, I download it to upload and then I delete it straightaway is the best one download it to
upload. Oh, you don't have to download the app to upload the video and then get rid of it. You're
not drawn in. Yes. And that's, that's honestly, that's a great tip because that's how a lot of
content creators I know actually use Instagram so you're watching them on Instagram they're not
watching you. That interesting so so so take the good from it and then and then get out of it. I've
deleted it again. I and you'll see me on Instagram like oh, she has to be on all the time.
		

			Yeah, to secret these are trade secrets and
		

			if you've got to pick up your phone and use it and know what you're using it for first I think
that's the best part of picking up don't just pick it up and just figure out as you go along thing
okay, right I need to pick up my phone because I need to check Google Maps or anybody else find
themselves doing around and messages here's the here's the downside that I haven't quite figured out
if you turn off all your notifications you end up Don't you end up checking more if you've got
messages
		

			it depends on the kinds of you're seeking for something. If you're seeking something that you do say
for example that you're seeking, maybe you're like if my mom messaged me today or something then you
might but if you're busy do you do aimless checking of WhatsApp or something just message how busy I
am in the day and if I need something like if I'm literally looking for my mom's message me I might
but apart from that you don't think about it so many groups so many groups. What did I do? Oh the
group so just I don't I don't anything I just I've never had anything good from the group. So be
honest. Be honest with people with you know, say like, look, I'm turning my notifications off. If
		

			you need me call me. I literally have that in my whatsapp bios. Like if you need me call me because
I'm not gonna get your tech stat is the money right there. I get 40 calls tonight. I'm calling you.
		

			Yeah, you find me your wife.
		

			This is what happens on a daily basis. Okay. Thank you guys so much for joining us today. See you
guys again very soon as salaam alaikum