Instead of bedtime stories, screen time – this is how we slowly lose creativity and with it the creative successors.
For me, the most exciting moments in the marketing profession come from brainstorming sessions: when we sit down in front of Skype, or in rarer cases around the conference table with two slices of pizza, and just throw in the wild ideas together. When we are already laughing so hard at a suggestion because we know that the idea was flawed before the others even heard it, but its owner still says it out loud because they know that 3 minutes of roaring laughter will follow.
I love it when we already share such unacceptable thoughts with each other, that we don't even have the strength to be ashamed of ourselves, because we try to catch our breath between sentences while wiping our tears. I love that there are no filters or censorship in these brainstorming sessions, there is no wrong or embarrassing idea, at such times everyone can truly unleash their imagination without having to set limits on our creativity.
At the same time, the thought that something completely different might pull the handbrake when we should rely on our imagination is terribly frustrating!
The death of creativity
I probably won't be saying anything new to anyone if I claim that the digital overload we currently live in has a negative impact on our ability to concentrate and our creativity, as the notifications that pop up one after another, the accelerated videos, the constant flow of information, and the continuous presence of audiovisual content condition us for short and quick attention cycles, thus gradually making it more difficult to maintain deep, longer-lasting concentration.
I'm not saying it's easy, but we adults still have options to manage the burnout caused by excessive screen time – just think of digital detox, when we consciously plan periods in our daily lives to avoid screen time or our online presence. We can choose to take out a puzzle instead of scrolling through Facebook before bed, or to read a book instead of watching TV.
But what about the little ones? A few-month-old child cannot tell their parents that
„Mom, please don't put Bogyó and Babóca on YouTube today, but read me Little Red Riding Hood and the Wolf!”
Although countless studies and surveys have already shown this, I can clearly see from the example of my own friends that the classic bedtime story reading, which has defined children's bedtime routines for generations, is becoming increasingly rare among today's younger parents. In a technology-dominated world, smartphones, tablets, and streaming services offer a convenient alternative to books.
Fairy tale and creativity
But what impact does this change have on children's imagination, creativity, and their later lives?
And why do even distant fields, such as marketing, feel its effects?
Reading stories is not just entertainment; it is one of the most important tools for children to develop their imagination.
When a child hears a story, images and emotions appear in their mind. These images—whether it's a fairy, a brave knight, or a magical forest—encourage them to build their own worlds in their heads. This ability is the foundation of creative thinking, which later plays a key role in all areas of life, such as problem-solving or innovation.
However, when screens take over instead of storytelling, children receive visual experiences ready-made. An animated story does not require the child to create the characters or settings in their imagination, as everything is „served” to them. This passive consumption reduces imagination in the long run, which is one of the cornerstones of creativity.
Where does the lack of creative thinking lead?
The lack of creative thinking does not stop at the children's room. Those children who do not learn how to freely use their imagination will later be less creative in their workplaces as well. Many of today's young professionals excel more in analytical thinking than in developing real creative ideas. This is partly due to the fact that their imagination was less developed during childhood. Due to the lack of bedtime stories, they did not learn how to think „outside the box,” so as adults, they tend to follow existing patterns rather than create new ones.
I can't even bear to think about what will happen to people's creativity in, say, 15-20 years, when those young people who could unlock their parents' tablets or restart the lagging Wi-Fi faster than they could draw a flower on a white piece of paper will be thinking about creative ideas for brands.
I'm not afraid that in the future there won't be completely abstract, truly creative advertisements in the world, as by then marketing professionals will have plenty of time to learn how to handle the opportunities provided by AI professionally, at the same time I believe that the number of brainstorming sessions filled with giggles will gradually decrease over time (to my greatest sorrow) if we don't urgently change our digital habits.
Read more of Adri's articles on the marketing secrets blog 7. How to choose an online marketing professional?.
