What Persuades Us? Responding to TED Lectures and The New York Times Article

Here's a useful definition of persuasion from a psychological perspective:  

According to Perloff (2003), persuasion can be defined as "...a symbolic process in which communicators try to convince other people to change their attitudes or behaviors regarding an issue through the transmission of a message in an atmosphere of free choice."

So, given a"free choice," what have you found most persuasive in the two lectures (Connected, but alone? and Why privacy matters) and one reading, "Growing Up Digital, Wired for Distraction"? Refer to each lecture and to the reading in your answer. 

Write no more than 200 to 250 words. It is likely easiest to refer to the lectures and reading in separate short paragraphs. If you remain unconvinced by their ideas, please try to persuade us by providing an argument against the ideas. Be sure to say why you find something persuasive (or why not). I will provide a sample this weekend. 

Bring all your writing, word processed and double spaced, to class next Wednesday.