I have in a computer file a recording of a television advertisement from the 1940s eagerly pitching Lucky Strike cigarettes. The most curious part is that the promotion is being made by a doctor in a white coat actively smoking while touting the benefits of smoking! Seems laughable, if not totally outrageous, by today’s standards. On this episode, I interview recent high school graduate Mary Blake Fletcher who winsomely argues that today’s eager embrace of screen-based technology is just as addictive and risk-filled as cigarettes, yet seemingly endorsed without hesitation by the culture’s best and brightest. Her senior thesis was so well written and presented that she received a standing ovation in a ballroom filled with more than 1400 people. You don’t want to miss my interview with her and this profound perspective from one of our own students!

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Mary Blake Fletcher is a proud Memphis native who attended Westminster Academy from 1st-12th grade. This fall, she will be attending Auburn University to pursue a double major in piano performance and English Literature. When she is not in school, Mary Blake enjoys classical ballet, teaching piano, reading up on Beatles trivia, and international travel.