Sir Stephen Fry wants to create a TV drama series where people communicate without technology

Yahoo

2 days ago

Sir Stephen Fry wants to create a TV drama series where people return to communicating in an "unplugged life".
The 67-year-old actor and broadcaster's idea is for emails and social media platforms, such as Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat, to be seen as the "uncoolest thing", and that a pupil would ask his teacher how to hand in an essay because he does not have a computer and, therefore, cannot submit it via an email.
Chatting to entrepreneur John Reynolds on a recent episode of the Extraordinary Life podcast, Stephen revealed: "I was going to write a TV series about it, in which this kid comes to a school and completely changes the school."
As the pupil does not communicate by using electronics, his cohort thinks the youngster is odd.
The Celebrity Traitors star continued: "And anyway, they all stare at this kid, 'Who is this ridiculous child?'"
Eventually, the pupil motivated the tech-savvy children to communicate in the old-fashioned way, and they enjoyed it.
Stephen added: "He starts basically influencing everybody. They think this is actually quite a fun way to live. It's really enjoyable.
"And I think it just takes that, it would just be a little - the balance would just shift."
Stephen regularly posted on X, when it was known as Twitter, until 2022 - a few months before Elon Musk purchased the platform.
He has kept his account but is not active on it - just like on other social media platforms.
And Stephen thinks social media sites have made the world a far worse place.
He explained: "We come to a tipping point now, where the uncoolest thing in the world is Snapchat and Instagram and TikTok.
"And they are just boring. And we know they're harmful, but they're also vapid and shallow."
The Jeopardy! host said the "coolest" schoolchildren would be those who are not glued to a screen.
He said: "But what incredible fun if you were 15 to live an off-grid life, and unplugged life, using all these fabulous old tools.
"You would be the coolest people in the school."
Stephen initially thought social media "could change the world" in a good way.
He said during his Digital Futures Institute lecture at King's College London in 2024: "I'm the chump who thought social media could change the world."