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“We can barely catch our breath in the tsunami of personal and work digital input, which results in us not being truly present for any of it.”
“It was amazing. When we started doing, it just was such a grounding day, it felt like it really reset the whole week, and we felt very connected.”
We’re spending so much of our time expressing ourselves through our screens, and we thought that would be a really powerful question to look at: How do screens amplify our character strengths and when do they diminish them?
Contrary to what you might believe, stepping away from your phone and computer in order to practice a “Technology Shabbat” can actually help you become more productive at work.
“We’ve been doing it for a decade now,” Tiffany Shlain said. “The more crazy society has become with their addiction to the screen....the more profound it became as a life practice.”
That first screen-free day felt so good that my family and I decided to keep doing it every week, and nearly a decade later, we still are.
It’s more than just recalibrating and finding gravity’s center. Our phone obsession is affecting our mental health and relationships. It’s greatly reducing the eye contact we have with others.
Character Day this year tackles one of the most universal, urgent questions: how do we create a healthier relationship between humanity and technology?
Shlain examines the science of rest, gratitude, creativity, curiosity, and empathy, and how adopting the ancient practice of Shabbat for her hyper-connected family has been life-changing.
There are many people who need to work seven days a week. But many others choose to. The digital revolution blurred the lines between time on and off, and time off is disappearing.
Can Shabbat become a universal tool to help foster a better relationship between humans and technology? According to the creators of Character Day, the answer is yes.
This year's Character Day will tackle one of the most universal, urgent questions: how do we create a healthier relationship between humanity and technology?
“We have to really do some serious thinking and discussing and get more reflection back into our society. It’s almost like we’ve created this primal urge network.”
Tech Shabbat is a modern twist on an ancient religious practice, attracting the attention of burned-out millennials exhausted trying to keep up in an increasingly connected world.
April 26 marks the second annual 50/50 Day, a global day centered around the goal of achieving a gender-balanced world across all races, ages, issues, and industries.
"We're at this really big moment where there's a lot of conversation about gender and power and a lot of people wanting things to change." — Emmy-nominated filmmaker Tiffany Shlain
WHYY’s Morning Edition Host Jennifer Lynn spoke with her this week in anticipation of Thursday’s 50/50 Day, a global day of action and conversations around gender equality in leadership.
What if your movie became an entire movement? What if it was not only seen around the world, but used as inspiration and a jumping off point for fascinating discussions and activities by millions of people?
Tiffany Shlain asks what the world would be like if it were gender-balanced. "Imagine how those changes would shift our culture as a whole and change your life, or someone you love."
To make oneself heard, one must be tactical, entering into the noise sideways, capturing attention by virtue of being different. Sadly in this century, being different may be as strategically simple as being optimistic.
It's no secret there is gender inequality in the workplace, and Webby Awards founder Tiffany Shlain is on a mission to show how and why gender equality “is better for the world." she says.
There is a larger trend building within schools, corporations, congregations, and families. It is time to bring character back, and return focus to the values we want to contribute to the world.
Jason takes us through Tiffany’s hilarious beginnings as a CD-Rom maker to today, where she is an Emmy-nominated filmmaker and leader of Character Day, coming up on September 13th.
Today is the first annual 50/50 Day—a global event fighting for a more gender-balanced world. Get in on the action, share your perspective and learn from a slew of inspiring women before the day’s end.
50/50 is available for everyone to host the screening in their communities, schools, organizations, institutes, groups and everywhere else. It’s a global conversation discussing the ideas to bring people together.
Introducing the Character Growth Index: The First Character Development Assessment
Spearheaded by Webby Awards Founder Tiffany Shlain, Prominent Global Leaders Discuss the Importance of Developing Character Strengths (Empathy, Humility, Persistence).
Shlain recently released the short-film “50/50: Women at the Table” and chats with Jeff about prevalent gender equalities issues to keep the conversation going about creating a gender equal society.
Tiffany Shlain, the fabulous Jewish filmmaker behind “The Tribe” and “The Making Of a Mensch”, has a new project: 50/50. As in, gender equality, and, as per the website, “not just politics and board rooms.”
“We hope that everyone who walks by the billboard (and beyond) will be encouraged to use their voices and join the conversation about how a more gender-balanced world truly is a better world for all.”
It’s way past time to make gender parity the norm, not mere aspiration. That’s why filmmaker Tiffany Shlain organized 50/50 Day, an international push to change the conversation about gender equality.
The 20-minute documentary from Tiffany Shlain, absolutely slays me. She takes complex topics and ideals and boil them down into digestible and entertaining entities that can be easily grasped and embraced.
May 10 will mark 50/50 Day, a day dedicated to a "global conversation about what it will take to get to a more gender-balanced world in all sectors of society: business, politics, culture, home, and more."
Every week Tiffany Shlain's family ditches the demands of their phones and iPads and takes a "technology Shabbat." Shlain joins The Agenda to talk about technology addiction and the virtues of unplugging.
Shlain is one of thousands of California progressives who are going to Washington this week. While she still plans on screening her film, Shlain is one of many going to protest as part of a growing resistance.
The creative vision behind "50/50," which examines the often-neglected history of women trailblazers, Shlain hopes to transform the energy of yesterday's marches into a dialogue about the work we still have left to do.
“We’re living in a day where everyone is looking for a roadmap on how to be a better person while navigating their messy emotions," said Shlain. "I got excited that there is a Jewish version of developing who you are.”
“My new film 50/50 explores the 10,000 year history of women + power and asks, what’s it going to take to get to a #5050 world — truly shifting the gender balance to be better for everyone.”
In the new "Shatterbox Anthology" film "50/50," Tiffany Shlain tells the true history of powerful women. Shatterbox is an award-winning short-film series dedicated to spotlighting the voices of female filmmakers.
Character is our biggest asset. Character is what defines us daily, what drives our actions and what motivates how we conduct our lives. Character is the foundation of humanity.
We talk with filmmaker Tiffany Shlain about the power of film and Character Day: a free global initiative where groups around the world screen films on the science of character development and dive into discussion materials.
Like a growing number of schools across the country, Yavneh has elevated character development to a central part of its mission. Character is a core skill to develop in students, alongside reading, science and math.
What does the word “mensch” really mean? Of course, everyone knows its connotations of decency, kindness and humility; these are not gendered qualities. Yet the word is often applied more to men than to women.
In just a month’s time, hundreds of thousands of people around the world will mark the third annual Character Day, a global initiative exploring the science of character development from various perspectives.
The HBR IdeaCast sits down for a conversation with Tiffany Shlain, Emmy-award winning filmmaker and founder of Character Day, on why we need more time to develop our inner selves.
The nonprofit Let it Ripple, which uses film and technology to engage people in unconventional conversations, established the global day after its founder released “The Making of a Mensch” to high praise.
Let it Ripple will broaden the reach of Character Day, which uses film and discussion materials to create a global conversation about the importance of character-building in today’s 24/7 world.
“What do you have to offer? Who’s ready?” Character Day is a global day to unify and galvanize a conversation on the meaning of character,” says Emmy nominated filmmaker, Tiffany Shlain, or simply my mom.
Some advocates—such as the Webby Awards creator Tiffany Shlain who last year founded “Character Day”—emphasize that “citizenship” is simply one component of a much broader goal: character development.
Filmmaker Tiffany Shlain wants people to ponder what it takes to be a mensch. So her new film, “The Making of a Mensch,” will be a part of the second annual Character Day, aiming to get people talking about how to be the best versions of themselves.
Since the science of character strengths has exploded in the last decade and a half, we have gained plenty of new knowledge about these core positive qualities in human beings. The science of character is spreading widely around the world.
Tiffany has learned the deepest appreciation for her loved ones and the value of “turning off” to spark creativity and enlightenment. We talk about her curiosity and inspiration, and offer you the opportunity to join in this deeply, profound movement.