Manoush Zamorodi on Technology's Impact on Physical Health

Manoush Zamorodi is an accomplished reporter, podcast host, and author. Her new book, Body Electric, takes a comprehensive look at how technology is impacting our physical health. It’s a collaboration between NPR and Columbia University Medical Center that picks up where her first title, Bored and Brilliant, left off. That book looked at how technology was hampering our mental health. I highly recommend it to anyone who feels like being constantly attached to a device is sapping their energy and creativity.

Both books grew out of her extensive podcasting work. After heading up WNYC’s Note To Self, Zamorodi went on to host NPR’s TED Radio Hour, and even gave a TED Talk of her own in 2017 that has racked up over seven million views. So we wanted to know, how does Manoush stay productive, and what does her current relationship with tech look like?

What is the first app you install on a new phone or computer?

I was a devoted user of Pocket, the app that saves articles to read later, for over a decade, and was devastated when Mozilla shut it down. I’ve been using Matter ever since, and it seems to do the job just as well, if not better (highlighting actually works!), but I’ve noticed I use it more these days as a repository for research that I want to reference later.

What is one thing you wish you could change about your phone?

I realllllly wish that I didn’t have to contort my body to spend time on it. I have a constant low-grade literal pain in my neck that only goes away when I’m off my phone for a full day. That said, I’m so not ready to “upgrade” to Meta glasses or anything on my face just yet.

How many tabs do you have open right now?

37. How embarrassing. They’re mostly Google Docs, Riverside, LinkedIn, email (opened multiple times), scientific articles, and the Amazon rankings for books. I notice that I get annoyed when I can’t find the right tab quickly, so I just open a new one. (Hence, Gmail is open in three places)

What is your favorite gadget you’ve ever owned?

I truly love my AirPods because I can walk and talk unencumbered. Whenever possible, I ask people to do a phone call instead of Zoom. It’s such an easy way to get some movement into my day, and I pay better attention too.

Which was the most disappointing?

Oculus. Sits on a shelf.

What creation are you most proud of?

I am incredibly proud that the Body Electric study was accepted for publication in a scientific journal. I’ve been doing interactive projects with tens of thousands of listeners for over a decade, but this is the first one to get the full peer-review treatment. It’s a real milestone for me as a journalist, wanna-be scientist!

What do you do when you’re feeling stuck?

I go for a long, boring walk, even if I don’t feel like it. Centuries of long walks have produced incredible literature, inventions, and amazing ideas for what to make for dinner. I remind myself of how the body and brain respond to movement, listen to the dull thud thud of my sneakers, and then, within 15 minutes or so, I usually come unstuck.

When was the last time you went somewhere without your phone?

Never. I have teens and elderly parents. Much as I don’t always want to be, I need to be reachable.

What’s the last piece of physical media you bought?

I buy books non-stop. Reading on paper is the only way I can process a long piece of writing.

What do you think is worth splurging on?

See above!

What would the tagline for your biopic be?

Manoush Zomorodi: The woman who never took an Uber if she could get there on foot.

What’s the last GIF or meme you used?