When my son graduated from a master’s program in Pittsburgh last May, I wanted to be fully present during the long weekend our family had scheduled to celebrate. I was afraid I’d miss important moments because I was glued to a screen filled with the latest headlines.

As our plane lifted from the runway in Louisiana, I put away my phone, resolved to go on a media fast for the next few days.

We’d barely reached cruising altitude when a flight attendant began strolling the aisles, her arms filled with headphones for the onboard TV programming.

“In case you’re interested,” she announced, “they’ve just named the new pope.”

Phones lit up throughout the cabin, and most of the screens attached to each seat popped on, too. I quickly abandoned my resolution to avoid the news. But my viewing stat

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