It’s no secret that technology is having a bigger and bigger impact on our growing youth. Yes, that includes me. Technology has helped me so much that I can’t even imagine life without it. As a teenager myself, I thrive off of the recent technology, but sometimes I wonder; is it too much?
My generation relies on things like iPads and Google more than anyone could have ever imagined. I am always reminded that even 15 years ago these things didn’t exist. I mean, how lucky I really am to have these tools available to me to learn, communicate, and play, but are we diving in over our heads? Is it TOO much?
I’m sure we’ve all seen that one family out at dinner that is spending their time together on their smartphones or tablets, rather than engaging in actual conversation. What happened to real social interaction? Is digital communication the same as physical communication? In my opinion it is not, but I can understand looking at my phone to check on an important email or text message. As much as I know it’s not right, I still find it hard not to read my Facebook timeline or Snapchat, or tweet, or anything else for that matter, whenever I have my phone in my hand. I know I am really not the one.
Somewhere, sometime, we will find the balance between technology and self-sufficiency. I feel that this balance is essential for us to continue advancing our technology, but not “over doing it”. Sure all the new technology and gadgets are great, but we can’t become so absorbed in these things that we can’t even have a real conversation, or complete simple tasks without using the internet.
We need to learn what acceptable uses for these new technologies, using Facebook while at the dinner table is not one of them. I know many of us are guilty of this, but we need to cut it down to a minimum. What we do with the technology is more important than what the technology does for us does for us.