Technology : An Indulgence Of Technology

    (Introduction) “Put down the phone, turn off your the laptop, and do something-anything-that doesn’t involve a screen” (Twenge 63). It is astonishing the amount of time teens spend on phones. Jean Twenge discusses the effects smartphone usage has created among the younger and past generations in the article, “Has the Smartphone Destroyed a Generation”. The purpose of Twenge’s article is to aware readers about the many consequences the smartphone usage has impacted generations.

In “Have Smartphones Destroyed a Generation?” , Jean Twenge presents the negative impact smartphones have had in this generation. According to her, the rise of technology has shifted the way teens live and interact with other people, ultimately leading to self-destruction. Twenge’s thesis is supported by statistics that may or may not be completely linked to the use of smartphones.

Ever since smartphones were created, they have changed teenagers’ lives entirely. The article Have Smartphones Destroyed a Generation? by Jean Twenge, shows the ways the invention of the smartphone has changed recent generations. The article mentions the rise in teen depression and suicide, cyberbullying, and teen safety. It also mentions the decline in our social abilities, dating, and sleep. Smartphones have had both negative and positive affects on teenagers, but the negatives significantly outweigh the positives, which points to the need to put down the smartphones, as the article suggests.

The AVID weekly article says, “Do get on your phone in front of family or friends to look up important, relevant information. This shows that if we do bring in more devices then we can try teach to use phones only when needed. The quote also shows that not all teens use their phones when there is no need for using them. The Scholastic article says, “94% of teens who have a smart phone use it daily.” This quote shows that if we do bring in other devices that it would more likely be easier to use them because teens use their phones so much. The quote also supports that it would less likely happen of someone breaking the devices because so much people would know how to use the devices. The AVID weekly and Scholastic article show that teens use their phones a large amount of time but it can be a good thing and a very bad thing result

“Put down the phone, turn off the laptop, and do something-anything-that doesn’t involve a screen” (Twenge 63). It is astonishing the amount of time teens spend on phones. Jean Twenge discusses the negative effects smartphone usage has created among the young and past generations in the article, “Has the Smartphone Destroyed a Generation”. The purpose of Twenge’s article is to aware readers about the many issues the smartphone usage has created on generations. Twenge narrates different stories about young teen’s experiences with phones and social media. Twenge also provides readers with statistics and some studies of many effects caused by smartphones. Twenge gives emphasize to differences between generations. According to Twenge, today’s

“Have Smartphones Destroyed a Generation?” by Jean M. Twenge on The Atlantic in September 2017 are changing people generation by generation. Twenge's thesis is that smartphones are changing the way teens act. Twenge is comparing baby boomers when they were teens to teens now. Teens now are shaped by phones. Smartphones are affecting teens by changing their personality and the way they look at themselves. She is stating that because of smartphones, teens are becoming disconnected from the outside world. In addition, smartphones are making teens less social and less independent. Also, another effect with smartphones is that they are making teens depressed and suicidal. In 2012, 50% of people had smartphones after 2012, is when suicidal and depression rate kept rising. The only good things Twenge states about smartphones, is that teens are more safe now. If there is an emergency, they can immediately contact someone. Furthermore, teens now have more individualism than millennials did. Twenge interviews a “13-year-old” girl and pulls her audience in by telling the girls story with phones. Twenge pulls back to the question, “Have Smartphones Destroyed a Generation?”. Teens today do not see the bad affects a smartphone has on them. They are too attached to their phones and also blinded to see it from another person's perspective.

One of the major problems in the world today is the dependency that teenagers have on their cell phones. The majority of people depend on their cell phones for everything that they do. They feel like they have to constantly check it to look at what is new on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. They forget to focus on the world around them and become absorbed in the online world. Some suffer from panic attacks if they don’t have their phone with them. They might not need their phone, but they have to have it with them.

Relevance Statement: Electricity is the heart of our current civilization. Without electricity we would regress into a feudal like stage which will slow down our evolution as a society

In the article, “OMG Teens and Their Phones” by Bob Ross, he discusses a survey that shows on average everyday teens send about one text message every five minutes. Throughout this article Ross discusses the question of whether the use of technology is being abused by kids today and the answer is yes, but only if the parents let it happen. Parents cannot be ignorant about what their child is using technology for, they need to understand the technology their child is using and they also need to create rules about the use of technology so teens do not abuse their power of it. Ross explains how it is important for parents to set guidelines and rules that are reasonable for themselves and their child’s needs so they are more willing to follow them. To make sure that teens are not abusing their technology it is important for parents to encourage technology free time. It is important for a child to learn when the appropriate time is to use technology and when they should not, for example when they are in class or when they are doing homework. Another suggestion that Ross makes is for parents to check phone bills to make sure that their child is following their guidelines. On the phone bill a parent can see what times their child is texting and the other person who they are texting. If a parent sees that their child is not following their guidelines then they can always disable their phone during a certain

In the article “Have Smartphones Destroyed a Generation?,” Twenge discusses the negative effects of smartphones and social media on today’s teenagers. She delves into a case study citing examples from a girl she refers to as Athena, who gives Twenge insight into this generation of teens. Twenge suggests that smartphones have become the main cause of increased depression and suicide rates for teenagers. Ever since 2012, with a majority of Americans owning smartphones has led to both the levels of happiness and independence to decrease.

Twenge is not the only author to write about how smartphones are affecting teenagers and causing a damaging effect on the future. Typing the words “Smartphones are” into Google shows that people think that smartphones are “bad”, “addictive” and “evil.” Twenge and many others believe that smartphones are ruining the newest generation because they don’t go out as much and there is less conversation. The new generation is less likely to abuse alcohol, smoke, get into a car accident, and get pregnant before they graduate high school. And somehow to Twenge those are signs of a destroyed generation.

Whether you’re getting directions, calling a loved one to let them know you’re running a little late, or checking Facebook to catch up with an old high school friend, cell phones have began to dominate our technology based society due to their easy accessibility and endless uses. While “nine-in-ten Americans own a cell phone and nearly two-thirds own a smartphone,” the cell phone is has become one of the only things the vast majority of people deem necessary in their life (Rainie et al., 2015). “Ch 1: Always on Connectivity,” written by by Lee Rainie and Kathryn Zickuhr, explains how dependent adults really have become of our cell phones. “8 Fascinating Facts About How Teens Use The Internet And Social Media” elaborates

Everywhere you go teens seem to be glued to their phones, tablets, or computers. Technology is an addiction that does not seem to be going away any time soon. According to the Washington Post, teens can spend up to seven or more hours on their digital devices a day and the usage is still increasing. Not surprisingly enough, more than a third of all teenagers own a cellphone, ranging from a smart phone or just a plain old-school flip phone. But can spending all that time on their computers and smart devices be such a bad thing? Today’s easy access, always on world presents a wealth of opportunity for teens as students, but also challenges them to retain them essential humanity and unique personalities.

Smartphones have become a part of everyone’s body. Almost everything can be done through smart phones. Paying bills, doing grocery, buying food, and more time consuming tasks can all be done almost instantly by smartphones. Many jobs and institutions today do not allow the use of smartphones during a certain time, especially schools. Prohibition of cell phones in school is a good idea to prevent students from getting distracted. However, high school students should be allowed to access their cell phones at school, because high school students are mature enough to use their cell phones productively and beneficially. Having access to internet is very important to high school students. Many students could not afford to have all kinds of devices, such as laptop, tablets, and cell phones. Entirely banning the usage of cell phones can make students hate the school causing them to be more arrogant.

In this article “Teens and Technology 2013” by Pew Internet & American Life Project shows statistics between teens internet access and teen and tablet ownership. Now these days most teens are online. The article says, “Fully 95% of teens are online” (“Teens and Technology). Internet can be accessed through cellphones, tablets, and mobile devices(“Teens and Technology). The younger the age group, the more use of internet occurs. Pew Internet & American Life Project wanted to show facts and graphs on internet use for teens. The information could open people’s eyes and see how much teens are using the devices with internet.