Technology Takeover : Addiction And 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.

Have a question regarding President Obama? Google it. Don’t know if the pizza place around the corner is good? Yelp it. The quick access to the internet, contacts, apps, and social media all at your fingertips is remarkable! Yet, it’s also destroying human connection and friendships. Now, I will be the first to admit, technology has made my life easier in every possible way. There is no longer a need to spend several hours reading books for a research paper, to pull out the phone book to search for someone’s contact information, or to spend time calling someone. For that, I am truly grateful—yet, I have noticed my self being confused in every day situation when I don’t have my phone with me. For example, in my hometown, I went driving alone and ended up lost—without my phone. My dad, being the genius he is, made sure to equip my car with a few maps in case anything were to happen. I, being the smartphone dependent teen that I am, had no idea how to use a map. Needless to say, I spent hours driving around aimlessly until I caught sight of familiar signs. To this day, I am still unable to use a map correctly.

Today I think people, especially teens, are on their phone way too much. When I walk down the street, all I see is the top of people’s heads. The things that really stand out to me are how we overuse our technology to the point where people are being distracted when they drive and how people are becoming lazy and passive learners. While some might say we should not limit how much we use our cell phones, I think we would be better off limiting our time and usage on our phones.

Today Teenagers of the world have a new addiction. This new addiction is known as smartphones. Teenagers between 15&17 nowadays are using smartphones without limits. Everywhere you turn you see teens bending down or swiping or clicking their phones screen or sleeping with their smartphones under the pillow. Day after day smartphones are becoming more central to teenagers lives. A smartphone could be well-defines as a portable phone that has additional functions parallel to personal digital assistance devices. Smartphones simplify communication and offer fast and easy access to almost every single information needed in teens everyday life. But the fact the smartphones took place over other devices such as cameras, clocks, library books, and computer games make them more and more important, which also makes teens dependent to them. The benefits could be severely undermined if mishandling and over use are not kept in check and under controlled. Although older teenagers would disagree their use of smartphone should be monitored by parents, because smartphone are distracting teenagers, causing them health problems, in addition to encouraging them sexually.

In today’s world, most young people are not self-reliant. We conform to societal standards, not being our true selves. Many factors contribute to this, the most powerful one being social norm. Emerson says, “Society everywhere is in conspiracy against of the manhood of every one of its members.” (Emerson). Technology goes hand in hand with the influence of social norm. With social media and our handheld technology, we stare at the ideals and expectations we have to live up to, all day every day, discouraged to go against these standards. Consequently, 91% of teens aged 13-17 go online from a mobile device like a cell phone or tablet. Lastly, traditions hold people back from being self-reliant, including myself. Often times, I find myself trying

It seems like every kid today has a cell phone or IPod glued to their little hands, myself and my kids included. I honestly hate it. Everyone is always looking down to see what’s going on in a world that’s right in front of them. I have to set rules in my house to limit the amount of time my kids can be on them. They would rather spend hours on their devices, and ignore a beautiful day. Sometimes I have to force them to go outside and ride their bikes, or anything that does not have to do with a device that connects to the internet. I have even had to unplug our Wi-Fi to help with this issue. There’s more to life then cell phones and I pods. People, myself included, need to learn to put those objects down and enjoy the wonderful world around us. There is no App for how to live your life. We shouldn’t have to rely on an App to tell us which restaurant we should eat at, who we should be dating, or how to raise our kids. These are things we should know; and if we don’t, ask another human, not a machine. Life is about making your own choices and mistakes. Whether they are good or bad depends on you’re own judgement, not a phone that has enough technology to send a rocket into

If you go to a public place what do you see? People glued to their phone? iPad? iPod? Laptop? Or whatever new technology that just came out, right? Maybe you’re one of them. Do you ever have trouble staying off your phone or computer? How long can you go without checking your phone to see if you have any phone calls, texts, emails? People can access information through their fingertips at any time. It’s also an easy way to keep in touch or find someone. So many benefits, but I fear that technology is becoming a new age addiction for the public. Technology will one day be all that we see and take over the world. People are forgetting to enjoy the beauty of now. It seems the more advanced tech gets the more people become disconnected with the world. Society is stressed and in a rush to get everywhere and anywhere they are heading.

What Jones tries to achieve in his (2014) newspaper article is to bring awareness to how technology addiction is turning people’s behavior more automated in nature by informing people interested or concerned about the behavioral technology usage on a day-to-day basis. Jones presents plenty of examples of the issues computer and smartphones present on a day-to-day basis including personal observations and experiences, supporting views of scientists such as Einstein on this issue. Jones states that as with our physical, psychological and spiritual selves, our social selves are most important to our holistic health and to be healthy, we need personal interaction with others. “Computer addiction can be just as powerful and, often, more powerful

Technology has changed drastically in the past 50 years, and continues to grow and morph every day. Today’s youth and adolescents are seen with their heads down, texting on their

Throughout the past couple decades, cell phones and laptops have become a large part of daily life for most human beings. In fact, in today’s society it is rare to find someone who does not own some sort of cellular device. Although technology has many useful perks, it is beginning to deteriorate our society’s social skills and social life. Teenagers in today’s world are too digitally connected, and this brings along the negative effects of a decrease in real-life conversation, increased laziness, and more distractions in a number of different environments.

What if I said that some of the brightest minds could steer consumers into spending more time and money by using technology? Well, it is true, they do. Adam Alter proves this idea through his book Irresistible: The Rise of Addictive Technology and the Business of Keeping Us Hooked. Technology has become not only universal but also accessible through just the tip of your finger. The obsession over technology and the most advanced gadgets have become more intense which has corrupted the lives of individuals who have unintentionally devoted their lives down the spiraling pit by dedicating their valuable time to these addicting products. Substantial and wealthy companies have become more successful over time by adjusting certain aspects that

As any other innovation, the smartphone was created to simplify the life of users. A difference from the mobile phones of the 1990’s a smartphone is “a mobile phone that performs many of the functions of a computer, typically having a touch screen interface, internet access, and an operating system capable of running downloaded applications” (Matar). For teenagers having access to advanced smartphones, the use of the internet through this device is giving them the ability to be in constant use of social media platforms, for example, games, music, social media, entertainment news, etcetera. As a consequence, these devices have become one of the main distractions for teenagers. Unfortunately, there is no control in what teenagers access through their smartphones. It is very common to see teenagers having all the attention placed on their smartphones while they are eating, attending a social event, while in the bathroom or even as they walk on the streets on their way home. In fact, for many teenagers to view their social media pages is the first thing they do in the morning and the last thing they do at night. It is a constant battle in real life to get the attention of teenagers, their world seems to be control by their smartphones. On the other hand, teenagers have the power to take advantage of the benefits a smartphone has to offer, such as help teenagers to obtain faster information to complete a homework assignment or a school project, also there can be live

Picture a life without a phone, the internet, and any type of technology that individuals use today. For teenagers, this is probably impossible task for them to do. When looking around, every individual is guaranteed to catch at least one teenager using some type of technology on a daily basis. Whether they are sitting in class, walking down the street, grocery shopping with their parents, or even in their own home there is always someone using technology. Nowadays technology is not only something that teenagers rely on, but all of society as well. Technology is what many students and teens lives revolve around. These individuals, and the rest of the world, are becoming too dependent on the internet and everything that comes with it. The problem is, teenagers are blind to the issues technology is creating all over the world today. They are so involved in what the new IPhone will look like or whether or not they should buy the new game for their xbox, that they ultimately miss the substantial problems the internet is causing. The internet not only has negative impacts on the teenagers using technology, but all of those around them. Although many are unaware, technology is causing teeagers to struggle with communication, have various health issues, and struggle with psychosocial issues.

No wonder so many of them consider the cellphone (for some it is a BlackBerry or an iPhone) an essential part of their lives. Half of all young people between the ages of 8 and 12 own one such device, according to a Harris Interactive poll conducted in July 2008. The rate rises to around four out of five for teenagers; that’s a 36 percent increase over the previous three years, which means that these tools have swept into young people’s lives with the dispatch and coerciveness of a youth fad (like Pokemon and Harry Potter). The devices are more than just consumer goods. They are signs and instruments of status.

When we think of addictions we tend to think about drugs, alcohol, and other negative addictions, but my parents are addicted to technology. It all started in 2013 when they got their new samsung galaxies and ever since they became technology savvy and tend to show me new things they learned on their new devices. When my mother discovered how to screenshot she said “Hey Tre look what I did!” I replied “Ok.” Than she answered back with “I learned how to screenshot!” All I could do is burst into laughter and she sat there with a confused faced but yet still eagered she achieved such a difficult task. Their addiction to technology isn't a negative addiction yet,  I see it as a humorous addiction and not as serious.