Name a friend without a cellphone. I dare you because if you under the age of thirty five that 's nearly impossible. We have always been warned: don’t trust the internet, it is a shield to hide behind. But what if everyone now is hiding behind that shield? 75% of all teens own a cell phone and 73% of online teens have used a social networking site (Carroll & Kirkpatrick 2011) Today our entire world consists of extreme usage of technology; it is integrated into our movements, our plans, our mornings and nights, it is simply becoming us. No wonder the over usage of phones as a form of communication, justification and stimulation is moulding how we are as people. I am targeting the adolescent age group, predominantly young girls between the …show more content…
With the obsession with the cellphone, that has access to internet at all times, gives anyone a look inside everyone’s life whenever you feel like it, through apps such as instagram and snapchat. A recent survey found that “almost all U.S. teens (95%) aged 12 through 17 are online, compared to only 78% of adults. Of these teens, 80% have profiles on social media sites, as compared to only 64% of the online population aged 30 and older” (Lenhart et al., 2011). Many people check instagram ( and snapchat, which now receives 10 billion video views per day. (Shinder, 2016) How could the applications not affect its users? Moreover, young girls and boys have been determined to use social media for different reasons. “Similarly, in their visual presentations girls most often choose pictures that indicate a desire to appear attractive and sexually appealing, while for boys the patterns are less clear. Both genders’ choices of pictures for self-presentation can be seen to reflect sexualized media portrayals.” (Herring, and Kapidzic, 2015) In addition, girls are more likely to use the internet, therefore more likely to be influenced “Girls on average spend more time on social network sites and use them more actively than boys do” (Brenner, 2012; Rideout et al., 2010) Therefore Kylie Jenner being the eighth most followed person on instagram, for doing what exactly? You guessed it:
(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.
“The arrival of the smartphone has radically changed every aspect of teenagers’ lives, from the nature of their social interactions to their mental health” (Twenge). In her article, “Have Smartphones Destroyed a Generation?”, Jean Twenge discusses how the new generation of teenagers is becoming highly dependent on their smartphones. Twenge calls this new generation born between the late 1990s and early teens “iGen” after a recent survey found that the majority of teenagers owned an iPhone. She argues that with every new generation, new habits form, both good and bad. The technological developments that have occurred throughout the last ten years, Twenge argues, is not a bad thing; it is how the “iGen” teenagers are becoming reliant on their phones and use them to avoid social interactions. According to her article, teenagers choose to stay home alone in their rooms and talk to their friends virtually on social media versus actually leaving the house and doing something face-to-face with their friends. Twenge argues that if teenagers decide to leave the house, phones still have a strong presence, often not leaving the hands of its owner for longer than a couple minutes with social media like Snapchat and Instagram tagging along. Twenge worries that the strong dependency on smartphones and increasing rates of obsession with social media are a couple of the largest contributors to the rise of depression and suicide among the teenagers of “iGen”.
In her article, “Have Smartphones Destroyed a Generation?”, Jean Twenge discusses how the new generation of teenagers are becoming highly dependent on their smartphones and need them alongside them at any given point in time. Twenge calls this new generation born between the late 1990s and early teens “iGen” after a recent survey found that majority of teenagers owned an iPhone. She argues that with every new generation, new habits form, both good and bad. The technological developments that have occurred in the last ten years Twenge argues are not a bad thing, it is how the “iGen” teenagers are becoming reliant on their phones and using them to avoid social interactions. They would choose to stay home alone in their rooms and talk to their friends virtually on social media versus actually leaving the house and doing something face-to-face with their friends. Twenge argues that if teenagers decide to leave the house, phones still have a strong presence, often not leaving the hands of its owner for longer than a couple minutes with social media like Snapchat and Instagram tagging along. Twenge worries that the strong dependency on smartphones and increasing rates of obsession with social media are a couple of the largest contributors to the rise of depression and suicide among the teenagers of “iGen”.
Within the essays, “Our Cell Phones, Our Selves,” by Christine Rosen and “Disconnected Urbaism” by Paul Golderger, both authors expressed concern about the usages and the path our society is heading down. It is remarkable that within 30 years the cell phone went from a large mobile phone called the brick to what it is today. If we are not careful with the cell phone and our dependence on it, our social communication skills will be permanently damaged. Cell phones have inhibited the way we interact with each other and the way we communicate.
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.
In her article “Growing Up Tethered” Sherry Turkle explores how the constant connection to the Internet is negatively affecting the development of adolescents, and postulates that growing up “tethered” to their cell phones, is interfering with their normal psychological progression into adulthood. Referring to the idea that the ubiquitous cell phone allows teenagers to contact their parents’ at any time, she states that “adolescents don’t face the same pressure to develop the independence we have associated with moving forward into young adulthood” (Turkle 431). Additionally, the author touches on aspects of the lack of privacy and time adolescents have for themselves, asking “When is downtime, when is stillness?” (Turkle 430). While the
“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
Within the essays, “Our Cell Phones, Our Selves,” by Christine Rosen and “Disconnected Urbaism” by Paul Golderger, both authors expressed concern about the usages and the path our society is heading down. It is remarkable that within 30 years the cell phone went from a large mobile phone called the brick to what it is today. If we are not careful with the cell phone and our dependence on it, our social communication skills will be permanently damaged. Cell phones have inhibited the way we interact with each other and the way we communicate.
Have Smartphones Destroyed a Generation?, by Jean M. Twenge, was published in the September 2017 Issue of The Atlantic. Twenge discusses the impacts of smartphones in teens (also referred to as “iGen’s”) today and attempts to determine if smartphones have caused a generation to falter in their mental and physical health. The author interviews a 13 year old girl about issues teens are developing due to these devices. She examines the spike in teen suicide rates since the invention of the smartphone, how teens no longer go out and socialize with others, and the lack of sleep teens may be getting due to smartphone activity.
Smartphones are at the hands of over millions of people and many of them will never know life without smart phones. The article “Have smartphones destroyed a generation” by Jean M. Twenge is about “iGen” a generation which the author describes as “a generation shaped by the smartphone and by the concomitant rise of social media” (Twenge). Jean M. Twenge is a professor of psychology at San Diego State University and contributed in researching generational differences for 25 years. Twenge is claiming smartphones have completely uttered the lives of teenagers. Twenge argues in the article, “Have smartphones destroyed a generation” that teenagers in the generation “iGen” has been shifted for the worst. Teenagers today are less likely to be independent; for instance, teens are less likely to date or find employment. Furthermore, teenagers are more likely to face depression, along with suicide and cyberbullying. Finally, teens have fewer social interaction making them lonely and not spending time enough with family.
Can you imagine life without your cell phone? Does the thought give you anxiety? These days, technology plays a huge role in our everyday lives. You can do just about anything on the web and a smart phone provides instant access. In her article “Growing up Tethered,” author and founder of MIT Initiative on Technology and the Self Sherry Turkle discusses the attachments people have with their cell phones, the web, social media, and technology all together. Turkle speaks with numerous high school students about the relationship they have with their phone and the issues that arise from being tethered to it. We learn that communicating through mobile devices and the web takes the personal emotion out of the conversation, and real life interactions
“Turn off the phone(and the Tension)” is an article written in 2012 by Jenna Wortham. On a summer day, Wortham and a friend decided to take a trip to their local pool. Upon their arrival, they noticed a sign stating that all electronics were to be kept in lockers. Flabbergasted, Wortham did as instructed and put her phone away. She spent a while lingering by her locker, desperate for social media and for the feeling of typing underneath her fingers. However, she soon got over her need for electronics. Wortham realized how technology impacts one’s life, she could barely go a day without her phone. As the author said, our phones have become our lifelines. When the majority of society has a smartphone and can’t take their hands off it, we know that our lives are run by our phones. We, as a society, suffer from the Fear of Missing Out, FOMO, we are afraid that we might miss a tweet from our favorite singer, actor, or role model and that will drive many insane. The day at the pool relaxed Wortham and she realized that not everything needs to be recorded, photographed, or snapchatted. Wortham’s article proves that we as a society cannot properly function without access to social media, technology, messages, emails, and phone calls.
With 87 percent of American adults owning a cell phone (Jerpi, 2013), it becomes obvious that cell phones have become a staple device in today’s society. Although cell phones offer convenience, they arguably come with negative affects. Cell Phones have become one of the fastest emerging technologies (Campbell, 2006). With 87 percent of American adults and teenagers owning a cell phone (Jerpi, 2013), it becomes obvious that cell phones have become a staple device in today’s society. Since the release of the first cell phone, they have immensely evolved and some would say, have become an essential to everyday life. Although cell phones offer convenience, they arguably come with negative and impactful effects on our social
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.
Parker Chilliers’ studies showed that more people use their phones during a dinner date with their family, or their date to avoid awkwardness, or to avoid talking to them at dinner (Chilliers ). However, people have been concerned with teenagers and cell phones, they want to make sure they have a life outside there phone. Some teenagers would rather stay inside then go outside. One study shows seventy two percent of kids ages 12-17 are getting phones( ). Today younger kids are getting a phone, this is a concern that they won’t have a social life outside of their phone.