The past, present, and future shock of technology

Emily Davis
Sep 1, 2018 · 5 min read

Throughout many years, technology has always been an important factor for many individuals lives whether it has been negative or positive. As for my generation we fall in the category of Gen Y or the Millennials and we have had a lot of access to technology and the internet early on as children. As for Gen Z, they grew up knowing all about technology and the internet from the early days they could communicate. A different side to this is the article by Jean Twenge, she introduces the idea of “iGen” which indicates those born from 1995 to 2012. Twenge makes many valid points throughout her article, but at times while I am considered an “iGen” I do not completely agree with everything.

In the beginning of Twenges piece she writes, “…members of this generation are growing up with smartphones, have an Instagram account before they start high school, and do not remember a time before the internet. The Millennials grew up with the web as well, but it wasn’t ever-present in their lives, at hand at all times, day and night.” I was born in 1997 so I fall in the category of “iGen”, but I am an early “iGen”. I do not think that technology and the internet were a big part of my life until about the age of nine when I was introduced to AOL instant messenger also known as AIM. This was a way for individuals to interact with one another from computer to computer, instead of making phone calls. I never found this to be a conflict with human interaction because when on AIM it was mostly about making plans to hangout with friends or to discuss homework assignments. I personally knew what life was without technology or the internet as I think many people who were born around the same time as me would agree.

As we all began to grow up and enter middle school, this is probably when people became more invested with social media accounts and our parents finally allowed us to have cell phones. This is around the time that iPhones came out back in 2007. I remember the first girl in my grade with her iPhone who flaunted this small screen around the classroom, that in the future, for many of us would become such a tiny and reliable object. I admit, I use my phone for just about anything from directions, googling quickly, texting, posting pictures on social media, etc. I agree a lot of my generation have been reliable on technology and the internet, but this never takes away from social interaction with other human beings. But Twenge may think otherwise, “The arrival of the smartphone has radically changed every aspect of teenagers’ lives, from the nature of their social interactions to their mental health. These changes have affected young people in every corner of the nation and in every type of household”. In my opinion, social media helps individuals connect with one another, but we are also all very involved with social media.

Every generation uses social media to interact with one another. Our grandparents or parents use social media similarly to how we do. Sure, we may understand technology and be more obsessed with social media, but we are all users and supporters. From the “Future Shock” film it constantly says, “young people are on the move” but I beg to differ because anyone who has contact or knowledge with social media is on the move and continuously helping technology to change.

As for the documentary of Lo and Behold some of the information was new and interesting. I was particularly interested with the idea that the documentary discusses the lack of connectivity with relationships. I agree relationships from our parents generations to ours is significantly different when it comes to intimacy. In the beginning of the dating world I find people often text each other or sit behind their phones on different dating apps. My mom often says something along the lines of “People don’t date the same way they use to”, I think phones can set up this wall where people become so comfortable with communication phone to phone that face to face may be harder when it comes to the intimate relationships like dating. I do not necessarily think technology is to blame but it definitely has an impact because messaging is more at ease for some people.

There is no hiding it, technology has caused problems dealing with mental illness and bullying. Technology has always had some bad connotation around the idea mental illness and bullying, Twenge continues to inform readers by stating, “Psychologically, however, they are more vulnerable than Millennials were: Rates of teen depression and suicide have skyrocketed since 2011. It’s not an exaggeration to describe iGen as being on the brink of the worst mental-health crisis in decades”. I think a lot of this reasoning interplays with how easily individuals mental health from how people treat them on social media or by comparing themselves to idealistic people that are just at the touch of their fingers can effect them. In addition, by people using their social media accounts so much they are always posting what they are doing. As we talked about in class this creates teenagers to feel left out and may cause a bigger issue of feeling like an outcast or even have an emotional effect on their mental health.

Lastly, more from the Lo and Behold documentary, they discuss the changes that can be made within our world of technology. Already everything is slowly beginning to change, when we talked in class some restaurants have screens where you order food or machines that make your food. I find this to be a scary adjustment for our world because it is slowly limiting our social interaction with human beings as well as jobs for many people. Aside from this, Lo and Behold displays the idea of a positive idea for advancing technology for science to help with individuals health. To see the whole idea of how much technology has changed is both fascinating for the positive advancements but also upsetting for how dependent we are on technology.

I guess Future Shock was right, nothing is permanent anymore.

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