We are always told, “technology is bad,” and “smartphones are making people stupid,” and sure technology is changing the world in major ways, but why is everyone so certain it’s for the worst? Technology is keeping everyone connected, helping scientists to discover new things, giving children new ways to learn, giving people the opportunities to do amazing things, and letting you read this article right now.
Generation Y, or the Millennials, have grown up with technology; we do not know of a time without it. Most of our generation have accepted all the technology and those who have not, look down on us and our devices. While a person is judging me for texting on my phone, I could be texting my mom, “I love you.” And while someone is saying I should get off the phone and socialize with who is there, I could be on the phone with my boyfriend on the other side of the country. So sure technology has the tendency to distract us from our current situations, but it allows us to interact with more people than we ever could before.
This connection can lead to new ideas being created and more families keeping in touch. If we didn’t have technology and your best friend moved away, you would be limited to only letters to talk to each other. Don’t get me wrong, I think letters are a fun way to stay in contact with others, but to also have the ability to speak to them in a more reliable and faster way is a blessing. There are parents who can stay in touch with their children while they are away at college, grandparents that can see their grandchildren who live too far for them to visit, and teachers can teach the students who can’t leave their house because of disabilities. Things like Skype let us see the faces of our loved ones to incorporate faces into our conversations.
The people who are attached to their phones and other devices see them as a comfort tool, something that can help distract them if they get into an uncomfortable situation. And I hate to break it to you but, if someone is on their phone instead of talking to you, it’s just because they don’t want to talk to you, sorry.
These advancements are something to be excited about; who knows where it can take us? We’ve been to the moon, we’ve invented a 3D printer, we have devices that help people with disabilities communicate and people say technology is bad because someone plays a game on their phone in public? These distractions should be welcome in a world where we don’t get a break without them. Stress levels are rising and so smart phones and computers that people can use as stress relief should be accepted by all.
I do sometimes get annoyed if my friends are on their phones instead of talking to me, but then I remind myself that conversations can sometimes lack direction and instead of forcing it, they have something to distract them. People always complain about small talk, well this is a way to avoid it. So don’t diss technology because it has done so much good in the world. Get annoyed sure, but smartphones are not making people stupid and technology is definitely not bad.
