Autumn Odone
ENG 110
Section B
15 October 2018
Giving Technology Purpose
Technology has infiltrated every aspect of our lives at an exponential rate. Think about the times when you’ve gone out to dinner and seen parents break from a heated argument with those at the table to tell their kids “no phones at the table” just to resume arguing and not conversing with them. The kids sulk with a look of irritation and the parents continue arguing while still managing to give them the “fix your attitude” glare. In this situation, the parents are upset that the kids aren’t following their “no phones” rule and the kids are bored and annoyed that nobody is talking to them because they still can’t use their phones. In my family we found a compromise; if nobody is talking to you then, yes, you may use your phone but, while you are being spoken to you don’t use your phone and you engage in conversation. We also use a variation of a type of “common courtesy” rule as well, that being any situation where you are unsure if it is okay to use your phone you don’t use it at all. I’ve found that for myself and many others, discovering that delicate balance between when we should and shouldn’t use our phones has made family time, and our attitudes toward life in general, much more meaningful .I like how you introduce your thesis with that example. Therefore, the negatives of technology can be reduced by limiting our time online and the amount of information we expose ourselves to which will allow us to be better equipped to purposefully experience life both in the real world and online.
For the last ten years of my life I have noticed the constant presence of technology quickly creeping into every aspect of my daily routine. Conversations are diminished to nothing but blue and grey text boxes gliding along a screen and photos mean nothing more than the number of likes displayed just below it, not to mention how it became a necessity to create the “no texting and driving” laws. You no longer laugh about all the wrong turns you took that time you got lost and navigated home using only the map. You don’t look at your photos with fondness of the memories inside them;, only the recurring thoughts of “why didn’t this picture get as many likes as the others?” So maybe it is time to step away from the screens. After all, it appears as though technology is draining the meaning from life. Alexandra Samuel reports “when I read accounts of those who’ve gone offline for a weekend, a holiday, or the 40 days of Lent, they often seem wistful for how [they] feel” (1). In other words, when people aren’t constantly bombarded by the burdens of the internet, they begin appreciating what they have around them and become more aware. However, a complete separation from technology could be just as drastic as an abundance of it.
While some may agree with the argument that completely abolishing technology is the best way to connect to the real world, Alexandra Samuel goes on to explain in her article “Plug in Better” that completely unplugging sets up a negative environment where you find yourself wishing you were back on your phone away from the negativity (5). By only allowing ourselves to use a cell phone for its intended purpose of making phone calls or sending text messages, you completely eliminate the false comfort that comes with receiving the overwhelming amount of information available online. Simultaneously, you are staying connected to those you typically wouldn’t be able to converse with otherwise. In the interest of being realistic, Samuel recognizes that we no longer have that option of living without technology when she says “The internet is an incurable condition — but we can’t recognize that as good news until we find a way to treat the various aches and pains of life online” (5). As Samuel states, the only way to successfully navigate the new technological world is to work with what we have and improve how and for what purpose we are using technology. What are the aches and pains? Maybe discuss this a little.
If it hasn’t been made blatantly obvious yet, we are currently living in the era of a technological boom that has left behind a suffocating web of information, although it is more commonly referred to as the internet. One side effect of this “plague” of information is this constant fear that you are missing out on something. Jean Twenge, a social scientist studying generational trends, offers statistics that could easily cause a want to unplug for good when she says “iGen [is] on the brink of the worst mental health crisis in decades. Much of this deterioration can be traced to their phones” (4), but she doesn’t explore what could result from completely unplugging. Alexandra Samuel on the other hand provides her insight on this topic when she states “opting out of social networks may feel like the cure for [the feeling of missing out], but it’s the equivalent of standing in the middle of a crowded room with your eyes and ears covered” (3). What Samuel is explaining here is that by forcing yourself to become ignorant of all of the information online, you are causing that ostracized feeling to be amplified.
In the early stages of their lives, kids are exposed to all sorts of information that has affected how they’ve developed. According to Sam Anderson, scientists have noticed developmental advantages in younger generations as a result of technology. Technology creates an environment that is very fast past and constantly changing. Similarly, as discussed in Anderson’s article “In Defence of Distraction,” nomads have a common unusual development within their brains due to their constantly changing surroundings. It was also noted that those without the development were less nourished than those with it (12). The reason this is brought up is because the development of the younger generations and the development of the nomads are very similar. The brains of our elders weren’t exposed to the amount of changes and information these kids have been exposed to, so they weren’t able to adapt to the rapid increase of technology.
If you take notice, the majority of people pushing for a complete removal of technology are members of the older generations, specifically those born before 1990. However, if technology were really as catastrophically dangerous as so many people make it out to be, we wouldn’t be using it anymore. This is why limiting our screen time is so essential. By cutting down on screen time, we open ourselves up to technology in a way that allows us to continue developing adaptations in preparation for the future where there will inevitably be more technology while also taking time away from the screen to enjoy the real world. Since you are exposing yourself to the real world and technology simultaneously and equally, the balance between the two will allow for optimal neurological development and a much greater appreciation for both.
Finding balance in the things we do has been a problem for centuries, and yet here we are still walking around on Earth. The world runs on gives and takes. If giving up the time you spend online so you can take back your real life is what we need to do to survive, then we will survive. It doesn’t have to be huge changes all at once, just start small. Don’t make the first thing you see when you wake up your phone, choose a meal and make it technology free, etc. Then you can start noticing changes in your life without being overwhelmed by them. Give yourself time to settle into a world of three dimensions instead of two. After all, though we may say we’re ready to throw our phone’s out the window, technology isn’t going away any time soon.
Works Cited
Anderson, Sam. “In Defense of Distraction.” New York Magazine.
December 2016 http://nymag.com/news/features/56793/index6.html October 2018
Samuel, Alexandra. “Plug in Better: A Manifesto.” The Atlantic.
February 2012 https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2012/02/plug-in-better-a-manifesto/252873/ October 2018
Twenge, Jean. “Is Technology Destroying a Generation?” The Atlantic.
September 2017
https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2017/09/has-the-smartphone-destroyed-a-generation/534198/ October 2018
