Why New Technology is Important to Teenager

One major challenge with digital communication is the increased need of the want of belonging. It was mentioned that even though you can communicate with someone over social media constantly, you can still in a way feel so alone. In the 21st century technology is being used in our everyday lives. Pretty much anything we use is at the expense of technology. In a way we can sometimes use it for things that we don’t necessarily need it in. Some might say that we may be addicted to technology and have become lazy due to our reliance on it. Because our overuse of social media we sometimes forget how to communicate in person. Digital communication has so many different devices that allow us to quickly communicate but this form of technology has taken away genuine interactions. We no longer seek the need to have face to face conversations.

Since technology was created it has made things easier for mankind. But every time something technological gets invented mankind loses the ability to use our hands. There was a time when we had to sharpen our pencils by hand. Then came the mechanical sharpener. Now it is uncommon to find a regular pencil because we only see mechanical led pencils. Now it’s digital communication. With the creations of apple watches and glasses with phones in them, there eventually won’t be a need for phones. At the rate we are going we might forget how to actually communicate with one another. Most people don’t see it as a serious issue but I for one feel like that can be a drastic problem. Mankind may have had better lives with the inventions of different forms of technology, but communication is something that must never stop happening. It’s so important in our day to day lifestyles. Teenagers these days are so wrapped up in their phones they “scroll” their life away.

Instead of enjoying concerts or parties people are so busy trying to impress their friends on social by recording. Social media is the evil that came with digital communication. Social media has made the newer generations into very self-absorbed individuals. They post things to impress their peers. Their social media platforms are their own special spotlights, and some are willing to do whatever it takes to stay in that spotlight. Because it is all digital and online there is no way knowing what’s the truth. People can hide behind a screen and say whatever they want to say.

That’s where cyberbullying comes into play. People are so obsessed with themselves that they will do anything to make themselves feel better. Even if that means picking on someone less fortunate or just picking on anyone in general. But even after they post thousands of happy looking posts they are the ones who are so empty inside. In the pursuit to please others they forgot who they individually are and what they like. So, when they see someone who doesn’t need everyone’s approval to be happy it angers them and causes them to be bullies. Back in the day, parents had to worry about in school bullies physically abusing their kids. Now they fear that one day their child will be a victim of the most disgusting things being said about them online for the word to see. At least they knew who the physical bullies were. Another issue with talking online is the issue of not knowing who you are talking to. Sadly you do have some users who have fake accounts pretending to be other people. The now accepted term for this situation is called “Catfishing”. The fake portrayal of these accounts has put many users at the expense of losing money, their dignity and sometimes their life. Playing with social media can be a very dangerous game. You can never know who you are talking to online.

In the 21st century kids are inside playing on their games and phones texting their friends, instead of being outside and exploring their backyard. Children are being raised with bad communication skills. They lack the basic skills needed to start conversation. Sadly, these kids are being identified as socially awkward, introverts and even dyslexic or having another type of talking disability. Which is crazy because the only problem some of these kids have is their lack of communication skills which soon develop into other issues. But on the flip side it can also help children who are disabled. Depending on the severity of the disability, digital communication might be what they need

Social media was not supposed to cause the negatives that it did cause. Social media was created so people could communicate with each other and to meet new people. The problem at hand is that people are more comfortable texting or “chatting” instead of meeting up and talking in person. We not have a world filled with socially awkward people. Its ironic how social media was created to bring people together and in reality, all it did was tear people apart.

The older generations, ‘Baby boomers” and older specifically seem to be the only ones able to communicate the proper way. They steer away from the use of cell phones and smart tablets. They will only use their cell phones for emergencies and even then, it’s the call setting. The older generations feel no need to text someone, when a phone call is one simple button and also gets an immediate answer. There are many reasons why many people over the age of 55 choose not to engage in digital communication. Most devices not coming with manuals for them to learn to use it is one of the many reasons. (Golden 2017) While as for some old habits die hard and they choose to continue to communicate the way they always have. Older people are known to talk for hours and maybe we should take from them. It wouldn’t hurt to remove ourselves from the world of digital for a few hours and communicate the traditional way.

In conclusion, technology has helped us achieve many things but in a way, it has decreased our ability to communicate with each other, like we have done in the past. Digital communication has had some positive and negative attributes since its creation .We can now stay in contact with our loved ones who are far away. There is no longer a need to write letters and wait days for a reply. We are able to take pictures and store them in a folder forever. But thanks to digital communication we struggle having face to face communications due to the reliance of our phones. Digital communication can be a positive thing when used correctly. It becomes a negative when we abuse it or rely on it too much.

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