Blog # 12 Our Relationship with Technology

When I was much younger than I am now, I used to read pages upon pages of books. I loved staying up before having to go to school, just with my mother reading books together before I would inevitably be told that I would have to go to bed. I loved reading so much then that I would have those book lights where you clip the light onto the book and it shines a light on the pages. I would hide under the covers sometimes and read for a couple more hours before falling asleep. Yes I know, I was really cool then.

I eventually got a Wii, and then a Nintendo DSI. After I got those I'll admit that the amount of page turning decreased. Then when I got a phone, the amount of page turning decreased even more. Technology is amazing and does so many great things for us as a society, but is it harming the future knowledge of our youth? Well, 45% of 17-year-olds say they only read once or twice a year, but in 1984, 64% said they read once a week or more.. I believe that while technology really is beneficial for a lot of America's youth, it has many potential downsides for them. Obviously, there is the potential for abuse.

I believe the biggest use and danger of technology comes from social media use. For example, "there has been an uptick in daily teen internet users, from 92% in 2014-15 to 97% today. In addition, the share of teens who say they are online almost constantly has roughly doubled since 2014-15 (46% now and 24% then)." This is not very surprising, however, it is a little troubling. Could kids be doing something more productive than doom-scrolling on social media? Well yes, but there is another big issue with the constant social media use.

Social media has the potential to seriously harm America's youth. Not just through addiction, but "research has shown that young adults who use social media are three times as likely to suffer from depression, putting a large portion of the population at risk for suicidal thoughts and behaviors." Through social media we are able to see almost anything that exists on the internet. On X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram, it is possible for a child to find pornography, videos of terrorists killings, and even videos that just damage their self-esteem. The problem is made worse as it's become increasingly difficult to cut social media out. This is because "“Social media platforms drive surges of dopamine to the brain to keep consumers coming back over and over again. The shares, likes and comments on these platforms trigger the brain’s reward center, resulting in a high similar to the one people feel when gambling or using drugs.” We can't escape social media because it has become almost like an addiction. For some, it actually has become an addiction. Obviously, the amount of time spent on social media takes time away from literature and self-betterment, but the concerning trend of increased social media use and depression along with suicidal thoughts maybe even more worrisome.

While technology has so much potential for harm in our society, I do believe that it has a lot of potential for good. When I got that Nintendo DSI I was ecstatic. I got it right before we went on a trip. I could not help but be amazed by all the new features on the thing. I was so excited that I even went up to a random lady in the hotel we were staying at and began to tell her all about how I could access the internet and look up things on the web all from my little Nintendo DSI. With technology, we have access to so many different things. The way it can be beneficial is if we use it correctly and manage our time well. I'll admit that I probably don't have the best level of self-control in terms of internet use, and I think that if I did I would be so much more productive.

A great thing that technology has done for me and I believe many others is allowed us to communicate with people that we would have never been able to twenty years ago. Obviously, communication with people over the internet has the potential for abuse, but if used responsibly it really is amazing. I used to play a lot of online games when I was younger, and I developed friendships with people my age all over the world that I still keep in contact with. I have friendships in the Netherlands, Germany, Turkey, Australia, United Kingdom, and more that all would have never been possible to have and maintain without the incredible advances in technology we have today

Technology, when used responsibly has the potential to unlock incredible ideas creations, breakthroughs, and even friendships for people. Technology when used poorly has the potential to sadly lead to many less than desirable outcomes. The experience we have when using technology is largely dependent on the way that we choose to use it, and the way that we set rules and boundaries for the children who use it. While I may spend too much time on the Internet, I believe that I have a positive relationship with technology, and I believe that anyone can have a positive relationship with it if they use it responsibly too.