Has Generation Z Been Ruined By Technology?

 

One of the most defining characteristics of the decade we're currently living in is the amazing technology at our fingertips. In 2024, we're able to do things that we would have never been able to do 20 years ago such as order our food online, speak to artificial intelligence, and share pictures of each other and a large community space for others viewing pleasure. However, like many other good things, there is always the danger of overuse. Right now, Generation Z and Generation Alpha have a serious problem with social media and technology in general. As someone in that generation, I can attest to how serious of an issue this is, as I was also once addicted to my phone. It's so tempting to want to check your phone every 20 seconds to see what your friend is posting or to comment on someone's story, but over time I've had to learn that this wastes time, and that essentially, social media use should be limited during your day to day life.

 

Members of Generation X and Millennials are especially noticing this as they did not grow up with the technology that members of my generation did, (to say nothing of the Baby Boomers). My parents were extremely smart and did not give me access to my technology until I turned 12, which in retrospect was smart, as I didn't need it for most of my childhood. By not giving me access to my own personal devices before that time I learned how to have an imagination and how to interact with people around me. When I go out in public and see other families with their children, I notice more often parents are not doing what my parents did and they are giving their children access to technology at a much younger age.

 

One of the most prominent examples of this was the most recent time that I went out to eat with my family, while we were enjoying pleasant conversation and our dining experience, I noticed that the table next to us was a family in which both the parents and the children were on their own cellular devices, this horrified me, as it showed just how disconnected from the world we have truly become. Both young adults and children would rather watch something on a TV screen than interact with the people around them. While I am not a parent and have no right to judge a parent for what they do, (though it is my blog so I will), I would have to say that this is the parent’s fault and that they should not be giving their children technology until they can handle it.

 

Essentially, being on social media/technology so much is reducing our social skills and causing my generation to abandon any manners or sense of appropriateness.