Growing up in the age of new technologies, my entire childhood was influenced by social media, smartphones, and the idea of having the world at the touch of a button. To me and my peers, there has never been a time that I could remember, where technology in some form or capacity was not apart of my daily routine. That being said, this generation cannot be blamed for its reliance and "over usage" of technology because it has practically been in our hands since we could read. There is nothing wrong with innovation and the slogan keep moving forward is the heartbeat for the new and improved. However, technology has its good, its bad, and it's ugly sides. As a member of Gen Z, I have had the privilege to reap the benefits of new tech, but also have endured the consequences of its effects.
The Good:
Big tech and media corporations will always push the narrative that tech is the future. And they are right. Technology has made extremely positive impacts in society and it seems to make life easier and easier as more and more inventions and innovations progress. Everyday life now would look different if we did not have what we view as simple necessities in our back pockets, in our homes, and in our workplaces. We almost question how people were able to survive before indoor plumbing and wifi. Without tech, there would not have been cures for certain diseases, we would know nothing of what is beyond our stratosphere and we certainly would not be able to get from point a to point b if we have never been there before. Technology makes life easier to live and to understand, but some would argue that it makes life more enjoyable too. Sometimes, nothing is better than ordering pizza and binge watching your favorite show on netflix on a Friday night to unwind and to escape reality. We are also closer than ever to long distance friends and family members where we can send texts or give a call to check in all within the same minute of thinking of it. I could almost guarantee any person that I would ask would not take back a second from where we all have benefited from technology.
The Bad:
The older I get, the more I rely on more forms of technology in everyday life. At ten years old, I was more concerned with getting my hoola hoop back after I tossed it over my neighbors fence than I was with posting on social media or interacting with my "facebook friends." Now, I have become too reliant on tech that it has become an obsessive behavior. My screen time can report that on average I spend at least 5 hours a day on phone. Whether it is texting, scrolling or buying that is 5 hours everyday that does not include the time I spend on my laptop or ipad completing assignments or the time I spend watching a show or movie on the TV. What is even worse is that I can't remember a time where I was able to have uninterrupted quality time with friends or family where someone did not get distracted by their cell phone. I am grateful for technology and all the benefits that society and myself personally have received from it, but there are times where I feel like living in the age of high tech is not really living at all.
The Ugly:
The Ugly side of technology is something everyone is far to familiar with. These unintended consequences carry more weight on young minds and typically affect the generation that uses it the most, which is us. These unintended consequences include cyberbullying, FOMO, Mental health issues and many more that come with the use and over reliance on tech. Social Media apps are the melting pot where cyberbullying and mental health issues often take place. With a click of a button, mean comments, tweets, threats and other forms of bullying can be publish for the world to see and never ever be erased. Social media seemingly makes it easier for online harassment, and oftentimes accountability and justice is hard to be served. Social media apps can also have negative impacts on mental health by the FOMO phenomenon. Many people see stars posting their lives on social media or promoting expectations such as beauty standards that causes everyday people to look at themselves and their lives and wonder why they don't look or do the stuff they see others doing online. This has lead to higher and increased rates of suicides and cases of depression in teens, especially teen girls. How ironic is it that the beautiful invention of technology can have a reverse swan effect.
