Summary Of Have Smartphones Destroyed A Generation

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Maps, phone books, payphones, CDs, and disposable cameras. Many current children and teens would have a puzzled look on their faces if they were asked to use any of the aforementioned objects. These technologies that were once trendy are now nearly obsolete. On the other hand, if a child is given a smartphone, (s)he could most likely get directions to a location, find a phone number, play music, and so on. The smartphone has not only taken the place of numerous inventions, but it has also taken over the lives of millions of people. Jean M. Twenge, in her article “Have Smartphones Destroyed a Generation?”, discusses the impact that the smartphone has had not only on adults, but most importantly on today’s generation of children and adolescents, …show more content…

Social media drives everything now. It controls how people act, feel, and behave. Teens use social media to present themselves in a more favorable light because there is a societal pressure to act and look a certain way. Therefore, even when teens do hang out, the smartphone continues to be a complication. Many teens continue to be glued to their phones despite physically being with a friend, so they might as well be sitting in their own separate bedrooms. Twenge explains how “adolescence is a key time for developing social skills” and the smartphone is disrupting this critical period. Subsequently, “iGen” teens are not developing appropriate social skills that they will need to successfully communicate, problem solve, and interact in the real world. This includes getting a job, maintaining a relationship, and everything else involved with living independently. Instead, teens are very good at editing photos for Instagram, maintaining streaks on Snapchat, and making memes for Twitter. The primary topic that most “iGen” teens can relate to with each other is probably related to social media. One could describe the social relationships between “iGen” teens as superficial and held together by technology. Without technology, most current teens would probably have a difficult time interacting with others because they rely so heavily on …show more content…

Sleep deprivation among teens has raised fifty-seven percent from 1991 to 2015. Twenge describes that it is not likely a consequence that this timing coincides with when most teens began to get a smartphone (Twenge). Sleep deprivation is a serious issue that can cause adverse effects, such as weight gain, poor performance in school, and high blood pressure. Not only does lack of sleep affect physical health, but it also can lead to depression and anxiety. To that end, it becomes clear that the negative effects of the smartphone are not independent of each other, but rather they are all connected in a complex

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